Charlene, it is such an honor to have you on Pen to Paper today.  So, lets get started on your interview.

 

 

Tell us something about you and your books

 

 

Well for one, I love all things romantic and have been reading romances since I was a young girl. I married my high school sweetheart and have been married a long happy time.  I write Silhouette Desires and western Harlequin Historicals and to date I have written a total of 28 books, with four coming out in 2010.   My Napa Valley Vows trilogy comes out in May, June and July and the holiday book comes out in October next year.    

 

 

Do you have any advice for other writers?

 

               My advice to new writers is to persevere and continue to hone your craft, take workshops, read as much as you can and enjoy the entire process.  

 

What’s your latest book about?

 

             My September release, Texan’s Wedding Night Wager is about second chances and how to find your way back to the love you’ve once shared.  I love this premise, because being a true romantic at heart, I hate to see true love gone bad.  Kevin Novak and his soon-to-be ex-wife Cara, find love the second time around but only after revenge, retribution and a wager!   

 

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

 

        I get this question a lot.  I guess just from life in general. Something I see or do will spark an idea.  I know the fundamentals of conflict and motivation, so I’m always looking for ways to keep conflict strong in my stories and still keep the characters sympathetic and likeable. 

 

 

Are there any thing you would like to say to other aspiring writers?

 

        Persistence pays off.  As long as you continue to grow as a writer and take advice, while keep using your own instincts for writing, you’ll get ahead. For some, it takes a short while, for others, longer. But writing is one third talent, one third tenacity and one third timing.   To get published you need all three, usually.

 

As a child what did you want to do when you grew up? 

 

       My sister grew up knowing she wanted to be a teacher.  I always envied her, that, because it seemed like an easy path to grow up knowing exactly what you wanted to do.  She had a passion for teaching. 

 

And while I always loved reading, I never even considered that I could write a book.  I had a light bulb moment when I took a writing workshop and realized, that I might be able to do it. I KNEW the minute I started writing my first book, that it was what I was meant to do.  All the years before that, while I taught childbirth classes  (which I still do) and raised my children, I always felt there was something out there, waiting for me.  Now, I know what it was. 

 

As a writer and published author how do you feel about e-publishing 

      My opinion about e-publishing has transformed of late. I think it’s a sign of the times, and the way many people will be reading books.  But I also think that you still need a good editor and publisher who will put out quality work. As long as we have quality in the writing, then e-publishing is a good thing!  I’m still of the old school of thought though, I LIKE holding a book in my hand. 

 

 What advice would you give to other aspiring authors about getting their work placed with    a big publishing company?

 

       My advice is to study the line and publisher and then write the best darn book you can.  Often, the stories that are submitted don’t fit what the publisher wants, which shows that the author hasn’t done her homework.   So knowing the market and finding the right publishing house is half the battle. The other half is writing a top-notch story!

 

     Please give us a list of all of your books currently available.

 

Texan’s Wedding-Night Wager – Desire, September 2009

Reserved for the Tycoon – Desire, February 2009

Do Not Disturb Until Christmas – Desire, October 2008

Five-Star Cowboy – Desire, August 2008

For the entire backlist of books go to www.charlenesands.com

 

Upcoming Books –

Napa Valley Vows Trilogy

Million-Dollar Marriage Merger – May 2010

June and July titles TBA

Christmas Anthology – Harlequin Historical, Oct 2010

 

     

 

 How long does it take you to do research on the books you write?

 

       Every book is different.  If it’s a contemporary story, it may not take me as long. I try to write books about what I know, or what I can surely get information about.  If it’s a western historical, I tend to write in the same time period from 1870-1885, so I’m now very familiar with historical events and inventions of that time. It makes it easier.  But I do have an extensive library of historical books for my research.  The Time-Life books are wonder and have helped me so much and so have the Writer’s Guide to Everyday Life Books. 

 

 

Charlene, give us your website address:  http://www.charlenesands.com/  

 

Well, Charlene you have given us a lot to think about.  Hope to have you back to Pen and Paper again soon

 

Walk in peace and harmony,

 

Melinda

                  

Tracy,  I am so glad to have you here on Pen to Paper. I know we have a lot to cover so lets get going

 

1.      Tell us something about you and your books

I can’t remember a time when books weren’t a part of my life. Some of my most treasured possessions are books given to me by my parents and grandparents. From bedtime stories to extra credit reading assignments, I have always loved to disappear into the pages of a good story. But, being a writer was not the first creative desire in my life.  I always thought I’d make my living as a musician. Toward that end, I received both a bachelors and masters degree in flute performance, as well as post-graduate study in vocal performance. And I still perform and teach.

 

Because I’ve always enjoyed the stories my grandparents told about life when they were growing up, and I’m a huge romance reader, writing historical romance seemed natural for me. My western historical romances, TOUCH OF TEXAS and TOUCHED BY LOVE, are available currently from Zebra Historical Romance.

 

Here’s a little about each of the books.

 

TOUCH OF TEXAS

SHELTER FROM THE STORM…

A blizzard blows Texas Ranger Jake McCain to Rachel Hudson’s cabin and trouble is right behind him. He’s badly wounded. Taking care of him is the right thing to do, but she knows the local gossips won’t see it that way. Suddenly, everything Rachel’s fought for is at stake—and the past she’d hoped to escape looms over her future. Still and all, when Jake turns his dark gaze on her, all she wants is his strong, seductive touch…

 

A WOMAN TO CALL HIS OWN …

Jake McCain has never stayed in one place. A home and a family aren’t for the likes of a man accustomed to the rough life of the trail. But when he sees the trouble she’s in, he can’t leave Rachel her behind. Not when her innocent kisses burn straight into his soul, and the sight of her smile is the only bounty he cares to collect…

 

TOUCHED BY LOVE

A TEXAS PROMISE…

Jaret Walker is a loner, a gun for hire with a heart of ice. He’s never had anyone to call his own, and he likes it that way. But when a promise made to a friend leads him on a ride through the desert and to remote Two Roses Ranch where he meets Isabel Bennett, the woman he’s supposed to protect, all he can think of is making her his. She’s the kind of woman a rough-riding cowboy like him can never have. But her hot gaze tempts him like no other woman has before…

 

A SCORCHING DESIRE…

The moment Isabel Bennett lays eyes on Jaret Walker, she remembers the dreams she’s denied for so long. She’s sworn never to marry. It’s the only way to protect her ranch. But when Walker rides into her life, she decides to let herself taste what she’s giving up—a passion that burns through her with each kiss—and a desire that won’t be denied…

 

 

2.      Are there any new authors who have grasped your attention?

I’m hooked on Jenna Black’s Devil series. She’s a wonderful urban fantasy author.

