Wednesday Writer ~ Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen

Author Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen

Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen was born and raised in Rexburg, Idaho, received her Associates Degree in English from Ricks College and studied writing at Weber State University and Utah State University. Her first article was published in a 1994 magazine, and she has since published numerous articles and short stories in print and online mediums. Her first mystery novel, MISSING, was published in 2009, and her second novel, TRAPPED, will be available in stores next month.

CRW: Welcome, Ronda, to Writers Mirror. It is a pleasure to have you be the Wednesday Writer today on Writers Mirror.

Ronda: Thanks, Cindy. I’ve been looking forward to this moment.

CRW: Please tell us when you first began to write?

Ronda: I’ve been “writing” since the 6th grade, but my first published article came out in a 1994 magazine.

CRW: What inspires you to write?

Ronda: The hunger to write, no matter what. But I also have a strong desire to write books that “lift” my readers. Too few people realize how important their goodness is to this world.

CRW: Do you try to write daily, and if so, do you set a goal of a certain number of words?

Ronda: I try to write 5-6 days a week. I usually try to write as much as I can within the time I have. Sometimes that time involves research and planning, so it’s hard to plan a number of words. Not an excuse, I promise. Just the way it is for me at this point in my career.

CRW: What gets in your way of writing?

Ronda: Any and all other responsibilities. Honestly, the desire to write is so strong in me that I have to make myself do other things. I do better, however, if my schedule allows me to write in the morning. That way I don’t feel as guilty the rest of the day about not writing.

CRW: How do you get past it?

Ronda: If I’m having a crazy busy day, then I try to AT LEAST write down ideas or even a sentence or two on my WIP.

CRW: What makes you CRAZY about writing? Both crazy good and crazy bad.

Ronda: By crazy do you mean obsessed? I think I am a bit obsessed about writing which brings the good and bad that goes with that “condition.” But you know, it wasn’t until “MISSING” came out and I began
to have overwhelmed moments piled on top of overwhelmed moments (mostly related to promotion) that I actually thought “Why am I doing this?” The thought didn’t last long, though.

CRW: Where is the weirdest place you have worked on a writing project?

Ronda: My husband’s apartment in China. I don’t consider my car during my kids’ soccer practices as weird, because I think that kind of thing is becoming the norm among mom-writers.

CRW: How long does it take you to complete a book?

Ronda: “MISSING” took 3 years because it was my first and I had a huge learning curve. I also extensively rewrote it three or more times. “TRAPPED” took 1 ½ years. I’m hoping my 3rd will take me less than that. Experience helps a lot.

CRW: Where do you get your ideas for your books?

Ronda: To me, ideas are everywhere, just floating around us, waiting for someone to snatch them up. For instance, my first novel, “MISSING,” came from a man/child exchange I saw in a parking lot. “TRAPPED” was the union of two vivid dreams. The book I’m working on now has bits and pieces from a few shows I saw on the History Channel.

CRW: Where do you get your character’s names?

Ronda: I usually have an idea of who my characters are, so I go through Baby Name books and find those that mean something similar to my characters. I then work with those names until I find one that feels right.

CRW: What is your favorite writing food?

Ronda” If I’m under stress, I gravitate to chocolate.

CRW: What do you do when you get writer’s block?

Ronda: I’m rarely blocked in the sense that I can’t think of anything to write. When I get stuck in a scene or something, though, I read, brainstorm, research—just anything along that line that might “show” me what to do next.

CRW: Tell us about your upcoming book “Trapped."

Ronda: Like my first novel, “MISSING,” “TRAPPED” is a romantic suspense novel. However, it’s different than anything else I’ve ever written because it includes a hint of paranormal fantasy—no ghosts, though. “TRAPPED” was originally scheduled to come out later this year, but my publisher pushed it up to April. That makes two novels for me within 6 months. Whew!

CRW: Who is your publisher?

Ronda: Walnut Springs Press.

CRW: Please give us your best “Elevator Pitch” for "Trapped."

Ronda: When Emi Warrin, a sheltered, twenty-three-year-old Florida girl, wakens to find a thief in her room, she has no idea that the "trap" he left behind will eventually lead her and the man she loves to the Austrian Alps. Nor does she know that she's the powerful Firstborn. She's destined to face a world of betrayal and pagan sacrifice to save herself, her family, and the generations who come after her.

CRW: Please tell us more about "Missing."

Ronda: “MISSING” is an LDS novel about a BYU-Idaho student who’s on a choir tour in British Columbia when she spots a kidnapped child from her own hometown in Rexburg, Idaho. The story is the hunt to save the girl and includes a bit of romance with a handsome musician along the way

CRW: Where can Writers Mirror Readers purchase your novels?

