Story of the Writer: Caroline Peckham

Posted on by Benjamin Thomas

 

 

 

Welcome back to the Writing Train!

 

 

 

To Trains sign

 

 

 

Howdy!

 

 

Do you love stories? We ALL do right? It’s no secret writers have some of the most gripping minds on the planet. The characters they’ve created; worlds they’ve crafted, and plots they’ve weaved together, have left their imprint upon the world. This series is dedicated to them, published or unpublished.

~Every author is a story~

 

 

 

 

Books, old, stacked.

 

Everyone please welcome

YA Fantasy Author

Caroline Peckham

 

 

 

 

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First off, I’d like to pay a special tribute to my friend Caroline. She may be largely aware of this, but she inspired me in a very particular way as a writer. I was stuck in a dreamy state wishing and wanting to be a writer. There I was, sitting on the sidelines cheering and watching everyone else’s success. She had just published one of her books (can’t remember which one) and I got so excited and genuinely happy. I proceeded to ask her the question. Kind of like,  what’s your secret sauce question. So I asked; what’s the difference between those who dream, and those who achieve their dreams?  Then she dropped the line on me. BAM. Just like that, it smacked in the face like a ton of bricks. But what she said was utterly simple. Make a plan and do the work. That’s it. Make a plan and do the work. I’d like to plaster these words on my forehead in neon ink. Possibly a green, or orange color would suffice.

 

You may never know how your words affect other people. Words have power. Lasting power. Enduring power. A single word, phrase, sentence can last a generation. It may ignite and inspire an entire generation. It certainly did with me.

 

 

 

 

THANK YOU CAROLINE

 

*Give honor to whom honor is due*

 

 

~Make a plan and do the work~

-Caroline Peckham

 

 

 

 

*Are you originally from Kent, UK?

 

I am! I live ten minutes from my family \home so I get to see my parents all the time. I currently live in a little village which is famous for being where Winston Churchill lived. Lots of tourists come here in the summer. It’s a very typically English town (pubs, teashops and the like!)

 

Wowsers! Winston Churchill, thats amazing!  I saw some pictures online and it  Kent is a very beautiful place. Would love to visit there someday. Here’s some juicy quotes by Winston Churchill. 

 

 

“This is no time for ease and comfort. It is time to dare and endure”

~Winston Churchill

 

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“Success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm.”

~ Winston Churchill

 

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“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

~ Winston Churchill

 

 

 

*Did you love books as a child? Name your favorites. 

 

 

 

I did, I was brought up in a strict diet of books and The Beatles haha. My dad used to read to me all the time and, as he was a bigger lover of fantasy, even read me books like The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings when I was probably much too young for them!
I remember him reading me the first couple of Harry Potter books but I was old enough to read them myself by the time the third one came out and was absolutely hooked! Some of my all time favourites were His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman, The Healer’s Keep by Victoria Hanley, and any of the Katherine Roberts books (I actually won a signed copy of one of her books which I still have!). They were fantasy books for young teens, my particular favourite was Spellfall. I used to read it every time I was sick off school.
I’m beginning to realize that reading begets writers, and writers beget readers. It’s an endless cycle. It seems to affect only a select group of individuals though. Obviously everyone who reads doesn’t become an author. But somehow when it reaches kids at a young age; and their combustible imaginations, it takes flight. Then in turn your words will indeed beget more writers, enable more readers. Awesome.
*What influenced you the most in your early years towards being an author?
It’s a bit of a cliche but I grew up in the golden age of Harry Potter. The stories just captivated me and I began writing around this time. When I was older one of the things that really resonated with me from this series was that feeling of pure excitement about a novel coming out. I used to queue up at midnight to buy the books from my local supermarket and I wanted to write something that made me feel that way again. I can honestly say my debut series excites me as much as they did, if not more!
Yes! I love it. Exciting isn’t it? 
*Would you write anything besides YA fantasy? 
I have a few science fiction ideas but, through no real intention of my own, most of my ideas tend to be based in the fantasy genre. I would definitely move around a bit perhaps into something a but more paranormal. I have a massive document dedicated purely to ideas so any time something comes to me it goes straight in there!
Yes, having something like an idea folder is quite critical. Especially us writers who have ideas literally coming out of our ears. That in itself sounds paranormal.   🙂
*Did you study literature in college?
I didn’t, I actually studied Zoology. One of my other passions in life is animals and I never actually considered a writing career as a possibility until the last few years. I always just assumed writing would have to be my hobby until I realised there was nothing I wanted more than to do it fulltime.
Awesome! I always find it intriguing when I hear this. Lawyers, Physicians, journalists, engineers etc. all have had an unquenchable desire to write. It never ceases to amaze me; that those in top notch professions would be willing to put them aside and pursue writing!  Passion is powerful. 
*Tell us a bit about your series
My series follows a sixteen year old boy on a journey through the seven worlds to save his sister from a curse. Each world is locked by a Gateway and a challenge must be completed in order to receive a key. An enemy is on the rise who is looking to thwart them at every turn and Oliver’s family is much more involved with him than he could ever have imagined. It’s got a bit everything from action, magic, adventure, to romance!
I always enjoyed a book with a journey in it. I love the organic feeling of movement in a story that is always heading toward an end point.
Journey wins every time. Let’s take a look at some of your books.

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Creeping Shadow  (The Rise of Isaac, Book 1)
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Bleeding Snow (The Rise of Isaac, Book 2)

NEW RELEASE 

May 24, 2016

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Turning Tide (The Rise of Isaac, Book 3)
*Can you tell us a bit more how you made the transition from zoology to being a full-time writer? What was the tipping point
I suppose I’m the sort of person who follows her heart – mushy as it sounds! I try to do things in life that make me happy. I don’t believe in ‘one day I’ll do this’, instead, I make a plan and start working toward that goal. So I guess the tipping point was leaving university and after several failed interviews for jobs my heart wasn’t even in, I asked myself what I wanted to do. The answer was writing. So, I decided to work for my family business and on the side start writing my fantasy series with the goal of one day doing it fulltime.
YES. I. Love. It. Not mushy at all. You totally sound like a go getter. Keep following your heart!
*What made you chose the self-publishing route? 
I, like I imagine a lot of self-published authors do, tried to get an agent first. I was so unbelievably naieve to the whole publishing world I didn’t even know anything about self-publishing! After being rejected…a lot…I discovered Amazon’s KDP programme. I learnt about building an author platform by blogging and getting out there on social media. I started to really look at being an author as a business and now (having five years of experience in my family’s business) I had a good background in what made a business work.
It was another year before I was ready to hit publish on Amazon with my first book last December and I haven’t looked back!
Nice. It’s certainly not easy to take this route. I’m glad you overcame those hurdles. 
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*What was your goal (s) in becoming a writer? (GOAL)
The number one reason I’m writing this fantasy series is that I love it. I couldn’t stop writing it whether I had people reading it or not. In fact, for the first years it was just me and a whole lot of self-doubt. It wasn’t until I got the first book out there and I started getting reviews that I really started believing I had written something worthwhile. So I suppose my goal in becoming a writer was to write something I love and, now that it’s out there, all I want is for the people who read it to love it too!
This is better than going to the movies. Seriously. I wish I had some popcorn right now. Your passion is tangible! I highlighted your words because they’re so inspiring. 
*Now that you’re published, do you have new goals in view?
It’d be a lie to say that it’s all sunshine and rainbows in self-publishing. There has to be a certain amount of planning, deadlines and marketing that goes on behind the scenes. My goals now are to get out books regularly (every 90 days) which benefits the fans and keeps my books up there in the new releases etc. so I don’t fall off the radar. I suppose my short term goals are to have this series out over the summer and have hopefully started a new one before the year is out.
I’m floored. Self-publishing has done a lot for authors though.   Its been a game changer on many fronts. I think its also cultivated authors to become entrepreneurial in today’s world.  Every 90 days! Wow! Hey, if you’re sending out review copies in the future drop me a line.
*Do you have any major conflicts hindering you from attaining your goals?  (CONFLICT)
I think the one thing self-published authors are always battling against is visibility. Amazon changes the way it ranks books/publicises them/presents them all the time. So we indie authors have to try and keep up with that, constantly adapting to try and stay visible. With 2,000,000 ebooks on Amazon Kindle alone it’s no wonder a single author has to battle for their spot in the limelight!
You’re not kiddin, and there’s alot of people casting shadows. Hopefully there’s enough limelight to go around.
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*What keeps you motivated? (DESIRE)
I think a simple passion for my stories is what keeps me going. In a funny way, I‘m as excited to find out what happens as the fans! I get the same joy out of writing as I do out of reading. I can’t deny receiving great reviews and emails from the fans doesn’t make my heart absolutely sing though. Knowing someone out there is waiting for the next installment of my book is the best motivation an author could ask for.
“I get the same joy out of writing as I do out of reading” … This is so amazing.  Joy and passion working together in unison. 
*What’s the main antagonist in your  career?
The antagonist of my career! What a brilliant question!
I suppose Amazon is the antagonist and the protagonist. It can be the best and most helpful thing in the world when its algorithms are in favour of my books but it’s getting Amazon to work for you that is the most monumental task for an indie author.
That kind of sounds like an anti-hero with evil algorithms.
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Evil antagonist
*Why do writers give up? And what would you say to inspire them?
I can see why writers give up. It has been a seriously long road to where I am and, now that I’m here, I can’t just sit back and enjoy the view. It takes constant work to keep yourself out there. I think anyone looking to write fulltime, self-published or not, should do it because it’s their passion because at the end of the day it’s hard work!
Also, I’ve looked into whether there’s a magic fix or formula that makes your books blow up and get sales but I can honestly say that the key is consistency. Stick at it and you’ll get there. View this as a life long thing not a quick fix.
I read a self-published author’s advice somewhere (and I wish I could remember who it was now!) but they said something that has really stuck with me: when you independently publish an ebook it has unlimited potential. Over the course of the rest of your life, your book has the potential to return revenue to you. What other business has that much possibility?
Yup. I think Joanna Penn calls this scalable income. It definitely has unlimited potential. You’re on the right track, keep running.

*Writing is marathon. Are you a distance runner?*

 

 

 

Running
Writing is the journey
 

BONUS: What are your favorite quotes?

 

I’m a big Pinterest freak! I love looking at quotes on there that give me a boost when I need it. So, instead of sharing my favourite book quotes with you I’m gonna share a couple of my favourite motivational quotes that make me believe anything is possible.

“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” – Earl Nightingale

 

 

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“Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” – Suzy Kassem

 

 

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“Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.” – J.K Rowling

 

 

You can find Caroline online:

Thanks so much Caroline! Please come again. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keep writing,

someone’s always feverishly hunting 

the next book…

Why not write it?

Benjamin Thomas

@thewritingtrain

http://www.thewritingtrain.com

Story of the Writer: K.T. (Kate) Ivanrest

Posted on by Benjamin Thomas

 

 

 

ALL ABOARD!

