November's gone and with it another NaNoWriMo project completed. The 50,550 words will be added to the almost 11,000 previous written for Train to Nowhere Somewhere. Now I have to edit, add, rearrange and otherwise revise what I have. It's a story about a disaster that seems at first to be confined to a railway bridge explosion, but turns out to extend way beyond that. Mostly it's about how the survivors from the train cope with the changes this brings to their lives.

Meanwhile, I have half a dozen other stories to work on, all at different stages in the revision process.

If you attempted NaNo this year, how did you do? What kind of story did you write?

 Interview with Kathy Wagoner, who also writes under the name Cate Macabe

1. What genre(s) do you write in and why? Do you write flash fiction, short stories, novellas and/or novels? If you do multiple genres and/or lengths, which do you prefer? Have you ever written any poetry?

My favorite genres to write in are science fiction and fantasy. I love to escape into the other worlds I find in books, as much now as when I was young. I have written all lengths of fiction: flash, short stories, novellas, and novels, but I don’t have a preference for any one length. I let the story unfold as it will, and it ends up as long as it’s supposed to be. I did publish a memoir for a friend in 2012 titled This New Mountain. That project was an extreme departure and a stretch for me. As far as poetry goes, I have to be in a certain frame of mind to write it—usually one of deep emotion or introspection. Poetry has helped me express my feelings in an immediate, satisfying way. As opposed to taking a topic like dealing with grief and having it play out across hundreds of pages.

2. How do you pick character names?

Character names usually speak to me from the story. I don’t go through any one process to pick them. Sometimes the name has to do with a character’s profession, sometimes it has a sound to it that appeals to me or that I think embodies the character.

3. How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing, off and on, nearly all my life. I took a long break in my 20s and 30s to raise a family, but I never stopped imagining characters and their sci fi or fantasy environments.

4. What kind of support do you get from your family and friends?

My family and friends are very supportive, especially my husband. He gives me the time and space I need to write. But they all want me to do what makes me happy and to see me succeed. And they’re anxious for me to publish my sff stories.

5. What social media do you use to spread awareness of your work?

Right now I have two websites—one for memoir (that I’m not too active on right now) and one for speculative fiction that I’m still trying to decide what direction to take with it. Do I gear it toward readers or writers? I haven’t figured it out yet. I’ll eventually get active on Facebook (and maybe Twitter), but not until I get into a better writing routine. I hope to devote more time to writing once I give up other time-sucking responsibilities at the end of the year. And then there’s Pinterest. I like the visual aspect of it, but I don’t have boards yet that focus on my writing projects.

6. If you had unlimited funds, how would you advertise your work?

It would be great to produce trailers and get them onto the web. I would also travel around the country (or the world!) to conventions. Maybe make up a bunch of t-shirts to give out, with pithy or clever sayings and awesome graphics that would make people want to go check out my books. I would probably also hire someone to help with social media and promotion.

7. What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on a short story fantasy collection set in the same world as my main work-in-progress. I’m itching to get back to that dark fantasy novel and finally finish it. I also have a sci fi novel, a space opera novella, and a thriller in draft form.

8. Have you self-published anything? What was your experience like?

I’ve never self-published, but I like the idea of having more control of the process and pricing, and having a say in the book cover design, as well a taking the lion’s share of every sale. I’m thinking of indie publishing one or two short story collections, possibly next year.

9. Do you have an agent and/or publisher? How did you find them?

The publisher of This New Mountain is Casa de Snapdragon, a small, traditional publisher located in Albuquerque, New Mexico (just a few blocks from my house—very convenient!). I actually worked in the same office with the Editor in Chief before she opened the publishing house. She knew I was writing the memoir and told me to submit it to her when I was ready.

10. Have you sold your work at book fairs or conventions? What kind of experience did you have?

I have attended book fairs and tried to sell the memoir but wasn’t very successful. I’m not outgoing and end up plugging other books, because I feel better about promoting someone else besides myself. I know this is something I’ll have to get over to succeed in the business.

11. If you had it to do over again, would you have started writing sooner?

I definitely would have started sooner, or at least returned to writing sooner. But that would mean I would have realized I could be a writer and have the confidence to step out. And to do that, I would have been a different person twenty years ago—someone who wasn’t afraid to pursue her dreams.

12. Which do you find hardest: coming up with a story idea, writing, revising, or marketing?

Number one is marketing (see my answer to #11 in reference to promoting myself). But revising is also hard for me. I have to go through many cycles of critiquing, rewriting, and revising. It is difficult for me to know if or when a piece is done and ready, and then push the “send” button.

13. Are you a plotter or a pantser or a hybrid of the two?

I’m a complete pantser when I write short stories and a pantser for the first 2-3 chapters of a novel. After writing a few chapters I know how the story will end. Then I start doing a rough, flexible outline of the next few chapters, and pants the story as I go. I do make notes on my rough outlines of things I know I’ll need to go back and fix (like plot holes or consistency issues), so when I’m ready to edit, I save some time. Pantsers still have to go through much of what plotters do before they write, they just do it after the draft is done.

14. What are the hardest kinds of scenes for you to write? Romantic? Sex? The death of a character? Fight scenes? Others?

