An Interview with Lynn Shurr

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I was born a left-handed middle child, bookended by two sisters. That should tell you a lot already. In the small Pennsylvania Dutch area town where I grew up, everything worth going to could be reached by bicycle: school, a nearby stable, the Legion ball park, and the one-room library in the Fire Hall where I’d read most of the books by age twelve. My own literary ambitions began in the fifth grade when I wrote, directed, produced, and starred in a puppet show which went on a tour of all the elementary classes in our old-timey red brick schoolhouse and got me out of several afternoons of class. Immediately, I saw the merits of a literary career. 

Why did you start fiction writing and what genre do you like to write?

I have to say I started writing fiction and poetry in grade school with my first big achievement being a puppet show I wrote, produced, and starred in which went on tour of the lower grades. I got out of a lot class time and was immediately hooked on writing. After that I contributed to school literary magazines, took accelerated English classes, majored in English Lit in college--and then got an M.A. in librarianship because I realized even then that few writers make much money. Thirty years later, I retired from being a library director and finally had time to write just for pleasure. E-publishing was just beginning to grow. I chose to write contemporary romance because I had heard it was easiest to break into since demand was high, but I'd read my share of romance before starting, enjoying the likes of Nora Roberts and Jayne Ann Krentz among many others .I got my chance to see my work in print and as e-books with several small e-presses, some now long gone, but all of my books are still in print having been picked up by other publishers.

Why this genre? What attracts you to them?

When I was a librarian I had a very elderly patron who checked out stacks and stacks of Avalon romances. I asked her why so many. She answered, "Honey, at my age, all you want is a happy ending." Romance always has a happy ending which we need so badly in today's world. Over the course of the story, a couple must overcome each obstacle that falls in their way in order to get to the HEA (Happily Ever After). While my books are full length novels (25 to date) and far more complex than an Avalon romance, I make sure my characters reach their goal in the end which should leave the reader smiling or crying happy tears.

Generally speaking, what is the driving force behind your characters behind your characters? Have any of your characters changed in a dramatic way from what you imagined at the start of the writing process?

Since I always know my beginning, middle, and end before I start to write, I do know how my characters will change during the story. A character who shows no growth, no change, is just a flat cardboard cutout. I've found without at first realizing it that most of my stories are about second chances, a life do-over that will eventually make them happier. In A Place Apart, a wounded warrior with a bad case of PTSD has become a hermit on a deserted island off the coast of Maine because he feels he cannot be with other people. A young socialite who has trashed her reputation also wants solitude on the island. Not nearly so shallow as she first seems, she takes on Jake and all his problems in order for them to exist together. Sparks fly! In Lady Flora's Rescue, the first of an historical series, a young widow is determined to marry her choice of a spouse the second time around, even if she must follow him into the Ohio Wilderness of the eighteenth century to get the man she desires. My characters often have help from friends and family. Sometimes, I have to be careful that these secondary characters don't take over. They must wait for their own stories.


What do you find the most difficult in finishing a story and approximately how long does it take for you to write a story?

For a contemporary novel, I usually need three or four months to complete one. An historical novel due to all the research involved may take six to nine months to complete, and I will still be looking up period details as I write. My greatest difficulty is saying goodbye to characters I have come love. Even when I've written the last page, they continue to have lives in my imagination. I know how many children they will have and what careers they will pursue, etc. In Blessings and Curses, a spin off from A Taste of Bayou Water, I was able to develop the entire life of a secondary character from first meeting to very married with children. I rarely get a chance to do that. I've been told the romance ends with marriage--but it shouldn't.

Are there other types of writing you do such as non-fiction, or short fiction?

I've written a number of short stories that I call my Twilight Zone tales. Only one is a romance, and only one has ever been published in an anthology that is now out of print. Someday, I'd like to do a collection of them, but just don't have the time at the moment.

Has your writing affected you in any way and what would you recommend to someone wanting to start writing fiction?

Writing for publication takes discipline, dedication, and perseverance. I had to learn the last especially. Rejections easily crushed me, but I kept on until I was good enough to be published. I write every day for about four hours. If I can do 1,000 words a day, great. In three months, I will have a 90,000 novel. Even now, I keep learning how to do better with each book. Anyone starting out will have to apply all three to their lives. You write when you don't feel well or are down or would rather be somewhere else to get the job done. Though I have found creating a story sometimes takes a person away from their problems for a while. I think many would-be authors have no idea how grueling the publishing process is. Writing the book is the easy part. In the end, most will find out they earn very little for their efforts. A writer must write because they love to do it. Otherwise, they will soon quit. But if a person has a story to tell, it needs to come out. Good luck to all who travel this rocky road.

