Alexandra Bogdanovic was
born in Bronxville, N.Y. and grew up in Greenwich, Conn. She knew she wanted to be a reporter at age
12, and received her first byline in the Greenwich Time when she was a high
school freshman. By the time she graduated
from the Convent of the Sacred Heart in 1987, she’d been covering high school
sports for a daily newspaper for four years.
In 1991, Bogdanovic graduated from
Manhattanville College in Purchase, N.Y., with a Bachelor of Arts in English
with a concentration in writing. She
officially began her journalism career as an editorial assistant at The
Advocate in Stamford, Conn., soon after graduation. After paying her dues at a daily newspaper, Bogdanovic decided to
devote her efforts to community journalism in order to have a more direct and
meaningful impact in the towns and villages where she worked.
Bogdanovic covered police, courts and
municipal government at several weekly newspapers in the New York City suburbs
from 1996 to 2003. As a reporter for
The Sound Shore Review, she received recognition from New York Press
Association for a story about poor emergency response to a bomb threat at an
elementary school. One of her greatest
challenges while working in Rye was covering the mutual aid response and local
reaction to the Terrorist Attacks of September 11.
After receiving 10 Virginia Press
Association awards for her work at a twice-weekly newspaper in Warrenton, Va.,
from 2004 to 2012, the veteran reporter returned to Connecticut, where she is
now a freelance writer.
Strategic Book Publishing and Rights
Agency published her first book, “Truth Be Told: Adam Becomes Audrey” in August
2012.
She enjoys spending her free time with
family and friends, chilling with her cat, Eli and watching and photographing
high-goal polo.
How/why did you start to write?
I’ve been writing one thing or another for just about as long as I can
remember. I knew I wanted to be a reporter by age 12 and got my first byline in
a local daily newspaper when I was 14. I essentially did a four-year apprenticeship
with that newspaper while I was in high school and a one-year college
internship there.
I got my first “real” newspaper job after I
graduated from college and devoted more than 20 years to a career in community
journalism. Along the way I won 10 Virginia Press Association awards and one
New York Press Association award, so I guess you could say I had a pretty good
career…
How did you become an author?
That’s a long story. Basically, I met, fell
in love with and married the man of my dreams in a fairytale wedding. Two years
into my marriage I found out that he had a devastating secret, and immediately
demanded a divorce.
As I told the story over the years, a lot
of people said, “You’re a great writer – you need to write a book.” I took
their advice and started writing my memoir in 2008. I landed a publishing
contract shortly thereafter and the rest is history.
What was your first published piece?
My first book, “Truth Be Told: Adam Becomes
Audrey,” is my memoir. In it, I share the story I summarized earlier – how I
met, fell in love and got married, only to find out that my husband
self-identified as and planned on having surgery to become a woman. I also
share what happened after I learned the truth.
Where was it published?
It was published in the United States by
Strategic Book Publishing and Rights Agency.
How long ago?
My book was released in August 2012.
What did you do before embarking on your
writing career? Was it an asset to your writing? How?
That’s a good question and I wish I had a
good answer. As I said earlier, I’ve been writing “professionally” since I was
in high school – so aside from baby-sitting and doing a few clerical jobs
during summer vacations, I really can’t remember doing anything other than
writing.
What inspires you?
Wow. I think, like most authors, I draw
inspiration from my life experiences and from the people around me. I know so
many phenomenal people, it’s impossible not to be inspired by them.
Please share one of your successful author
platform building technique
Honestly, I think one of the best things
any indie or self-published authors can do is support their fellow wordsmiths.
If possible, make it a point to buy books by other self-published or indie
authors. Barring that, participate in review forums or find other ways to help
each other through social networking. Ultimately it’s not what you can get out
of the situation that really matters – it’s what you give back.
Parting words
Who cares if you are not a celebrity or you
are not famous? You matter. Your story matters. Tell it. Don’t let anyone
convince you that it’s not worthwhile.
