Your Hosts: Connecting Authors to Their Readers...
Connecting Authors to Their Readers...
Connie Anderson and Andrea Sisco, Armchair Interviews hosts and interviewers, have a long-time love of books, reading, talking about books, recommending good reads to book clubs, and hand-selling their newest favorite read.Armchair Interviews came to life in fall of 2004. Connie Anderson had attended a seminar on Internet marketing and was telling Andrea about an idea she had for a business. "May I join you?" Andrea asks--and as they say, the rest is history. Andrea suggested this perfect name for our company, and her graphic artist son-in-law Alan Pranke (see our guys for contact info) designed our awesome and so-perfect logo. Then Connie met this "nice young man" at a networking event--and Paul Larsen of CreativeArc (see our guys for contact info) became our webmaster, designing our perfect web site and helping us launch it January 25, 2005. Notice overuse (no, not really) of word PERFECT?
Four Times in a Row 2006, 2007, 2008 and now 2009 -- and We're Thrilled!
In April 2006, we were thrilled beyond words when Writers Digest honored our site as one of 101 Best Websites for Writers. Then we were so pleased to receive the same honor in 2007, again in 2008 and 2009! Wow, did we feel proud to be recognized for our efforts in "Connecting Authors to their Readers."Because both Connie and Andrea have done a lot of interviewing when they were hosts of their own TV author interview shows (Connie's was "Author/Author" and Andrea's was "Book Talk"), they obviously love to ask authors questions. This is a sampling of the major authors they had interviewed on their shows:
* James Lee Burke * Jan Karon * Kinky Friedman
* Terry Brooks * Michael Connelly * Kathleen Eagle
* Lorna Landvik * Laurence Shames * Robert Crais
* Jon Hassler * Jacquelyn Mitchard
Connie interviewed Jacquelyn Mitchard the day before she was Oprah's Book Club selection for "Deep End of the Ocean"--certainly changing her writing life as that book was on the bestseller list for several months and then made into a movie.
Now for Armchair Interviews, Andrea and Connie pride themselves on being very prepared so that the author feels they know their book and their writing. Such wonderful guests that we've conducted audio interviews with and posted on our site over the years. Hopefully their interview guests feel that the time was well spent and it was an enjoyable experience.
Perhaps the best part of Armchair Interviews is all the wonderful people we "have met" that are our dependable and much-appreciated reviewers. Their commitment to writing quality reviews and meeting our deadlines is much appreciated. We know about their lives and have laughed and cried along with them as life has sent many challenges their way. THANK YOU ALL!
Both Andrea and Connie have been guest bloggers as well as guests on teleseminars on various subjects like: getting reviews for your book, being interviewed, and more. Andrea has been interviewed several times by author Mayra Calvini and those interviews have "gone around the Internet world."
Our "backstory": Connie and Andrea met in 1976 when they were building their families through adoption. Friends since then, they have been involved in various events related to adoption, including working with Amerasians (American fathers/Asian mothers), running a national adoptive parent organization and publishing OURS, the organization's bi-monthly magazine.
Connie: Connie@ArmchairInterviews.com -- contact for contests, general information (not book review requests nor to be a reviewer)
Connie loves to read about marketing/business, non-fiction, public affairs, how to, self-help, bios/autobiographies (specially of movie stars and musicians) and general fiction. Connie also owns Words & Deeds, Inc., writing and editing for businesses since 1984. Her clients are small business owners for whom she immerses herself into their business so she can anticipate how they want to project the "who, what and why" of their business. She specializes in testimonials, professional profiles/bios and newsletters. http://www.WordsandDeedsInc.com
In the past few years, Connie has edited book manuscripts for authors most who are independently publishing their book. They have written about their business, hobby, work, special interests and poetry--whatever their passion is. She especially likes to help a wannabe author understand who they are writing for to make sure the book is written for the reader (not for the author)--making the book more marketable.
Connie lives with Steve, her husband of 40 years in Bloomington, Minnesota, just 10 minutes from the famous Mall of America. Their two children are grown and off making them proud. Bo, her four-legged office manager, demands a walk every day, giving her a short refresher away from the computer. They also have a lakeplace (sort of a "cabin") about 100 miles from the city that is a wonderful weekend getaway.
And Connie isn't one to ever write the great American novel--but would love to have some of her humor columns or short stories published.
Andrea: Andrea@ArmchairInterviews.com Andrea works with all the publisher's publicists, PR reps and the authors directly. (Reviews: Read the FAQ for submitting and send that information to Andrea).
Andrea takes delight in the written word. She loves mysteries, general fiction and Young Adult/Middle Reader, but she reads a bit of science fiction/fantasy (particularly time travel), and some non-fiction.
Andrea has had a varied career. She's worked as a model, flight attendant, probation officer and television host and has even appeared in a movie. She and her writing partner have completed a Young Adult Fantasy (series) and they are looking for an agent. Andrea sold her first novel, "A Deadly Habit" (mystery) and it will be published in July 2009.
Visit her website http://www.AndreaSisco.com .
Andrea has also been a guest blogger at some wonderful Blog Spots around the world. As Armchair Interviews continues to grow she finds herself interviewed on the web and in print (great promotion for the site) and is invited to speak at writing conferences (which means she gets to meet great book people and talk about books and writing).
Andrea and her husband Bob travel the world extensively. They reside in Minnesota during the summer months and Arizona during the winter. Between them, Andrea and her husband have twelve grown children (three adopted from Korea and one from Thailand) and sixteen grandchildren. Her grandchildren are the light and love of her life. They are truly God's gift and show us that humanity is worthwhile and oh so much fun. Andrea doesn't care to write the great American novel either but would love to continue writing entertaining fiction.
Photo by Andrea McHugh