Tell me a about yourself.
What got you started in writing?
Kathryn, it’s great to be on your blog. I’m a
multi-published author and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. I
reside in the heart of North Carolina. When I’m not working on a story, I like
to reading, fish and singing with hubby at church functions.
I didn’t start writing until I quit working in
administration to keep my grandson full time. When he was a baby I began
writing Christian articles and from there branched into fiction.
How do you schedule
your writing time? When do you write?
Just like many I
have a busy life. I have parents in a nursing facility. I tend to their laundry
needs and other situations. I keep my grandson when my daughter is working, I’m
an associate pastor’s wife and we have a singing ministry.
I don’t have the luxury of being able to close the door to
my home office and write every day for 5 hours. But I enjoy crafting stories so
I keep at it as often as I can. I’m a morning person so early mornings is my
best time. I work on my writing until about 9:30 then most days I’ll go to the
nursing home. Later, after I’ve prepared dinner I’ll try to get a couple hours
of writing in before I retire for the night.
How and where do
you write? Do you prefer a lap top or some other method of getting your words
down?
I prefer my desktop and in the mornings I use that. In the
afternoons or
evenings it is usually my laptop. If it’s nice
weather out I’ll go on my porch
and write.
What's your
favorite part about writing? Your least favorite
part about writing?
My favorite part of creating a story is having full
control over the outcome of my characters’ lives. My least liked part of the
writing process is the necessary evil in writing, the many edits and proof
reads.
How did you come
up with your book idea? How long did it take you to write your book?
For most
of my novels I have a clear answer to that question and can go back to the hour
the idea flourished or the day that I felt a nudge from the Lord.
However, the
complete story of “Sparks of Love” was different. I knew I wanted to write
about a character that felt the Lord had turned away from her and she’d lost faith, but the plot of the story was a process that developed as I worked on
the character’s situation. Most of my novels take
about four to six months to finish the first draft.
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| Get the Book at Amazon |
What types of
marketing do you do to promote your writing?
I post to Facebook
on groups that fit my genre. I use twitter and have a few regular sites that I
often buy ads on. Promoting takes so much time away from writing and it’s a
struggle to find time to do it all.
What are you
currently working on? Do you have a new book out?
I have a
non-fiction in the works, “Moments with God’s Word,” soon to be released. My
current fiction work in progress is called “Awaiting Tomorrow.” It is at a
halfway stage.
And yes, I have
another release. J A novella titled “A Love Valley Christmas” it is part of Prism
Book Group’s Christmas Cowboy line coming out sometime in Nov. 2016.
Do you have a
project on the back burner? Tell me about it.
I have a fiction
story tugging at my heart about pearl diving. It’s resting in my mind until I
can complete my other projects.
What would you
tell a beginning writer who wants to publish but doesn't believe he/she has
enough talent?
Writing is a learning process. Anyone who wants to write and can form an understanding paragraph can tune their writing skills, and develop what
they need to become a published author.
***
A Question for Me:
Kathryn, It doesn’t take a published author
long to learn that writing and marketing the book goes hand in hand. How do you
juggle promoting and still have time to write?
Balancing marketing is tough, but I have found that if I give time every day to both, then I never feel as if I am writing and not marketing or marketing and not writing. Most days, I have from morning to late afternoon to work on my writing, and so I try to put aside at least a couple of hours of marketing per day and a bit more writing. It really depends on the day. The important thing is to be flexible; not all writers have the same amount of time to spend at marketing or writing, so make time for what works for you.
Another thing I have done to balance marketing and writing, is to have my marketing information in one place. I used to have emails, social media, contact names and so forth, all over my desk and in a messy binder. As of 2012, I created a book called, "Marketing Your Book on a Budget," that is updated and re-released every January. In this book I offer writers links to getting book reviews; even how to create book trailers on the cheap. You can find the book here.
Thanks!
***
To learn more about Mary:
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