I love to write fight scenes. I see them play out in my head, and they tumble down onto the page for me. Romance is something I haven’t included in my stories except for a hint now and then. My characters seem to be more interested in staying alive than forming a romantic bond. And sex scenes? No way. I think if I tried, they would just come out dorky.

15. What's your solution to writers' block?

For me, writers’ block happens when I don’t know how to continue, such as how to convey a character’s emotional arc. I keep a file of story ideas and jump into writing something else when I get blocked. Continuing to write is my way of breaking through. By the time I get back to the story that had me stumped, I have the answer of how to proceed.

16. How much time do you spend on research for your writing?

It’s hard to tell because so far I haven’t set aside specific blocks of time for research. I’ll add notes to my outline of things I need to find out about later. I try not to stop writing to surf for answers. Or I’ll buy a reference book about something like poisons or medieval living and dive in. But in general, I do research in spurts.

17. Your character decides to go a different way than you planned. What do you do?

My characters often take a different path from what I first intended. When they do, I let them go for it. I can always go back if the story hits a wall or figure out a way to fix things. Usually when a character does this, she’s trying to tell me something or take me to a place I had no idea existed. I’ll often learn something really nifty about the setting or the society, or gain an awesome plot twist. I love when these things happen.

18. Have you ever used weather or setting as a character?

I’ve used both weather and setting as characters, sometimes both in the same story. I don’t set out to do this on purpose. But looking back after I’m done, I can see my subconscious at work in the writing.

Links:

KL Wagoner website http://klwagoner.com/

This New Mountain http://thisnewmountain.com/blog/

The Bus Station

I'll return to interviews next week, but this Friday I thought I'd post a piece of flash fiction I wrote for a recent class:

Bus Station

The child sat on the long wooden bench in the shabby old bus station, her legs dangling four inches above the ground. Her right hand clutched the worn handle of the battered brown suitcase, and her eyes stared straight ahead. The soft round face was as expressionless as a China doll, the only movement a slight quiver of her bottom lip.

The old woman looked around for a place to sit. Her tired back and legs wouldn't endure for long if she had to stand, but her bus wasn't due for another forty-five minutes. “Someone sitting here?” she asked the child, pointing to the empty end seat beside her.

The little girl looked up into her weathered face and shook her head.

The woman settled into the seat with a sigh, glancing at the clock, willing the time to fly by. “Are you traveling alone?” The child looked so small to her. “You were probably told not to talk to strangers. Believe you me, I don't usual talk to them either, but you shouldn't be traveling alone. What are you? Seven? Eight?” Even that elicited no response. “I'm going to St. Louis. Haven't been there in close to thirty years. I imagine the place has changed. Hasn't everything?”

The little girl stared at her, the start of curiosity entering her eyes.

“I'm Mildred, and don't you dare call me Millie. What's your name?”

No response.

“When I was your age, my mama used to take me to St. Louis and Joplin, all over the state. We had relations in every city, every hamlet from here to Chicago. Now all that's left is me and a cousin in Peoria, but he's a no-account I'd avoid even if he lived next door.” She continued her monologue, as if the sound of her own voice was preferable to silence. “Bet you're wondering why I'm going to St. Louis now. There's doctors in St. Louis. Better than here, I'll tell you.”

A slight nod from the girl was the first sign that she understood English.

“You off to visit your grandma? Or maybe that's where you're coming from.”

The eyes looked down to study the tops of scuffed sneakers. A hole near the big toe of the right one threatened to expand. The muttered 'no' barely reached the old woman's ears.

“No? You're not running away, are you?” Mildred asked.

The silky, fine blond hair swung as the girl indicated she wasn't. But what else could this be?

Mildred tried to think of a question that might get her to open up. She'd been singularly unsuccessful so far. But she was afraid that if she was silent, the slight progress she'd made would fade. “This bench is so hard.” She wriggled against the scarred backrest. “I don't know who designed the first bus terminal, and then convinced others to build them all the same.” She pointed to the tiny refreshment stand. “Would you like a soda? Or perhaps chocolate milk? I wouldn't trust much else they sell.”

The child looked up, her eyes straying to the stand. “Chocolate milk, please.”

“You watch my things, and I'll get us both a drink.” Mildred left her coat on the seat and her suitcase on the floor as she stood and strode to the food vendor. She was back in moments carrying two plastic cups.

The child hadn't moved except to put her free hand on the woman's coat. “Thanks.” She finally let go of her suitcase handle and took the drink carefully in two hands.

“I brought us both straws.” Mildred opened one and inserted it in the lid of the kid's drink.

Watching the woman, the girl took a long sip of milk, then another. She'd finished half of it before she came up for air.

“You must have been thirsty.”

The child sucked in her lower lip, then went back to drinking.

“Feel better?” Mildred asked.

She nodded. “Thank you.”

Nothing added up about the kid. Who left her at the bus station? And where was she going? “I bet whoever you're going to see will give you plenty of chocolate milk.”

The quiver was back and the child's eyes filled with tears before seeking the double doors, then they returned to her drink cup.

A disembodied voice came over the loud speaker. “Four thirty to St. Louis and points east now boarding.”