Everyone please welcome K.T. (Kate) Ivanrest

 

Kate is a Fantasy writer, cosplayer, and Latinist who recently completed her PhD in Classical studies in Michigan. She also enjoys sewing, cosplaying, decaf coffee and bubble tea.
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Here’s Kate at the Michigan Renaissance Festival

 

 

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(photo credit: Caitlyn Faust)

 

Hi Kate! 

*So what interests you in classical languages and studies? (I love Greek, Hebrew, and Latin by the way).

What actually got me into Classics were the languages themselves, particularly Latin grammar. I’ve always leaned heavily philological—my dissertation looked at how Roman authors used descriptions of odors in their texts, and at how those descriptions give us greater insight into Roman sensory culture.

Now that sounds cool. First, Classical studies is utterly fascinating. It’s no secret that people love roman culture. They definitely left their footprint on society. Yammers, I’ve got so many things to pick your brain about!

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*What made you want to pursue this in college?

I needed a language requirement and had a friend who took Latin in high school and loved it. The next year I took “Greek and Roman Civilizations” to fulfill an honors requirement, and the rest, as they say, is (ancient) history.

Oh, Greek and Roman Civilizations sounds great. I’m not sure what it is about these two cultures, but they were powerhouses. 

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*Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Yes and no. I wrote as a kid—my school had a “Publishing Center” where we could illustrate our stories and have them bound into little books—and when Peter Jackson’s Fellowship of the Ring adaptation came out I got really into fantasy writing. I entered college as a writing major but didn’t really know what I would do with it—I naively thought I could study creative writing and magically become a successful fantasy author, so I was never very interested in my professional writing classes. In hindsight, I wish I’d gone that route; I think I would have enjoyed marketing.

Man, your high school had a publishing center? That’s awesome! Wish we had one. So many people have been influenced by the Lord of the Rings its amazing. I’ve seen the movies but haven’t read the books yet. *sinks in shame*

*Are you originally from Michigan?  (I was just in Ann Arbor actually)

Yes; my family lived in Indianapolis for a year when I was about 2, but otherwise we’ve always lived in Michigan.

Cool beans! I like Michigan. 

*Do you despise the Buckeyes?

I had to look up the Buckeyes to make sure they are, in fact, Ohio State, so…that probably tells you how I feel about them. 😛

Lol! Yup, that’s good ol’ fashioned Ohio State.  Just curious. There seems to be a great rivalry between the two. Makes for great entertainment!

*Would you use your background in classical studies to influence your writing?

Subconsciously, I think I do—my Latin classes were where I learned 90% of English grammar, and studying literature has definitely made me think about what I’m conveying with my own writing. I haven’t set any stories in Rome-inspired cities, though, or raided classical mythology for ideas—probably in the future, though!

I bet. It’s a rich source to draw from! 

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*You’re a writer; so what’s your story, or what inspired you?

I’ve always been telling stories to myself—I played soccer as a kid and mid-game I’d be standing in the field staring at the clouds imagining what lived up there. I remember taking bike rides and narrating stories out loud as I rode. 😛 Because I was fairly shy, I think writing them down was the natural next step. Interestingly, though, I’m not a natural storyteller—I’ve always been better at the actual writing than at crafting a narrative.

Eh, narrative, can be learned of course. You’ve been telling stories since you were a kid though, that counts. For what it’s worth, I’m not a natural storyteller either, but that’s a skill that can be picked up as we learn the craft.  I have a particular fascination with narrative, point of view and how it affects the story. When you learn something new drop me a line.

Tell us a Story Typewriter

*What’s your GOAL in becoming a writer?

At the end of the day, I think I’d say it’s to give people hope. I’ve got nothing against sad stories, and while I shy away from killing characters whenever possible, I understand the value of doing so in the right situation. But I want to write stories that, no matter what bad things might happen in them, leave my readers looking forward and thinking about the possibility for good—in people, in the world, in their own lives. I don’t write Christian lit, but I am a Christian, and I hope that underlies everything I write.

Well very good. (Pun unintended)

*What 3 things have hindered you from completing your projects? (CONFLICT)

1. Loss of interest. Occasionally I start writing and have no idea where the story’s going, and most of the time I peter out and lose interest before I develop a direction. But that’s not always bad—sometimes I just need to get a scene out of my system, or try something new as an exercise.

2. Writing difficulties. If I’m not sufficiently dedicated to a story, any serious snag (plot holes, character issues, etc.) might cause me to give up rather than push through.

3. Edit-as- you-go syndrome. I get so bogged down in editing that I don’t give the story room to grow and develop. My most popular tweet says “Keep writing, you can edit later,” but it’s advice I’m terrible at following!

These are all valid points. The “edit-as-you-go-syndrome” seems to be a common one. You hack the thing to pieces before its even ready. I planted a gladiolus bulb in the front yard one year. After a few short weeks, I was so frustrated because I didn’t see any growth. So what did I do? Dummy me, had to go dig it up to see if it was growing. It had a beautiful bright green stalk about 3 1/2 inches long judding out of the bulb. Of course it broke in half when I dug it up. *sigh* Plants are both beautiful and frustrating at the same time. To see them grow, develop, bud and blossom is absolutely beautiful.  But sometimes waiting for it to grow can be very frustrating. I suppose beauty requires patience.

Beautiful spring daisy flowers
Beauty on a stem

*What keeps you motivated in achieving your dream? (DESIRE)

One of my favorite things about writing is just hanging out with my characters. Getting to know them. Watching them interact. Giving them a hard time. If I’m not excited about the people in my story, chances are I’m not enthused about the story itself. So part of my motivation is getting to spend time with cool, albeit totally fictional, people, and part of it is hoping that someday I’ll get to share these characters with readers—who will hopefully grow as attached to them as I am.

This is a good one. I’ve heard many writers say the same thing. Hanging out with characters, or living in imaginary worlds etc. But you’re right Kate, if we’re not excited about our own peeps, it’s hard to imagine anyone else will. 

*What’s your ANTAGONIST? What’s in the way?

Impostor syndrome—the constant conviction that I’m not good enough, not creative enough, don’t know enough. It might sound stupid for a fantasy writer to say this, but I don’t tend to think of myself as a very creative person. I need to remind myself that cool ideas are only a small part of what it takes to succeed as a writer, regardless of genre.

This just validates that you’re a writer! A normal one. Cool ideas are relatively easy to come up with. But to take an idea and ripen it into a compelling story, is craft. Which can be learned. To me, a writer is essentially a learner. We’re just like the characters we create. We have goals, desires, dreams and what not. Then there’s the dreaded antagonist standing in our way. He often uses the fear tactic to stymie us. Works like a charm every time. As writers we have to learn to work through those internal conflicts to achieve what we want. Then as we overcome the internal conflict, we’re empowered to deal with the external conflict. Next thing you know you’re off to save the day and live happily ever after. But knowing the nature of the conflict and facing our own antagonist is the heart of the battle.

*Why do writers give up, quit or never complete their projects?

Any number of reasons. I was just reading a post by a writer lamenting that her favorite genre has fallen out of favor with agents and publishers—despite the fact that this was what she loved to write, she was considering giving it up because she was worried it wouldn’t sell. Time is another one—either the realization that writing a book takes a great deal more time and effort than expected, reluctance to set aside the necessary time, or an actual lack of time due to life circumstances. In the end, unless you remember what it is you love about something—a hobby, a dream, a job—you can always find a reason to give it up.

Well said. I like how you brought it back to what we love about something that’ll “keep the drive alive”.  Love is most interesting isn’t it? There’s a great deal of investment that goes into writing a book, published or unpublished. Love will keep us afloat amidst treacherous waters. 

*What would you say to a struggling writer who’s given up?

Think about why you started writing in the first place, and what you love about it. It can be really easy, in the tsunami of social media, to feel you’re not a “real writer” or that you’re “doing it wrong.” It can also be easy to get caught up in what’s popular and believe that in order to be successful, you have to write something similar. Don’t. Stick with the story in your heart. Write for yourself. Write for the fun

of spending time with your characters. Whatever gives you joy in writing, start from there.

I LOVE THIS. You know, by doing these interviews, I’m the first one that get encouraged. Writing is an extremely subjective experience, written by fantastically subjective persons. And the definition of success is also a very twisted subjective concept to most people. We tend to subjectively measure ourselves based on what we see objectively in others. We try to climb the mountain that they built. As they say, Rome wan’t built in a day. But then, it’s hard not to see the mountains around us. James Patterson, Patricia Cornwell, JK Rowling, Suzzanne Collins, Victoria Aveyard, George R.R. Martin. They’re gorgeous and breathtakingly majestic. Don’t try to climb their mountain; grow your own wings and take to the sky, see where it takes you. 

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Thanks for joining us Kate! I thoroughly enjoyed it! Please come again. 

 

CONNECT WITH KATE

Blog: K.T. IVANREST

Twitter: @KT_Ivanrest

Eagle in flight about the clouds
Imagination in flight

Grow your own wings. Sky is the limit, but imagination has no boundary…

~ Benjamin Thomas

 

 

 

SOMEONE  

OUT THERE 

NEEDS YOUR STORY

 

 

 

 

Benjamin Thomas

@thewritingtrain

http://www.thewritingtrain.com

Story of the Writer: Abby Jones

Posted on by Benjamin Thomas

 

Story of the Writer

Interview Series

with Abby Jones

 

 

Howdy all, welcome back  to the Train. Today we have another special guest…They’re all special right? Everybody please welcome Abby Jones! She’s actually a friend of the first interviewee of this series, Bethany A. Jennings. Thanks for joining us today Abby.

 

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Here we go folks, let’s learn a bit more about Abby….

Are you married with children? 

I’m happily married to a man who is Licensed Teacher (Recognized Gifted Brother) in our church, with a desire for the eldership. We haven’t been blessed with any of our own children, but we have 11 nieces and nephews. I often write children’s stories for them, which I hope to publish as picture books someday. You can read some of them on my blog.

That’s awesome you already have an audience! 

 

Where are you located?

I live in the great state of Texas near Fort Worth.

Sweet. I’m in Buckeye country. I love Texas though.

 

Where did you go to school? Major?

After high school, I attended a local junior college where I got an Associate’s Degree and swore off college.

I have an Associate’s as well. Think about going back, but it’s much TOO expensive.

 

You said you switched genres a few times, can you take us through your experiences, journey with these?

Well, the first switches were due to my desire to spend more time writing and less time doing research. My older brother is an amateur historian, and I’m an armchair historian, so even writing Swords and Sorcery type fantasy required lots of research for fear my brother would call me out on an incorrect detail. Moving closer to a time frame I loved—Victorian—didn’t solve the problem. Funny enough, I still needed to do research. Confounded, I switched to Urban Fantasy. At least I’m familiar with what types of clothing we wear. Here I discovered my voice: action flick meets thriller meets fantasy with smatterings of beautiful prose.

