Guest Post & Giveaway (INT): Saving Mary by Deidre Havrelock

Today let us welcome Deidre Havrelock on Reviewing Shelf! She is the author of Saving Mary, a spiritual memoir.

Challenges faced as a writer in memoir genre

I think for memoir writers, the challenge is marketing. Memoir is said to be the least read genre. In fact, I was once told, “No one wants to read about ‘you.’ (What? Are they sure?) They want to read a story about something.” Which is true. So marketing a book about ‘me’ has to be done in the context of sub-genre. In other words, I can’t just write a memoir (unless I’m famous). I have to write a horror, a spiritual journey, a paranormal romance. I have to find my audience outside the realm of memoir. In my case, I’ve written a true story about a little girl who ends up possessed. It’s a spiritual journey gone terribly wrong. It’s a horror…it’s a paranormal adventure.

With the ebook, I think I stumbled into something wonderful in the way of marketing. Just recently, I gave my ebook away for free on Amazon’s Select program. Choosing to give it away for five consecutive days, I suddenly found myself taking the #1 spot in the category of “supernatural.” Due to my ranking, on day four my little memoir suddenly began being downloaded at a crazy pace. I gave away 2200 ebooks that day alone and 4623 all together. I had been thinking to only do a three-day ebook giveaway and then changed my mind. Thank goodness I did. By the end of day four I hit the #2 ranking on the free memoir list. Through this, I realized there is a big market for supernatural books (more so than memoir). So that’s the market I want to hit.

Another difficulty with the genre of memoir…is the remembering. When I started out, I first wrote down every seemingly important memory. Then, much later, I spoke with friends who were in the book—this helped me realize that I got a lot of the remembering right. (I also had a few details wrong.) I had great conversations with friends mentioned in the book, learning about their spiritual journeys and their spiritual problems. (Let’s just say I’m not the only kid in the book who had spirits following her around!) When writing a memoir, you can get caught up in worrying about your memory, but you just have to trust it and do your best. Think of my book like, “This is what being me was like…these are the events that impacted my spiritual journey the most.

Wow, thank you Deidre for sharing the undercurrent of your journey and the challenges you faced during it with us at Reviewing Shelf!

Saving Mary by Deidre Havrelock

Genre: Spiritual Memoir

Publisher: Etcetera Press

Release Date: April 1, 2012

Format: Kindle

If you’re a fan of supernatural fiction then you will be captivated by this true story about a spiritually sensitive girl and the path that led to her possession. Part one of a two-part series, Saving Mary is the story of a modern-day Mary Magdalene—the woman from whom Jesus cast out seven demons.

Deidre Daily is drawn to anything seemingly spiritual, desperately seeking a spiritual existence. But inside this vibrant girl hides a terrified child who sincerely believes she has married the devil. Through a series of spiritual encounters her fear turns into reality, and she ends up possessed.

Deidre’s fascinating memoir relays her story from childhood to adolescence: invisible eyes leering at her from the corner of her bedroom, horrible nightmares tormenting her, and her desperate attempt to find God—only to end up possessed. It is a candid account of possession from a first-person perspective. This dark memoir brings to light an intricate world of deceitful spirits hell-bent on manipulating and damaging an innocent girl’s life, not only through her dreams, but also through seemingly every-day encounters.

Travel with Deidre into the mysterious world of spirits, ghosts and demons. Awaken yourself to a world that isn’t supposed to exist; a world that’s as intriguing as it is sinister. And then emerge as a new person—invigorated, aware and intent on living in the light. Saving Mary; Not just another story about a girl and her exorcist.

Watch for book two, Saving Mary: The Deliverance

Buy it here – AMAZON (Only $0.99)

Book Trailer | Goodreads

About the Author, Deidre Havrelock

Deidre D (Daily) Havrelock grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada where she eventually met her husband to be, DJ. It was DJ who initially noticed Deidre’s dark state and worked to seek out someone willing to perform her exorcism. Eventually, the newlyweds found their way to the southern hot spot of Brooks, AB where Deidre began writing. From there the family trekked across eastern Canada to Moncton, NB where they learned to love French fries with cheese curds and gravy. Currently nestled in the hills of Kennewick, Washington, Deidre has two horses, one dog, three cats and too many rabbits…and let’s not forget her wonderful husband and three energetic daughters. Her memoir, Saving Mary: The Possession chronicles her dark childhood and the path that led to her demonic possession. She is currently working to finish book two of her spiritual memoir, Saving Mary: The Deliverance.

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GIVEAWAY (INT)

Win a Kindle Copy of Saving Mary.

ENTER HERE.