 

 

3.      Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

Ideas come from lots of places: song lyrics, news stories, research. The idea for my second book, Touched by Love, came from a vacation my husband and I took to South Texas and the King Ranch.

 

 

4.      Are there any thing you would like to say to other aspiring writers?

Keep writing! The best advice I received was ‘if you don’t write the book, they can’t read it. I remind myself of that every day.

 

 

5.      As a child what did you want to do when you grew up?

I was going to be a teacher or a nurse or a Broadway Star. lol

 

 

6.      What advice would you give to other aspiring authors about getting their work placed with a big publishing company?

Develop a thick skin and keep trying. Never give up. If it’s your dream, keep chasing it!

 

 

7.      Please give us a list of all of your books currently available.

Touch of Texas (2007)

Touched by Love (2008)

 

 

8.      How long does it take you to do research on the books you write?

I do some of my research before I start, but a lot of it is done as I’m writing. When I find a question in a scene, something that needs more clarity, I’ll mark it and do more research, then go back and rewrite.

 

 

9.      What inspired you to become a writer?

I’ve been an avid reader all my life. Books are a big part of who I am. When characters and scenes started rolling around in my mind, keeping me from sleeping, I decided to write them down. Once I started, I was hooked.

 

 

10.  How did you go about getting published?

Once I’d completed a manuscript, I began pitching it to agents and editors at the Romance Writers of America National Convention and at other writer conventions around the country. It took almost eight years, but I finally made the right connection at the right time.

 

 

11.  Are you working on other things, if so what are they?

I’m currently writing Wolf Richards’ story - he was a secondary character from Touch of Texas, and the one I’ve received the most mail asking for. I’m also working on a contemporary Western series that I hope readers will enjoy.

 

 

12.  What do you enjoy most about your writing?

I love telling stories, getting to know the characters in each one, and bringing them to life for others to read and enjoy.

 

Well, I must say your books are a must read.  I am honored to have you here and hope to see you back again soon.

 

Walk in peace and harmony,

 

Melinda

 

 

Hi Lynn,  I am honored to have you on Pen to Paper.  We have a lot to cover, so lets get started

 

 

Tell us something about you and your books

 

I write romantic environmental suspense (I made the genre up – romance and suspense with a background story involving the environment). I started writing seven years ago, and I’ve have my first three books published. The most recent book, Long Run Home, came out two weeks ago with The Wild Rose Press. TWRP is considering offering me a new contract on my 1^st and 2^nd books. I live in Bloomington, Indiana, a small university town that I love. I have a grown daughter who does survival therapy in Oregon and a fantastic ex-husband who lives a mile from me and who I see every day. I also have started a project entitled Red Pants for the World, a team of people committed to young women around the world discovering their voices and making a difference in the world. Our project right now is raising money for young women in Afghanistan.

 

 

 Are there any new authors who have grasped your attention?

 

A few new English authors are interesting to me right now. I’m in the midst of some sort of genre shift so I’m having a hard time finding authors to read myself.

 

Do you have any advice for other writers?

 

Write – and keep on writing, join a critique group or find others who write and get together to talk about writing. Create a schedule for writing and don’t give up – mastery comes from practice only.  There’s no such thing as a born writer.

 

What’s your latest book about?

 

 Long Run  Home (The Wild Rose Press 09/18/09) is about a woman who was abandoned as a child by her mother, who gets involved with an ecoterrorist group at 18 and hides underground in northern Nevada for twelve years. She finally gets the courage to come out and begin to live again. She meets a man and begins dating, only to be betrayed by that man, who turns out to be an FBI agent looking for her. She agrees to a deal to keep her out of jail and in working with the FBI agent, falls in love with him. They work together to bring in her former ecoterrorist friends but the real danger comes from an unexpected source – from something that happened to her mother 20 years before.

 

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

 

Newspaper stories, scenes from the news that spark some interest.

 

What promotional ideas can you give to other beginning authors?

 

 Start with friends and family – set up book signings, get a backlist of books out and keep track of those who read your books. Set up a blog, a web site and offer to do articles and interviews. But most important – keep writing.

 

What advice would you give to somebody trying to get a literary agent?

 

That is a show stopper for me – I’ve made a brief attempt in the past month but according to some best selling authors, it can take 100 or more queries to find an agent, and then one’s never sure if the agent is going to sell your work. I’m also questioning the need for an agent these days in the new world of ebooks and the declining publishing industry as we know it. I think my advice is to not get stuck going down one path – thinking you need to have an agent – or thinking you have to get really good before you can get published. Just keep writing and keep submitting work – don’t give up and you’ll find a market.

 

Are there any thing you would like to say to other aspiring writers?

 

If you feel the urge to write, or dream about being a writer, jump in the pool. I didn’t start writing until I was 58 and look at me! I have four books written and a fifth on the way. Everyone can write! It’s just loving words and practice.

 

As a child what did you want to do when you grew up?

 

Hmmm – unless most writers, I never dreamed of being a writer. I was too busy hoping I’d survive since I had a sister a few years older who died when I was 15 and my life suddenly changed to fear and uncertainty around life. On the other hand, that fear probably fuels the suspense in my books where I repeatedly work out danger for my heroine.

 

   As a writer and published author how do you feel about e-publishing –

 

all three of my published books have been both trade paperback and epubbed. I don’t know anyone who reads epub books since my friends are older, but I’d love to find a market with those who read epubbed books. I think it’s the future.

 

What advice would you give to other aspiring authors about getting their work placed with a big publishing company?

 

Keep querying, keep submitting, keep writing. I know a new author who refused to pay attention to those submission warning on the big publishers web sites that say “We never read unsolicited manuscripts” and submitted to a big publisher. She got a contract.

 

  Please give us a list of all of your books currently available.

 

 Hmmm – right now Long Run Home is available at The Wild Rose Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Leave No Trace and Blind Spot are only available used until they are recontracted (hopefully available in 2010) with The Wild Rose Press.

 

 How long does it take you to do research on the books you write?

 

 I am a born researcher, feel compelled to go visit my book sites – Nevada, Northwestern Indiana, the Ozarks of Missouri, and Detroit. I usually research as I write, but have yet to get up to Manitoba here my 5^th book, The Reckoner, takes place.

 

How do you give credit to any research you do?

 

I credited the Detroit Bomb Squad cops in my 2^nd book, Blind Spot, in the front of my book, and usually do that when needed with other books.