For several years I settled down nice and snug in my world of serial killers, saved vampires, and broken hunters. While I was researching how to torture people (researching serial killers didn’t bother me as much as researching corsets or halberds), my husband and I sold our business so we could focus more on our church. I had several books under my belt by then, finished, and in various stages of editing.

My husband started preaching for our church on almost weekly basis. That’s when I realized that if I continued, I’d be going down one path and he’d be going down another. After talking to him and some close friends, praying, and crying a lot, I switched genres to something that lines up better with his plans: Faerie Stories and Children’s Stories.

Before anyone freaks out, my decision wasn’t forced on me, nor do we believe a hopefully-future-pastor’s wife couldn’t write vampire serial killer stories. Not at all. We both believe I had the total freedom to do that. It was me asking myself if those stories were serving my church at all. The answer was no. About three or four people total would even read them. Most people shied away from them. And, I didn’t feel comfortable talking about them with my church family.

Switching that last time to something I could actually share with my church was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I switched blogs, set aside stories I loved, and packed away very dear characters.  But, I didn’t want to go down a path that would lead me away from my husband’s hopes for the future, and I didn’t want to be unable to share the writing side of me with my church. If I’m not using my gift to encourage Christ’s bride, what’s the point of having it? (This is by no means meant to guilt anyone, just me being honest about my choices.)

God is amazing. He’s graciously blessed my work. My church family has been encouraged by my blog. I’ve connected with other churches via my writing that I never would have met otherwise. I’m closer to being published than I’ve ever been before with my children’s books. And, I’ve figured out how to tie my new YA Faerie Stories into my beloved Urban Fantasies minus the violence and language. God has been so gentle and kind to me through this time.

That’s a very touching story, thanks for sharing! I’m sure it wasn’t easy. At least you’re still writing!

Below you’ll find an image that has inspired Abby in her writing endeavors. Check it out, there’s some pretty cool artwork.

 

novel inspiration from Bethany

 
1. You’re a writer; so what’s your story, or what inspired you?

I discovered my love of writing back in 2000. My husband (then boyfriend) had just read Lord of the Rings, and was inspired to try his hand at writing. Wanting to be engaged in his interests, I started piddling around with writing as well. All my life, I’ve been a reader and a lover of stories, but I hate all things grammar-related. My mom even put me through remedial English as a home schooler. I longed for a way to artistically express myself, but couldn’t imagine dealing with commas and spelling and such. Don’t even get me started on homonyms. Everything changed when I finally gave in and put pen to paper. I discovered my form of self-expression. The stories in my head have been escaping ever since. Even with 16 years under my belt, I require editors (friends). I still can’t sort out where commas are supposed to go.

It always begins with reading doesn’t it? I talked to so many people that’ve been inspired by the Lord of the Rings. I’ve seen the movies but haven’t read the books!

 

2. What’s your GOAL in becoming a writer?

My original goal was to express myself. I’ve always felt the need or the longing to do creative things. I tried music, painting, drawing (which I still dabble in), photography, fashion (still something I love), and crafts. I was never satisfied with what poured out. I could never get anything to match what was in my head. Discovering writing was like discovering magic, though it should have come as no surprise based on the way I devour books.

Once I found my voice, my goal became, and still is, to tell warrior stories that don’t mince on the hardships of life but are flooded with beauty, light, and hope, from a Christian worldview. I love the concept of the man who sacrifices a normal life to hunt things that go bump in the night, and the woman at his side…with magic thrown in. I also love the idea of the Undeserved Rescue. I always have at least one villain being shown grace.

There you go, sounds good. Even the villains need mercy. That’s probably why I like Darth Vader so much. 

 

3. What 3 things have hindered you from completing your projects? (CONFLICT)

The first thing that has hindered me is just the learning curve. My first few projects fell by the wayside because I wrote myself into a plot corner that I couldn’t see a way out of. I’m also determined to publish a well-written story. I love books with excellent prose, and refuse to add to the slush pile of poorly written literature. This means years spent honing my craft and wordsmithing. I’m also a pantser and can’t publish one part of a series until the whole thing is done because it takes me that long to make sure I don’t need to make changes.

Second, I’ve changed my focus several times. I started out pretty traditional Sword and Sorcery, switched to Victorian Historical Fantasy, then to Urban Fantasy with a strong Criminal Thriller feel where I found my voice, and finally to YA Dark Faerie Stories. Each time I’ve changed focus, I’ve set myself back and created a new learning curve.

Last, writing is not my main focus in life. I love it. I write every day. I hope to be published someday, but all that is secondary to serving my church, my husband, and my family. Those three things are far more important to me than my stories. I’m unwilling to sacrifice them for the sake of my writing. This can be a real struggle. In our culture, we’re pushed to give up everything for the sake of art. I constantly battle the voices that tell me I should abandon everything to be a published writer. The voices lie. The stories are important, but they aren’t everything.

Yeah, I guess changing focus would definitely slow you down. Suppose it’s part of the journey of being a writer.

 

  1. What keeps you motivated in achieving your dream? (DESIRE)

I love stories. I love telling stories. I love this story and my Worlds before the Door (my name for them) specifically. Even if I can only write for ten minutes a day, I’ll take it. Even if I couldn’t write, I’d still be making stories up in my head. I’ve been doing that since I was six. It’s part of who I am, and who God made me. Besides…I’m really rough on my characters and even if I’m the only one reading the story, I can’t leave them until they reach the light.

I can relate! I love creating things and being creative. So storytelling is an outlet of that for me. The possibilities are endless! Honing or craft is learning how to take those ideas and shape them into a compelling story. Keep at it!

 

 

Business cartoon showing businessman with smiling face jumping from one cliff to another cliff. The second cliff has a sign that reads 'Welcome to the Other Side'.

 

 

5. What’s your ANTAGONIST? What’s in the way?

My main antagonist is probably being a pantser. I have to discover the story first, while I’m writing it. Then I have to do major edits and rewrites. It seems to me that outlining is very useful because it cuts down on rewriting entire plot points or just having to yet again change the time of day. But, outlining doesn’t work for me. I am trying to learn how to outline, but thorough outlining drives me away from the story.

I’m a panster, or tweener, kind of. It’s good knowing what doesn’t work for you though. It’s part of the process!

 

6. Why do writers give up, quit or never complete their projects?

Learning to write well takes a long time, a lot of focus, and dedication. You can’t just sit down and peck out the next Great American Novel. It can take years to hone your craft. That’s intimidating. It can be a long time before you can share your work. That can be lonely. Every book you read seems to be better than anything you can produce. That can be discouraging. These are the reasons I’ve been tempted to give up.

It’s 100% intimidating, but also liberating and fun! Jerry Jenkins said something simple that lifted alot of weight off my shoulders. “Give yourself time to learn the craft first”. EPIC. Simple yet full of wisdom. So I gave myself permission and time to learn. The fact that it’s a life-long learning with dedication involved is very appealing to me on many fronts. One, being a life long learner! I’m probably a polymath of some sort. A lover of learning. Just take the process as it comes. Day by day. 

 

7. What would you say to a struggling writer who’s given up?

Find your core. What was it that first excited you about writing? Why did you start writing? Getting back to your roots can help you regain some perspective. Also, make sure you’re doing some fun writing, whether it’s fan fiction, word doodles, or poetry, do something playful. Last, write what you want to read.

Anytime I feel like I’ve lost my desire, I return to the concept of the Undeserved Rescue, war movies, and friendship stories. (Think Band of Brothers and Firefly.) These concepts fuel my mind and inspire me. You have to find that thing that keeps you going.

Absolutely, I love it. That’s very inspiring. “Find your core” I adore that statement. Those are some really good ideas, I’m going to have to play with some of those. Thanks for sharing. 

 

BONUS: 

Can you tell us a little about your writing time in homeschooling? (Sounds like fun).

Most of the writing I did while in school was English/Grammar related, like parts of a sentence and such. At one point, my mom did tell me I could write sentences that didn’t include a black stallion.  Good luck with that one. I manage to work a black stallion into just about every major story I’ve ever written.

One time my Mom gave me a ‘free-writing’ type of assignment. I wrote an anthropomorphic story about my cat. My mom loved it and suggested I try my hand at writing beyond the required homework. I ran screaming in terror and didn’t try writing for fun again until several years later.

The great gift home schooling gave me was books. My Mom encouraged me to read, and read with discernment, filling me up with beautiful stories. I’m so thankful for the books she constantly put before me.

Books, books and more books! Wonderful aren’t they?

 

Can you say a little about how you run your writing time in your group?

Due to some health issues, I’ve had to step back from our group for over a year now. But, when I ran it, we would start by going over our goals, then I had a ‘Being Brave’ question which forced all of us to share something about our work. The bulk of the time was spent reading aloud a 1000 word excerpt from a project of your choice. After each reading, we would go in circle and offer remarks. I used a timer (3 minutes per person) and we had a no repeat rule: if it’s been said, either say something new or pass.

I’d like to say we kept things organized, but the group could get very long-winded. I have a love/hate fascination with Writing Groups.

Thanks for sharing your story and joining us on the Train Abby!

 

You can connect with Abby all over social media:

Blog: http://gentleandquiet.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gentleandquiet

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/olivecrow/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/abigailtinuviel/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7303921-abby-jones

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GentleandQuiet

Scribophile: http://www.scribophile.com/authors/abby-jones/

 

 

 

KEEP WRITING 

YOUR STORY

NO ONE ELSE WILL

Benjamin Thomas

@thewritingtrain

http://www.thewritingtrain.com

 

 

Story of the Writer: Janice M. Whiteaker

Posted on by Benjamin Thomas

STORY OF THE WRITER
INTERVIEW SERIES

With

Janice M. Whiteaker

 

 

Ladies and gentlemen today we have a very special guest and fellow daytonian Janice M. Whiteaker. She’s is a mom and an author. I absolutely LOVE author moms. Being a parent is tough as it is, but then being a mom AND an author, adds a whole new dimension.

Everybody please welcome Janice! 

Welcome to the locomotion. Let’s begin!

 

 

 

 

SONY DSC
Janice Whiteaker

 

Janice writes romances with a bit of suspense. One of her books, RUN is available now, and her new book OUT BAD is due on Amazon July 15th 2016. Here’s a peak at the covers.

 

 

RUN COVER 4-page-001

 

 

 

Her new book Out Bad, is available to pre-order and will be delivered wirelessly via Amazon July 15th. Check it out, I just pre-ordered!

 

out bad cover 2-page-001

 

Hi Janice!

It’s so nice to interview someone from my neck of the woods.

It’s great that you are a full-time mom and pursuing your dreams. I find that very inspiring.  Well, here it goes.

Are you originally from Dayton, Oh?

I am!  I was born at Kettering Medical Center and raised in Miamisburg.  Now, I live in Springboro which is where both my grandfather’s grew up.  One grandfather’s great-uncles actually helped found the city.