An Interview with A.J. Maguire

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A.J. Maguire is a consumer of stories. She thoroughly believes that stories are the bedrock of humanity, and that the answer to every question in life can be found in the tales that we tell. She also believes that spiders are the spawn of Satan and that her cat might just be the reincarnation of Dionysus. She enjoys books with strong characters who challenge her as a person and manage to whisk her off with adventure at the same time. This means that she reads nearly any genre and any author but her favorites include Diana Gabaldon, James Rollins, Ken Follett, Jennifer Crusie, and Brandon Sanderson. Maguire is passionate about her craft and constantly working to improve. She'll probably keep telling stories long into her old age (which is still several decades off) and believes that being an author is the single greatest, most wonderful gift she has been given -- apart from her son. She looks forward to every story and hopes to release many more novels in the years to come.

Why did you start fiction writing and what genre(s) do you like to write?

Gracious, I’ve been writing for so long I can’t remember a time when it wasn’t part of my life. I’ve been weaving stories since I was little, and in the 6th grade I had an excellent teacher who gave us a fiction writing assignment that made me fall in love with the whole process.

I can’t seem to hammer a genre down, though. I started with fantasy because I felt it gave me more freedom. And then I moved to science fiction/space opera because I will forever be a Star Trek/Star Wars Nerd. And no, I will not ever choose between them. Both hold fond memories for me and I refuse to be forced into a category there.

Recently I’ve been working on an urban fantasy, which I suppose is still fantasy, so maybe that’s my calling after all.

Why this/these genre(s)? What attracts you to them?

Why fantasy?

Because I want desperately to believe in magic. I mean, I love elves and dragons and epic story lines where good and evil clash and the fate of the world is at stake. But underneath all that is just a little girl who wants to believe the trees are alive with memory and sprites are hiding under mushrooms.

Why science fiction?

Because I want to believe humanity can and will populate other planets. I want to believe that we can put aside our political/religious/cultural differences and work together to survive outside of Earth’s atmosphere. And if I can make myself believe it on the page, then maybe others will believe it too.

Generally speaking, what is the driving force behind your characters? Have any of your characters changed in dramatic way from what you imagined at the start during the writing process?

I’m going to concentrate on Seach Barlow, who is a protagonist in the Tapped series. This character was meant to be a major character, but not a main one. Then he sort of stole the heroine’s heart and hijacked the storyline and now it’s anyone’s guess what is going to happen. Personally, I enjoy Seach and don’t mind. He’s a good man who wants to protect the family that he and Jorry have made, and he has a sense of humor.

What do you find the most difficult in finishing a story and approximately how long does it take for you to write a story?

Each story is different. Some of them come to their endings naturally, others… not so much. Usurper’s ending was natural, with Kaden Dyngannon making the deliberate choice to go after the throne. That said, it took me a great deal of time to get there because I discovered I was writing two books instead of one.

The book I’m currently inching my way through was started eight months ago, but I’m on the third draft now so that really isn’t as long as it seems. The fight scenes at the end are what cause hiccups for me. I can only manage 500-600 words per writing session because I have to concentrate on all the movements and chaos and find a way to make it personal to the point of view character.

Are there other types of writing you do such as non-fiction, or short fiction?

I try to write short fiction between novels. It gives my brain a break and allows me to stretch different writing-muscles. That said, I can’t seem to do flash fiction. It boggles me.

Has your writing affected you in any way and what would you recommend to someone wanting to start writing fiction?

I am a bit weird. I am often writing in the effort to understand people. If I observe someone behaving in a manner that makes no sense to me, I will try writing a character that behaves that same way in the effort to understand them.

For example, I heard a story once about a sister who was stripping the rings off her dying mother’s fingers so that no one else could have them. This boggled my mind so badly that I had to write the scene out from her perspective because it couldn’t just have been greed motivating that action.

Before you ask, I do not have a sister. And my mother is quite alive. So, this has no personal relevance to me, but I needed to understand it just the same. That said, I’m sure you can see that my writing always has an affect on me. It helps me make sense of the world we live in.

