Elizabeth Grace, aka Lizzie the Author, is one of the many wonderful authors I’ve come to meet since embarking on this strange journey of self-publishing! She is a marketing expert who has written a number of exceptional and beautifully illustrated children’s books, travel guides to Miami and Hong Kong and Coded, a thriller set in the near future.

She’s here today to let us know of a giveaway to promote two new releases, and answer a few questions for us.

About A Hollywood Tail

Jerry McIntyre McGregory Jacobs has one dream. He wants to become famous. The problem? He’s a squirrel! Being famous is a people’s job so Jerry decides to run away from home in order to pursue his dream. Along the way, Jerry meets new friends including a duck named Ben and an iguana named Lizzy that help him on the journey to stardom, which usually means saving him from one tricky situation after the next. Jerry realizes that becoming famous is hard work and that true friendships are more important than a paw print on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

A Hollywood Tail is a humor-filled story about one squirrel’s journey to fame and his realization that being famous isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

About Patches

Patches was a good cat. She never clawed the carpet or messed up the furniture so when she is abandoned it comes as quite the shock. Having never been outside-or without a kitty litter box-Patches must rely on new friends including Whiskers, Tiger, Leah and a handful of others, as she learns to survive in an unfamiliar terrain. While trying to fit in, Patches inadvertently creates a conflict between the Long Haired Cats and the Short Haired ones! Patches is the story of one cat’s determination to learn the ropes of living outdoors and her realization that cats are cats, no matter their hair length!

The Usual

Time for the interview! Hi Lizzie, great to have you here. What inspired you to write this book?

I’ve always loved animals – at one point I practically had a farm because of all the animals I had. Both these books are inspired by the many pets I have had over the years.

What was the first thing you ever wrote?

I wrote (and illustrated) a book about a mouse going on an adventure when I was in fourth grade.

What other writing have you done? Anything else published?

I have two travel books, 24 Hours Miami and 24 Hours Hong Kong.

You seem to forget Coded?

Any hobbies or interests that you enjoy in your spare time?

I play ultimate Frisbee. I don’t enjoy working out unless there is an element of fun…which is why I love Ultimate Frisbee.

Wow, that’s a new one! Okay, what are you working on at the moment? 

I’m working on my next children’s book. This one will be a bit different than what I’ve done to date, but I’m looking to expand my audience.

Which are your favorite authors and what do you love about them?

Michael Crichton, hands-down. His writing is not just great, it’s also smart and fairly scientifically accurate. In fact, his book Jurassic Park made scientists wonder if they could recreate animals based on DNA. I find that fascinating.

What genres do you read mostly and what are you reading now?

I love a good mystery. I just finished a book by Lee Child and one by Michael Crichton.

Are you an Indie author? If so, do you have any advice for other indie authors?

I fall partway into this category. To date, I’ve worked with mainly smaller publishing houses. I’m considering self-publishing my next book for the fun of it. We’ll see.

Are there any sites or writing tools that you find useful and wish to recommend?

I love to write in Google Drive. It lets me work from anywhere and keeps my work safe. I’ve lost too many things on random computer restarts!

Tell us about your website/blog. What will readers find there?

I write at Lizzythewriter.com. I feature other writers and write about my travels.

What are the things in your life that you’re most grateful for?

I love a good adventure and I’m so grateful to have people in my life crazy enough to go on them with me.

The unusual

Choose a male and a female character from your book and tell us about them. Who inspired their characters? Would you like to meet them? What would you tell them if you did?

I choose Patches (from my book Patches) and Jerry (from A Hollywood Tail). Patches and Jerry are opposites: Patches gets kicked out of her home and Jerry runs away. Yet, they both find friends that help them discover their path. I feel like I meet these characters everyday – there are always plenty of stray cats and squirrels running around in South Florida.

Which one do you prefer: Elephants or tigers?

I love tigers. Even if one tried to eat me as a kid (thankfully there was a big pane of glass between us), they are still my favorite.

If you had to live over again what would you change in your life?

I would have told myself that writing was actually a career and gone for it earlier.

I know what you mean… Same here! Where in the universe would you live if you could travel anywhere?

New Zealand is heaven. No snakes and almost zero dangerous animals. Plus, it is just so beautiful!

I believe that last bit must have made a few readers happy. Thanks, Elizabeth! 🙂

About Elizabeth Grace

Elizabeth Grace was born and raised in Minnesota where she spent most of her time either exploring the woods or finding new pets to adopt. Her love of animals and adventure is what has inspired both her children’s book, “A Hollywood Tail” and “Patches.”

Moving to Miami, Elizabeth spent weekends exploring all that the nature side of South Florida had to offer. From the Everglades to Key West to hidden gems throughout Miami, her adventures have now become a travel book “24 Hours Miami.” Elizabeth invites you to join her in her journeys and to connect with her on her blog: LizzyTheWriter.com.

Connect with Lizzy

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Linkedin
• Google Plus
• Amazon Author Page
• Smashwords

Book Links

• Patches
• A Hollywood Tail
• 24 Hours Miami
• Coded

Giveaway

Enter Lizzie’s giveaway to win one of the books!