That’s awesome, I love Springboro. It’s a bustling area right now too. We frequent the urgent care center there. Lol!

 

Tell us a little about when you were a hairstylist.

I did hair for 15 years, most of them as a sole-proprietor.  I very much like to be in control of things (the same reason I self-publish) and it was a great fit for me.  I made my own hours and handled my own books.  The profession requires you to be a self-starter and I have found that to be very helpful experience when it comes to writing.

I admire anyone who can tackle self-publishing head on with its challenges. You also strike me as a go-getter. That’ll definitely work to your advantage.

 

YOU’RE A MOM! AWESOME! I love moms because they’re the hardest workers on the planet. Period. So what’s a typical day like at home?

Essentially, I make food, clean up food, make food, clean up food.  All.  Day.  Long.  Oh, and I try to keep the workplace injuries to a minimum.

I can relate to this all too well. Little eating machines aren’t they? It’s hard to believe human beings can be that messy. I’ve managed to keep that quality in adult life. *sigh* The workplace injuries MUST be kept to a minimum. Safety and fall prevention is part of my day job, I completely understand! Essentially we try to keep them fed, clean, and from killing each other. Fun!

 

 

Overworked and Multitasking
An overworked very busy multitasking author-mom under stress

 

 

Do you have any major hobbies you enjoy?

I actually have quite a few hobbies.  We own an RV, so we do quite a bit of traveling/camping.  I knit and crochet.  I also love gardening, the edible kind, and canning.  I’m pretty handy with power tools and love home renovation.  These hobbies rotate in importance since there’s only so many hours in a day.  Right now, we are in prime camping season so that is the major one.

Traveling is definitely a fun one. Not too outdoorsy, but I’ll go camping. It’s great you can work power tools. I’m jealous, sort of. Kind of mechanically declined. It’s hopeless.

 

What’s your genre? Why?

I write romance.  I love it.  Always have.  I love reading and writing about the complexities of love and relationships.  Plus, I’m a little bit sensitive so a book with a sad or upsetting ending will gnaw at me for a long time.  I like knowing the end of a book is going to be a happy one.  With romance, your odds of leaving the story with a smile on your face are pretty darn high.

It’s great you write what you love, love what you write. Makes a big difference. Youre readers are keen on this. I’m curious as to what you think a bad ending is though. 

 

Tell us about your upcoming book, Out Bad.

Right now I’m neck deep in editing a stand alone titled Out Bad.  It’s about a former motorcycle gang member trying to build a new life, one he hopes will attract a future wife.  He feels his past will make most women avoid him like the plague so he works hard to build a business and a beautiful home, hoping it will be enough to offset his misdeeds.  When he meets the woman he’s been looking for, it turns out the life he actually needs to help rebuild is hers, only in a very different way.

Your premise sounds very intriguing with lots of history. Can’t wait to read it!

 

1. You’re a writer; so what’s your story?What inspired you to take this journey?

Initially, it was simply to see if I could.  It’s probably odd, but I didn’t always write.  I didn’t always want to be a writer.  I have, however, always been a reader.  At a certain point, I was reading books by women just like me and I thought, I wonder if I could do this too?  So, I sat down and started writing.  Very quickly, I realized there was more to it than just writing.  That’s when I found K.M. Weiland’s books on structure and outlining.  I took some time, educated myself and then went back to work.  Right now I have one published book, one book in editing and another completed draft hanging out and I am deeply in love with what I’m doing.

 

Hey, you can’t go wrong with KM Weiland. Your story sounds very much like mine! The only difference was I didn’t read alot growing up (this didnt stop my rampant imagination) I did however fancy words a bit, kept a dictionary in my back pocket. Lots of TV and comics too.

 

2. What’s your GOAL (S) in becoming a writer?

I want each book I write to be better than the last.  I want my books to make people feel warm and fuzzy on the inside.  I want to write stories that stick with the reader long after they’ve finished, in a good way.  I want to keep people up at night, reading one more chapter.

Hmm. I like your focus here. You sound very passionate about what your doing. I love it! The profilic James Patterson said, one thing you can’t teach is passion. Every writer needs it, and you’ve got it. A+. 

 

3. What 3 things have hindered you from completing your projects? (CONFLICT)

Well, my first issue was lack of knowledge.  I had to learn the basics before I made a big mess so that really slowed down my first book.  Now, my primary struggle is perfection.  I am constantly forcing myself to keep moving forward and not get hung up on one line.

Somehow I think we’re kin.

 

4. What keeps you motivated in achieving your dream? (DESIRE)

I really like to push myself to progress.  I want to be the best I can be at everything I do, and writing is a great challenge in that aspect.  There is always something to learn, a skill to develop.

Very inspiring!  Writing will always teach you something new. Nature of the beast. Something of ourselves, characters, our writing process, the world, life etc. It’s the constant learning  that I love. You’ll find perfection in the process,  it comes included in the journey. 

 

5. What’s your main ANTAGONIST? What’s in the way of you accomplishing your goals?

This is going to totally ruin my chances at winning mother of the year, but as cute as my kids are, they are kind of energy and attention vampires.  Right now, my older son is dancing in his underwear, stabbing the television with a silk flower stem, repeating the dialogue to Pinky and the Brain at the top of his lungs.

You’re already Mom of the Year. Seriously, to your kids, your the BEST ever. That’s all they need. Nice visual.  All too familiar with underwear dancing, especially in front of the mirror before bedtime. Right when my patience is evaporated. They should make it into a sport.

We’ve got two mini-vampires aged 5 and 7. Not sure where their energy comes from, except sucked out of us. Hah! Actually we’ve got one Frankenstein, one Vampire. Adorable little cuties aren’t they?

 

~Every mom is a superhero to their children~

 

 

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Author Momma

 

 

6. Why do writers give up, quit or abandon their dream?

Being a successful writer means different things to different people.  I would guess, most people want their books to be well received and make them some money.  Unfortunately, getting to that point is preceded by years of hard work with very little financial gain while you build a back list, a fan base, and an online presence.  It isn’t just about writing books anymore.  Now you have to build a brand while you write books.  Success involves strategy and business savvy, not only talent and creativity which can be more than a little overwhelming.

I love this answer, it’s so true!

 

7. What would you say to a struggling writer who’s given up? Or perhaps to encourage other moms in your position?

I think it’s important to realize writing and publishing is a marathon.  You have to train for it and then keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Nice. Words if wisdom here. Definitely a marathon. Takes training, commitment, determination, pleasure and endurance. Well said.

 

 

 

BONUS: What are your favorite quotes?

“You can’t edit a blank page.” Nora Roberts

“If I waited for perfection I would never write a word.”  Margaret Atwood

You can also list a few of your favorite books, novels, or writing books.

 

Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing-Mignon Fogarty

Smarter Faster Better-Charles Duhigg

All the Writer’s Thesauruses by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi

 

 

THANKS FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION

Keep writing sister! 

God bless you and your family!

Benjamin Thomas

@thewritingtrain
http://www.thewritingtrain.com
Thebigcaboose@gmail.com

 

 

Story of the Writer: Kenneth G. Eade

Posted on by Benjamin Thomas

 

 

 

 

 

Story of the Writer

Interview Series:

Kenneth G. Eade 

 

 

Hello everyone, I’m excited to welcome bestselling author Kenneth G. Eade of several political and legal thrillers. Mr. Eade is likened by some to John Grisham in writing style; and also as an experienced  lawyer with 30 years of experience, he’s well positioned for the field.

 

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His newest installment is The Decree of Finality starring lawyer Brent Mark in his popular legal thriller series. He takes on a shady divorce case and gets caught up in a perplexing dilemma.

 

FinalityFront (1)

 

 

 

Here are a few more books in the series.

 

best legal thrillers mystery thriller and suspense police procedurals mystery ebooks courtroom drama books political thrillers and suspense police procedurals and law enforcement crime thrillers and myster

 

 

 

fiction best legal thrillers mystery thriller and suspense police procedurals mystery ebooks courtroom drama books political thrillers and suspense police procedurals and law enforcement crime thrill

 

 

Experience the Beverly Hills Book Awards 2016 winner Killer.com another Brent Marks legal thriller (Brent Marks Legal Thriller Series Book 5). This one is on sale for 0.99 cents on amazon for the next three days! I’ve already got it and it’s looking great for consumption on my TBR list.

 

LET THE GAMES BEGIN! 

 

Where are you originally from? (I saw online you’re currently in France. Never been there)

I’m originally from Los Angeles.  As a kid I lived for a while in Athens, Greece, and I guess I got the travel bug.  So, eventually, I ended up living in France.

I used to live in orange county, interesting place. Athens sounds like a great city to see. Looking forward to visiting France one day. Oui monsieur! 

 

What areas of law have you practiced?

Criminal law, family law, bankruptcy, business law, and civil litigation.  I guess you can say I’ve done it all.

Wowsers, that’s pretty broad experience.  I have to say the complexity of law is mind boggling, especially across different cultures. In my current WIP,  I’m attempting to create differing legal systems that’ll conflict with one another. 

 

Do you have any major hobbies you enjoy?

I enjoy traveling and also like to play golf.

Ah golf, never played a lick in my life. Unless you include the golfing range. It’s not bad if you can actually hit the ball though.

 

Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Yes, but I never knew I had it in me until just a few years ago.

That’s awesome and I can totally relate. I didn’t start writing until last year myself. Looks like your off to a great start though! 

 

Tell us about your new book, the Decree of Finality.

In “Decree of Finality” lawyer Brent Marks takes on a divorce case against his better judgment, and ends up with quite more than he bargained for, including murder.

It’s amazing how the simplest things can turn sour on a dime. The case is very intriguing by the way. You had me hooked!

 

You’ve already written a few series, which is your favorite? Why?

There are two series, the “Involuntary Spy Espionage Series” and the “Brent Marks Legal Thriller Series”.  I can’t say I like one any more than the other.  Both are an adventure in political fiction which highlight contemporary social and political issues in each novel.

Both series have received good reviews. I can’t wait to finish the rest of the Brent Marks legal thrillers. Then I’ll make my way over to the Spy Espionage series. 

 

Who’s your favorite character you’ve crafted?

There are so many.  I probably like “Richard Hannaford” who is a lawyer in the Brent Marks Legal Series because he was the most fun to create.

Hmm. I’ll definitely keep my eye out for him as I’m reading. 

 

Can you briefly describe how you write a thriller?

First, I decide what type of issue I would like to focus on.  Then, I figure out how to wrap a story around that issue and make it exciting and entertaining to read.

Short and sweet, I like it. Somewhere I read you call it “faction”.  Real situations and life problems wrapped around  fictional characters. 

 

What are your favorite travel destinations?

I like to go where I am invited.  It is much better to visit a foreign country as a visitor rather than a tourist.

Love the mindset. It leaves the possibilities open worldwide. 