“That's our bus.” Mildred stood, grabbed her coat and suitcase, and took two steps. “Aren't you coming?”

The girl shook her head. “I'm not going.”

Exasperated, Mildred asked, “Then why are you here?” She looked around at all the other passengers streaming toward the doors and the bus on the other side. None paid attention to the woman and the child. Mildred sat down again. The doctors would have to wait.

This week I'm interviewing Margaret Fieland, author of science fiction novels and novellas as well as poetry.

1. What genre(s) do you write in and why? Do you write flash fiction, short stories, novellas and/or novels? If you do multiple genres and/or lengths, which do you prefer? Have you ever written any poetry?

I started off writing poetry, actually. I wrote poetry for years without being at all serious about it. I would write the poems down in notebooks which ended up in my attiec. Then one day I wrote a poem I wanted to keep. Because I work as a computer software engineer, I had more than one computer in my life, and the latest version of this poem always seemed to be on the one I wasn't on. I ended up finding an online poetry site. One thing led to another. I discovered an online writing conference and hooked up with Linda Barnett Johnson. She ran some online writers groups, but she required everyone to participate in both the short story and poetry forums. I started writing short stories – I started out writing for children under the mistaken impression that it was easier – and got hooked.

I still write lots of poetry, but now I'm also writing fiction, mostly science fiction and fantasy. I have three science fiction novels published with a third coming out later this year. A children's chapter book is due out later this year as well.

I didn't start out intending to write sci fi. I am a way-back sci fi fan, though, but up until 2010 I had never written any. In fact, I had a bit of a phobia about taking on the world building. I decided to participate in the 2010 NaNoWriMo, a crazy event in which slightly insane writers attempt to commit 50,000 words of a novel to paper, erm, keyboard, in a month. This was about the middle of September, and I spent most of the next six weeks in world building rather than in plotting out my novel. I had about a page of plot notes. I wrote the first draft .in a month. Then I had to edit it

2. What writers do you admire? What are you currently reading?
   For sci fi writers, my biggest influence is probably Robert A. Heinlein. I've ready pretty much everything he's written. I'm also a big Isaac Asimov fan. Octavia Butler, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Samuel Delany, Cordwainer Smith are also favorites of mine.

3. How do you pick character names?
   Mostly rather randomly, but for the Novels of Aleyne I started using a Persian/Farsi/Arabic name generator and then modifying the names. I wanted names that were a bit exotic but not unpronouncable, and these ended up fitting the bill. I also “borrowed” and modified the names of some of my foreign-born co-workers.

4. How long have you been writing?

I've written poetry since High School, and I've been writing with an eye to publication since around 2005.

5-7: no answers

8. What are you working on now?

Edits for the fourth Aleyne novel and finishing up the first draft of another.

9. Have you self-published anything? What was your experience like?
   I wrote a book of persona poems, “Sand in the Desert,” to go with the first Aleyne novel, “Relocated,” and I self-published them. One of the reasons for that was that I'd dragged my feet about submitting them to a publisher and another was some difficulties with the publisher of a poetry anthology. I did all the formatting myself. I was going to do the cover as well, but the layout, color choices, etc, turned out to be more time consuming than I'd bargained for, and I ended up having a friend do it. I did, however, have a pretty good idea of what I wanted the cover to look like. I also self-published the print edition of “Relocated,” and I hired someone to do the cover.

10.Do you have an agent and/or publisher? How did you find them?

No agent, but I do have two publishers I'm working with now , one ebook publisher for the science fiction novels and another small-press publisher for the chapter book (print) that's due out later this year. As to how I 'met' them, it was through an online writers conference.

11.Have you sold your work at book fairs or conventions? What kind of experience did you have?

No, I haven't, but if I were ever lucky and rich enough, I would.

12.What's the one piece of advice that has helped you, and where did you get it? What advice would you give a beginning writer?

13.If you had it to do over again, would you have started writing sooner?

I wish I could say I would, but in truth, I probably wouldn't. The biggest thing hotlding me back from writing seriously was the notion (mine) that I c ould and that I wanted to. I started writing poetry, and without the nudge that Linda Barnet Johnson gave me, I doubt I ever would have.

14.What are some review remarks that stick in your head?

Nothing much sticks in my head. That's one of the reasons I write :-).

15.Which do you find hardest: coming up with a story idea, writing, revising, or marketing?

Marketing. First of all, I don't know what to do, and second of all, when I do get some notions, I get all tangled up in how to go about it. I'd much rather be writing.

16.Are you a plotter or a pantser or a hybrid of the two?

I'm a hybrid. I almost always have the main characters, the setting, the dramatic concept, the start, finish, first plot point, and most major plot points after that. I may or may not have a rough idea of the scenes from the beginning to the first plot point. But I can' t plot in detail for the simple reason that I may not solid grasp of what the whole book is about until I'm done writing it. Some things are only revealed to me as I write them. For example, in “Broken Bonds,” I knew how I wanted the ( spoiler here) treason trial of the main character to come out, but I had no idea how it was going to come about until I wrote it.

17.What are the hardest kinds of scenes for you to write? Romantic? Sex? The death of a character? Fight scenes? Others?