Ronda: “TRAPPED” hasn’t been released yet, but I believe it will be available in the same places you find “MISSING.” “MISSING” is available online at Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, and other retailers. It’s also in Deseret Book and independent bookstores where LDS books are sold. You can find direct links to it on my website at rondahinrichsen.com.

CRW: Okay, now here is the toughie. Why are you a writer?

Ronda: Actually, that’s easy. I’m a writer because that’s what I do. It’s who I am. If I don’t write, I feel like my day Isn’t quite complete.

CRW: What would be the best complement you could receive from a reader?

Ronda: These are two of my favorite responses: ‘I couldn’t put it down!’ and ‘You made me cry.’ But you know, if I’m hearing from someone face-to-face, I also love the excited look in their eyes when they ask me when my next book is coming out.

CRW: Where can we read more about you or contact you, such as website or blog sites?

Ronda: My website is rondahinrichsen.com. I also have two main blogs I write for. One is about writing related topics on thewriteblocks.blogspot.com. The other contains information about my travels as well as serious articles I’ve written for yourLDSneighborhood.com.

CRW: Thank you for sharing this with us on Writers Mirror.

Ronda: Anytime, Cindy. It’s been fun!

Wednesday Writer - Author Nichole Giles

Author: Nichole Giles and her books:

"Mormon Mishaps and Mischief"

and

"The Sharp Edge of the Knife"

Nichole Giles was born in Nevada, raised in Arizona, and graduated high school in Utah. Her early career plans included becoming a megastar actress or rock star, but she decided instead to have a family and then become a writer, in that order. Writing is her passion, but she also loves to spend time with her family, travel, drive in the rain with the convertible top down, and play music at full volume so she can sing along.

CRW: Welcome, Nichole, to Writers Mirror. It is really great to interview you today. Where do you usually do most of your writing?

Nichole: We have a den, but my kids have taken over the computer in there, so I usually opt to hide out in my bedroom with a laptop. It works for me.

CRW: Do you try to write daily, and if so, do you set a goal of a certain number of words or a certain amount of time?

Nichole: You know, I have four kids, including teenagers, so while I do write every day, that writing isn't always on a work in progress. Some days I'm happy to clean out my inbox and write blogs. But I try to make some kind of progress every day, and as long as I do that, I feel like I'm moving forward.

CRW: What gets in your way of writing?

Nichole: My kids, our schedule, the other parts of life like laundry and making dinner. But I will say that I often give up sleep in order to find a few minutes for writing.

CRW: How do you get past it?

Nichole: Sometimes, I don't sleep. Other times, I write on a notebook while I'm on the go. One of these days I hope to hire a housekeeper to take care of my house while I write--but until then, I take things one day at a time.

CRW: What makes you CRAZY about writing?

Nichole: Crazy as in I love it or crazy as in drives me nuts?

CRW: You choose.

Nichole: I love writing because it's a great channel for emotions, and because I get to live in another world for a little while every day. But it sometimes drives me crazy when I have characters having conversations in my head while I'm trying to concentrate on other things.

CRW: Where is the weirdest place you have worked on a writing project?

Nichole: I've been known to edit at half time during soccer games, and have also worked on things in airports and on planes.

CRW: How long does it take you to complete a book?

Nichole: It depends on the book. I work on several projects at a time, and usually an entire book takes me between a year and two years to complete and edit. But I'm talking from conception to conclusion and everything in between.

CRW: Where do you get your ideas for your books?

Nichole: From everything in life. Look around! The world is full of ideas.

CRW: Where do you get your character’s names?

Nichole: Some of them come to me already named. But when they don't, I have a huge character naming book that I pour through until I've found just the right names.

CRW: What is your favorite writing food?

Nichole: It depends on the day. Sometimes it's chocolate, but sometimes black licorice.

CRW: Tell us about your books.

Nichole: Mormon Mishaps and Mischief is an anthology of 200 short stories about the silly things people do in and around church meetings and activities. It's available everywhere LDS Books are sold.

The Sharp Edge of a Knife is based on the true story of my grandpa, who was kidnapped in 1958 by two convicts on the run. The men planned to kill him, but through his faith and spiritual promptings he managed to change the outcome of the experience. This book is available on Amazon, and will hopefully make it into stores soon.

CRW: Who are your publishers?

Nichole: Mormon Mishaps and Mischief was published by Cedar Fort, Inc. And The Sharp Edge of a Knife by Golden Wings Enterprises.

CRW: Please give us your best “Elevator Pitch” for one of your books.

Nichole: When Mel Petersen leaves for work on the morning of February 7, 1958, he has no idea what awaits him when he picks up a pair of young men who appear to be college students. What Mel doesn’t know is that the men are actually convicts on the run, who are desperate to get away by any means necessary. When one of his passengers holds a knife to Mel’s throat, he has no choice but to submit to the demands of the criminals. Mel hopes he has what it takes to talk his captors into letting him live, but fears they will kill him before he has the chance.