 

What inspired you to become a writer?

 

Discovering the place in my heart that yearned for things I’d never allowed myself to yearn for – in the case of writing, whenever I heard someone say they were writing a book, I’d yearn to be them. Then I realized I could write myself!

 

How did you go about getting published?

 

I wrote my 1^st book in four months, sent off three queries online and got a request back for the entire manuscript the next day! I think that was a fluke since my 3^rd book took almost a year to get a request for full MS and I had to do quite a bit of editing to make it acceptable for publication.

 

What is your novel about –

 

 I can say all of my books are about women who are living normal, safe lives and then suddenly, due to unforeseen catastrophe, are forced to face the lies they’ve been living from their childhood. They confront their past, discover a new self and create a new life for themselves.

 

Where do you do most of your writing?

 

At home, but I find it useful in writing first drafts to take my Alpha Smart Neo with me everywhere and write in places like airports, coffee shops, hotels, doctor’s offices. Editing I have to do at home.

 

Are you working on other things, if so what are they?

 

 Other things, do you mean besides writing?  I work semi-full time, have my Red Pants Project I’m passionate about and support other women writing with critique groups. I’d love to write a book about writing and my life some day.

 

What do you enjoy most about your writing?

 

Creating worlds that I will never see, and experiencing danger and suspense safely from my computer desk. And most important, sharing my thoughts and hopefully inspiring others to have courage and live fulfilled lives.

 

Thanks Lynn, for being here.  You have gave us a world of knowledge

 

Walk in peace and harmony,

 

Melinda

                     

 

 

I am so happy to have Cate visiting with me today on Pen to Paper.  We have a lot to cover Cate, so lets get started.

 

 

 

Tell us something about you and your books.

 

 Thanks for inviting me to Pen to Paper, Melinda! I’ve been writing for many years, mostly for myself, although my short stories had been published with a few literary magazines and web zines. Last year, one of my critique partners told me about The Wild Rose Press. I had no experience with epubs, but as I had many stories, I submitted to several epresses, and in the space of a year and a half, had 15 stories accepted with either web zines or epubs.

 

So 2009 has been a very busy year! I write across several genres, from contemporary to fantasy/dark fantasy and historical, and a few of my web zine stories are speculative.  I’d love for you to visit me online at

www.catemasters.com
http://catemasters.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/CateMasters
www.facebook.com/pages/Cate-Masters/89969413736?ref=ts

 

 Are there any new authors who have grasped your attention?

 

 Too many to list! Not necessarily new, but new to me… I’m trying to catch up on amazing TWRP authors such as Margaret Tanner, Beth Trissel, Susan Macatee, Emma Lai and Kiss Carson, among others.

 

Do you have any advice for other writers?

 

  Learn as much as you can about the craft of writing through workshops, conferences, workbooks. Read the authors you love and respect. Critique partners are essential for bringing you back to earth after falling in love with your story and its characters. Revise your stories before submitting. And if a publisher rejects your story, revise and send it out again.

 

 

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

 

 My muse, unfortunately, has Attention Deficit Disorder! She throws ideas at me faster than I can keep up. I wish I could say there’s some trick to inspiration, but many times it’s as simple as asking What if… and following your characters down whatever path they lead you. An idea has to make me excited before I’ll follow through, though, because if it doesn’t excite me, it certainly won’t excite a reader.

 

What promotional ideas can you give to other beginning authors?

 Hm, I’d be interested to learn those myself! Because I’m new to epublishing this year, I still have a lot to learn. The main point is to get yourself out there as much and as often as possible: a web site, a blog, fan pages, Twitter, chats, email loops… put your imagination to work!

 

What advice would you give to somebody trying to get a literary agent?

 

 Never having had an agent, I can’t speak from experience, but I’ve heard enough horror stories to caution authors to research any agent before submitting.  Unfortunately, unscrupulous agents exist.  Never ever pay a fee. And you want a pleasant working relationship, but remember it’s business, not a friendship.

 

Is there anything you would like to say to other aspiring writers? 

 

The same advice as for other writers, but also to learn to be objective about your own work.  If a publisher’s rejection contains advice on how to improve your story, set your ego aside and get back to work. At first, it’s hard to receive a critique of your work but the best writers will listen with an open mind and use it to revise. It’s all about putting the best possible story out there, so toughen up your skin a little. If you hit a rough patch and need a boost (and we all do!), read Chicken Soup for the Writer’s Soul—it has many inspiring stories of bestselling authors who almost gave up, but persevered and found the success they sought. So keep at it!

 

As a child what did you want to do when you grew up? 

 

The Wild West Shows had long gone out of business, and unfortunately I didn’t inherit my aunt and uncle’s powerful singing voices so didn’t go with the girl band dream. My third choice was a journalist, which eventually I experimented with, but fiction’s my first love.

 

  As a writer and published author how do you feel about e-publishing? 

 

I was so excited when I learned about epublishers! Not only are they not controlled by the few big publishing houses, but they’re open to stories of almost any length. A few of my novellas are also available in print, which is a dream come true. The publishing industry is evolving, and I believe will continue to go through a long evolutionary process. It’s very exciting to watch.

 

 

  Please give us a list of all of your books currently available. 

 Here’s the current list in backward order of their release this year:

Reflections, Dark Fantasy

Picture This, Women’s fiction novella,

Going with Gravity  www.thewildrosepress.com

The Lure of the Vine, Dark Fantasy

One Soul for Sale, Dark Fantasy novella

The Duende and The Muse,

Seventh Heaven, The Wild Rose Press

My free read:  Cinderella Dreams

 

  How long does it take you to do research on the books you write?

 

 Depends on the book, but sometimes weeks, and one novel took almost a year because I researched certain decades, astronomy and mythology. For contemporaries, I research the setting using the web, or send for visitors’ guides. For my historical novel Angels, Sinners and Madmen, I was visiting Key West when the story idea hit me, so spent a few days in the library copying old documents, plus visited maritime museums, and bought several books on the local history. The Internet’s great for providing facts (but be sure they are verifiable facts!) but it’s always great to hear from personal experience if possible.  Authenticating details make a story feel real.

 

What inspired you to become a writer?

 

 Self-preservation.  All those stories would have built up in my head and eventually caused my head to explode if I didn’t release them!  Okay, that’s an exaggeration to make a point, but seriously, I’m not happy unless I’m writing. I can get downright cranky if a story’s playing out in my head and I don’t get it down. Characters can get testy when I ignore them, and eventually they commandeer my brain by force. (Again, kidding—don’t send the nice men in white suits, although a padded room might serve as an excellent writer’s retreat. No cooking, no cleaning, no laundry. Hmm. Maybe some writers only pretend to go insane hoping they’ll be sent there.)

