Seven Things about Me as a Writer

Some time ago on Facebook, maybe 2009, somebody challenged me to name seven things about me as a writer that people might not already know. That list popped up on my Facebook memories. Those memories are one of the best things about Facebook. Last week memories of March snows kept popping up to make me glad for the sunshine this week, although it felt cold enough to snow today. Brr.

Anyway, I thought you all might enjoy seeing them along with a little more about each thing.

1. I started writing my first book when I was 10 or 11. It didn’t find a publisher. 🙂

I didn’t start writing it on this old Underwood typewriter, but I did do my first typing on it. It belonged to my aunt and I’m sure I dreamed about putting words together to make stories when I pecked away on it. However, when I started that first book years ago, I wrote longhand in a wirebound notebook. With an inkpen. Probably didn’t even consider edits. Each word was golden at that age.

2. I’m always being asked how many books I’ve written. I don’t know the answer to that. I do know I’ve published 36 books with a new one, When the Meadow Blooms,  scheduled for release on May 3rd. 

How many books have you written is probably the question I’ve heard more than any other. All I know for sure is that it’s more than I have published. In ways though, each story was a gift and even those that weren’t ever published taught me something and gave me practice at putting words together.

3. I once sent off a manuscript on Friday 13th to my agent. It took over 20 years and two major rewrites before that story was finally published as Words Spoken True. I’m not really superstitious, but…

The first title for the story was Whispers of Love. My agent at the time thought it had all the “earmarks of a bestseller.” Alas, it turned out to be a no seller on that initial trip out to potential publishers. The manuscript was caught at one publisher’s for six months before they got around to turning it down. By then, perhaps the market had changed. Eventually it was rejected multiple times as “too clean.” Not to be defeated about a story I loved, I rewrote it. The manuscript took another trip around the publishing houses with more rejects. At last it was stowed away on my reject shelf. But then after I published several stories with Revell Books, I remembered my Louisville story. After another rewrite, my Revell editor liked the story. It got a great cover and found some readers who enjoyed the dramatic 1855 Louisville history and the newspaper setting. Even so, I don’t think I’ve ever sent off another book on a Friday the 13th.

4. I wrote my 1st full length novel as an adult because I didn’t want to write an outline of a novel for a writing course I was taking.

In high school, I always groaned if a teacher wanted an outline. So, when I came to the assignment to write an outline in this correspondence writing course I was doing, I gave up on the assignment and wrote the novel instead. That novel ended up on my reject shelf, but it did get me my first agent. But the best thing it did for me was show me the joy of writing a novel instead of the short pieces I’d been writing before that. I’ve written very few short pieces since if you don’t count 1,500 plus blog posts here. These posts are my journaling now. Writing novels is what I do.

5. I sometimes let my characters write in journals to help me learn more about them and get inside their skin before I start writing.

I love journals. I started writing in one when I was fourteen. I called it Nemo. I was taking Latin at the time and Nemo in Latin meant no one. Whether I had my Latin straight or not, Nemo became my invisible friend. When I’m researching a historical era, I love finding journals written in that particular time period. It’s almost like talking to someone who lived then. And letting a character write a journal entry is a great way to get inside his or her head.

6. I like writing dialogue best. Love getting my characters talking.

Ahh, yes. Love it when my characters start talking to one another. When I’m thinking about a book and doing some pre-writing about how this or that character might look, the setting, or the historical background, I always know I can type Chapter 1 and start down my story road when my people begin talking in my head.

7. I set my stories in Kentucky because I’m set in Kentucky.

I love using Kentucky backgrounds and Kentucky history in my stories. I know Kentucky people and have great resources for Kentukcy history. I can imagine Kentucky settings and how the weather might be. Since my people usually live in small towns or rural areas, I know how they might think or talk since I’m a country girl who has known a lot of country people.

Do you like knowing more about the writers whose books you read?

And the Winners are…

My photo caption game ended, but I want to thank all of you for making it so much fun. Loved all your captions for the girl on the cover of my upcoming release, When the Meadow Blooms. You all came up with great ones as most of you could see the girl wishing, hoping or waiting for something. Others of you simply rejoiced in the beauty of the nature. I liked Janice’s Irish blessing and it’s one I would wish for all of you as well as for my characters. “May flowers always line your path and sunshine light your day.”

I chose the winners by random by assigning each of your comments a number and then picking three numbers with the random number generator online. The winners are: Janice W., Emily S, and Lee. I’ve sent each of the winners an e-mail, and have already heard from Emily who wants me to send her book prize, Angel Sister, to a lifelong friend. Isn’t that the greatest? Janice and Lee, check your e-mails for my “You’re a Winner” messages.

Counting Down to Publication Day for When the Meadow Blooms – 36 Days