Fight scenes. I have to go look up what's supposed to happen, say by reading a real account of a fight similar to the one I'm trying to write about.

18.What's your solution to writers' block?

hi

Write something else or go do housework or go walk my dogs. I find something fairly mindless – like raking leaves, washing dishes, or ironing, will result in my concentrating on the task, freeing up some part of my brain to figure out the story.

19.How much time do you spend on research for your writing?

That depends on what it is and how much I don't know about it. When I wrote my chapter book I ended up doing a lot of research on fires, the effects of smoke inhalation, fire-related injuries, how fast a fire spreads, etc, etc, and then I ended up starting the story AFTER the fire itself.

20.Your character decides to go a different way than you planned. What do you do?

Go with it.

21.Have you ever used weather or setting as a character?

I have a partially-finished fantasy set in a future ice age that has setting as a character.

Blurb:

How far would you go to keep your love? 
When Major Brad Reynolds is assigned to head the Terran Federation base on planet Aleyne, the last thing he expects to find is love, and certainly not with one of the alien Aleyni. How can he keep his lover, in the face of political maneuvering and of Ardaval's feelings for his former partners -- and theirs for him?

Links:

Publisher's website:
http://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/new-releases/broken-bonds-detail



Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Broken-Bonds-Novels-Aleyne-ebook/dp/B00E5SGVSS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1374851946&sr=1-1



Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/broken-bonds-margaret-fieland/1116214695?ean=2940148784913
Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/broken-bonds



Where to find me on the web:



Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/margaretfieland/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/margaret.fielandAuthor
twitter: http://www.twitter.com/madcapmaggie
goodreads:   http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4417476.Margaret_Fieland

Bio:
Born and raised in New York City, Margaret Fieland has lived in the Boston area since 1978.  She is an avid science fiction fan, and selected Robert A. Heinlein's “Farmer in the Sky” for her tenth birthday, now long past. In spite of earning her living as a computer software engineer, she turned to one of her sons to put up the first version of her website, a clear indication of the computer generation gap. Thanks to her father's relentless hounding, she can still recite the rules for pronoun agreement in both English and French. She can also write backwards and wiggle her ears. Her poems have appeared in journals such as Melusine, Front Range Review, and All Rights Reserved.  She is one of the Poetic Muselings. Their poetry anthology, Lifelines, was published by Inkspotter Publishing in November, 2011.  She is the author of  Relocated, Geek Games, and Broken Bonds,  published by MuseItUp Publishing, and of Sand in the Desert, a collection of science fiction persona poems.  A chapter book and another science fiction novel are due out later this year.

Continuing with my series of interviews, today we have Simon Williams answering my questions. He is the author of the Aona series, as well as  Summer's Dark Waters.

1. What genre(s) do you write in and why? Do you write flash fiction, short stories, novellas and/or novels? If you do multiple genres and/or lengths, which do you prefer? Have you ever written any poetry?

My work has broadly been described as dark fantasy, although Summer’s Dark Waters, which is for a younger audience, is really more a sci-fi / fantasy adventure. I’ve written a number of short stories, but these are generally very different to my longer works- I struggle to define them in terms of genre but perhaps “experimental fantasy horror” might be as close as I can place them.

I tend to write longer works as it allows time for characters to develop and plots to sort themselves out.

I have written some poetry but I don’t intend to publish any of it- it’s really quite awful!

2. How do you pick character names?

With difficulty! I do find it a struggle at times, but recently I’ve found that using simpler names in fantasy works well. There are, for example, a number of contemporary names that work well in the fantasy genre- and of course a lot more that don’t. For example, I think names like Jon and Daniel are fine, but it’s impossible to get away with using Wayne or Sharon. ;)

3. How long have you been writing?

I started writing (very basic) stories from the age of five and it just went from there. But in terms of “serious” writing- all of my adult life. Unfortunately it took me a long time to find the right “voice” so that meant years in a kind of literary wilderness. Hopefully I’m making up for it at last now.

4. What kind of support do you get from your family and friends?

My parents and my girlfriend are very supportive- as far as anyone can be to a writer- and I get important help with initial feedback / proof-reading etc.

5. What social media do you use to spread awareness of your work?

Mostly Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads. I really don’t have time for any additional networks, those three take up a huge amount of time as it is. I created an account on Google+ but the whole look and feel of it is awful and I haven’t really worked out what to do with it. I also created a LinkedIn account, but LinkedIn appears to cater mostly to suits and business types so again I’m not convinced of its usefulness for me.

6. If you had unlimited funds, how would you advertise your work?

I have absolutely no idea- I try not to think about actually having funds! I guess I would advertise on major websites, or even newspapers (although I’m not sure how many people read them anymore). But I try not to think too much about what life would be like if I had a load of money. I’m a daydreamer but I do have a certain level of realism, and I don’t think imagining great wealth is actually the healthiest thing to be doing with one’s time.

7. What are you working on now?

I’m writing the sequel to Summer’s Dark Waters and I’m hoping to have it completed by the end of 2015. My artist friend Ankolie has agreed to do the illustrations for this as well.

I’m also working on the fifth and final Aona book, “Salvation’s Door”, which brings to an end the Aona saga.