 

How did you go about getting published?

 

 After checking into publisher’s guidelines, I submitted everywhere I thought might be a good fit.

 

What is your novel about?  

 

My most recent release, Reflections, has a Halloween theme. A novelty catalog showed a beautiful crystal ball with a hand-carved scroll stand, and described the three legs as representing a beginning or birth, and the ball the universe and what is to follow. For a short story, it’s chock full of action and I love its theme—the duality of human nature. Plus there’s a fun romance.

 

Where do you do most of your writing? 

 

I love to handwrite my stories but that’s not always possible. I have a laptop with no Internet connection (less distraction that way!) that allows me to take it out on my deck in nice weather, or anywhere quiet inside. But I carry a notepad and pen everywhere because I still do write the old-fashioned way whenever possible, and it’s handy to jot notes or ideas.

 

Are you working on other things, if so what are they?

 

 Always! I just finished a contemporary novel, and am revising a historical novella with ties to Carlisle, Pa., where I recently moved from. About ten other stories are clamoring for me to finish them too.

 

What do you enjoy most about your writing?

 

 Everything, really. I love how characters will surprise me with things I hadn’t thought them capable of. I love the excitement of the initial spark of an idea. I love being able to stretch my imagination to its limits. I love writing a sentence that’s almost like poetry. I love writing that final sentence of a story. Then taking out a new sheet of blank paper waiting to be filled with a new story. And a great review’s always wonderful too.

 

 

 

Well Cate you have given us all a lot of interesting points here.  Thanks again for being here today.

 

Walk in peace and harmony,

 

Melinda

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

Mickey, I am so thrilled to have you here for the next couple of days.  We have a lot to cover so let’s get started.

 

Retribution! The Champion Chronicles: Book One

 

Short excerpt:

 

The habit was hundreds of years old… An absentminded glance in an empty mirror as the vampire ran firm bristles back and forth over even, white teeth. But this time, he stared in disbelief. A cloudy image peered back—one that hadn’t been seen in centuries. High cheekbones, straight nose, square chin and strong brow were unmistakably his. Leaning into the mirror, Michael couldn’t see his eyes clearly, but it was his reflection, something lost the night he’d been turned. The one thing that sets me apart from humanity, he thought, one thing that should be lost forever. The image fascinated, but also frightened. One more secret I must keep from Alana—for now.

 ~ Retribution! The Champion Chronicles: Book One

 

 

Tell us something about you and your books

 

     Unlike many writers, I haven’t been writing for dozens of years – not books anyway. I began to write fiction about four years ago while going through some rough changes in my life. While finishing a second masters, I found that I fully enjoyed writing a 40-page, action research thesis about weaving core-content subject matter through the curriculums of art, music, and physical education. I still spend my days teaching music to hundreds of students in an inner-city school. In 2009, I was named a Distinguished Music Educator at the Yale University Music Symposium. I live in northern New Jersey and my children are grown, so my home is finally quiet. In my spare time, I accompany a church choir and I’m secretary for NJRW.

 

I currently have one book published. My debut novel, Retribution!, is the first book in a paranormal romance series entitled The Champion Chronicles. Consequences, Book 2, is also under contract with The Wild Rose Press. Both novels have a large cast of characters, and although they are synchronized in terms of events and timeline, they are stand alone novels. I am currently polishing Inheritance, Book 3, which continues my character’s journey.

 

 Are there any new authors who have grasped your attention?

     

      Melinda, TWRP authors are some talented writers. I’ve just finished reading Christine Clemetson’s sweet WWII love story, A Daughter’s Promise, and Linda J. Parisi’s paranormal romance, Noble Blood. These books are great reads. They are exceptional new authors with fantastic first books released this year.

 

Do you have any advice for other writers?

     Always believe in your work. Don’t let someone’s negativity sour the triumph of writing and actually selling a book to a publishing house. Support fellow writers and encourage the newbies. Remember that you were once where they are.

 

 

What advice would you give to somebody trying to get a literary agent?

 

    Funny you should ask this, Melinda. I’m looking for one right now, so if anyone has an idea, I’m the one who is open J

 

Is there any thing you would like to say to other aspiring writers?

  

     Never give up the dream of signing a contract to publish your work. Write because you have a story to tell and don’t let anyone stand in the way of your success. Continue to learn and grow within your craft.

 

Be brave and realistic as well. Finish your WIP, believe in yourself, and write the best query letter you can. Find a supportive critique group and listen with an open mind even if it hurts. That’s the brave part. The realistic part is don’t blanket query every house. Start with a select few who appeal to you and who accept the genre you write. Then be willing to edit until your eyes blur, but don’t ever compromise your singular voice. 

 

As a child what did you want to do when you grew up?

 

     I wanted to be something different every other week. It’s the truth! As a child, I had such an active imagination that I’d bounce between fearless army nurse and cloistered nun. But before I could read words, I could read music. Playing the piano came as natural as breathing. I consider myself blessed because I have always followed my dreams. 

 

As a writer and published author how do you feel about e-publishing

 

   First off, internet piracy has to be seriously addressed. It’s a crime, plain and simple. E-pubs know this is stealing many hard earned royalties from the Top-Ten best sellers down to the newly published author. There has to be some way to encrypt a download to discourage piracy of e-books. And although e-publishing is a fast-growing industry, I don’t believe print books will go the way of the dinosaur. Print books will always be here. I do think it’s a generational thing. My adult children are more adept at reading off a cell phone than I’ll ever be. Different models of E-readers are becoming popular, but they’re still an expensive purchase. The look of a book, the way it feels when I turn the pages – for me, it’s a timeless treasure. And as an author whose book is in both e-format and print, I cannot describe the feeling of holding your novel in your hand. It’s an awesome experience.

 

 

 Please give us a list of all of your books currently available.

 

Retribution! The Champion Chronicles: Book One is available at www.thewildrosepress.com, as well as Amazon, B/N, and various other sites in print and e-book format. I have two short stories coming out. In October, look for Friday the Thirteenth, a free read on The Wild Rose Press web site. On November 19, Hollow Hearts, a sweet romance will be posted at The Long and Short review site – LASR.

 

 

What is your novel about?