CRW: Why are you a writer? Loaded question I know since you need to state it in only a few sentences.

Nichole: Because I love literature, I love creating mental pictures, and because it's the only way to silence the voices in my head.

CRW: Who do you hope reads your work?

Nichole: Everyone who might find something valuable in it. And possibly a few people who will read it just for the sake of enjoyment.

CRW: What would be the best complement you could receive from a fan?

Nichole: Oh wow. Um, how about something like, "Your book helped me..."

CRW: Where can we read more about you or contact you, such as website or blog sites?

Nichole: My blog is www.nicholegiles.blogspot.com, and my website is www.nicholegiles.com.

CRW: Thank you for sharing this with us on Wednesday Writers.

Nichole: Thanks for having me. I enjoyed this interview.

###

Wednesday Writer ~ ANWA Writer's Conference

If you are ready to take your writing serious, you won't want to miss the ANWA Writer's Conference. It is one of the best in the west, with some very big names in the business and the cost is about a third of most other writer's conferences.

ANNOUNCING THE ANWA 2010
WRITER'S CONFERENCE
"Start Write Now"

Open to all writers on this or any other planet.

The 2010 ANWA Writers Conference

Saturday, February 27, 2010
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Dobson Ranch Inn,

1666 South Dobson Road

Mesa, Arizona 85202-5699

 Register at
http://anwa-lds.com/conference.html

Discounted Hotel reservations available on the above registration site or by calling Dobson Inn Ranch Directly at 480-831-7000 or 1-800-528-1356 http://www.dobsonranchinn.com/

Keynote Speaker
 J. Scott Savage
Author of the "Farworld" Series

Aprilynne Pike

New York Times best-selling Author of “Wings”

Doug Johnston
Publicist Extraordinaire

 

Nancy E. Turner
Author of “These is My Words”

Dr. Pamela Goodfellow

Writing Coach, Editor and Owner of Goodfellow Publishing Services

Sara Fujimura
Author and Magazine Writer

Helen Bair
Counselor and Author of “Finding the Healer in Me”

Marsha Ward
Author of the “Owen Family” Series

Book signings at end of conference

Early Registration 
General Public:  $75 before February 7, 2010
ANWA Members $60
After Feb. 7 add $5

Cost includes Catered Lunch

For questions contact, the ANWA 2010 Conference Chair Person, Cindy R. Williams at cindywilliams@q.com or Conference Registrar, Krista Darrach at kristadarrach@yahoo.com

Wednesday Writer ~ Liz Adair

Liz Adair, Author of "Counting the Cost"

Though Liz Adair lives in the Pacific Northwest, she has desert in her DNA. Born in New Mexico, she graduated from high school and college in Arizona before heading north to moister climes. Liz began writing seriously when most of her seven children were grown. She has published six books and is currently working on a screenplay of her latest novel, Counting the Cost.

CRW: Welcome Liz to Writers Mirror. It is really great to interview you today.

Liz: It’s nice to be interviewed. I’ve been in awe of your energy and outreach ever since we met at a writers retreat three years ago.

CRW: Thanks Liz. I remember meeting you too, and how I was in awe at how well you had it all together. Okay, now some questions so all can get to know you better. What inspires you to write?

Liz: It’s just something I gotta do. You know, fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly.

CRW: Liz has got to write. Do you try to write daily, and if so, do you set a goal of a certain number of words?

Liz: If I’m in the middle of a project I try to write at least five days a week. The only goal I set is to get the dang thing done.

CRW: What gets in your way of writing?

Liz: Family, work, inertia, life. There’s lots to get in the way, but people in my life are really supportive. They always ask if I’m busy before breaking into my day.

CRW: Wow, I'm impressed. People still think I am just playing.  How do you get past it?

Liz: I don’t. I embrace it. So it might take a few extra months to get something written. The things that get in the way are important, too.

CRW: Well said. What makes you CRAZY about writing?

Liz: Missing obvious mistakes in something I’ve proofread a hundred times.

CRW: Where is the weirdest place you have worked on a writing project?

Liz: Sitting alongside a sewage lagoon in Chewelah, Washington. I wrote After Goliath while my husband was managing a job building a wastewater treatment plant. I worked with him, part time, and the rest of the time I sat in the job shack and pounded out the manuscript.

CRW: How long does it take you to complete a book?

Liz: The quickest I have written a book was four months, but I was able to work that one it full time. Since I still am employed, a more comfortable length of time is nine months.

CRW: Where do you get your ideas for your books?

Liz: Everywhere. From family history, from the newspaper, from standing in line at the post office, from the things that get in the way of my writing.

CRW: The line at the Post Office. Good idea. Where do you get your character’s names?

Liz: I take a lot of my surnames from family history. If I hear a name I particularly like, I file it away—which does no good, because I can’t remember where I filed it. When it finally surfaces, I can’t remember the reason I kept it, but, hey, it’s a pretty good name, I’ll stick it on this current hero.