 

What is it about traveling you enjoy?

I used to look at the planes taking off and wish I could be on one, but after being on so many it’s getting a little difficult.  I like to wake up in a different world, where people are speaking a different language and the culture, architecture, art and history are old, but new to me.  There are thousands of stories to be discovered on unknown shores.

Yes! Totally. There’s something to being enveloped in another culture that gives you an awesome sense of adventure. I hope you discover more stories there. 

 

Do you have a favorite spot to write?

Not really.  I have an office I use in each of the two places I live.  The most unusual location was the one where I wrote the epilogue to my last novel: In a cafe overlooking the Coliseum in Rome.

Oh, I’m so jealous! I’d totally dig drinking coffee overlooking the Roman coliseum, that’d be EPIC.

 

Highlight the best thing in your experience as a lawyer.

I have seen a lot of human misery in my former profession, but the most rewarding part of it was helping someone to right a wrong that had been done to them.

That does sound pretty rewarding, helping someone right a wrong. It also sounds pretty complicated. I can only imagine how perplexing it must be.

 

In all your experience as a lawyer, the good and the bad, what is your view of justice?

Justice is subjective and the scales of justice are held in the hands of fallible humans, each with their own opinions, biases and prejudices.  You are not going to find justice in front of a judge, jury, or with a zealous prosecutor.  Whatever God you believe in may be able to dispense justice, but the legal system will never do so.  You either win or lose.  I have won cases should have been lost and lost cases that should have been won.  I am sorry to say this, but it is the reality.  Last year, in Paris, I saw an exhibition of Taryn Simon called “The Innocents”, which included a video presentation of people who had been locked up in prison most of their lives until they were freed by DNA testing.  It was a heartbreaking essay on the reality of justice.

 

Wow. This statement carries a lot of weight, but I love how you explain it.  Justice is subjectively biased in the hands fallible humans. That’s makes perfect sense to me. That’s why there’s so many grey areas. I suppose it makes for great fiction.

 

1. You’re a writer; so what’s your story?  What inspired you to take this journey?

I started writing articles for a local law journal.  After writing a few articles on the importance (and disappearance) of bees, I culled a few of them together, did more research, and came up with my first book, “Bless the Bees”.  During my research on “Bless the Bees” I discovered a lot of things about genetically engineered foods and that became the focus of my first novel, “An Involuntary Spy”.

That’s a fascinating story indeed. You also have great reviews for this book, can’t wait the read it!

 

2. As a successfully published author what is your current GOAL (S)?

My current goal is to expand readership to the point where my messages get to as many people as the entertainment of James Patterson, Harlan Coben and John Grisham.

That’s a great goal indeed! Well, you’re off to a good start. Patterson and Grisham I know, but haven’t heard of Coben. Will have to check him out. 

 

3. What three things have hindered you from completing your projects? (CONFLICT)

To write, you need to have absolute concentration.  Living in a city (and family) environment, sometimes that is hard to find.  Secondly, you have to discipline yourself, which goes hand in hand with motivation.  Finally, you have to constantly market your books or nobody will ever know about them.

Well said. I’m finding this to be true in writing my current project. Absolute concentration is golden, precious, yet hard to come by. Discipline and motivation must be cultivated at all costs. Marketing our work is another beast altogether. I’ll be interviewing the great Jane Friedman, and will be sure to include a question or two about this subject. 

 

4. What keeps you motivated? (DESIRE)

Comments from readers who say that they enjoy my books, or have learned something useful from them.

That’s great motivation. I enjoyed the research you included in The Decree of Finality. Knowing real life facts brings about an awareness to the subject. 

 

5. What’s your main ANTAGONIST? What’s in the way of you accomplishing your goals?

Nothing gets in the way of accomplishment of a goal if you really want to achieve it.

Nothing to disagree with here. Find what you want to accomplish and go after it headfirst.

 

6. Why do writers give up, quit or abandon their dream?

I don’t know because it has never happened to me.

Great! 

 

7. What would you say to a struggling writer who’s given up?

Why are you giving up?  If you have a talent to express yourself in writing, a passion to do it and a need to express yourself, you should never give up.  Then you will succeed.

I LOVE IT. We all need to hear that from time to time. I say don’t quit, keep writing and let er’ rip. 

 

BONUS: What are your favorite quotes?

 

“if they give you lined paper, write the other way.”

~ Juan Ramon Jimemez

 

 

You can also list a few of your favorite books, novels, or writing books.

“A Covenant with Death” by Stephen Becker

“A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens

 

Thanks Mr. Eade! Really appreciate your time. Come back and see us again!

 

 

KEEP WRITING

SOMEONE OUT THERE 

NEEDS YOUR STORY

 

 

Every word makes a a difference

~ Benjamin Thomas  (yes, I do quote myself occasionally)

 

 

Benjamin Thomas

@thewritingtrain

http://www.thewritingtrain.com

 

 

Story of the Writer: Susan McIntire

Posted on by Benjamin Thomas

Story of the Writer: Interview Series

Susan Mcintire

 

Ladies and gentlemen welcome back for another ride on the Writing train. So glad you could join the locomotion as we’re just getting started here. Well, shall we begin? All aboard! I’ve been THOROUGHLY enjoying getting to know my fellow writers on different levels. Our next guest is rather special in many regards. You might know her from her wonderful inspirational quotes she sends out on twitter on a daily basis. Everyone, please welcome Susan Mcintire.

 

~Welcome Susan~

 

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Susan is many things all wrapped into one.  She’s a well traveled professional who’s path has made her into a stellar author, mentor, speaker, journalist and entrepreneur. I hope you catch the same light of inspiration that I’ve discovered in her. Susan frequently sends out very thoughtful quotes that I always find encouraging. Here’s a few.

 

If someone’s energy tries to damper your light, protect your spark even when he or she is blind to the fire within you. 

~ Susan McIntire

 

 

Secure writers don’t sell first drafts. They patiently rewrite…

~ Robert McKee

 

Art is not what you see, but what you make others see. 

~ Edgar Degas

Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time. 

~ Thomas Merton

What a writer has to do is write what hasn’t been written before or beat dead men at what they have done. 

~Ernest Hemingway

If you want something new, you have to stop doing something old.

~ Peter F. Drucker

Susan is also the author of Kindle Secrets with Scrivener for Mac: Make Money Self-Publishing Now.  I just got this book myself and can’t wait to read it.

 

KindleSecretsCoverFinal

 

Check it out here

 

Alright, so let’s learn a little more about guest…

Can you tell me where you went to school? I saw that you studied Journalism, cool! Why journalism?
I went to the University of South Carolina College of Journalism, where I also attended the South Carolina Honors College. I wanted to be a journalist from the age of 7 when I first wrote to the Ft. Myers “News Press,” asking to write two pages of children’s news. They turned me down but offered a tour of the paper instead. My mother thought they were just humoring me, so she never took them up on it. I kept writing and became President of the Florida Scholastic Press Association and our high school newspaper staff attended the Southern Interscholastic Press Association convention at USC. I also had an internship with the Poynter Institute, a global leader in journalism that was then called the Modern Media Institute. All of that experience is what lead to my attending USC with a journalism scholarship.
Wow. I find it amazing that you knew what you really wanted at age 7. I’m just now figuring that out for myself!
Tell me about your career path, and how it’s course has brought you to
where you are today.
To be honest, because I had already had an internship with what’s now called the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, FL, I was bored in my journalism classes. I interned at the “State Newspaper” in Columbia, SC during college and while I enjoyed it, I took note that nobody working there seemed to look happy (I’m sure some people were but in my youth, that was my impression)! I also realized that journalism was a business more than anything and I got sort of turned off by that as I was much more interested in telling a good story vs. having to write about something that would sell like stories about Michael Jackson (and this was in the 1980’s).
After that, I  switched tracks to ad/pr because I already knew how to write and I wanted to learn something for my money. Tuition costs went up 70% during my four years and I didn’t have a full ride but I had to re-apply for a scholarship every year. I worked almost full-time while attending school as well. I tried to work in my field. I wanted to get something out of my education but when I changed over to ad/pr, my friends all thought I was a traitor for leaving the newspaper track! Ad/PR wasn’t my passion like reporting had been but I was curious about it. At least if it was business related, it was pretty straight forward. I have to say I continue to see examples of journalism/media geared for ratings to this day and it is always disappointing to me but people are becoming more conscious of it.
 I totally understand about being turned off about the business side of things. Sounds like it really had a impact on you. Sounds like you had quite a bit of experience as well negotiating licenses  (not as a in-house employee) in the Ad/PR realm with working with Disney, Hasbro, NBA, Target, Wal-Mart etc. But I find it equally fascinating that retained that love of writing and storytelling throughout the years. 
Did something or someone in your youth affect your love of writing or helping others?
I think I answered this one already in the above.
Can you tell us a little about what you do now?
I went on to have a successful ad/pr career where I worked with some very high profile companies (think Oscar Mayer, Godfather’s Pizza etc.) but found it be hollow. It never really mattered to me how many hot dogs or pizza my work helped to sell. It’s not surprising that I didn’t find it that rewarding, since I sort of fell into it. My friends were right that I probably would have found more sense of worth by sticking with journalism even with the lack of control over the story assignments.
I came from a family of writers and it was heart-breaking to me that my mother kept procrastinating about her writing until retirement and then she died in a kayaking accident a year after she retired. She had received one rejection letter from a publisher. It had a profound effect on me and motivated me to want to help other writers not to die with a book in them, similar to the cliché of not dying with your music still inside. Since the self-publishing technological advances have enabled everyone to be a master of their own destiny in that area, I just have felt a calling to help support authors in their efforts.
That’s a very powerful story and very touching. You must be a very passionate person. In that regard, we must be siblings. My father died of bone cancer in 2012 when he was only 60. The impact was very crippling. The last time I saw him it felt like he wanted to tell me something. Kind of like unfinished business. The look on his face is forever seared into memory.  On my side, I needed to tell him something as well. Rather I just wanted what any other kid wanted from his dad, a father son connection. He died two months later while I was driving to see him.  That suffering has motivated me to appreciate the ones around me while they’re still here.
Can you tell us about your blog?
My blog is very neglected. I spend more time writing longer works behind the scenes that I will turn into books and I need to pay more attention to blogging. I’ve not been too concerned about building a following there or being famous in any way. I suppose I haven’t found the internal reason for blogging as much as I have the short motivational/inspirational posts I put out on social media that people seem to enjoy.
Here is link to a cool video from Susan’s blog.  Successful Story = Successful Habit Creation
You’re a writer; so what’s your story, or what inspired you?
Aside from the answers to the pre-interview questions, I’ve just always been a writer and a storyteller. My mom told me that my first grade teacher, Mrs. Dawson, was amazed that the first thing I ever wrote for her was three sentences long and included a beginning, middle and end. She’d never seen that before.
I don’t really need inspiration because writing is just how I’m wired. Words just come to me without very much effort. I can say the same thing about fifty different ways. And I do. I do write stream of consciousness, but when I edit, I edit a ton.
That’s awesome Susan. A writer and a storyteller. I’m loving this one “I don’t really need inspiration because writing is just how I’m wired.” Sweet. I’m finding a lot of what you say is very quotable. 
What’s your GOAL now in this stage of your career?
My goal first and foremost is to help other writers. I see myself as a tool to support other writers more than worrying about my own writing career. I always write too because I can’t coach other writers if I’m not experiencing the process as well. I think if I’d not become a journalist, I wanted to be a teacher and I always felt someday I would become a teacher but I wanted life experience first. So for me, it’s a pretty natural progression.
I love that you’ve always knew your aim in life, even as a child. You love writing and storytelling yet your priority is to help other writers. That’s very touching. Please feel free to come back anytime! Seriously, I definitely would love to have you back here. “..I can’t coach other writers if I’m not experiencing the process as well.” 
As writers we’re all “experiencing the process”,  this really does make us siblings in the craft then. When I really consider this statement, writing sounds mysteriously dynamic. We’re all in the this thing called “the process”. Everyone’s process is uniquely different, yet the same in other regards. It’s mind boggling. 
What 3 things have hindered you from completing your projects? (CONFLICT)
Or what have you observed in other writers?
The number one thing that keeps me from completing projects is “shiny ball syndrome.” I have multiple books at about the 2/3 way part when I decide that something else is more important and start something new. I don’t like feeling like a factory, so I’m okay with that and switching things up. Sometimes I’ve taken a break and sold my art as well and I’ve had a lot of very positive feedback from that. There’s a great satisfaction of knowing that someone loves your art so much that they hang it in the entrance to their home or in their living room. It was pretty enlightening to me that I enjoyed making people happy in that way and it’s a thank you or a recognition in a way that I never felt as a writer. So, I try to balance my creative endeavors.
Ah, the ol’ shiny ball syndrome eh? A lot of us know it all too well unfortunately. I definitely have my shiny moments in many things. I’m probably ADHD. 