 

    Retribution! is about a creature yearning for redemption. Here’s a short blurb: Dreams often reflect deepest desires…even if they’re nightmares. While cruelly captured and poisoned, a mystically enhanced vampire creates a languid fantasy with the help of a powerful soul. Eternal devotion to two important people forces the hero, Michael Malone, to see himself with honest eyes. And while his imagination runs wild, he still desires death. But there is a reason this creature of the night must survive. In fact, there are two. One is revenge. The other is love.

 

 

Where do you do most of your writing?

 

   I write in a small room at the back of my home. The table faces an entire wall of window where I can see open space full of grass and trees. To the left, there’s a forest. I love to write there, uh, here J.  I will edit most anywhere there’s a hot cup of coffee available, but the process of creating my paranormal tales only happens when I feel the solitude and face Mother Nature at her best.

 

 

Thank you, Melinda, for having me at your lovely site. I’ll be happy to take questions or comments. Please visit or (for non-bloggers) leave a comment at my web site www.Mflagg-author.com . You can also find me on Facebook listed as M. Flagg. I hope to see you there! And do become a fan ~ Mickey

 

Again, Mickey thanks for being here.  You have offered a lot of information and we appreciate it.  Hope to have you visiting again soon.

 

Walk in peace and harmony,

Melinda

Today I have Linda Swift visiting.  I am so honored to have you here today.  We have alot to cover so lets get started.

                   

                                 

 Tell us something about you and your books?

 

I’ve been married to the same man forever and we have a son and daughter, both living in Nashville, Tennessee. My husband and I have lived in many places but now call both Kentucky and Florida home. I attended college while my children were in public schools, then became a teacher, counselor and psychometrist. I was also a “late blooming” writer, having my first books published by Zebra/Kensington a few years ago. When the line I wrote for was closed, I became an orphan until I found success with ebook publishers. I currently have two books out with The Wild Rose Press and three scheduled for publication with Awe-Struck Publishing.

 

 Are there any new authors who have grasped your attention?

Yes, Danielle Thorne at Awe-Struck, is one of my favorite new authors. Celia Yeary is a new and very successful author at TWRP whose work I enjoy. And Margaret Tanner, whose books are new to epublishing although she is not a new author. In the wider world,  I admire the books of Valerie Wood of England and wish they were available in the US.

 

Do you have any advice for other writers?

 If you are published, promote your work as much as possible. No one will do this for you unless you are another Nora Roberts.(and if you were, you wouldn’t need the promo!) Join loops that reflect your genre to keep up to date on events and trends. Seek support and offer support to your fellow authors.

 

What’s your latest book about?

My latest book, soon-to-be-released by Awe-Struck, is about a woman who is trying to compete in an occupation dominated by males. And not only compete, but excel since the betrayal of her husband has left her with a need to prove herself. When she takes a single status job at a power plant in St. Croix, she has to share a villa on beautiful Schooner Bay with a man who is still grieving the death of his wife and young son. In the tropical heat of the Caribbean, their frozen hearts finally begin to thaw.   

                                             

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books? 

My ideas for stories come from many sources. Sometimes it is a scene that develops into a story to be written. Other times, a forceful character demands the limelight. An event can spark a plot that weaves around it.  There are usually many plots and characters milling around in my mind waiting their turn.  Right now, an image described to me by my son-in-law, of my daughter supporting a small tree which contained a nest of baby birds while pelted by wind and rain in a thunderstorm has inspired a story. It will be an historical but I don’t know the location yet. And a lawyer named Matthew is observing this scene and tries to persuade her to come inside. I think the heroine wants to be a lawyer also but it is still unclear.

 

What promotional ideas can you give to other beginning authors? 

If you want to spend a lot of money, the sky’s the limit. Buy ads for every place promo is offered. Arrange book signings. Join organizations. Attend conferences.

Sponsor contests and offer great prizes.

As ebook authors, most of us can’t expect to earn a lot of money. So I would suggest studying the market carefully and talking with other authors to learn what works for them. Decide what you want to spend and where best to spend it. Plan how much time you can devote to promoting your books and re-evaluate your marketing strategy  from time to time to see what is working.

 

What advice would you give to somebody trying to get a literary agent? 

Don’t. Unless you are already making big bucks, most effective literary agents won’t bother with you. It is as difficult to find an agent as to find a publisher. Doing your own submitting takes time and effort, but you stay more involved with your work and the process, learning as you go along. Of course, many NY pubs won’t look at unagented material  now, so if you are striving for that market, an agent is a must. Finding a fit, personality-wise and goal-wise in not always easy. Agents, like editors, come in all sizes from the ones who want to rewrite your story to some who act as a postal service only. And remember, an agent means paying a commission of fifteen per cent of your earnings off the top. I’ve been there, done that, and didn’t find it worth it.

 

Are there any thing you would like to say to other aspiring writers?

Writing is not easy. Some people who haven’t tried it but want to write a book someday think it is an easy road to fame and fortune. People who write because they can’t keep from writing are more likely to reach their goals. And first, you need to have a goal in mind.  I assume here that we are talking about becoming a published writer.  Do you want to publish books, short stories, articles, poetry, or all of the above?  Study the market. Which company publishes the type of material you write? Read their guidelines carefully. Polish your submission and send it in. And don’t expect instant success.

 

As a child what did you want to do when you grew up?

At different stages in my childhood, I wanted to do different things when I grew up.

A movie star, a pilot, a nurse, a mother. And I was already a writer at ten. I made up complicated  plots that my childhood friends and I acted out in “pretend games.” And I put together a skit with three characters, directed, and acted in it. Our stage was a backyard and we charged admission and donated it to charity.

 

 As a writer and published author how do you feel about e-publishing

 

I am an ardent supporter of e-publishing. The NY market is shrinking and more and more difficult to penetrate. I had my foot in the door a few years ago, only to find myself back outside. E-publishing is a growing industry, with room for everyone and all genres. It is only a matter of finding the right niche. And the speed of submission, acceptance or rejection is gratifying. The rapport an author is able to establish with an editor and the instant communication between them is also a plus. I am disappointed that  RWA doesn’t recognize e-book authors as equals and most chain bookstores are not cooperative. I hope one day soon, e-pubs will be able to offer advances, and that earning from e-books can improve.

 

What advice would you give to other aspiring authors about getting their work placed with a big publishing company?

 

Study the companies that seem to fit your work. Attend conferences where their editors will be presenting and/or interviewing authors.

Attending a conference and meeting an editor who was looking for authors in a new      line her publisher was launching was my key to entering the world of the published. So I would say that personal contact is one possible avenue toward that goal.

 

 Please give us a list of all of your books currently available.