Another project which should be finished shortly is my collection of short stories- some old, some new. My stories don’t really belong in any genre (maybe some of them could be loosely labelled as “fantasy horror”) and I’m not sure putting them together in a single volume is the best idea- but I don’t believe in selling something that small individually and at the same time I’d like to think they’re worth a few pence.

Last but not least, a new book for kids around ages 7 to 9 (roughly), a fun but thought-provoking contemporary fantasy about which I can’t (or won’t) give any more details yet, mainly because I’m amused and enthused in equal measure about the whole plot and concept.

8. Have you sold your work at book fairs or conventions? What kind of experience did you have?

Sadly I don’t really have the funds to set up stalls and try selling books at conventions. I’m not much of a salesman anyway, and I find doing the whole marketing / sales thing over the Internet is about the best I can do. Trying to sell my books in person sounds like quite a potentially humiliating experience if I don’t manage to sell any!

9.What's the one piece of advice that has helped you, and where did you get it? What advice would you give a beginning writer?

Probably to not give up, and that advice has come from a number of sources. I would probably say to any beginning writer- “Would you do this even if you never make any money from it, even if you’re never recognized for it?” If the answer is yes, then they’re maybe cut out for it. If you treat it as an attempted business venture, rather than a labour of love, then I would say maybe not.

10. Which do you find hardest: coming up with a story idea, writing, revising, or marketing?

Coming up with ideas and writing them down come fairly easily to me. Revising and editing is a chore, but one that must be done- so I just grit my teeth and get on with it. Marketing I detest, because it always feels as if it has that edge of desperation to it- and it feels very much like an admin job, totally unlike the creativity of writing a story or novel.

Also, there are some authors- mainly the “traditionally published” ones- who seem to frown upon self-published authors marketing themselves. My response to that would be that they have to- more often than not, they don’t have anyone else to do the work for them- not everyone can afford the rates of marketing professionals! I do agree that some self-published authors can be a bit pushy, it’s a matter of trying to let people know about your work without shouting too loudly about it, which can be tricky sometimes.

16.Are you a plotter or a pantser or a hybrid of the two?

Pantser, almost always. I never work my way methodically from beginning to end- I write some set pieces, scenarios that just pop into my head, and somehow the whole plot just ends up sorting itself out. My approach is incredibly random and I have no idea how it all comes together really.

18.What's your solution to writers' block?

I usually have several things on the go, so if one project isn’t really “happening” for me then I’ll pick one of the other ones up and work on that. And if nothing seems to be working then I just plough through and keep writing. Eventually things click once again. The importance of just going through the motions can’t be overstated, even if you end up never using the piece you wrote.

Website: www.simonwilliamsauthor.com

Amazon page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00P0ZZYS8

Facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Simon-Williams/167649143291810

Twitter: @SWilliamsAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6094097.Simon_Williams

Summer’s Dark Waters:

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Summers-Dark-Waters-Simon-Williams/dp/1849145008/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417904624&sr=8-1&keywords=summer%27s+dark+waters

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Summers-Dark-Waters-Simon-Williams/dp/1849145008/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417904624&sr=8-1&keywords=summer%27s+dark+waters

Oblivion’s Forge (Book I in the Aona series):

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Oblivions-Forge-Aona-Book-1-ebook/dp/B0082XW04G/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Oblivions-Forge-Aona-Book-1-ebook/dp/B0082XW04G/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

I hope you've been enjoying my blog interviews. There are more to come. I also hope you've enjoyed the descriptions of the many places Nissa and her friends visit in The Crimson Orb.

Today, I'll take you to Lord Graham's Keep. Before they arrive at the imposing building, the companions find the arbor, where the arborist has cultivated all sorts of fruit trees.

Since the last time they saw Lord Graham, however, he lost his eyesight. Nissa and Madoc were able to restore it, and to determine why it happened. Pursuit of the poisoner took them to the market place in the capital city of Arris. Another part of their amazing adventures.

Today's blog interview is with Mysti Parker, who writes romances and romantic fantasies as well as children's books.

 Questions for interviews. –Mysti Parker

1. What genre(s) do you write in and why? Do you write flash fiction, short stories, novellas and/or novels? If you do multiple genres and/or lengths, which do you prefer? Have you ever written any poetry? I write several subgenres of romance, as well as children’s books and flash fiction. I write romance because I love a good love story, children’s books because my children inspire me to tell stories and flash fiction to challenge myself and fill in the gaps. I love every type of book/story that I write, so I don’t really have a preference. When I was a teenager, I wrote a lot of poetry. My mother bound them all up for me in a book and gave it to me for my 23^rd birthday. She passed in 2003, so it’s a very special keepsake for me.

2. How long have you been writing? Since forever. The first story I remember writing was when I was 7 or 8, called “The Sad Christmas,” about my grandfather dying on Christmas Eve. I didn’t start writing for publication until 2009.

3. What social media do you use to spread awareness of your work? The usual suspects – Facebook, Twitter, and bit of Pinterest and Instagram. Also my website, which I’m finally starting to figure out how to build. I have a love/hate relationship with Wordpress. Mostly hate. LOL

4. If you had unlimited funds, how would you advertise your work? I’d probably make them into independent films. I’d so love to see them in movie form, but isn’t that every author’s dream?

