January Spotlight Interview with Agatha Rodi

Agatha Rodi on Luz Del Mes February Spotlight Interview by Maritza Martinez Mejia

Welcome Agatha to Spotlight Interview! Tell me:

Q 1. What makes you proud to be a writer from Greece?

A 1. It's the feeling of making known my culture and traditions to the globe especially now when Greeks feel so depressed and used because of financial austerity. Then I would like to have the Greek Americans of 2nd and 3rd generation to get to know about the country of their origin and find out of what makes Greece such an exceptional place. Greece is a small country but with such a great history, writing for Greek issues for children or adults makes me feel that I contribute on making known the Greek ways and beliefs to a greater context.

Q 2. What or who inspired you to write Amelia Gets Busy!? 

A 2. Firstly I was thinking of my grandmother or yiayia as we say in Greek and then there is my friend Amalia Balch, a Greek adoptee that flew to U.S.A in 1955. I knew deep inside her she wished to have known her Greek yiayia so that's how 'Amelie Gets Busy" was born. I thought of how a girl visiting her Greek yiayia would feel and what would impress her. I wrote the rhymes in no time and i had more that aren't included in the e-book version but will surely be included in the print book.

Q 3.  Do you come up with your title before or after you write the manuscript? 

A 3. I had come up with a title while writing the manuscript but when the e-book was ready my illustrator contributed to having the existent title. Even my friend Amalia and I were searching for the right name, I still remember Amalia asking me after reading the text "well can she bea Florence? Oh! No she can't", "can she be a Shelley? Oh! No she can't. “I had the name Amelie in mind so when I got a present with the name Amelie on it I knew that was a sign, this girl had to be an 'Amelie.'

Q 4. Why do you prefer to write in rhymes? 

A 4. I wrote in rhyme thinking that this e-book was my first attempt to know the market and I wanted to present something that it would be joyful for the kids to read. I was and still am very passionate about this book and of what I wanted to make known thru it. I want the kids who read it to feel the rhythm of the words and remember the rhymes; at least this is how I felt when I was writing it. The images I had in mind were leading my writing and I didn't think not even once to make it a short story. I guess it was meant to be!

Q 5. What is your promotion strategy to promote your children book?

A 5. I am new to this and I am on the other side of the world, in Greece trying to promote my book, know the rules of the American Market, try to find out how things work, be connected with other writers. It’s not so easy as it means countless nights being sleepless, searching on blogs, on sites, reading and emailing magazines, groups on Facebook bloggers who review, checking any source till I realize it's reliable so that I connect and wait patiently till an interview or a review may follow. I follow my instinct on this then what other writers have suggested is to have ads on blogs and as much exposure of the book as possible. I have subscribed on sites that I don't have to pay which promote for free writers and their books. I haven't decided yet on which way is the best to promote the book when it comes in print, this is something I am searching these days.

Thank you for your time to answer this question for Luz Del Mes Spotlight Interview.

Agatha Rodi Book: Perfect Book for Spring time!

Contact Agatha Rodi:

E-mail: agatharodi@hotmail.com
Website: https://agatharodi.wordpress.com 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gregagatha.rodi
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AgathaRodi