CRW: What is your favorite writing food?

Liz: Diet Pepsi with fresh lime.


CRW: Liz, Please tell us about your book “Counting the Cost.”

Liz: This story arc is taken from family history—a family secret, really, that my mother told me just before she died. This book is different from the other books I’ve written in a couple ways: First, my other books are lite fare. Both the mysteries and the romance are nice little puzzles, mini-vacations. They’re fluff. Counting the Cost has more substance to it. Secondly, my other books were all carefully plotted, outlined, written. Counting the Cost just welled up inside of me and poured out my fingers.

Oh, did I mention that Counting the Cost was an award finalist in USA Book News’ “National Best Books 2009” award?

CRW: Congratulations!  I also saw it listed in a contest for book trailers. If any of you readers would like to vote, go to http://www.yougottareadvideos.blogspot.com/  Good luck with that. Who is your publisher?

Liz: Inglestone Publishing. Cecily Markland’s company.

CRW: I have to tell you a quick story about Cecily. At our ANWA (American Night Writers Association) meeting in December, we drew numbers for white elephant gifts, and I drew the gift Cecily brought. It was a 1900? Olympia manual typwrite in it's orinal case. It's in perfect condition with a working ribbon and all. I am absolutely tickled! My children are fascinated by it. Cecily gave the ultimate cool gift for a writer!

Back to your book Liz, please give us your best “Elevator Pitch” for the book.

Liz: Set in Depression-era New Mexico, Counting the Cost is the story of a cowboy and a socialite from back east who defy convention and run away together. Though they love one another desperately, she isn’t bred to be a cowhand’s wife, and he can’t leave the range. It is only when disaster strikes that each learns what is really important.

CRW: I read the book, and also bought one for my Mom. We both enjoyed it. Where can Writers Mirror Readers purchase it?

Liz: Counting the Cost can be bought from Inglestone Publishing. Here’s a link: http://inglestonepublishing.com/index.php?cmd=display&pg=bookstore

or from Amazon.com. Link: http://www.amazon.com/Counting-Cost-Liz-Adair/dp/0977881466/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260248082&sr=8-1

You can see the trailer for Counting the Cost at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moiORkCKbYM

CRW: I left the email links with all the info on them instead of imbedding them. Sometimes a reader's computer will not pull up the link, so this way, if you are interested, you have it all. What other books do you have available?

Liz: The three Spider Latham Mysteries are out of print, but you can buy them at the Inglestone web site book store.

The Mist of Quarry Harbor is available at Deseret Book. Link: http://deseretbook.com/item/4736270/The_Mist_of_Quarry_Harbor

                          

Lucy Shook’s Letters from Afghanistan is available at www.swanforhumanity.com One hundred per cent of sales of that book go to fund humanitarian outreach.

                         

CRW: Who do you hope reads your work?

Liz: The person sitting beside me on the plane the next time I fly somewhere. That’s my fantasy, to get on the plane and see someone reading a book I’ve written.

CRW:  That would be incredible.  What would be the best complement you could receive from a fan?

Liz: “I loved your book.” It’s trite, but it sounds new each time I hear it.

CRW: Where can we read more about you or contact you, such as website or blog sites?

Liz: My website is www.lizadair.net

My blog is www.sezlizadair.blogspot.com

My email address is writer.lizadair@gmail.com

CRW: Thank you for sharing this with us on Wednesday Writers.

Liz: Thank you for asking me. It’s been fun.
I repeat. Thank you for asking me!

CRW:  My pleasure!

Wednesday Writer ~ Tina Scott

Tina Scott

Tina Scott, an award winning writer and artist gets her inspiration from life, but her tales gain a creative edge after taking a spin through her imagination. With seven kids and a handfull of grandkids, she has plenty of inspiration to keep her imagination alive.

CRW: Welcome, Tina, to Writers Mirror. It is really great to interview you today.

Tina: It's fun to have an interview, Cindy. Thanks.

CRW: No, thank you!  Okay Tina, tell us what inspires you to write?

Tina: Life--writing has always been a part of me.

CRW: Do you try to write daily, and if so, do you set a goal of a certain number of words?

Tina: I do like to write daily. I'm not good at setting word-count goals though--I spend all of my time checking to see how many words I've written.

CRW: What gets in your way of writing?

Tina: My family--but that's a good thing. If it weren't for them I'd probably stay sequestered in my writing room and never see the light of day.

CRW: How do you get past, through or around it and still make your writing happen?

Tina: When I don't have time to sit down to write, such as during the holidays, I am still thinking of my current WIP. I stop and make notes of ideas that come to me so that when I do have time, I have more to go from.

CRW: What makes you CRAZY about writing?

Tina: Trying to get published. I've been trying to get an agent for a year now.