5. What are you working on now? I’ve recently finished the 4^th book in my Tallenmere fantasy romance series. It’ll be out late this fall. My first historical, A Time for Everything, just published on July 7, so I’m busy promoting that one. I’ve begun work on my 3^rd children’s book and am researching my 2^nd historical romance. Also planning a series of novellas with my co-author, MJ Post. Oh, and I’ll need to write The Roche Hotel, Season Three somewhere in there. I won’t get truly productive until the kids are back in school later this month, I’m afraid, but I’ll have plenty to keep me busy.

6. Have you self-published anything? What was your experience like? Yes, I self-pubbed the first book in my fantasy romance series (A Ranger’s Tale), when the contract expired with my publisher. I’ve also self-pubbed The Roche Hotel romantic comedy series, my co-authored contemporary novella Chances Are and my children’s books. I haven’t had a bad experience. It’s challenging, being responsible for every aspect of the process, but it’s also nice to have that freedom. I can decide on cover art, where to sell, how much to sell it for, etc. It is more important to watch costs, however, since the financial burden is all on me. But if you are patient, persistent, and professional, it’s not impossible.

7.Do you have an agent and/or publisher? How did you find them? No agent, but I still have the rest of my fantasy romance series with Melange Books. They were the first publisher to accept my work back in 2009, when they were Midnight Showcase. They’ve grown a lot since then, and I’m glad I stayed. My historical is published with EsKape Press. I found them via Ruth J. Hartman, another author I just adore. I submitted that one to several places, and had two publishers accept it (one being EsKape). I chose to go with EsKape, and I’m glad I did, because it wasn’t long until the other pub went belly up. Phew.

8.Have you sold your work at book fairs or conventions? What kind of experience did you have? Oh yeah, many. I’ve already attended several things, and have many more this fall. One of them is FandomFest, coming up Aug. 7-9 at the KY International Convention Center in Louisville. It’s your typical comic con experience, and I dress the part as an elven ranger from my fantasy series. September will be crazy with Steamboat Days in Jeffersonville, IN on Labor Day weekend, then Imaginarium in Louisville at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Sept 11 – 13 and the Kentuckiana Authors Book Blitz on Sept. 19 at the historic Palace Theater. Experiences vary at these events. You never know whether there will be a lot of people in attendance or if the weather will cooperate or if anyone there will be interested in your genre, etc. Mostly, it’s been a good experience—I’ve met a lot of other authors, bloggers, bookstore owners and readers. It’s been a good way to get my work out there.

9.If you had it to do over again, would you have started writing sooner? Yes!! I’m nearing 40, need reading glasses, and sitting too long hurts!

10.What are some review remarks that stick in your head? I appreciate all my reviews, however the one piece of feedback I remember the most, and used to my benefit, was back in 2010 when I started writing my historical romance. I was taking a writing course, getting feedback on some of the scenes I had written. One of my classmates said, “Don’t whitewash history.” My book was set during the Civil War/Reconstruction era, and that really stuck with me. Eventually, it helped me write a much better book. Here’s an article I wrote about it that tells the whole story: https://fourfoxesonehound.wordpress.com/2015/07/13/dont-whitewash-history-guest-author-mysti-parker/

11.Which do you find hardest: coming up with a story idea, writing, revising, or marketing? Writing that first draft is the hardest, most hair-pulling part of the process for me. Marketing is even harder and often frustrating. I can only take it in small doses. The revision part is actually my favorite. It’s like I’ve finally got all the grueling work of the house building done, so now I get to decorate it and make it pretty!

12.Your character decides to go a different way than you planned. What do you do? I have no choice but to listen and let them do as they please. I’m merely a transcriber for all these voices in my head. 

Mysti's most recent book is A Time for Everything. 

Blurb for A Time for Everything:

 

After losing her husband and only child to the ravages of the Civil War, twenty-five-year-old Portia McAllister is drowning in grief. When she sees an ad for a live-in tutor in another town, she leaves everything behind in hopes of making a fresh start. But as a Confederate widow in a Union household, she is met with resentment from her new charge and her employer, war veteran Beau Stanford. 

Despite their differences, she and Beau find common ground and the stirrings of a second chance at love—until his late wife’s cousin, Lydia, arrives with her sights set on him. Burdened with a farm on the brink of bankruptcy, Beau is tempted by Lydia’s hefty dowry, though Portia has captured his heart. 

In another time and another place, his choice would be easy. But love seems impossible amid the simmering chaos of Reconstruction that could boil over at any moment into an all-out battle for survival. Will Beau and Portia find their way into each other’s arms, or will they be swept away by raging forces beyond their control?

 

Buy Links:

http://amzn.to/1Se5TXS

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/554586

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-time-for-everything-mysti-parker/1122264090

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-time-for-everything/id1014131141

Bio:

 

Mysti Parker is a wife, mother, and shameless chocoholic. While her first love is romance, including five published books and an award-winning historical coming this summer, she enjoys writing flash fiction (the weirder the better) and children's stories. When she's not writing, Mysti works as a freelance editor, serves as a mentor in a 7-week writing course (F2K) and reviews books for SQ Mag, an online speculative fiction magazine. She resides in Buckner, KY with her husband, three children and too many pets.