 

Distracted businessman distracted
A man with shiny ball syndrome

 

 

 

 

costruzione

 

 

“Well Bob, which idea do we build with today?”

*shrugs shoulders* “I don’t know”

What keeps you motivated in achieving your dream? (DESIRE)
While some people may think it’s silly, I feel great when people acknowledge that some little tweet I put out was just the thought or idea that they needed to hear at that moment to help them move forward in a work. I think my mom is always in the back of my mind and it motivates me to help others achieve their dreams.
I love your tweets! They’re very special and thoughtful. You’ve got your work cut out for you though. As you know, besides coffee, writers need boatloads of encouragement and inspiration. So keep up the good work we’re going to need it!:)
What’s your ANTAGONIST? What’s in the way?
Routine. I always feel guilty for the difficulty I have in sticking to routine but it’s just not me. I know what to do but I suppose I don’t have the desire necessary to routinize my day. I allow myself to be more creative with my day which may both help and hurt me at times.

 

Now I’m really convinced your’e my big sister. You just described my entire life in a nutshell. 
What’s been your experience as a mentor?
One of my favorite experiences was a random mentoring opportunity that had nothing to do with writing. A few years ago one of my Instagram followers was down around Christmas time and posted about how he was not looking forward to the New Year but I was the only person who replied.( I don’t understand that about our society though. I wish people would be more attentive even to acquaintances. The world would be a lot better place.)
Anyway, he needed a bit of advice both for his career and personal life and I helped him during a transition period to get a great job and improve his personal life. He wrote me the nicest thank you and still will send me an occasional text for well wishes on various holidays. He’s a dear friend and I’m really proud of him. It just goes to show how one person can really make a difference for someone if they just take a bit of time to connect. It felt great to be able to help and see him shine as he already had a lot going for him and just needed a bit of temporary guidance.
You’re testimony reminded of a TED talk given by bestselling author Amalie Jahn of the YA Clay Lion series. The impact of kindness is powerful.

 

 

 

Has your experience as a journalist helped you as a writer?
I suppose my journalism experience took the fear of editing out of me. I know it’s just part of the process and don’t worry about the fact that what I put down may look a lot different in the end.
 Hah! Losing the fear of editing would be great! Must be nice.
Why do writers give up, quit or abandon their dream?
I think most people do a pretty good job at second guessing themselves with a lot of unnecessary negative self-talk. First, they make the mistake of showing their writing to a family member or friend and if they get the typical bad reaction, they take it to heart when in fact that person may not be the right audience or have the expertise to really give appropriate feedback. Second, if a writer has early success, they may experience imposter syndrome, meaning that they don’t feel worthy of the accolades so they sort of shut down. Third, I think a majority of people just let life get in the way and don’t make writing a priority because they don’t have a clear vision of their dream.
 So true. We need to surround ourselves with positive people who will support achievement of our dreams. 
 
What would you say to a struggling writer who’s given up?
I would say that you’re not just letting yourself down but you’re letting the world down because you are the only person who can put your spin on things. Your voice will never be heard unless you make the effort to express yourself and we are all richer in connection when you put your thoughts out there. Yes, they may need polishing and no, not everyone is going to write a Pulitzer Prize winning novel but I believe as I did when I was seven-years-old that everyone has worth and has a story to tell that benefits us all. If anything, tell yourself you will write for just five minutes tonight after dinner. Keep the expectations low and doable and reward yourself when you succeed in writing for those five minutes. Soon, you’ll be in flow and the writing will become easier but don’t overdo it. The idea is to go for consistency.
“Everyone has worth and has a story to tell” I love that. Awesome!

Owning a pen does not make you a writer but not using it is like lamenting missing a plane to your future when you had a ticket at your disposal. 

~ Susan McIntire 

 

Thanks so much for joining us Susan! Please come again!

Lastly, we’ll end with Susan’s favorite quote:

 

“There is no rule on how to write. Sometimes it comes easily and perfectly; sometimes it’s like drilling rock and then blasting it out with charges.” ~ Ernest Hemingway

 

 

 

KEEP WRITING

SOMEONE OUT THERE NEEDS 

YOUR STORY

Benjamin Thomas

@thewritingtrain

http://www.thewritingtrain.com

 

Story of the Writer: Honoree Corder

Posted on by Benjamin Thomas

 

 

Story of the Writer Interview Series 

with Honoree Corder

 

Welcome back to the Writing Train folks. We have a special guest with us today. Please welcome aboard the prolific best selling author, mentor and coach, Honoree Corder! If you need someone to help you turn your lofty dreams into practical, actionable goals, look no further. Without  the practicality of goal setting, positive affirmations, self-realization and execution, our dreams won’t be realized.

 

HonoreeCorderHeadshot

 

Honoree is a best-selling author of over a dozen books including her new publication Prosperity for Writers: A Writer’s Guide to Creating Abundance.  She’s passionately served professionals and entrepreneurs as their coach, mentor, and strategic adviser for almost 20 years. I had the great pleasure of speaking with Honoree over Skype recently but was unable to obtain an audio recording. So the next best thing was to post an awesome video of Honoree and Joanna Penn! How sweet is that! Two mega-entrepreneurs in one sitting. This is ten times better in my opinion. The video is very inspiring please see below.

 

 

You can learn more about Honoree on her blog at honoreecorder.com, on twitter @Honoree, or on facebook at www.facebook.com/Honoree.

In her book she tackles first the erroneous and limiting belief system that we tend to tolerate as “starving artists.” That we can’t make it as writers or be poor because that’s the way it is right? Wrong! Whenever we say that we can’t make it, or don’t have the time to write we’re indeed affirming those beliefs. In November of last year I had my first written affirmation. I AM A WRITER. I WILL BE PUBLISHED. At that point I began to take myself seriously. So many writers suffer from fear and doubt they really need a change in their belief system to positive affirmations.

 

Prosperity-Front-Cover

Learn more about it here.

 

Here is a foretaste of some of her inspirational, yet practical books.

 

Yay for moms!

TSSM Cover

Learn more about it here.

 

 

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000026_00006]

Learn more about it here.  I just purchased this title recently and can’t wait to devour it. Productivity is not only about setting goals, but also how we manage our time.

 

TMM-Writers-iTunes

Learn more about it here.

I just discovered the new Miracle Morning series:

The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform your Life

The Miracle Morning for Network Marketers: Grow Yourself FIRST to Grow Your Business FAST (The Miracle Morning Book Series)

The Miracle Morning for Real Estate Agents: It’s Your Time to Rise and Shine (The Miracle Morning Series)

Prosperity for Writers Productivity Journal: A Writer’s Workbook for Creating Abundance

 

I asked some of my fellow writers in our Facebook group some questions we could ask our guest. Here’s what we came up with:

1. My biggest question is always what draws people into being educators or mentors? I’m really interested what inspires people to share their knowledge with the world. 

Honoree has always had a passion to inspire others to achieve their dreams by coaching professionals and entrepreneurs, including lawyers, executives, and banks. Currently she also does publishing consultation as a continuation of her commitment to mentor others.

2. What one thing does she wish she had known at the start of her career?

To have a checklist, a formula and create a time process for everything like editing, publishing, book covers, have an Amazon advantage account, use of social media (like twitter), and writing copy.

3. How can one practically accomplish their dreams?

Paint a clear picture of what you want through words or pictures.

  • Create a plan
  • Make a production schedule
  • Create a system

Honoree has multiple streams of income from her speaking, coaching, books, publishing, training and courses. First she wanted to make 10k a month and gave herself 5 years to do so. The production schedule was to produce 120k words per year and 90 days to crank out a first draft. It took her 3 years to accomplish her 5 year goals although with personal and professional struggles. Impressive!

4. How can writers successfully market themselves and their books?

Build up a solid author platform, the use of social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. Be interesting and build your list of readers.  Use mail chimp with timely newsletters through email to get your name out there. You can use podcast interviews to build a solid platform. Give your books away, or a few chapters for free.

 

~If you don’t have a plan you plan to fail~

 

I was particularly impressed with her STMA 100 day plan. Which stands for short term massive action. 30 days is far too short, just barely enough to change a habit. A year is much too long and gives a lot of room for procrastination. So she’s been practicing this 100 day plan for 25 years now and it’s proven to be effectual. It takes 45 days just to build up momentum so 100 days is a good time frame. You set 3 total goals; 2 business and 1 personal, 6 daily actions to complete. Some of the benefits are you figure yourself out first. The best time of day the write, edit, rest and what works best for you. Honoree practices three 100 day cycles a year and has a review at the end of each cycle.  During the review time she determines what worked? What didn’t work? Why? Did I attain my goals? What did I not do? What do I need to achieve my goals? I love this. I’m totally not a planner, but I need to become one! This is so awesome. If you’d like to take her 100 day course it’s 50% off if you read her book Prosperity for Writers. 