CRW: Where is the weirdest place you have worked on a writing project?

Tina: From bed. I keep a notebook, a pen, and a flashlight by my bed. On a good night I have to force myself to sleep.

CRW: How long does it take you to complete a book?

Tina: I wrote the rough draft for my 230 page fairy novel in four months. My main character had a lot to say and I had to work hard to keep up with her.

CRW: By the way, Tina placed in a First Chapter Contest with this very fairy novel. I love fairies Tina, so am looking forward to you publishing this book. I always love when an author listens to the character.  Others probably think we are crazy, but they really do talk.

CRW: Where do you get your character’s names?

Tina: All over. When I wrote my fairy novel--she told me her name.

CRW: There's that talking character again. What is your favorite writing food?

Tina: I don't generally eat while writing--it takes my consentration away from my goal.

CRW: Good habit. Chocolate tends to inspire me.  Tina, please tell us about your book(s).”

Tina: I have self-published a children's picture book. It's a tale about a coyote who has a dream--how he saves the day and also makes his dream come true. My sister-in-law, an accomplished artist, did the illustrations.

CRW: Who did you use to publish it?

Tina: I self published through Instantpublisher.com

CRW: Please give us your best “Elevator Pitch” for the book.

Tina: Coyote dreams of flying, but in real life his efforts are disastrous. Through hard work and imagination, Coyote learns how to make his dream come true.

CRW: Where can Writers Mirror Readers purchase it?

Tina: Through my blog, or on my website.

CRW:  Tina's website and blog are listed at the end of the interview.
 
CRW: What other books do you have available?

Tina: I recently published another children's picture book called When I Grow Up. It's a short, rhyming story that empowers children to make right choices and let them know that their options are limitless.

CRW: Sounds like a good book for all. Okay, here is the deep question. Why are you a writer?

Tina: I've wanted to be a writer since first grade. After my youngest child started school, so did I. It was through my college English class that this dream re-surfaced. Shortly after that, I found ANWA through a newspaper ad. It really is a part of me.

CRW:  For readers unfamiliar with ANWA, it is the national writing group called American Night Writers Association. I currently serve as the General Treasurer, and will take this opportunity now to blatantly invite everyone reading this and interested in writing to come to the wonderful ANWA Writers Conference on Saturday, February 27th, 2010. To learn more or to register, Google ANWA.

CRW: Okay Tina, my commercial for ANWA is over.  Please tell us you who do you hope reads your work?

Tina: I hope to eventually find publishers for my novels so that everyone who wants can read them. My children's picture books were published with my children and grandchildren in mind.

CRW: What would be the best complement you could receive from a fan?

Tina: I've had several people who purchased copies of my Coyote tale tell me that their children want them to read it over and over again. That brings me a lot of joy and satisfaction.

CRW: Good for you Tina.  Time to list your contact info.
Tina: http://www.totallytinascott.blogspot.com/ and my web site, http://www.tinascott.net/

CRW: Tina, we thank you for sharing some of your writing thoughts with us on Wednesday Writers.

Tina: It's been a lot of fun. Thanks for inviting me here.

Wednesday Writer ~ Valerie Steimle

Valerie Steimle

Valerie J. Steimle is not your average person. She was born into a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York, converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints when she was nine. She graduated from Ricks College in '79 and then attended Brigham Young University. She then went on to marry Robert Steimle at 21 and then had nine children. She has homeschooled all of her children with Robert during sometime in their life and also started writing for newspapers about family issues. She became a widow in 2006 as Robert passed away suddenly in his sleep after being married for 25 years.

CRW:  Welcome, Valerie, to Writers Wednesday on Writers Mirror.

Valerie:  Thank you so much for interviewing me. I love talking about my books.

CRW:  Let’s start with your book called "Of One Heart: Being Single in the LDS World." When will it be available?

Valerie:   It is available now on Amazon.com.

CRW:  Who’s your publisher?

Valerie:  They are called Createspace.com. It is a self-publishing company put out and run by Amazon.com.

CRW:  Please give us your best “Elevator Pitch” for the book.

Valerie:  Being single in a predominately married LDS world has great challenges. My book will help anyone who is single or knows a single friend to overcome these challenges.

CRW:  How do we find your  book on Amazon.com?

Valerie:  Type my name Valerie J. Steimle on Amazon.com and three books will come up. You can also go to my website, http://www.strengthenyourhome.com/.


CRW:  Excellent.  What are the titles of your other two books?
 
Valerie:  "Home Is Where the Heart Is" and "Home Is Where the Learning Is.: Homeschool Lifestyles from Homeschool Moms."
 
CRW:  What inspires you to write?
 
Valerie:  I started writing when there was an injustice occuring where I was living in San Diego. I see injustices all the time in family and social issues in our culture all the time, so I feel compelled to write about them. It's very theraputic.