 

Let Nothing You Dismay - The Wild Rose Press (ebook)

Circle of Love - The Wild Rose Press (ebook and print)

Single Status - to be released this month by Awe-Struck Publishing (ebook and print)

The Twelve Days of Christmas - to be released December 1, 2009 also by Awe-Struck Publishing

Maid of the Midlands - to be released by Awe-Struck Publishing early in 2010

 

That Special Summer and A Christmas Gift - Zebra/Kensington (paperbacks still available at Amazon)

 

  How long does it take you to do research on the books you write?

 

    It depends, of course, on the book and how much or little  knowledge I already have about the place or subject. In Single Status, I was able to learn what I needed to know about power plant operations and golf from my husband. Circle of Love  involved a visit to Memphis State University campus and phone calls to high school friends who lived on Missouri farms. Let Nothing You Dismay required a tour of the Welcome Center and interview with one of the guides. The Twelve Days of Christmas needed only a minimum of research. Maid of the Midlands required much research of the time period through books and online. And I was fortunate to live in England for a time in Yorkshire County to absorb the speech patterns and mindset of the people.

 

How do you give credit to any research you do?

So far I have not used direct quotes or specific material from any source.  My research has provided me with general information that I was able to utilize indirectly in writing the plot and creating the characters.

 

What inspired you to become a writer?

 Little Women by Louisa May Alcott was my all time favorite book as a child and Jo, the aspiring author, was the character I most related to.  I think it was Jo who inspired me to begin my own writing career Reading and imagining myself in the stories was always an important part of my life. But it was my father who introduced me to the love of classic poetry that led me to begin writing my own poems at ten. This is  a love I cherish today and I have a page on my web site devoted to sharing my poems, changing the poems on the site with each season.

      You can read the current poems on the Poetry Page at www.lindaswift.net.

 

How did you go about getting published?

 I attended a conference in Missouri where the Kensington editor of a new line gave a program. I met her afterward and told her I’d like to write for that line and she invited me to submit something. I did and she accepted it and two more books from me for the same line.

 

Where do you do most of your writing?

 

In  both homes where I currently live, I have a room designated as my study.  It serves as guest bedroom also but when we have guests, I don’t have any writing time anyway. These rooms contain my computer equipment, a desk and chest filled with drawers of resource material and hard copy manuscripts, a comfortable swivel chair, books, a phone, and filing containers. And I sit near double windows for gazing into the distance from time to time.

 

Are you working on other things, if so what are they?

I am currently trying to finish the sequel to Maid of  the Midlands and also edit and revise other books and short stories I have in preparation for sending them out.

 

What do you enjoy most about your writing?

The whole process of creating stories, of making characters come alive on the page, of having a plot develop and fit together. And the joy of having my work read by other people whose responses are the incentive I need to continue the hard work of  getting these stories published.

 

Here are some links to linda: 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, Linda you have offered some wonderful advice.  I really enjoyed having you here today.  Please come back and visit

 

Walk in peace and harmony,

Melinda

 

 

Hi Melinda,

Thank you so much for having me as a guest on your blog

 

 

Thanks to you, Margaret for being with us today on “Pen to Paper”  Let’s get started

 

 

 

Tell us something about you and your books

 

I am an author who loves delving into the pages of history as I carry out research for my historical romance novels. I take pride in being historically correct.  No history book is too old or tattered for me to trawl through. I have tramped through cemeteries, spent hours in museums. I visited an old jail once and went into the little stone cell, and although it was a hot day, inside the cell it was bone chillingly cold. I wanted to know what it was like to be incarcerated in such a place, as the heroine in one of my novels, was thrown in jail for a crime she did not commit, and yet another heroine was sent to Australia as a convict.

 

I am a member of the Romance Writers of Australia, the Melbourne Romance Writers Group (MRWG) and EPIC

 

I live in Australia and I am married and have three grown up sons and a gorgeous little grand-daughter.

 

 Are there any new authors who have grasped your attention?

 

I love reading Ginger Simpsons books, she is a great writer and multi-published now.  I have started reading Cate Masters, a fellow TWRP author, and her stories are incredibly exciting and well written.

 

Do you have any advice for other writers?

 

Yes.  Follow your dream of publication and never give up and you will eventually succeed.

 

What’s your latest book about?

 

My latest release from TWRP is called “The Trouble with Playboys” and it is set in Australia, Singapore, Malaya and England during the 2^nd World War.  It has been published in the Vintage section of TWRP.

 

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

 

Anywhere and everywhere. The Trouble With Playboys was inspired by my late father’s war time experiences in Malaya and Singapore. He was engaged to my mother at the time, and wrote many letters to her, and she kept all of these, so I had access to first-hand information so to speak. Shattered Dreams (TWRP) and Devil’s Ridge (WCP), which are set against a background of the 1^st World War were also inspired by the deeds of my forebears. Hard to reconcile the frail old men, who told us kids stories of their time in France in 1916, to brave young soldiers who sailed halfway across the world to fight for England.  I also had access to a diary written by one of them.  I also used the local library extensively.  Also, most importantly, I had the honour of visiting the battlefields in France and Belgium. A truly poignant experience. I couldn’t believe I was walking on the ground that these old men (old when I was a child, and long deceased by the time I made it to France), had fought over more than 90 years ago.

 

What promotional ideas can you give to other beginning authors?

 

My flippant answer to this question, and I use it quite often is – I’d do anything, that isn’t criminal. I’d strip if I had to, (anyone who knows me, knows this is a barefaced lie).  With a figure like mine, fat legs, big bum and hips and saggy boobs, I mean come on, I’d frightened any potential buyers away.

The real answer is – do whatever, and however much, you are comfortable with.

 

What advice would you give to somebody trying to get a literary agent?

 

The same as with getting a publisher, check out their credentials, make sure they handle your type of writing, then send them your best manuscript, polished to within an inch of its life, and keep your fingers crossed.

 

Are there any thing you would like to say to other aspiring writers?

 

Yes, follow your dream. Work hard at it and never give up until you reach your goal.

 

As a child what did you want to do when you grew up?

 

An author.

 

    As a writer and published author how do you feel about e-publishing

 

Well, being an e-pub author, I really believe it is the way of the future. And I think it is going to grow. I do worry that the smaller publishers who started this phenomenon might get pushed aside, now that the big publishers, who ridiculed e-books in the beginning, are starting to jump on the bandwagon and have their books electronically published as well.

 

    What advice would you give to other aspiring authors about getting their work placed with

     a big publishing company?

 

I think the same advice as trying to get an agent. Send out your best possible work. Unfortunately, I haven’t been lucky enough to have my books published with a large company, so I am really not in a position to hand out too much advice on the subject.