 

Thank  you so much Honoree for joining us! Come visit us Again!

This is the Writing Train signing off.

 

~Keep writing because someone needs your story~

 

 

Benjamin Thomas

@thewritingtrain

http://www.thewritingtrain.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Story of the Writer: Danielle Rose

Posted on by Benjamin Thomas

 

 

 

STORY OF THE WRITER

INTERVIEW SERIES:

Featuring Danielle Rose

 

Welcome back folks for another session of the Story of the Writer series! Today we’ll be featuring romance novelist and owner of editing company Narrative InkDanielle Rose. If memory serves me correctly, I remember Danielle from the 2015 NaNoWriMo Wahoo!  To learn more about Danielle please check out her blog: danielle-rose.com

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~Welcome aboard Danielle~

Glad you’re with us.

vintage locomotive

 Alright time for lift off, let’s get right to it….
 

Did something or someone influence you as a child to be a writer?

I consider myself to be a late bloomer. While I do remember writing stories as a child, I didn’t start taking my writing seriously until late-2009. At that point, I wrote on and off for several years, while pursing my education, until I started to publish in 2015. In 2008, I began reading religiously, which is what prompted me to write my Blood Books trilogy. After reading at least a hundred books, I couldn’t find, what I considered to be, the perfect story. So I wrote it.

I love your story! It seems that in your hunt for the perfect story, you had a great realization. You had to write it yourself. Epic. If you’d like to explore Danielle’s complete story on becoming a writer click here.  Quite fascinating. 

Where did you go to school and what was your major?

I obtained my Bachelor of Arts in English and certification in professional writing from the University of Wisconsin—Parkside. I then obtained my Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of Southern Maine.

That’s awesome! I’ve always admired the one’s who’ve actually studied this stuff in college. Flunked technical report writing with flying colors, whoo-hoo! Somehow giving presentations and speeches gave rise to panic attacks. Arrggh. Eventually passed it online. Whew. Got an A in creative writing though.

Obviously you’re a cheesehead, how many packer games have you been to? 

Hmm, honestly, I’m not sure. We have season tickets. I go to games every year, and when I can’t go, I watch the games on TV.

Would love to come to cheesehead country and go to a game. Supposedly I’m 49’ers fan, but they need some serious resuscitation. Somebody call the paramedics.

What’s it like being an editor?

It’s the second best job I’ve ever had. The first, of course, is being an author. Narrative Ink has a fantastic client base, and I’m honored to be trusted to edit their manuscripts.

Amazing. This must keep you pretty busy !

List your favorite writing books or novels.

Some of my favorite authors are Sylvia Day, Lauren Blakely, Meredith Wild, Chloe Neill, and Richelle Mead.  I collect books on the craft of writing, but it’s difficult to say which are my favorites. In a way, they’re all my favorites, because they’re all equally important. Some describe experiences, some give advice, and some discuss the basics. In my opinion, a good writer won’t turn away a good source. So I read and collect.

“a good writer won’t turn away a good source” YES, you hit the nail on the head with this one. Absolutely LOVE reading and collecting craft books. Can’t get enough of them!

What’s your concept of the perfect story? Have you written it? I’m curious as to how you came to search for such a story.

The idea of the “perfect” story is subjective. My idea of the perfect story changes constantly. It usually depends on the genre I’m writing. Sometimes, the perfect story depends on the right balance between action and romance. Other times, the perfect story depends on strong, dynamic characters and dialogue to drive the plot.
I always write the story I need to write, which in and of itself is the perfect story for me. However, I still believe I haven’t written my best work yet. In time, I hope I will.

Love you outlook on this. Your idea of the perfect story is constantly evolving with the right balance of particular elements. Whatever seems to meet the need at the moment.  “I always write the story I need to write.” This seems to resonate with me as well for some reason. Should print this out and stick it on my wall. 
You mainly write romance, paranormal romance, and romantic suspense? Are locked into this genre or will you branch out?

Yes, I mainly write romance (contemporary, suspense, paranormal, new adult, erotic, etc.), but I don’t limit myself. I have a horror short story published, too, and my paranormal romance trilogy, Blood Books, is heavily urban fantasy. There is just as much action (if not more than) as romance. I’d love to write psychological thrillers one day, too.

Psychological thrillers definitely sound like a must. I’d read it!  Here’s a short story by Danielle. 

 

DAEMON ACADEMY

DaemonAcademy_Amazon

Check it out: Daemon Academy: A Horror Short Story

 

Tell us about the Blood Books trilogy leading up to the final installment, Blood Promise, due to be released June 28th 2016.

My Blood Books trilogy follows the harrowing journey of Avah Taylor, a mortal witch in the midst of a centuries old war against the immortal vampire species. Avah’s intense journey is fueled by blood, sex, jealously, betrayal, murder, and revenge. This trilogy is meant for new adult/adult audiences.

I read a few pages into Blood Rose book and I can tell you’re a skilled writer. Your idea sounds well developed, crafted and flows well. Should be a great read!

 

BLOOD ROSE

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Check it out: Blood Rose (Blood book 1)

 

 

BLOOD MAGIC

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Blood Magic (Blood Book 2)

 

 

BLOOD PROMISE

BloodPromise_Amazon

Blood Promise (Blood Book 3)  Releases June 28, 2016!

Click here to add Blood Promise to your reading list on Goodreads.

 

At this stage in your career, what is your goal (s)?  (GOAL)

I have many short-term and long-term goals. I believe in the power of setting and reaching goals, so I always strive to add more to my list. I actually have a writing group (We formed our group after meeting in graduate school.), and we check-in with weekly goals. We also do daily writing sprints/stints, which are extremely helpful for writers who struggle with procrastination.

I’m finding that without goals nothing practical happens. Our dreams aren’t coming around knocking on our front door, we have to make it happen. 

 

Many of us see publication as the only lofty goal, but the lack vision afterwards.

Publication was definitely a long-term goal for me when I started writing in 2009. After achieving this goal in 2015, I updated my list. Some of my goals include publishing a certain number of books each year, perfecting my marketing plan, reaching a bestseller list, attending certain writing conventions as a signing author, and seeing my books on the shelves at major retailers. Honestly, my goals are similar to what most writers strive to achieve.

This is very specific. My goals are very short sighted like, finish my WIP. Not much of a planner so drumming up goals is work for me. I really like your mindset on this though. Maybe if I talk to enough planners it’ll rub off. Hah!

Do you have any major conflicts hindering you from attaining your goals? Once you’re published what’s the next hurdle? (CONFLICT)

I absolutely do. I think conflicts are the main reasons behind why these are goals and not reality. My biggest hurdle is reach. Without readers, I can’t do what I love, and I couldn’t obtain my goals/dreams. This is actually a common problem most writers face.

Very true. Somehow I believe you won’t have any trouble with this one. They’ll come with zombie fueled voracious eyeballs, trust me.

What keeps you motivated? (DESIRE)

Readers, my writing group, and bills. (Ha!)

That’s actually a good list!

What’s the main antagonist in your life or career?

I’m the main antagonist in my life. Like anyone, I can fall victim to my own self-doubt. In my opinion, the mind can be the biggest advantage or hindrance to writers.

This is all too true. We’re our own worst enemy. Every day is different and changes like the wind. Actually, our days are pretty much the same. The mind is what turns on a dime. Heads or tails? Who knows? The best thing we can do is show up every day and be consistent. 

You have your own editing company. What made you want start it?

Honestly, there’s no exciting story here. I have a strong background in editing, and I’ve always wanted to start my own business, be my own boss. I took some entrepreneurship courses in undergrad, so it was fairly easy to branch out and form my own LLC, Narrative Ink Editing.

That’s great Danielle. We’ll always need Samurai editors to slice and dice our manuscripts, for sure. 

As an editor, what are some of the major problems that affect writers and their careers?

In my opinion, self-doubt, shortcuts, and marketing are the three biggest problems writers are facing today.
Self-doubt: There is a fine line between self-doubt and self-pride, and many writers can’t walk that line without stepping over. Writers who experience self-doubt constantly question their writing. When this happens, the book rarely makes it to print.

Shortcuts: On that same note, self-pride can ruin a career. Having pride in your work is great, but at some point, you have to step aside and bring in professionals. Don’t take shortcuts. While you may believe you can do it all alone, the truth is, not everyone can be an editor or book designer or interior formatter or marketing guru. Writers who take shortcuts are hindering their growth. Readers judge books by the cover, design, and editing first. The plot comes second.

Marketing: Many writers believe they only need to write the book. Once it’s published, they can sit back and watch the sales come flying in. This is never the case. Even major authors, like Stephen King and Nicholas Sparks, have a marketing team to ensure the news of the impending release reaches readers. Sure, the name alone will sell the book, but marketing is still involved. Don’t sell yourself short. Invest in a good marketing plan.

I really appreciate the inside scoop on this. Writing and publishing books is only half the battle, while marketing is an oft forgotten element in the equation. The business side of writing is lacking with a lot of writers. Just taking up writing a novel is a huge endeavor, but the business side of matters is another animal altogether.

What made you want to switch from pre-law to English and creative writing?

I was actually pre-med first. For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a doctor. I was never the kid in class who said she wanted to be a princess. But after my first year of pre-med, I knew that wasn’t the right route for me, so I switched to pre-law and changed my major from biology to English. That’s when I fell in love with literature and the written word.

This is so fascinating. I’m so glad you found it! 

Having studied writing in college, what top 3-5 things did you learn about the craft?

The biggest lesson I learned in college was how to write. I first learned the rules of writing. I learned the technical skills, like spotting dangling modifiers and proper placement of punctuation. And then I learned how to break the rules to discover my own style.

I long for the day when I  discover my own style. Guess you have to learn the box first before you can think outside it right?

What writing books do you highly recommend?

I have never come across a writing book that I wouldn’t recommend. I believe writers should read as many as they can get their hands on. I collect books on writing and reread when I have time. Some of the books sitting on my shelves are Stephen King’s On Writing, Carol Fisher Saller’s The Subversive Copyeditor, Caroline Taggart and J.A. Wines’ My Grammar and I… Or Should That Be Me?, and William Zinsser’s On Writing Well.

I have a couple that you mentioned here. The others I’ll have to look into!  Thanks for the pic.

 

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If permissible, can you tell us about some of your clients you helped at Narrative Ink?

I’ve had the pleasure of working with immensely talented authors, who continue to surprise me with their stories. I’ve recently edited manuscripts by Rachel Amphlett, Jackie Parry, and Liam Saville. I’ve also worked with Andrea Cefalo, Taylor Lavati, Margaret Bucklew, and Matt Jordan.

 

Thanks so much Danielle for joining us! Please come again, and if you’ll recommend anyone for an interview let me know.

 

This is the Writing Train signing off. Happy reading and writing everyone! 