CRW:  Do you try to write daily, and if so, do you set a goal of a certain number of words?

Valerie:  Yes, I do try to write daily but I don't set a word goal. I work on different manuscripts and ideas I have for several hours a day. Word counts can put too much pressure on me and I get writer's block so I set my writing time to 2 to 3 hours a day.

CRW:  What gets in your way of writing?

Valerie:  That's a good question. Life itself. Children, new husband, my responsibilities at church and homeschooling. There is a lot going on.

CRW:  How do you get past it?

Valerie:  I take my down time at the computer. I finally have an office in my home so I can close the door and write for a while.

CRW:  What makes you CRAZY about writing?

Valerie:  I love, love, love the publishing world. It is fascinating to me. I love that people will read my books and tell me it helped them in some way or they enjoyed what I had to say. It is so satisfying.

CRW:  So this is crazy good then, not crazy bad.  Where is the weirdest place you have worked on a writing project?

Valerie:  When I have to watch soccer games, wait at the doctor's office, or wait to pick up children, I always have a pad of paper to write down or work on a project. I do love watching my boys play soccer but there is a lot of in between time that I sit pondering so I write.

CRW:  How long does it take you to complete a book?

Valerie:  Usually about a year. I have one just coming out in a few weeks as well called "Dogs, Blogs, and Hobbits: Writings from a Widow's Perspective" also on Amazon.

CRW:  Where do you get your ideas for your books?

Valerie:  Living life. So much can be written about the experiences we have living in a family. I also write about what happens in our country politically and how it affects families.

CRW:  What is your favorite writing food?

Valerie:  Ooooo. Something crunchy ususally. I'm a health nut so I get wheat crackers or something nutritional. I have also been known to sometimes hide a bag of cheese doodles in my desk drawer.

CRW:  Why are you a writer?

Valerie:  It is the best way for me to express myself. It is just something within me that I have to do. I think other writers can understand this.

CRW:  Who do you hope reads your work?

Valerie:  Everyone!!!! My books are for everyone and I hope it will help them in some way. I feel close to becoming a best seller author!!!!

CRW:  What would be the best complement you could receive from a fan?

Valerie:  I get emails from fans and I never get tired of hearing how my books have helped them in some way. It is very rewarding. My homeschool book probably gets me the most complements.

CRW:  Where can we read more about you or contact you, such as website or blog sites?

Valerie:  My website is www.strengthenyourhome.com and you can email me at valeriesteimle@yahoo.com. Once again, my website is  http://www.strengthenyourhome.com/. My website also has a link to my blog.

CRW:  Thank you for sharing with us on Wednesday Writers.

Valerie:  Thank you for inviting me to talk about what I love. I really appreciate it.

Wednesdays Writer ~ Tanya Parker Mills

Tanya Parker Mills

Tanya Parker Mills grew up overseas, and the stories she writes inevitably reflect the clashes of culture, religion, and values that her LDS family witnessed, first-hand. Her first novel, "The Reckoning," (set in Baghdad, Iraq, where she lived for five years as a child) was a 2008 Whitney Finalist in two categories and won the Indie Book Award for Multicultural Fiction. She lives and writes in Richland, Washington, sustained by her husband, two children, two cats, and a continual supply of M&M's.

CRW:  Writers Mirror welcomes Tanya Parker Mills as our special guest on  Wednesday's Writer.

Tanya:  Hi Cindy.

CRW:  Hi Tanya, I know you have an interesting and vairied background that gives you much to draw from for your writing. Please tell us about it so we can begin to get to know you.

Tanya:  Shortly after my parents got married, my Dad had a choice: go to work for this new broadcasting company called NBC...or work for the government's newest agency--the CIA. Guess which acronym he went for? Of course, I didn't find out about his undercover work 'till I was getting ready to go off to BYU. It certainly lent a new perspective to our years abroad in Greece, Turkey, and Iraq! (By the time we went to Lebanon, where I finished high school, he had left the agency and gone "legitimate," as they say.)

CRW:  Wow!  What stories your Dad could tell, that is if he was allowed to tell them. No wonder you have so much to write about. What inspires you to write?

Tanya:  Knowledge. Ever since I was a kid, I loved reading encyclopedias and you can get a ton of ideas for stories simply by reading history and biography. I find that when I come across an interesting fact or piece of history, I simply have to start writing about it in some way, in order to better understand and remember it. (It was also my best method for studying in school.)

CRW:  You must have been a great student with such interesting study methods.  Do you try to write daily, and if so, do you set a goal of a certain number of words?

Tanya:  Yes, except on Sundays...but even on Sundays, I try to post to my blog. I try and write from 9 am to 11 am (except on Wednesdays when we go to the temple...then I write from 11 am to noon), when my mind is freshest. I shoot for 3-5 pages, but don't always make it.

