Pamela Ford’s last book To Ride A White Horse is standing with a very rare average valuation of 4.9 Amazon stars. “Overwhelming”, “A warm and lovely book”, “Why did it end,” are just few of the opinions about it. The novel is the most successful one of the American author, who specializes in Romance genre. It’s a great pleasure to introduce at Land of Books Pamela Ford.

– Pamela, what is your book To Ride a White Horse about?
– To Ride a White Horse is set in Ireland and America during the 1840s. With Ireland in famine and England unsympathetic to its plight, Kathleen Deacey must leave her country to find work. Despising the English for refusing to help Ireland, she sets sail for Canada, determined to save her family. But her voyage goes awry and she ends up in America, forced to accept the help of an English whaling captain, Jack Montgomery, to survive. As Jack helps her fight to save her family and country, she must make an impossible choice—remain loyal to Ireland or follow her heart. To Ride a White Horse is a historical saga of hope, loyalty, the strength of the human spirit, and the power of love.

– Why did you decide to write the story?
– I have deep Irish roots on both sides of my family and a strong interest in all things Irish. I’m also a pretty hopeless romantic. I started out writing an Irish love story, but as I researched the time period I realized there was a bigger story I wanted to tell, one that encompassed events on both sides of the Atlantic during a devastating period in Irish history.
– What was the biggest challenge during the writing process?
– It was really important to me that I maintain historical accuracy throughout the book. That meant I did a huge amount of research, and continued to check and recheck information throughout the writing.
– Tell us something more about the main characters, Kathleen and Jack.
– Kathleen is a strong woman, a fighter, and loyal to a fault – even when it isn’t in her own best interest. She hates the English for what they have done to Ireland. Jack is an Englishman, a good man who is haunted by his past and determined to build a better life for himself. Both are stubborn…and drawn to one another.
– How long did it take to write the story and publish it?
– I wrote the first draft 15 years ago, but because I didn’t know much about how to craft a novel at that time, the story was pretty flawed. A couple of years ago, I pulled the book out and began to tear it apart and put it back together again. All told, I probably spent four years on this book. As I was finishing up the new version, indie publishing was taking off. I had been traditionally published in the past, but knew that the submission and rejection process could take a long time – especially because this book was a departure from what I had written in the past. The book was ready to go, I was ready to go, so I decided to give indie-publishing a go.
– Average 4.9 Amazon stars is a very rare valuation. Did you expect such positive feedback about your novel?
– My husband read a couple of drafts of the book and kept singing its praises, but spouses and moms, they like everything you do so it was hard to trust his judgement! Like everyone in a creative field, I was hoping it would be well-received. But you never know until you actually send your baby out into the world. It has been really rewarding to know that it is resonating with readers.
– Tell us more about your other books. The Sister Switch, Dear Cordelia, and Oh Baby!?
– My first five books are all contemporary romances, with one foot in the romantic comedy genre.
– Who are you? Describe yourself in a few sentences.
– Mother, wife, writer, skier, runner. I love words and the rhythm of sentences. My husband says I have the “save the world” gene…dogs, kids, adults, wild animals…
– What are your writing habits?
– I try to write every day, a minimum of 1,000 words (but really, I aim for more). I focus better if I leave the house and work in the library or a coffee shop. That way I can’t procrastinate by deciding that it is vitally important to do the laundry or clean the house!
– Are you satisfied by the sales of your books?
– Selling books is like mountain climbing – you reach one peak and another looms. Early on, a fellow author told me, remember this is a marathon, not a sprint. Those are words to live by, especially in indie publishing. Sales are steadily rising and I’m happy with that!
– You worked as a PR Specialist. What is the best way to promote a book?
– Getting visibility is key to building word of mouth about a book. One of the best ways I have found to do that is by featuring your book at a discounted price with reader sites, such as Book Bub, that send out a daily email alerting readers to book deals. Taking part in these promotions can get your book in front of a lot of new readers and help sell a lot of books in a short time…which in turn, can lead to new readers.
– When will we see your next novel and would you unveil something more about it?
– The next novel is done and I hope to have it out within a couple of months. It’s a first-person romantic comedy, the first in a new series. I do have a sequel planned for To Ride a White Horse, which I will tackle a little further down the road.
– Why did you select the romance genre for the field of your literary creativity?
– I’m pretty much a romantic. I grew up watching old movies, sighing over the romance. But the books I read growing up were all adventure and sci-fi. So I write romantic novels that have plenty of plot.
– If you may ask yourself one question in the interview what will it be?
– What’s your favorite thing about writing? My favorite thing about writing is “having written!” I’m stealing that line from the author, Dorothy Parker, who said, “I hate writing, I love having written.” Writing can be really hard work, but the satisfaction I get from completing a project is tremendous.

To learn more about Pamela Ford take a look at her Website
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Check out her books:
To Ride A White Horse
The Wedding Heiress
Oh Baby!
Dear Cordelia
The Sister Switch