 

 Please give us a list of all of your books currently available.

 

Devils Ridge – Whiskey Creek Press,

Savage Utopia – Whiskey Creek Press,

Stolen Birthright – Whiskey Creek Press,

Cardinal Sin – The Wild Rose Press,

Holly And The Millionaire – The Wild Rose Press

Shattered Dreams – The Wild Rose Press

The Trouble With Playboys – The Wild Rose Press

 

 How long does it take you to do research on the books you write?

 

A few weeks. Depends on which era I am writing about.

 

How do you give credit to any research you do?

 

I don’t, because I only use the information as a general background and to check historical dates, so it isn’t necessary, my stories are all romances, which is the major part of the book, so the historical research I do is mainly for me to get a feel for the era.

 

What inspired you to become a writer?

 

I read many stories as a child from two Australian authors, Ethel Turner and Mary Grant Bruce and I wanted to write the same kind of stories as they did. Their stories weren’t particularly romantic, but they were set in the Australian bush and they based their stories on things that had happened to them in the younger days – 1880’s onwards. I was hooked.

 

How did you go about getting published?

 

Now that was hard. It took me many years, heaps of rejections and buckets of tears, I thought I wanted to write for Harlequin Mills & Boon, but after a time, I realized that they didn’t publish the kind of books I wrote.  I tried some of the large publishers, who didn’t want me boo hoo, then I started researching the small press/e-pubs who published the kind of stories I wrote, and after that it didn’t take long for me to get an acceptance.

 

What is your novel about

 

All my novels, except for Holly And The Millionaire, are historical. The main part of my stories are always set in Australia. We have a dark and bloody history, having been founded as a penal colony for English convicts.  We overcame the convict stain when free settlers started to pour in, and these people tamed the savage wilderness, gold was discovered and the country prospered. This is what I like to write about, ordinary people, doing extra-ordinary things and in the process finding their soul-mate.

 

Where do you do most of your writing?

 

I can write anywhere. All I need is peace and quiet. I always write my first draft in long hand.

 

Are you working on other things, if so what are they?

 

I am working on a couple of longer novels, both set during the 1880s.

 

What do you enjoy most about your writing?

 

Being able to invent wonderful characters who have to overcome almost insurmountable obstacles on their journey to find true love.

 

 

Margaret, thanks for being here.  I really have enjoyed it.  Please visit Margaret’s website   http://www.margarettanner.com 

 

Walk in peace and harmony,

 

Melinda

                                           

 

 

 

 

 

 

Susan, I am so thrilled to have you visiting Pen to Paper.  So lets get started.

 

 

 

1. Tell us something about you and your books

 

I write American Civil War romance, often with a paranormal twist. Although my latest release, Confederate Rose, is a straight historical, I’ve written a time travel, a ghost story and two vampire stories all set during the Civil War.

 

1. Do you have any advice for other writers?

 

Learn your craft and work at it before you start to submit. Also, you have to do your marketing homework, so when you do start sending work out, you’re not shooting in the dark. The biggest help to my own writing was joining Romance Writers of America. The resources they have for new writers are well-worth the annual dues. 

 

1. What’s your latest book about?

 

Confederate Rose is the story of a woman who decided to fight alongside the men in the American Civil War. Since women weren’t allowed to serve as soldiers during the Victorian era, women with a desire to fight or to stay with a husband or lover, joined the ranks disguised as men. I took details from the real life stories of these women as a basis for my fictional heroine, Katie Rose O’Reilly.

 

1. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

 

For years, I was a Civil War civilian reenactor with the 28^th Pennsylvania Volunteer Regiment. My husband did the military side. I used what I learned as a reenactor, plus  read real-life accounts of people who lived through the conflict, to form the basis for all my Civil War romances.

 

1. What promotional ideas can you give to other beginning authors?

 

The best place to start is developing an author website. Mine started small, but grew along with my writing and releases. I also have a blog and am a member of a couple of group blogs. My other main resource is promotional loops. Most of these I found through writing loops I already belonged to.

 

1. Are there any thing you would like to say to other aspiring writers?

 

If you really want to be a writer, read in your chosen genre and outside it as well. Then read craft books, take workshops, anything that will help you polish your craft. When you’re ready to start submitting, be ready for rejection, but don’t let it discourage you. It can take years of submitting to editors and publishers before your work is polished enough and you find that editor who loves what you write.

 

1. As a child what did you want to do when you grew up?

 

Many, many things. Just about every week, I was on to a new profession. I never really thought of being a writer, though, at that point in my life.

 

1. As a writer and published author how do you feel about e-publishing

 

My books are available in both print and e-book, so I’m pro e-publishing and believe it’s the wave of the future.

 

1.  What advice would you give to other aspiring authors about getting their work placed with a big publishing company?

 

It’s very, very hard. After years of submitting, I still haven’t been able to crack the big publishers. But it never hurts to try. Just know that if they don’t want your work, you have other viable options.

 

10.  Please give us a list of all of your books currently available.

 

      Erin’s Rebel, an American Civil War time travel romance

      Confederate Rose, a Civil War romance

I also have a novella, Angel of My Dreams, part of the Civil War romance anthology, Northern Roses and Southern Belles, and a stand-alone short story in e-book format, Eternity Waits.

 

1.  How long does it take you to do research on the books you write?

 

Since most of my stories take place during the American Civil War, I can’t really keep track of the amount of time I spend in actual research. A lot of what I need, I already know, the rest I look up in spurts, when I need the information.

 

       12. What inspired you to become a writer?

 

Reading great books. I’ve loved books from the time I first learned how to read. I wanted to capture readers the way those author’s captured me.

 

         13. How did you go about getting published?

 

I just kept submitting my work, until I found that editor who loved my story.

 

          14.  Where do you do most of your writing?

 

At my computer in my dining room. My family has learned not to bother me unless it’s a dire emergency. LOL.

 

    15. Are you working on other things, if so what are they?

 

Right now, I’m starting revisions on a science fiction romance. I also completed a first draft for a post Civil War romance.

 

16. What do you enjoy most about your writing?

 

Living through my characters. They have such fine adventures.

 

Thanks so much for having me, Melinda!

 

To learn more about my books and to read excerpts, visit my website, www.susanmacatee.com

 

 

Susan, what great advice.  Really enjoyed you here, hope to have you back real soon.

