Who or what influenced you to start writing?
As a child, I was not an avid reader, and was hard-pressed to read or write more than my teachers assigned. My desire to write didn’t come until I was in my early 40’s when I was part of my (then) church’s drama ministry. I loved our crazy director and wanted to grow up to be just like him. After a feeble attempt at writing my first skit, I somehow morphed into the new director when the former one moved out of town a few years later. One simple skit and I was hooked.
Tell us about your writing schedule.
Honestly, I can’t say that I have one these days. Since retiring from teaching in mid-January, I have yet to figure out what works best for me. I do know that I’m most productive in the morning—basically between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and noon. That said, I have my laptop on and ready to go at all hours. I prefer to leave my evenings for critiquing.
I like to get at least halfway through one project before beginning a second or even third.
I like to be able to switch off to another story if I’m struggling with my primary project.
Letting go for a few days or even a few weeks, and focusing on something entirely different allows my brain to take a break. It never fails that I’m able to come back to the first with fresh eyes and inspiration.
How do you balance your demanding writing schedule, family and other passions?
I probably have it easier than most. I no longer work outside the home, and my children are grown. Though I don’t have the stress of school and after school activities, I do deal with my elderly parents. My mother suffers from dementia and is in a nursing home, while my father lives in the independent living section in the same building. I’m the only one of five daughters who lives in the same town, so visits, doctor appointments, daily phone calls, etc. fall to me. There was actually a lot more pressure on me before Mom and Dad relocated to the retirement home. Now, I no longer have to worry that Dad is going to hurt himself, trying to care for Mom, or Mom falling yet again. My husband is very supportive, and gives me more latitude than I probably deserve. Gotta love the guy!
Tell us about Broken Vessels. How did your faith influence the direction of this novel?
I knew I wanted to write a story about redemption and forgiveness. It was imperative that I show God’s unending grace, so I put my poor characters through the wringer, then using dialogue, secondary characters, and tough situations, I was able to weave in bits and pieces of the things I stand for and believe in. The goal was to do it in a non-threatening manner. I’m not a fan of books that smack the reader over the head with the Bible.
I hear you have another book close to completion. Tell us about The Rose Ring. How does this book compare to Broken Vessels?
Like Broken Vessels, The Rose Ring is another story dealing with forgiveness and redemption, though I put in slightly more family dysfunction in the latter. I love writing about broken, hurting people, and figuring out how I can get them to see past their pain and trust God with what they are going through.
Both books are classified as romance, but the romance aspect tends to take a backseat to the emotional turmoil my characters are going through. But love is such a powerful force, whether it be romantic love or Godly love, that incorporating both into my books is essential to my style of storytelling.
You’ve given me so much advice for my own writing. What knowledge can you provide to aspiring writers?
From someone who didn’t get their first book published until she was in her 50’s, I’d have to say never give up on your dream. Take pride in your work, but don’t think more highly of yourself than you should. Be willing to learn. Someone with a teachable spirit will go far.
I feel it’s important for writers to connect with other writers. Join a critiquing group, either online or attend one held locally. Friends and family will likely tell you how wonderful your work is while a critiquing partner will tell you the truth. Don’t be afraid of criticism. Yes, it stings at times, but stinging brings improvement. Trust me, I know.
Most importantly, write for the love of writing and nothing more.
Networking and marketing are the key to success for authors. How do you market yourself and you novels? How time consuming is this for you?
Oy! Now we’re into the area of teaching old dogs new tricks. When I first set out to write novels (I wrote three complete books before Broken Vessels), there was no such thing as e-books. Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads didn’t exist, and publicists did most of the legwork for their authors. Those days are long-gone.
I’ve had a Facebook account for a number of years, but mostly to keep in touch with friends. It’s only since January that I created a blog/website, joined Twitter, and started pitching to bloggers for book reviews or interviews. This is where that teachable spirit comes in. It takes me a while to accept change, and I’m just now learning how to use social media as a marketing tool. I have away to go.
What are you looking forward to in the coming year?
My primary goal is to finish and polish The Rose Ring, then push for publication. I hope to have a first, if not, second draft on my next project, tentatively titled “Maggie’s Way.” In between, there will be a vacation with my hubby. No plans yet, but we love to take road trips, so we’ll see. Oh, and I’m looking forward to better organizing my time.