To those wanting to start writing fiction I would have to say; don’t forget to have fun with it. We give all these rules and we get frustrated by editing time and we get a little green with jealousy when we see the success of other writers, and we bemoan ourselves as the worst authors in the world because the work isn’t meeting the standard we want it to, and in the middle of all that we forget to have fun. Enjoy the journey. Learn from it. Let it affect you the way you want it to affect your readers. And don’t forget your family wants time with you too.

An Interview with Ralph E. Horner

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Ralph's first novel, Tandem Tryst, was published by Wings ePress in March of 2009. His second novel Witch's Moon was published in December 2012, and his third, Midnight Tryst, the sequel of Tandem Tryst was published in December of 2013. He now has a fourth book Lost Legacy. Ralph is also a professional entertainer who performs balloon are and magic.

Why did you start fiction writing and what genre(s) do you like to write?

I've always had stories in my head. When I was in junior high I started writing comic strip stories. I write paranormal stories; gothic horror, time-travel and fantasy.

Why this/these genre(s)? What attracts you to them?
I've always enjoyed these kind of stories and movies because it's an escape from reality. And the only way we can time-travel is through a story and our minds.

Generally speaking, what is the driving force behind your characters? Have any of your characters changed in dramatic way from what you imagined at the start during the writing process?
Usually the driving force for my main characters is solving a problem. My main character never changes and rarely does any of the supporting characters.

What do you find the most difficult in finishing a story and approximately how long does it take for you to write a story?
I don't have much difficulty finishing a story. The length of time to write my stories varies greatly, depending on how much time I have to write and how much research is needed for stories involving time-travel, where I spend more time with research then the writing. My first published novel Tandem Tryst took me five years to complete.

Are there other types of writing you do such as non-fiction, or short
fiction?
I've never written non-fiction, but I do have several short stories published in magazines, and they are also paranormal.

Has your writing affected you in any way and what would you recommend to
someone wanting to start writing fiction?
The down side of writing is that you can get obsessed with your story. I would recommend that writers not to put their writing over their family. I had to keep myself in check sometimes. I've known many writers in support groups that thought it was great that they wrote twenty pages every day, even on major holidays when they had company over. Not good! I live alone now and being semi-retired I have a little more time to write.

An Interview with author Katherine Pym

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Katherine Pym likes history, especially 17th century England, specifically London during the 1660's. The decade is is filled with human interest stories as the people adjust from one government to another, and all their changing rules and regulations.

Another era is the French Revolution, and she has written a novel about Camille Desmoulins, a popular pamphleteer and journalist.

Why did you start fiction writing and what genre(s) do you like to write?First, I'd like to thank you, Robin, for giving me this opportunity. I truly appreciate your generosity.

I don't know when I never wrote, but the main thrust was when my sister and I admitted we were intellectual snobs and could easily write a novel. It would be a historical romance set in France during the Revolution. Ours would be different, and great. How little did we know! My sister soon bailed but I continued which resulted in - years later - Desmoulins, a historical fiction based on a real person and his wife. At the time, everyone knew their devotion to each other, Desmoulins' peers, and today's historical community. It is a tragic love story.

Why this/these genre(s)? What attracts you to them?

Now, I write mostly 17th century London stories. For some reason the era/place is very close to me as if I've lived there and then, walked the tight lanes, smelled the coal smoke that covered everything. It also hops with all sorts of exciting historical events.

Generally speaking, what is the driving force behind your characters? Have any of your characters changed in dramatic way from what you imagined at the start during the writing process?

History is what drives my characters, how they respond to the events, i.e., the fire of 1666, the plague of 1665, the 2nd Anglo/Dutch war. My stories are about the common man who must live under these circumstances. Some of the stories are quite heady. So, in a way, my characters don't dramatically change, although one character was supposed to be a person who never allowed anyone close, but as the story unfolded she couldn't hide anymore. I couldn't stop her as she burst through the scenes, much more of an extrovert than previously envisioned.

What do you find the most difficult in finishing a story and approximately how long does it take for you to write a story?

It takes approximately 1 year from start to finish. Toward the end, I want to rush it, which makes for lost closures. I force myself to slow down and close out subplots along with the main plot.

Are there other types of writing you do such as non-fiction, or short fiction?

I've done an alternative historical fiction of Joshua and Magdalene (new age/woo-woo), and a young adult fantasy of how salt filled the seas. Lots of Celtic folklore in that one. It's quite fanciful and imaginative.

I also am in the midst of writing short stories that should meld into a novel of time travel, YA, if and when it finishes.

Has your writing affected you in any way and what would you recommend to someone wanting to start writing fiction?

