1: What is the most productive time
of the day for you to write?
I would say the most productive time
of day for me would be anytime after the kids are asleep in bed and there are
no distractions, usually after 10 pm (but can sometimes be as late as 1 am).
2: Do you start your projects writing
with paper and pen or is it all on the computer?
Always on the computer, with the
exception of the book I'm currently writing. I got the idea for it while
I was working my 2nd job and didn't have access to a computer or to paper and
pen. So the next best thing was my cell phone (which doesn't have
internet access). I ended up sending myself six text messages with all
the details I wanted to include and how I wanted to start it. I was
afraid if I didn't get it down right then and there, I'd forget all about it.
3: What do you draw inspiration from?
I draw inspiration from everything
around me, especially from people watching. Also, a lot of what I write
about is based upon my past. It's always easier to write about something
you're familiar with and then add onto it to make it a great story.
4: Do you set goals for yourself when
you sit down to write such as word count?
Not really. I just try to make
sure that I get everything down that's floating through my mind before I
forget. I tend to get mommy-brain a lot (comes with being distracted).
5: Are you a published or a self
published author and how do you come up with your cover art?
I am currently a self-published
author (aka indie), but would love to become published some day. I tried
reaching out to agents regarding my book and they all politely rejected it,
stating 'while it is intriguing, we just don't feel that we are a good fit for
this project'. I have a personal FaceBook page which I had typed all my
chapters for my friends to read and updated my statuses whenever I got a
rejection. It was them (my FaceBook friends) who encouraged me to pursue
my book. One of my friends had read an article about self-publishing on Amazon.com and
told me about it. And here I am today ...
Regarding my cover art, I design it
myself (at least at this time). With The Kindness of Strangers, I knew I
wanted a flower to represent growth and maturity. I got lucky finding the
picture I wanted on the lulu.com
website when I was self-publishing the paperback. For my 2nd and 3rd
book, I am using PhotoShop and have taken everyday pictures I have lying around
the house and tweaked them. I'm especially excited about my 3rd book's
cover because it features my niece.
6: What drives you to choose the
career of being a writer?
All the ideas I have! There are
so many of them. I suppose it's because I'm naturally a creative person
(comes with being a LEO).
7: Do you own an ebook reading
device?
Unfortunately I cannot afford a
Kindle at this time, but that's one of my goals I hope to achieve. I do
have the Kindle PC application on both my personal computer and my work
computer.
8: Who are some of your favorite
authors and What are you reading now?
My all-time favorite author is Irene
Hunt. I enjoy Lois Lowry, Stephen King, H. P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe,
Dean Koontz, Shel Silverstein, John Steinback ... I really could go on with
this list.
I just finished reading 'Marked' by
P. C. Cast and Kristen Cast. I will be reading the second installment in
their House of Night series starting this weekend. I'd really like to
read 'Girl Parts' by John M. Cusick. The blurb reminds me of 'The
Stepford Wives', so I'm eager to get that one soon!
9: What do you think of book trailers
and do you have any plans to have any?
Honestly I had never known that
people made trailers of their books until recently. It seems like a great
idea for marketing. I do not currently have any plans to have any, but
who really knows what the future holds.
10: How did you come up with the
title of your latest book?
Initially I titled my book Sydney's
Story and then The Girl in the Closet, but as I continued writing they just
didn't seem to fit. It went from being a story about a girl escaping an
abusive home, to being about the girl and these people she came across who
ultimately helped her in some way. It wasn't until I had written the hospital
piece with Ian and his mother that I realized 'The Kindness of Strangers' just
seemed to fit so much better. I mulled it over and shared the idea with
my FaceBook friends, and they thought it fit perfectly also. I only had
one naysayer who said they didn't like it because it reminded them of Tennessee
William's 'A Street Car Named Desire'. That person was regarding the
scene Blanche Dubois spoke that she 'got by from the Kindness of Strangers'.
She, of course, meant it in a very different way.
11: What are you working on now that
you can talk about?
I am currently working on two books
right now. The first is titled 'The Last Curl' and is available to read
for free on my FaceBook fan page. It is still incomplete. I post
the chapters I write as notes and hope that people will read it so that they
may offer any suggestions and/or constructive criticism. The 3rd book has
yet to be titled and is only in the concept stage. I'm hoping to create
the chapter breakdown very soon and will also post the chapters on my FaceBook
fan page once I begin writing it.
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