 

http://www.mystiparker.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mysti-Parker/103786449704221

https://twitter.com/MystiParker

My second interview is with Loretta (Retta) Wood, who I first met as Pyewacket.

Links:

Fanfiction.net: https://www.fanfiction.net/~pyewacket75

Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/retta.wood.5

Interview:

1. What genre(s) do you write in and why? Do you write flash fiction, short stories, novellas and/or novels? If you do multiple genres and/or lengths, which do you prefer? Have you ever written any poetry?

I mostly write romance/fiction because that’s what I usually read myself. I have written some short stories but I find I mostly stick to novels.

2. What writers do you admire? What are you currently reading?

I like Nora Roberts/JD Robb for the most part. I seem to read mostly her stuff these days. Right now though I’m traveling back in time and reading a Jackie Collins book in the Lucky Santangelo series, since I loved them when I was younger.

3. How do you pick character names? I choose ones I’ve always liked or that sound cool or unique.

4. How long have you been writing? Since I was fourteen, so nearly 30 years.

5. What kind of support do you get from your family and friends? I get positive support from them. They like that I write, even though some of them have never read my stuff.

6. What social media do you use to spread awareness of your work? Live journal mostly, since most of my writing friends/fans are ones I met there first, but I also use Facebook to promote if I want more people to read.

7. If you had unlimited funds, how would you advertise your work? Id probably make FB ads.

8. What are you working on now? I’ve been working on this one story for months and I need to get it finished so I can start something new. It’s a fiction/romance about a girl who comes back to her hometown 20 years later and they still don’t accept her. She falls in love with a man escaping his own past.

9. Have you self-published anything? What was your experience like? Not yet.

10.What's the one piece of advice that has helped you, and where did you get it? What advice would you give a beginning writer? “Write what you know.”

11.If you had it to do over again, would you have started writing sooner? I doubt it.

12.Which do you find hardest: coming up with a story idea, writing, revising, or marketing? Coming up with an idea.

13.Are you a plotter or a pantser or a hybrid of the two? Pantser 100%

14.What are the hardest kinds of scenes for you to write? Romantic? Sex? The death of a character? Fight scenes? Others? I used to have issues with writing angst but I’ve gotten past that. I suppose I find it hardest to write scenes which I believe might be disturbing to my readers, like violence etc. I hold back a lot for those reasons.

15.What's your solution to writers' block? Leave the story alone until more ideas come to my mind or play music that usually works to inspire me.

16.How much time do you spend on research for your writing? Not a lot, unless I’m writing about something unfamiliar to me, in which case I’ll look it up to make sure it’s correct.

17.Your character decides to go a different way than you planned. What do you do? Go with it. It usually ends up being better than my original idea, anyway.

18.Have you ever used weather or setting as a character? Nope.

Today I begin a series of weekly interviews with writers and readers of all types. First up is Leona Pence.

A lifelong resident of Illinois, Leona Pence is a widowed mother of four, grandmother to twelve, and come December--great grandmother to five. Leona started reading romance novels as a teen. She graduated from Nancy Drew stories to Harlequin Romance, and then to her favorite author, Barbara Cartland and her vast Regency romance collection. Happy endings were a must. Leona began writing late in life after the death of her husband of forty-four years. They married on her 19th birthday after a three month courtship – and yes – love at first sight really did happen. She enjoys reading, writing, and especially being a Mentor in F2K, a free online writing course.

1. What genre(s) do you write in and why? Do you write flash fiction, short stories, novellas and/or novels? If you do multiple genres and/or lengths, which do you prefer? Have you ever written any poetry?

My usual genre is Romance or Romantic Suspense. I have only written one novel, thus far, but I have written some flash stories. I have a short story that I plan to expand into a novella. I enjoy the challenge of writing a full story in as few words as possible. Poetry is not my cup of tea, although I have a few stashed away. To me, poetry must rhyme and have cadence. I used to write Limericks for my grandchildren, long before I ever considered myself a writer.

2. What writers do you admire? What are you currently reading?

Steven King, Dean Koontz, Barbara Cartland, and a whole slew of new authors like Joyce Hertzoff, Mysti Parker, Cynthia Wright, etc., etc. I read a book fifty years ago called Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor. I never forgot it. A while back, I purchased it on Amazon as a rediscovered classic, and it was just as good the second time around. I read so many books and rarely remember the titles; not sure why this one stuck in my mind. I finished it last week and just started A Way from Heart to Heart by Helena Fairfax.

3. How do you pick character names?

For the good guys, I usually twist the names of family and friends. The protagonist is a little harder. I have so many relatives, I have to be careful lest I offend somebody.

4. How long have you been writing?

Except for a few Limericks and poems, I didn’t start writing until after my husband’s death. I wrote the first draft of Hemphill Towers in 2008 at the age of sixty-five.

5. What kind of support do you get from your family and friends?

I get a lot of support from both. My daughters read my stories and give opinions. Many relatives, some I’ve never met, encourage me on Facebook. My husband would have been so proud that I wrote a novel. I have so many friends in F2K and WVU who support me too.