Writing is my life. I don't know what I would do if I stopped. I love to research and find historical odds and ends which I then incorporate into the story. Like: one of my characters was shot. The physician brewed a medicine in the kitchen which, among other items, included boiling lily oil, worms, wine, and live puppies. It was a real medicine that apparently saved the life of a French king in the 16th century. It is called Oyl of Whelps. Once everything is boiled down, you make it into a salve and apply it to the wound.

These things, what people went through, how they made do, which we never see in the school history texts (only government policies and warfare, the discussion of battles), add to the dimensions of my characters and it adds to dimensions in my life. I wouldn't have it any other way.

As for someone who wants to start writing... I'd highly recommend them not to quit their day job. It's a lonely pursuit and hopefully anyone who tries to write likes themselves and can spend hours alone.

An Interview with author Lara MacGregor

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Why did you start fiction writing and what genre(s) do you like to
write?

I started writing at a young age because I have an artist’s soul. I needed to create things. Writing, music, and art always gave me a good way to express myself and maybe bring some happiness to other people.

As for genres, I like to read and write several types, but my favorite to write are historical fiction, romance, a dash of sci-fi, and some paranormal—especially time travel, but other types as well.

Why this/these genre(s)? What attracts you to them?

I’m a history geek, and it’s fascinating putting the values of two different eras side-by-side to see what wackiness becomes of it, hence, my love of writing time-travel novels. It’s also fun trying to come up with different methods of time travel.

As for sci-fi, I can’t get enough Star Trek and all the off-shoots. I’ve watched it all my life and love some sci-fi for this reason. That new show Orville is great. I love that I get to see a Star-Trek like setting but also get to laugh. In my time travel series Romeo Vs. Juliet, Descendants of Time, and especially in the second book of the series, The Questrist, I bring in more sci-fi. However, I prefer, overall, the way the romance genre deals with time travel over the sci-fi genre because I love happy endings.

As for paranormal, I had an unusual upbringing. Because of my mother, I saw and heard about mystical things. I learned about supernatural stuff. I grew up in a large Victorian house behind a mortuary.

 
Generally speaking, what is the driving force behind your characters?

My characters have to learn something. I strongly believe in life-long learning, but character growth is important too. The characters may be flawed, but the protagonists should have noble motives.

Have any of your characters changed in dramatic way from what you
imagined at the start during the writing process?
My characters have sometimes driven the story in a different direction than I had intended. That happens more often than the character him or herself changing dramatically. Sometimes I use character arcs to plot their discovery or growth.

I did have one character who comes to mind as being somewhat different than originally conceived of. In my contemporary romance, The Mask of Truth, the main character, Cory, is a prince banished to America as a boy for a crime he didn’t commit. Originally, he was darker and more cynical than he ended up being by the time the story was published. His bad experiences in his home country had tainted him. He was also the eldest brother in the original conception of the story. Now, he’s the middle-born prince, and is much more centered in comparison with what was first intended. I’m happy to say that Wings ePress has put out the first book and is due to release the second book of this series this July.  

What do you find the most difficult in finishing a story and approximately how long does it take for you to write a story?

I hate that I find loopholes sometimes after the story is done. Then I have to go back through the whole book to fix things and the things those things affect. I also hate cutting “brilliant” scenes because they don’t further the plot but would make awesome anecdotes to tell one’s friends about if they were real.

As for how long it takes to write a story, that varies widely. The quickest novel I ever wrote happened for a wild reason. I grew up Catholic, went to Catholic school and all, and said my share of Rosaries and Novenas. Once, the Archangel Raphael was the focus of my prayers. Shortly after, I got inspired like I had never been inspired before that or since, and wrote the novel that got me my first book deal, The 12th Kiss, put out with Wings ePress. I had studied the Regency era in England for some time before that, the novel’s setting, but suddenly, a new story came to me. I typed it faster than I ever had done before. The story came out of me in a matter of weeks—it just flew from my fingertips. I named an important character Raphael in gratitude. I put the manuscript up with a critique group for a year or so to tighten it up before submitting it for publication. Most of my novels started as shorter stories and took much longer to finish, sometimes several years. But not that one inspired novel…

Are there other types of writing you do such as non-fiction, or short
fiction?

Yes, I write flash-fiction to full-length novels, and some is non-fiction. I have also written academic history papers and wrote a thesis to top off earning my master’s degree in history. I had a giant hole in my knowledge of American history: The War of 1812, so I decided to write my thesis about that. Specifically, I compared the patriotism of American, British, and Canadian participants in the war. Some of the stuff I came across while doing research was startling.