CRW:  What gets in your way of writing?

Tanya:  Not my husband. He knows not to bother me during those hours. Now our cat, Peach, is a different matter (He's high maintenance, unlike our other cat, Anastasia). I'll be in the middle of a really good scene and he'll come and jump up and park himself right in front of the monitor.

CRW:  Looks like Peach got caught here in this picture, but that he really doesn't care.  So much like all the cats I know. So what do you do with the feline situtation?

Tanya:  I have to call out to Michael to come and take Peach away.

CRW:  What makes you CRAZY about writing, other than Peach?

Tanya:  I can't turn the story off in my head sometimes. Today, for example, I was sitting reverently in the temple and suddenly I found myself second guessing the way I'd written a particular scene in my current story. Bad girl!!! I had to really double down to refocus on the session.

CRW:  How long does it take you to complete a book?

Tanya:  Too long! I hear about all these other authors who put out a book every year. "The Reckoning" really took me four years. And I've been working on this second one now for three years (though I really stopped working on it for a year or more, so I'm not sure that should count). Barbara Kingsolver is my hero...she takes her time with her books, too. (Of course, she's famous and can afford to!)

CRW:  You have already told us about your rich background, but where else do you get your ideas for your books?

Tanya:  Things that have happened to me...things I read about. "The Reckoning" is somewhat autobiographical in that I spent part of my childhood in Baghdad and some of Theresa's memories were mine (some, not all!)...also, I have temporal lobe epilepsy like Theresa and something similar to the opening chapter occurred to me.
          Now, the idea for my current novel, "Laps" came during a walk past all the homes with pools in our previous neighborhood in Southern California. I got another idea for an historical novel from listening to an NPR broadcast.

CRW:  Where do you get your character’s names?

Tanya:  I need to improve in this area. For my first novel, I picked names that seemed to fit my characters, but they're not very memorable names (at least not the American or Canadian ones). I gave it a little more thought for "Laps," particularly with regard to surnames, striving for some symbolism.

CRW:  What is your favorite writing food?

Tanya:  M&M's, hands down. I couldn't have finished the first two drafts of "The Reckoning" in 3 months without huge bags of M&M's. (I dieted later.)

CRW:  I love it. Chocolate seems to be the number one writing food!  But, some of us don't bother with the diet afterwords, 'cause there is no afterwords. Why are you a writer?

Tanya:  Because I think best and communicate best through my fingers.

CRW:  This gives an extra meaning to the sense of touch. Who do you hope reads your work?

Tanya:  Everyone! But if you mean a particular person or group of people, then I'd have to say all Americans who have never lived abroad. I'm not aiming my work at the LDS market, though I'd love to have LDS readers, because I want to help bridge the gap between LDS and non-LDS, and I think I can do that best by writing for the mainstream in a way that hopefully reflects my values.

CRW:  I love your philosophy. We need to reach out with good works. What would be the best complement you could receive from a fan?

Tanya:  "Your book really taught me something about _______ that I didn't know before.

CRW:  That would be nice.  What is the topic of the project you are now writing?

Tanya:  Asperger's Syndrome.

CRW:  Please tell us more about it.

Tanya:  I have a son diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, and so I wanted to write a story about an undiagnosed adult who comes to better understand herself when she crosses paths with such a child.

CRW:  That sounds like a very much needed book and tough to write sinse it is so close to the heart. Good luck with it.  Please tell us about the current book you are actively marketing.

Tanya:  Even though "The Reckoning" was published last year, I'm still marketing this story of an American journalist who gets imprisoned in Iraq before the U.S. invasion. While in prison, she gradually comes to realize that one of her captors is connected to the death of her father years before in a Baghdad prison. It's a real page-turner and I'm hoping to put together a good book trailer for it in the next couple of months that will help garner attention on YouTube.

CRW:  Please give us your elevator pitch.

Tanya:  An American journalist sneaks over the border into northern Iraq with her cameraman to get a story before the U.S. invasion, but they get captured and turned over to Iraq's secret police. Denied her epilepsy medication, she begins to have vision flashbacks of events from her expatriate childhood there and, gradually, she comes to realize one of her captors is connected with the death of her father years ago in a Baghdad prison. Will she get to the bottom of the mystery and somehow escape before the bombing begins? "The Reckoning" is a tale of love, betrayal, and redemption so full of twists and turns that you won't want to put it down.

CRW:  Where can our readers go to buy your book?

Tanya: Amazon.com for now. "The Reckoning" is also available on Kindle.

CRW:  Thank you for sharing with us on Wednesday Writers. For more information about Tanya Parker Mills see the sites below.

Tanya's website: www.tanyaparkermills.com
Tanya's blog: http://tpmills.wordpress.com

BOOK REVIEW ~ An Angel on Main Street by Kathi Oram Peterson

Today on Writers Mirror is a book review of "An Angel on Main Street," by Kathi Oram Peterson. The back cover blurb gives a good synposis and hook.

