An Interview with Holly Quan: Author of The Sow’s Ear Café

Holly Quan is an award‐winning writer and communications specialist. She’s been freelancing since 1988 and has written documentary film scripts, newspaper and magazine articles, corporate communications materials and several non‐fiction books. In 2000, Holly and her long‐time partner moved from Calgary to a small town in the Alberta foothills. That transformation from city mouse to country mouse was the inspiration for The Sow’s Ear Café, her first novel.

Tell us about your book.

The Sow’s Ear Cafe is, on one level, a contemporary romance set in the gorgeous foothills of southwestern Alberta, Canada, involving two broken people who learn to recreate themselves. But it’s also about transformation – seeing the chance to take a new path in life. My protagonist, Lucie, reluctantly leaves a fun but shallow life and then accidentally finds an opportunity to create a better, richer life based on trust and love. My other main character, Ray, is leading s secret life that he thinks will be OK — but circumstances dictate new and challenging situations for both Lucie and Ray.

Why did you want to write a book?

I’ve been a writer all my life. I’ve made a good living as a communications specialist. But my first love is writing creative fiction. And I wanted to write about transformation – about recognizing the chance to alter your path, change your life.

Why did you choose to self-publish?

I pitched my book to many small presses, no sale. I have no animosity about that. Small presses only publish a handful of titles annually, and if any given book (like mine) doesn’t mesh with their business trajectory, the book gets rejected. Eventually I decided that I had a good book, a good story well told, a book that deserved publication regardless of what any mainstream or small press publisher had to say. I respect publishers’ business needs but – I needed to get this book published. So – thanks to FriesenPress, I got that done.

What tools or companies did you use, and what experience did you have?

FriesenPress has been terrific. They offer several publishing programs, depending on how much support the author wants. For the publishing program I selected, I can say I’m so impressed with the service and support. FP took care of many aspects of publishing that I would never have known about. I have received exceptional guidance and support from FriesenPress.

Would you self-publish again?

Yes.

What do you think are the main pitfalls for indie writers?

The hardest thing about self publishing is self marketing. FriesenPress has been awesome in providing insights, support and advice for marketing and creating awareness for my book. Ultimately though – onus is on the self-published author to market the book. For me, this is hard and not fun – but i’m getting great support from FP and my efforts seem to be working. And i’m learning new stuff, nothing wrong with that.

What tips can you give other authors looking to self-publish?

The main thing for self-published authors to remember is: stick with it! How long did it take you to write this book? So – dedicate an equal amount of time to promoting and selling the book.

What was your steepest learning curve during the publishing process?

Marketing, by far. Getting social media savvy. Pitching story ideas to local, regional and national media. Staying current on my Facebook and website.

As a writer, what is your schedule? How do you get the job done?

I struggle with this. I have a full-time job, so my creative writing gets shuffled to evenings, weekends, days off.

How do you deal with writer’s block?

I’ve never had that problem.

Tell us about the genre you wrote in, and why you chose to write this sort of book.

It was never my intention to write a romance, the book just turned out that way. I wanted to write a story about someone who’s transformed by spectacular landscape, I guess that translated into semi-literary fiction but more likely trade fiction – a good romance with underlying currents and themes.

Who are your biggest writing inspirations and why?

I love writers who are smart about relationships but also about the significance of place. Elizabeth Berg. Barbara Kingsolver. Anita Shreve.

How do your friends and family get involved with your writing? What do they think of your book?

Everyone who’s read my book has said such kind things about it, especially about my descriptions of the landscape and about small town life. Some readers say they can’t stop reading, to the detriment of work, deadlines, sleep… Many people have asked about a sequel. And many have been complimentary about my descriptions of the landscape, weather, small town life.

What are your plans now your book is published?

I’m busy with appearances – readings, signings. I love talking to people and I think that’s the best way to create awareness about my book.

Why did you write about this particular subject?

The transformative nature of landscape has always been a strong theme in my personal life – so I created a story to embody that theme.

What did you learn on your journey as an author?

I learned that a good editor is GOLD. Find a good editor – someone who understands your book, your theme, your trajectory. That person can help you make a good book into a terrific book. I was so so so fortunate that FriesenPress connected me with an exceptional editor who helped me make this a MUCH better book.

What’s next for you as an author?

Many people have asked for a sequel – it’s in my mind. Stay tuned!