I’ve also written history papers on subjects as varied as the Civil Rights Movement in America, The Mexican-United States War of the mid-nineteenth century, Middle-Eastern Christian immigrants to America (in honor of my family), and making a cat museum, which would highlight history through the lens of humans’ relationship to cats—there are some good stories there! My first master’s paper was a historiographical paper analyzing the writings of five-hundred years worth of historical ponderings over Richard III of England. Was he guilty of murdering his nephews, the Princes in the Tower? After sorting through those centuries of writings and reading books on the Wars of the Roses, I don’t think Richard did it. I made it the focus of my novel, The Questrist, and had my character go back in time to warn Richard about the Battle of Bosworth. History changed, and Tudor England was wiped off the map of history.

In my undergrad years, I wrote papers as varied as French cuisine in the south of France to analyzing symphonies (My B.A. is in modern languages with a minor in music).

Has your writing affected you in any way and what would you recommend to someone wanting to start writing fiction?
 
Writing and music are my driving force and keep me hopeful in this life. They allow me to be inventive and feel gratitude for being given the gift of loving them so much.

To someone just starting out, read and read a lot, and read different genres and styles. I’ve read books from different centuries and from different countries and languages. Books allow one to widen their perspective and dream. Write and join a critique group. It’s how I went from someone simply good with language to someone who understood the rules of fiction—well, I’m continuously learning. I’m lucky to have a great editor—thank you, Jeanne!

One other thing…don’t let harsh critiquers get you down. You have stories in you that no one else does, and the world would benefit from hearing them. Even if your weakness is in the execution, in other words, presenting that story, be happy about that. That’s the easiest hurdle to overcome, far easier than having to overcome a lack of imagination developed enough to write stories in the first place.

An Interview with author Michael Embry

Michael's favorite quote:
"The art of writing is the art
of discovering what you believe."
-- Gustave Flaubert

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Twitter: @MichaelEmbry


When did you start fiction writing and what genre(s) do you like to write?

I participated in a creative writing conference in 1974 but it took me another 25 years to write my first novel, "The Touch." I've since written eight more novels, falling under contemporary mainstream, murder mystery, young adult, and boomer lit genres. I like variety in reading and writing.

Why this/these genre(s)? What attracts you to them?

These genres resonate with me. I enjoy probing the thoughts and actions of characters as they unfold in my stories. My last three novels have been in the boomer lit genre, which I plan to continue because it allows me to examine my amazing generation.

Generally speaking, what is the driving force behind your characters?

The driving force is confronting unforeseen problems and trying to make sense out of everything that is happening around them. Life isn't easy as we all deal with numerous pitfalls, disappointments, and heartbreaks.

Have any of your characters changed in a dramatic way from what you imagined
at the start during the writing process?

I would say most of the characters have grown and gained courage along the way. I want my characters to come across as real and have strengths and weaknesses that are relatable to readers.

What do you find the most difficult in finishing a story and approximately how long does it take for you to write a story?

It would be wrapping up loose ends, and in writing a series, leaving a few things that will bring readers back for the next book. It generally takes me from six to twelve weeks to write the first draft, then I go through about ten rewrites before I'm ninety-nine percent satisfied with the story (are authors ever totally satisfied?). I then rely on my editor for advice on improving the novel.

 

Are there other types of writing you do such as non-fiction, or short
fiction?

I've written three non-fiction sports books (I was a sportswriter years ago) and one short-story collection. Although I've been approached, I doubt if I write any more non-fiction. However, I do plan to write another collection of short stories.

Has your writing affected you in any way and what would you recommend to
someone wanting to start writing fiction?

I believe writing helps me gain a better understanding of myself and others as I explore different areas of life. As for advice about writing fiction, I would recommend that the person read fiction, especially in the genre(s) they intend to write, and to read primers on fiction writing such as Jack M. Bickham's "The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)." I'd also suggest joining local writing groups, attending writing events, and getting to know other authors. Writing is a lifelong learning experience but it's necessary to learn the basics.

Read an excerpt of Michael Embry's latest release "New Horizons" (Release date: May 1, 2019)

An Interview with author Richard Whitten Barnes

Author Richard Barnes

Author's website

Why did you start fiction writing and what genre(s) do you like to write?

