1. What inspired you to write this book? My inspiration for this book stems from my
unique life. Spanning two centuries, two continents, and two vastly different
societies, I’ve had the privilege of experiencing life in Albania under the
socialist block. This stark contrast has ignited my imagination and provided a
wealth of inspiration for my writing.
2. What is it about, and who is it written
for? “Saga Across the Atlantic” is a
story about resilience, hope, and the pursuit of a better life. It follows a
childless couple’s journey to America, struggles, and unwavering determination
to succeed. It’s a story that resonates with anyone who dreams and strives for
a better future, making it a compelling read for a wide range of readers.
3. What do you hope readers will get from
reading your book? I hope readers of my books will see American
freedom and endless opportunities with a fresh perspective. They will gain a
deeper understanding of what it means to live and dream in America, a land that
offers everything to be free but demands nothing for free. I invite you to
embark on a journey of discovery.
4. How did you decide on your book’s title and
cover design? This is a time struggle. You put several
titles as options, and you cross them all out. It takes work. The book’s title
is Arkimend, saying, “Give me the point to hold the globe.” I
have been lucky to hear my friend’s suggestion in the final title, and on the
book cover are the artists to figure out. This process is like seeing
several new girls, and you are not sure where to focus and love because all of
them are so beautiful that you have a hard time choosing… Ahaaa.
5. What advice or wisdom do you have for
fellow writers – other than run!? I remember that when I was young, one of the
most famous Albanian writers, Ismail Kadare, told us at the national
conference of young talents in literature: “In the writing business, you
enter to be famous and to be the greatest one.” At that time, we all were
astonished by such advice. He was encouraged to be brave and intelligent and
aim at the top of success. We were under a dictatorship where the most famous
gau was the Leader and no other. This advice sparked much discussion and criticism
but was one of the best. My best friend in the writing business tells me: tell
your story as you feel it. Readers will get it.
6. What trends in the book world do you see —
and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? Nowadays, whether we like them or not, books,
even human treasures, and wisdom, are becoming the “commodities of the
market.” They are there in the open market, on librarians in the
bookshops. On fair that readers can choose from. You dream of being a best
seller, but to come to this point, you need not only talents, skills, and a
unique way of writing and telling the story but a lot of investment in
advertising. I feel good when readers reach out to me and say they liked my
book. This is an unnoted award that feels any writer.
7. Were there experiences in your personal
life or career helpful when writing this book? Writing a book and having nothing from your
life and experience is impossible. Of course, the life you experienced is
reflected in your book, but it is mixed up with other stories that your friend
may have told you or seen in the distance. Writing is a mixture of truth and
fantasy all the time.
8. How would you describe
your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to? It’s important to be you. I write about my
thinking, analyze the situation, prescribing the characters, etc. Writing
the book is not a prescription from your doctor,that should be exactly what he
is telling the pharmacist to give you. This process is very complex
because it is you, others, standings, ideas, and your other readings as
well. So, there are so many factors in your mind that make you write in your
own way. However I would say that my writing style is like Balzak or
Hygo, sometimes like Jack London as writers that I did read in my youth.
It’s my belief that each writer has his own style of writing as a
“passport” to go to the audience of the readers.
9. What challenges did you overcome in the
writing of this book? Often, when you start a book, you do not sleep well, or sometimes
you do not sleep at all. You are living in a different world once the book is
in your mind. It’s like an architrave project. He should put all the details
and measure everything to succeed. In writing, even you do not have such
perfect measurements. You have a lot of ideas that, most of the time, confuse
you, and you struggle to get clarity. It’s a process that is coming through
your mind. Not simple, not impossible.
10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be
yours? The author has only the name on the book. The rest is in the
market and readers’ choices; it’s fantastic. Once you buy my book, it’s yours
to enjoy. Of course, the author dreams of having a chance to interact with
readers to get their ideas, objections, and suggestions, making the book
enjoyable. For instance, in my novel “The American Visa,” the main
character dies at the end. He lost his life accidentally after fighting for
justice. Most of my readers asked me, “Why did you kill Artan
Pojani (The main character) at the end? I was astonished by such a reaction,
but getting involved in this kind of debate was fun. My answer was simple. “I
did not kill him. God decides my hero’s fate. We all have our own fate that we
like to say “Was written by God” or, for those who are
atheists, “Was a random chance.” Life is like that. We never know our
end, but we live and dream like we never will die. One day we will go, but the
books that we wrote or read remain among the generations to come.
About The Author: Shefqet Meko is an Albanian-American author.
A former journalist for Radio-Tirana, National Radio of Albania, he moved to
the USA with a green card in 1999. Since then, Shefqet Meko has lived with his
wife and two boys in Minneapolis, MN. Meko has published several books in
Albania. The American Visa was his first novel
published in the USA, and Saga Across the Atlantic is
the second one.
Need PR Help?
Brian
Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over 3.9 million page
views, can be reached at [email protected] He is available to help authors promote their story,
sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in
successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your
advocate, teacher, and motivator!
About Brian
Feinblum
Brian Feinblum should be
followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is
copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now
resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue
dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The
Writer and IBPA’s The Independent. This
award-winning blog has generated over 3.9 million pageviews. With 4,900+ posts
over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by
BookBaby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018
as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by
www.WinningWriters.com as a “best resource.” For the past three decades,
including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book
publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses,
Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres,
right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark
Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay,
Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan
RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He
hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and
has spoken at ASJA, BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah
Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association,
Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and
Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have
been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY
Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington
Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, &
Co-Op Association Handbook. It was featured
in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.
