~~I enjoyed a night with the Southeast Christian Book Club in Louisville on Monday. Here I am with a few of the ladies who got together with me for some extra book talk and fun before the meeting. I was so busy talking during the meeting that I didn’t get any other pictures, but we’re a happy looking bunch, aren’t we? Talking about books makes me smile for sure. Especially when so many people are saying so many nice things about my book.
~~I told the book club members I was excited because I had fresh ears. I could tell all my old stories about how I got started as a writer and they’d all be new to them. It was fun giving them a glimpse of one writer’s journey toward publication and beyond. And then it was even more fun when we got to the question and answer time. That’s always my favorite part of any talk because I don’t have to prepare for that. There’s no way to prepare for that, and that’s why it’s fun. You never know what people might ask and you have to be ready with an answer. I usually have some kind of answer, but of course, I don’t mind saying “I don’t know.” That’s always an answer that will work.
~~A popular question is how do you work. Every day or just when you’re feeling inspired? Half my books, maybe all of them would have never gotten written if I had to wait for my Muse to kick in. He’s an onery sucker who most of the time refuses to show up until I make myself go on and start hitting computer keys even when I don’t know what I want to write. But I have to write something. Anything. And then I hope part of it will be my story talking or happening might be a better word.
~~Somebody usually asks if I know what’s going to happen in the story before I start. Some writers do, I think, but not me. I might have an idea of where my characters are going to go, by I often don’t know how they’re going to get there. It happens as I write. Then Monday night someone wanted to know how I knew when it was the end. A good question. And I didn’t have a very good answer for her. Usually I just know. Once all the major problems are resolved, the loose ends tied up then – as I read once – it’s time to get out of Dodge. When the story’s over, ride off into the sunset. Don’t linger describing the beautiful hues. Readers have imaginations and they enjoy using them. I want to let them.
~~At book clubs, there are usually more questions about what happens to the characters in the years ahead. Those are good questions to hear because it means my characters came to life for the readers. They want them to live on past the story. So it’s sort of fun to speculate on what happens after that final page in the book.
~~That’s some of the questions from the other night. What question would you like to ask your favorite author? I might think up a few dozen for a few dozen favorite writers. But first I need to ask that stubborn Muse a few questions about this story I’m writing. That’s who needs to be giving me answers. So guess I’d better put my fingers on the keyboard and start working on Lacey’s story. Thanks for reading.