I took a night class. I was asked to join writers group and before long I had a half dozen stories. I was encouraged by the group to turn one of my stories into a book which evolved into a WWII historical fiction. I discovered that I really enjoy doing the research. Then, I had an idea for a mystery and wrote two of them before being published by Wings ePress. Since then, I go back-and-forth between the two genres.

I recently wrote MEDALLION, the story of a Norwegian commando and a young woman; an American Flyer working for the British during the second world war.
My next book is the fifth in a series. My heroine, Andy Blake, is a Canadian Provincial Police detective. STEEL TOWN is a story about the interdiction of opioids in the steel city of Sault Ste. Marie Ontario. As usual, Andy has to balance her love life and the job of catching the bad guys.

Why this/these genres? What attracts you to them?

Writing mysteries is a challenge. First you have to have a story that is interesting for the reader. Most importantly for me is crafting a good ending. I like one that is a surprise and satisfying for the reader.
Writing Historical Fiction gives me the opportunity to satisfy my own curiosity about history and my desire to put words on paper, simultaneously.

Generally speaking, what is the driving force behind your characters? Have any of your characters changed in dramatic way from what you imagined at the start during the writing process?

I would have to half of the driving force behind my characters is of their own volition. I have had characters completely change there persona by the end of the book. In one of my books the character I had meant to be a hero turned out to be the villain. There is no question, my characters have their own mind in many respects.

What do you find the most difficult in finishing a story and approximately how long does it take for you to write a story?

I have been writing since 2009, and I am just publishing my 11th book this coming June. So, a book every year has been the norm. In every case, finishing the story is the biggest challenge. I hate it when a book just stops, as if the author ran out of ideas. I enjoy reading a book that has a thoughtful ending whether that is a surprise, or just a good feeling. Achieving this is a significant challenge.

Are there other types of writing you do such as non-fiction, or short fiction?

No, although I have thought about adding to my collection of short stories and publishing them as a group.

Has your writing affected you in any way and what would you recommend to someone wanting to start writing fiction?

Writing has almost become my raison d’être. There is not a day that goes by I am not thinking about a plot line or a character. I think one needs that kind of fire in the belly to be a good writer. Writing isn’t easy. My advice to someone thinking about doing this for a career would be to ask themselves if they have that kind of dedication.

Richard Whitten Barnes, author of Historical and Mystery fiction

An Interview with Author Dorothy Bodoin

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Why did you start fiction writing and what genre(s) do you like to write?
I started writing fiction as soon as I learned to write words and draw pictures to illustrate them. In other words, before I entered elementary school; and I never stopped. I write mysteries because that’s what I always liked best to read.

Why this/these genres? What attracts you to them?
As I grew older and after seeing the movie, Jane Eyre, I was attracted to the Gothic elements in mystery stories. They still fascinate me, along with old science-fiction movies such as The Day the Earth Stood Still and Where Have All the People Gone?

Generally speaking, what is the driving force behind your characters? Have any of your characters changed in dramatic way from what you imagined at the start during the writing process?

My heroine, along with other characters in my series, is driven to help collies in distress and their people, while her husband, Deputy Sheriff Crane Ferguson, has dedicated his life to keeping law and order in his corner of the world. My readers tell me that Jennet has changed over the course of the series. They find her bolder, more willing to take risks, more humorous, and they think she has more confidence in herself. One day I’ll reread my series and see if I can detect these changes.
The first book in my series, Darkness at Foxglove Corners, was intended to be a stand-alone so I didn’t give much thought to how Jennet's character would change.

What do you find the most difficult in finishing a story and approximately how long does it take for you to write a story?

Maintaining enthusiasm for a project is the most difficult aspect of the writing process for me. It takes from four to five months for me to finish a book, depending on what interruptions life throws at me.

Are there other types of writing you do such as non-fiction, or short fiction?
I only write full-length books because I rarely read short stories. I like to spend more time with my characters than the short length allows.

Has your writing affected you in any way and what would you recommend to someone wanting to start writing fiction?

I was always on the introverted side, and my writing has made me more so. I’m happiest when I can stay home and concentrate on my work-in-progress.

I’d advise any one aspiring to write fiction to read. Read in your chosen genre and read anything else that catches your interest. I learned the craft of writing from books like the late Phyllis A. Whitney’s Guide to Fiction Writing and articles in The Writer. Also I studied the work of other writers. If I were beginning a career in fiction writer, I’d take advantage of the many sources for writers on the Internet, including online classes given by successful authors.