~A writer is a world trapped in a person~

-Victor Hugo

 

 

KEEP WRITING 

SOMEONE OUT THERE NEEDS

YOUR WORDS

 

 

 

Benjamin Thomas

@thewritingtrain

http://www.thewritingtrain.com

 

 

Story of the Writer: Kim Vandel

Posted on by Benjamin Thomas

 

STORY OF THE WRITER:

Interview Series

Featuring Kim Vandel

 

I first came across Kim Vandel on kmweiland.com  as one of 5 recommended muscle-bound-muse authors to be read. She received high praise from my mentor, Jedi Master and mother hen, KM Weiland which took me by surprise. So naturally, I had to figure out who this person was. Vandel made her debut splashing onto the scene with her YA superhero novel Into the Fire. Be sure to check it out. Here’s a peep.

 

ITF cover 2x3

 

 

Praise for Into the Fire

“…this was possibly the best book I’ve read this year. It’s one of those stories, likes Weeks’s, that sucked me in deep and wouldn’t let me go.”

-KM Weiland

“So, so good. Vandel does all the good stuff of supernatural teen stories–and does it better.”
K.M. Weiland, author of Storming and Amazon bestseller Outlining Your Novel

 

“Vandel’s debut shines in a market where well written
young adult urban fantasy is hard to find.”
Jess Evander, author of the TimeShifters series

 

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Ladies, gents and voracious readers I present to you Kim Vandel! *standing ovation* Kim, welcome to the Writing Train it’s so nice to have you with us. Before we begin,  I have to admit you’re definitely the great Princess Leia. There’s no doubt in my mind. Leia with a pen, I might add. Love it.

 

Kim Vandel author photo thumbnail

Here’s a little more about Kim.

Kim Vandel is a grownup who loves to read and write teen fiction. She worked in the field of environmental science before pursuing her dream of becoming a novelist. Her first book, Into the Fire, released in 2015, and it’s currently a double semifinalist for the Realm Award (debut and young adult categories). Kim lives with her family in the Seattle suburbs—the land of Microsoft, Nintendo America, and approximately five million Starbucks. You can learn more about Kim at Kimvandel.com

 

~It’s customary for me to ask a few questions in order to have a proper introduction. So here it is!~

 

Do you see yourself as princess Leia? Kind of a sassy princess?

Hmmm. Can I take The Fifth on this one? No? Well, when I was a kid, I never got in trouble for anything I did. I got in trouble for things I said—or more precisely, the manner in which I said them. And “Kimberly” means “from the royal meadow,” so sassy princess might be more accurate than I’d like to admit. I definitely identified with Princess Leia when I was growing up, and not just because of her sassiness. I wasn’t a girly girl. I hated wearing dresses, and I didn’t play with dolls. Leia was a princess I could relate to because she didn’t stand around while Luke and Han rescued her. She grabbed a blaster and started shooting. She showed me that a girl could be beautiful and strong—that it was okay for a girl to be strong. A princess could be a hero right alongside the guys.

Hah! I love it. Having this background resonates with me on different levels. I love your spirit, or sassiness, as you call it. Leia wasn’t a passive princess sittin’ on her laurels waitin’ for ol’ Luke and Han, she was in the battle! That’s great. “She grabbed a blaster and started shooting.” Love this statement. I almost want to print it out and plaster it on my wall. It really speaks to what kind of person she was. A princess hero with a blaster, splendid.

Do you drink Starbucks Coffee? If so, what’s your M.O.?

Dude. I live in the Seattle suburbs. Of course I drink Starbucks coffee. (And yes, Starbucks is everywhere.) Favorite hot drink: tall skinny vanilla latte. Favorite cold drink: venti unsweetened black tea. At home it’s usually French or Italian roast.

Well, we won’t hold that against you. Don’t stone me, but I love Tim Horton’s coffee. Starbucks is a little bitter on the palate. However I will get their white chocolate mocha once or twice a year. 

Coffee cup
Hmm…Starbucks or Tim Horton’s?

Where did you go to school?

I graduated from Northwest Nazarene University with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. I know, I know. I’m a science nerd. But it’s useful when you write speculative fiction.

Nothing wrong with being a science nerd, especially if your writing speculative fiction! I find it pretty cool actually. 

Favorite snack when writing?

I’m not a snack-while- I-write kind of girl, but if I was, it would involve something that’s salty and/or crunchy and covered in chocolate. Beverages are a necessity when I write. I always have tea or coffee close by.

I’m not much of a snacker either while writing. I ditto the tea or coffee though!  I’ll fire up a cup of Earl grey, peppermint or some nice ginger flavors. 

1. You’re a writer; so what’s  your story, or what inspired you?

I grew up in a family with a love for good stories, whether they were in the form of books or movies. Those stories sparked my imagination. They opened up worlds—entire galaxies!—of possibilities. They inspired me to think and dream and look beyond what was right in front of me. To create worlds of my own.

Yes, I have a very similiar background.  Those stories set fire to our minds, opening up the vast worlds, and the galaxy of our imagination.

a. What did you learn in writing Into the Fire?

There’s a lot of personal growth going on behind the scenes of a book. If you want your book to connect emotionally with your readers, then it has to be real, and being real is scary. It means exposing a little piece of your soul to the world. But something beautiful happens when you do: you grow stronger. As I wrote Into the Fire, I went on a journey with my protagonist Kate. As she found the courage to keep going in spite of her fear—in spite of how hard life can get sometimes—I learned to do the same. She may be fictional, but Kate inspires me.

Wow, this is amazing. When we write our stories we’re indeed sending little pieces of our soul out into the world. Amazing. I do like the thought of taking a journey with the protagonist. It’s a mutual journeying experience.  I also love the thought of being inspired by a character that you wrote. That’s awesome. Inspiration first brought you the character, you developed it, and now she’s a continual source of written inspiration. That’s awesome!

2. What’s your GOAL in becoming a writer?

My ultimate goal is to connect with readers. I want to create stories that will transport them to another world, and I hope they find something in my story that will inspire them to see themselves and their own world in a new way.

I LOVE that you want to connect with your readers and take them on a meaningful journey. Just by this statement, I can tell you’re a good storyteller. That means a lot and says what kind of writer you are. 

Woman reading inside a huge book
Woman reading Into the Fire

a. What’s it like being published? A lot of us dream about this. You’re not only published, but your book Into the Fire is a double semifinalist in the Realm award.

Being published is both terrifying and the best thing ever. It’s terrifying in that there’s no going back. My work is out there where anyone can read it (and criticize it). You feel very “exposed” as a published author (which for an introvert is pretty much a nightmare). But being published is also the best thing ever because you hear from readers who have totally connected with your characters and “love, love, LOVE” your story. And sometimes you get to see all your hard work pay off with professional recognition—things like your book being a double semifinalist for the Realm Award.

That’s great! As we said earlier, it’s like we’re shipping out a piece of ourselves out into world for mass exposure. But it’s also displays an intrinsic theme, a story, character we want them to know about. First is resonates with you, then with readers from all walks of life. That’s mind boggling! It’s an echo of hearts, we  just make the first sound.

 

3. What 3 things have hindered you from completing your projects? (CONFLICT)

Lack of time. Lack of focus. Fear.

Ah, yes. Time, focus, fear. The three evil siblings that do their masters bidding. I ask every writer these questions and time and fear are always listed.

4. What keeps you motivated in achieving your dream? (DESIRE)

I love to create stories, and I believe that’s what God has called me to do. Those two thoughts keep me grounded. Now that I’m published, reader feedback is a huge factor in staying motivated. A teenage boy said I’m his favorite author, and a teen girl said she’s dying to read the next book. Another reader said that when she finished Into the Fire she wanted to read it again and spend more time with the characters. Those are the kind of things an author loves to hear, and they help me stay motivated. I know that all my time and effort will eventually pay off.

Again, love your spirit. These kids are feeding off your stories and you’re feeding off their encouragement. Beautiful how that works isn’t it?

5. What’s your ANTAGONIST? What’s in the way?

I am my own worst enemy. All too often I let fear and self-doubt hold me back.

Aren’t we all? This is just human nature itself. Self-doubt and fear. Yet you overcame them both! Now your story connects with readers and authors. Very inspiring. 

a. A lot of us think being published is the goal, since you’re there, what’s the next battle? 

The next battle is to keep going and stay focused on what’s important. You can’t let things like negative feedback or sluggish sales discourage you. Haters gonna hate, and the sales will come. Make sure you celebrate every success, no matter how big or small. You worked hard for those successes. Enjoy them! (Yes, I’m also preaching to myself here.)

It’s only the beginning for you I’m sure. Rome wasn’t built in a day, as they always say.

6. If you have given up your dream, why? (If no skip to next question)

When I first started writing, there were a couple of times I gave up because I was so discouraged. The urge to write never really went away though, so eventually I started again. There are still days when I want to give up, but it usually means I’ve been pushing myself too hard and need to take a day off. I’ve learned to keep going when I want to quit, but it takes practice and a healthy dose of stubbornness.

 

Mucha practica, which translates as practice a lot. Which requires stubbornness and focus.
7. Why do writers give up, quit or never complete their projects?

Because writing is really, really hard. It’s a lot of work, often with little or no reward. (At least not that we can see.) We put our very hearts on the page, and we take a huge risk by revealing our hearts to the world. It’s almost impossible not to take rejection personally, because it’s us on the page.

When I first began learning what it took to actually write a book, I thought whoever wants to do this out of their mind. My second thought was, whoever actually pulled this off is brilliant. Rejection is inevitable. But we’re the first ones who reject ourselves with doubt and fear. Then we go to submit our “child” to an agent who drop kicks our baby with a “Thanks but no thanks” only  to confirm our subtle self-rejectionist mentality. We  should consider those “rejections” as more of a direction, to where we need to be. If they reject us then it wasn’t meant to be. 
8. What would you say to a struggling writer who’s given up?

Take a deep breath. Know that you’re not alone. Now go find other writers. I can’t stress that enough. Whether it’s online or in a local writers’ group, find the people who “get you.” Draw encouragement from them. Learn from those who have gone before you and lived to tell the tale. You don’t have to face the big bad publishing world all by yourself. Don’t give up your dream!

I love your closing words which I’ll echo. DON’T GIVE UP YOUR DREAM! It’s your dream, so don’t let it lay waste without taking action.
Tentative dates for book 2?  I don’t have a release date for Among the Flames, but expect to see it sometime this summer 2016: Among the Flames, book two of the Under Fire series.Click here to sign up for Kim Vandel’s author newsletter VANDELIZED.
Thanks so much for joining us Kim! Appreciate it! Can’t wait for the next installment in the series! Be sure to come back for a book promo.
Website: www.kimvandel.com
Twitter: @KimVandel

Of all the things I’ve lost, I miss my mind the most.

~Mark Twain

KEEP WRITING
SOMEONE NEED TO HEAR YOUR STORY
Regards,
Benjamin.
@thewritingtrain
http://www.thewritingtrain.com