 

Walk in peace and harmony,

 

Melinda

                                         

 

1.  Tell us something about you and your books.

 

Hi Melinda!  Thank you for inviting me for an interview.  Your hospitality is greatly appreciated.  I currently write westerns for Love Inspired Historicals.  I just turned in my eleventh book and truly love what I do.  If someone had told me ten years ago I’d be under contract with Steeple Hill, Harlequin’s Inspirational line, I’d have been shocked to my toes.

 

2. What is your latest book about?

My next release is called Kansas Courtship. It’s Book #3 in a trilogy called After the Storm. The story is set in 1860 in a small town that’s been devastated by a tornado. Much to the dismay of the hero, the doctor he hires via letter turns out to be a woman.  The sparks definitely fly between these two.  My book doesn’t come out until March, but the series starts in January 2010 with Valerie Hansen’s High Plains Bride. The February title is Heartland Wedding and it’s by Renee Ryan.

 

3. Where do you get information or ideas for your books?

Ideas come from all different places.  For my current project (I’m on Chapter One), the idea for the hero came from a movie on the Sci Fi Channel. The hero in the movie refuses an unreasonable order from his commanding officer.  I liked his courage.  Before that, I’d fallen in love with a new Bruce Springsteen song. It’s called “Outlaw Pete.” I now have an outlaw hero who refuses to take orders from anyone.

 

4. What advice would you give aspiring authors about getting their work placed with a big publishing company?

I’d say all of the following . . . Don’t focus on getting published. Focus on writing a great book. Learn the craft. Study your favorite authors. Read books on writing.  Feed your muse.  Love what you do.  If your goal is simply to sell to a particular publisher, you’ll miss out on the most rewarding part of the journey, which is the act of writing itself. Selling is tremendously satisfying, but writing a great story is where I find joy. It’s also what will lead to that sale.  If you love what you’re writing, the work will show that passion. That passion will make the book stand out.

                  

5. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

I’ve always wanted to be a writer, but I had some other ideas to go with it.  Those ideas came from Walter Farley’s Black Stallion books.  I wanted to own racehorses and win the Kentucky Derby.  Naïve, yes.  But what a fun idea!  Ironically, my husband and I are in the middle of a move to Lexington, Kentucky.  I’m excited about living in Bluegrass Country.

 

6.  What inspired you to become a writer?

I’ve wanted to write my entire life, but there was a moment in 1998 I’ll never forget.  It was long after midnight and I’d just finished reading Penelope Williamson’s The Outsider.  As I closed the book, I thought, “I want to do that . . . I want to tell stories about faith and heartache and people overcoming the biggest obstacles and falling in love.”  Soon after, I started a western romance with just one goal in mind.  I wanted to write a book-length work of fiction.  Before I knew it, I was reading books on craft and loving the story. 

 

7. How did you go about getting published?

After finishing that first manuscript, I sent queries to seven publishers.  Harlequin Historicals asked to see the full manuscript.  They didn’t buy it, but I was strongly encouraged.  By the time they rejected it, I was well into my second ms and I knew I’d found my voice. That book was Of Men and Angels and my first sale.  That first-ever ms turned into my second sale after a hefty revision.  I’ll be forever grateful to Harlequin Historicals for taking a chance on those books.  They’re mainstream historicals, but they also have Inspirational elements. They’re unique.

 

8. What do you enjoy most about writing?

Believe it or not, I like to edit.  My favorite part of the process is taking my lousy rough draft and working to make it a real book.  I love the search for the right image, the right words.  First drafts are the hardest part for me.  They’re just so . . . disorganized! Editing is where my stories come alive. 

 

9.  Are you working on other things?  If so, what are they?

I just started the third book in the Swan’s Nest series for Love Inspired Historicals.  I’m having a blast and can’t wait to spend time in 1875 Denver.

 

 10.  Give our readers a link to your website:

          www.victoriabylin.com  

 

Many thanks for inviting me to your website!  Best wishes to you and your readers!

Thanks Vicki for taking the time to be here. 

 

Melinda

Bill, I am happy to have you here today.  Let’s get started.

 

 

 Tell us what you write and publish:

This author writes and publishes IndianLand Friday each week.  For those interested, when he receives good short articles and stories he happily steps aside and publishes those.

 1. Tell us something about you and your books.

 I don’t write books, I write magazine articles and short stories.

 Writers for magazines are realists – their works are like clouds, drifting across the sky one  day and gone forever on the morrow. 

 Short stories are the same – except some writers do get to publish story collections.  This is a magnificent achievement, for there are so few buyers for such that they are always lose both author and publisher money.

 But I can give one bit of news: Writing short pieces keeps you working, and day by day you can watch yourself getting better.  It is no small comfort to be constantly improving!

 2.  Is there anything unique about your writing?

 There is indeed.  I have been in training for it for nearly 50 years.  In 1962 my new wife pushed the Cheerios box across the breakfast table and said “They didn’t do a good job here with their product descriptions.  Try and make them better.”  I did try, and kept trying, for her challenges were never ceasing.  She was a professional editor and a master at it, and I became pretty skilled under her tutelege.

 The point, of course, is that I ended up not a writer but a re-writer.  After so many years  I know this work, and when I write also I edit myself carefully.  No joke – even my email is rewritten before I push the send button.

 3.  Are there any new authors who have grasped your attention?

Indeed!  I recently read “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society,” by Mary Ann Shafer and Annie Barrows. It is a rarity these days, a novel of correspondence. (The eighteenth century loved them.) I would recommend it to any one.  So how did these two writers make so interesting, so charming, so polished?

They tell us how they did it.

 Mary Ann Shafer had the idea and spent years researching it.  Then her husband and daughters drove her to stop research and start writing.  Two friends read and commented on every word of the FIRST FIVE DRAFTS.  Then another friend found her an agent; the agent went over the manuscript carefully and suggested a number of changes, ALL of which Mary Ann adopted gratefully.  Finally the manuscript was sold to Bloomsbury Publishing.  Happy day — But they required MORE REWRITING.  At this point, sad to say, ill health forced Mary Ann to stop work, but luckily her niece Annie Barrows, a well known author herself, stepped in and finished the revisions.  In the end her improvements were so great that Mary Ann listed her as co-author.

 You see the point.  Any book, even a light novel, becomes good because a good first idea is constantly rewritten on the basis of criticism from other people. 

 4. Any last words?

 Your interviews always present good people, Melinda – I am much flattered to be included in the group – but I despair when many of the writers say “Just sit down, type up your ideas, and mail them off.”  I do not know how they dare give such advice! This very text I am sending you today could be better – but it would be much worse if I hadn’t rewritten it three times.

 Bill

Thanks Bill for being here today. 

 Walk in peace and harmony,

 Melinda