6. What social media do you use to spread awareness of your work?

I use Facebook mostly, Twitter, when I can figure it out. I’ve had several newspaper articles written about me and have been interviewed by three local TV news channels, book signings, and word of mouth. I’ve also used Kindle Books and Tips, and The Fussy Librarian to help boost sales.

On August 30, I’m renting a table at a huge Flea Market in Peoria. I hope to sell some autographed books.

7. If you had unlimited funds, how would you advertise your work?

I’d do television, radio, and newspaper ads. I’d buy magazine space. Hummm, I’d probably just hire somebody to do all this for me.

8. What are you working on now?

I wrote a short story for a class in Writer’s Village University that I plan to expand into a novella. Who knows? Once I start, I may get a novel from it.

9. Have you self-published anything? What was your experience like?

No, I have never self-published.

10.Do you have an agent and/or publisher? How did you find them?

Yes, I am published through MuseItUp Publishing. A mutual friend sent an email to the publisher, Lea Schizas, who told me to send my manuscript to her. Thank God, she saw promise in what I’d written and sent me a contract. It took about eight months from contract signing to publication…five years from the first draft.

11.Have you sold your work at book fairs or conventions? What kind of experience did you have?

I traveled to Louisville, KY last September to The Imaginarium Convention. I didn’t sell many books, but it was an amazing experience to be gathered with so many authors. I met our mutual friends, Mysti Parker and Veronica Jorden. I also met several MuseItUp authors. I haven’t been to a book fair yet, but I’m hindered by being deaf and in a wheelchair. If the flea market works out, I’ll probably go there on a monthly basis. I have two wonderful daughters who help me.

12.What's the one piece of advice that has helped you, and where did you get it? What advice would you give a beginning writer?

I’d advise a beginning writer to take a basic writing course to brush up on grammar and punctuation. It would save so much time in revision. It’s hard to pinpoint one piece of advice. The people in the Novel Group at WVU were a tremendous help to me. I saw first-hand how we all struggled and none had error-free writing. Their advice was to hang in there and do your best.

13.If you had it to do over again, would you have started writing sooner?

I truly wish I had started writing earlier, but for me, the time was right when it finally happened. I had only used a computer to stay in touch with my children and play a few Solitaire games. But after I lost my husband of forty-four years, I turned to my computer, met people online, and gained the inspiration I needed to try my hand at writing.

14.What are some review remarks that stick in your head?

I especially liked these comments: Leona Pence’s debut novel, Hemphill Towers, does not disappoint. It is a Romantic Mystery, not to be confused with a romance novel. The lives of three young women intertwine and evolve in different settings across the globe. I found her handling of a complex tale masterfully accomplished.

I absolutely LOVED this book! It had romance, intrigue, & locations that were so vividly described that I felt I was there myself.

I would definitely recommend this book to readers of romance who like their tales served up with a side of danger

15.Which do you find hardest: coming up with a story idea, writing, revising, or marketing?

Revising and marketing are both the hardest part of the writing scenario. I hate making lengthy changes in the middle of something I’ve written. Marketing is a never-ending job.

16.Are you a plotter or a pantser or a hybrid of the two?

I’m a pantser, but I envy the plotters. I’ve never been able to write a good outline and usually, I don’t know how my story will end.

17.What are the hardest kinds of scenes for you to write? Romantic? Sex? The death of a character? Fight scenes? Others?

For me, it’s the sex scenes. I have so many family member reading what I write, so I tend to write cautiously. I could write a steamy sex scene, but…I doubt I’d let anybody read it.

18.What's your solution to writers' block?

I read, read, read, until I get the urge to write. I consider myself a lazy writer because I am not committed to writing every day.

Riley Saunders, an art director at a leading advertising agency, works every day with her two best friends, Stella and Birdie. All three have been assigned to ensure that the Grand Opening of the Peterson Art Museum is nothing short of a success.

When a girl’s night out at a hot new Italian restaurant ends with a spilled bottle of wine, it sets in motion a series of events that leaves Stella and Birdie caught up in whirlwind romances, and Riley fearing for her life at the hands of a deranged stalker. When the handsome museum curator, Trent Peterson, learns of Riley’s situation, he vows to keep her safe.

In a quick-paced tale of fine art, wine forgery, and even the Russian Mafia, Riley and her friends soon discover their pursuit of love will require them to expose a crime, thwart a murder, and trust the one thing that has never failed them--their friendship.

Here are some links to connect with Leona:

MuseItUp: http://tinyurl.com/lrqon56 
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/krom6yw
B & N :http://tinyurl.com/k597f84

itunes: http://tinyurl.com/mclslgs

Omnilit: http://tinyurl.com/lxo7x44

Blio: http://tinyurl.com/mpy4oxg
Goodreads: http://tinyurl.com/lyojbwo
Smashwords:http://tinyurl.com/kb6ohpt
Blog: http://leonaschatter.blogspot.com/

Bump off Your Enemies Anthology: http://goo.gl/T97WNW

The Darwin Murders Anthology: http://goo.gl/YX3Xre

Tasteful Murders Anthology: http://TinyURL.com/mbw472c