Before starting this Interview would just like to say thank you to Sloan Johnson for taking the time out to do this with me.
What
is the hardest thing about writing?
- It depends on the day. Some days, just sitting down to write is the hardest. Overall, the actual writing is the easy part. It’s everything else that’s insanely hard!
- All the time! For me, the only way past it is to walk away. Sometimes, that means walking away from the characters and diving into another project, other times it means my husband dragging me out of the house for a while.
- Every single day. I’m an avid reader and probably spend at least two hours each night with my Kindle.
- It truly depends on my mood. Kindle Alexander, Aleatha Romig, Lisa Paul, LB Simmons, K Bromberg, Liz Crowe, Nicole Edwards and about a hundred that I’m forgetting to name here.
- Almost always. I even read the bad ones because when a review is based on their thoughts on the book or the story, I feel there’s something writers can learn about what readers like or don’t like. It doesn’t mean I’ll jump in and change things, but it’s good to be in touch.
- Write. Seriously, even if you never publish your book, if you want to write, do it! And then do NOT rush to publish it! Find beta readers who aren’t afraid to tell you what doesn’t work for them (anyone can tell you that you’re amazing, but the ones who tell you that you suck are the ones to hang onto), find an editor you can trust and take your time to make sure it’s the best it can be.
- It all depends on the day and in what way you mean. Neil Gaiman and Stephen King are two men I respect immensely for their views on writing and the publishing world. My author friends who are in the trenches every day inspire me to keep going when I want to quit. And authors who don’t give up and eventually break-out become role models for me to never stop writing.
- This is always the hardest question for me. For some reason, I can give you 50,000 words and more in a fictional story, but I clam up when it comes to talking about myself. (and if you could see the number of times I’ve deleted what I’m trying to say, you’d understand)
I’m really just this weird chick from Wisconsin who happens to get paid to listen to the voices in her head. I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, but my first “structured” writing was at 15 in a writing group my dad was part of. There, I was forced to work on my skills because there were authors and a big 6 editor reading every word. It took me until I was in my early thirties to realize that I could actually write for a living. I started out doing freelance articles as a way to stay home with my kids, but you can only write so many how-to manuals before you want to gouge your eyes out with a spoon.
Now, I live in yoga pants and hoodies, I’m rarely seen without my coffee cup in my hand and my friends like to call me when I’m exhausted just to see what crazy things I’ll say.
- SURREAL! Seriously, you would think the shiny wears off, but every time another book comes out, it’s the same roller coaster of emotions.
- I think I like it more because I’ve gotten rid of a bit of the self-doubt that was there when I started. Now, all that doubt revolves around whether my story will be well received rather than if I can put that many words together.
- My favorite place is a cabin in the woods with no internet and no distractions. When I’m home, I have to write at my desk.
- Who knows! Honestly, I have done everything from managing a pizza parlor to working for a health insurance company to transcription. Now that I’ve found what I want to do for the rest of my life, I can’t even think of what else I would be doing.
- Cheese curds. Yep, it sounds weird and most people might not know what they are, but when I’m having a bad day, hubby will bring me a bag of cheese so fresh it still has whey on it and I’m in heaven!
- Pen name
- Absolutely! If I’m in a tough scene, it will be one song that fits the mood I need to create set to repeat, otherwise I have a playlist that is all of my writing.
- Getting to talk to people is always the best thing about any signing! I still see names pop up on Facebook and can associate them with a memory from one signing or another.
- While not scary, I have developed this bad habit of getting locked out of my hotel room at EVERY signing. It did lead to me spending the night walking around the Hard Rock Hotel in Vegas until after 6am one time.
10 Quick Questions
- Chocolate - White / Dark / Milk
half and half. My grandfather got us addicted to mixing half chocolate and half white. - Pets - Dog / Cat / Bird / Fish
Dog, but a good size dog. - Hair - Long / Short
Depends on who it is! Mine is short, but I wish I could pull off long hair - Getaway - Mountains / Beach
Mountains - Holidays - Easter / Xmas / Halloween
Christmas - Movies - Horror / Comedy / Romance
Romance - Wine - Red / White
Red - Season - Summer / Winter
Summer (but ask me in July and I’ll say winter) - Meal - Fast Food / Homecooked
Home cooked
Book Links
Unexpected Angel
Unexpected Protector
Unexpected Consequences
She has more books and you will find them on one of her web pages some links are below.