          Micah Conners promised his mother he would be good in his new town. But with Christmas being only three days away, being escorted home by the sheriff does not bode well.  Can the towering office be trusted not to tell what happened?  Perhaps the ramshackle stable that has appeared on Main Street will side track him from spilling the day's events--or maybe his interest in Micah's widowed mother would do the trick.  The last thing Dawn Conners needs is to hear her son is in trouble.  She has enough to worry about with her husband gone and her daughter, Annie, ill. 
          Even though Micah has told his sister the rustic structure in the middle of town is simply part of the town's decorations, Annie is sure that unseen angels are building the crude stable--which means baby Jesus is coming, and He can make her better.  Terrified that his little sister might die, Micah vows to find the baby Jesus for Annie, even if it is only a plastic doll.  But as Micah gets nearer to his goal he finds that angels are closer than he ever would have believed.  

The blurb sounded interesting. I thumbed through the 100 page book published by Covenant Communications and thought it looked like a nice clean read.  What I didn't count on was getting so involved in the story that I forgot to focus on reviewing the book.  I just enjoyed it.  I won't spoil the ending, but I did find the book page turning and my eyes moist.

Kathi has a clear writing voice. Her characters are strong and most of them quite likable.  I have always tried to out think the author as I read. I usually figure out 'who done it' by about half way through a book. This time I didn't figure it out until about three quarters of the way.  The only thing that seemed a bit out of whack was that several times Micah drew very adult conclusions and I had to double check that it was Micah saying or thinking these thoughts.  Overall the entire book is a masterpiece in creating human emotions in both the characters and the reader.

The responsibly Micah feels toward his mother and sister is touching. His character shines through and shows that Micah is a good kid deep inside.  The feeling extended beyond the book to include most youth. It is a comforting message that we have some wonderful young people in this troubled world.

The town sounds like a great place to live and has a good variety and flavor of people. Kathi allows her characters to achieve a good growth arch. She includes just enough physical and character hints that each of them come alive.  They become real people, people you care about, people you want to know. One of my favorite characters was Kora, the quirky owner of the greasy spoon. Every respectable town needs a flamboyant Kora with her crazy earings for every season.

I highly recommend this book as a heart warming Christmas story. It's the whole package. It's a wonderful journey of wondering if God loves us, then why do bad things happen to good people. In "An Angel on Main Street", Kathi shows us just how much God truly does love us. 

"An Angel on Main Street" is deserving of  FIVE GOLD STARS!

   

Wednesday Writer ~ Connie Wolfe

Writers Mirror welcomes Connie Wolfe as our Wednesday Writer.  Connie is a member of ANWA, American Night Writers Association. She has been writing for many years.  Though yet to be putlished, she is an excellent writer and will someday soon be out there.   

CRW:  Welcome Connie, what inspires you to write?

Connie:  I sometimes notice little things that trigger a scene for me. For instance, the other day in the grocery store there was a man with his little boy (about 5). The little boy looked up at his Daddy with an expression of pure hero worship and his father returned with a look I can only describe as gentle love. In my mind I imagined them as a divorced father who missed his time with his boy and took full advantage of his visitation rights. Since I am divorced and do not see a good relationship between my sons and their father, this really struck me as sweet and noteworthy. I’d love to write something that would inspire father’s everywhere to appreciate their children and to live so that their children could always look up to them with that same worshipful expression.

CRW:  Do you set time or word goals daily for your writing?

Connie:  I don’t do very well at setting a daily word goal. I tend to write by scenes, not words. When I have a scene fixed in my mind, I like to sit down, close my eyes, and just let it pour out my fingertips onto the keyboard. It isn’t unusual to come to the end of the scene and realize that I have tears running down my cheeks.

CRW:  I beleive that if the writer cries as she writes it, then the emotions are so honest that the reader will too.  What gets in your way of writing?

Connie:  It would almost be easier to say what doesn’t get in my way of writing. Life happens. I can always find something else that needs done before I sit to write and before you know it, my day is gone. Perhaps my biggest stumbling block is emotional energy. Especially if I am working on an intense scene, it tends to drain me emotionally. If I am under a great deal of stress for the day, I find it very difficult to find the energy to write.
          Recently, I find that I resist being scheduled. As of three months ago, for the first time in my life, there is no one calling the shots for me; no parents, child, husband or boss. I have been wallowing in that luxurious feeling like a pig in the mud. My time is my own to do with as I choose and it has been a heady feeling. I got a little unrealistic with it for a while, but am getting things back into perspective now.

CRW:  Tell us a little more about how you are coming to terms with making time for writing?

Connie:  It took a while to identify some of the problems, but I am doing my best to negate them. While there is always something that needs doing in the housework department, I have identified the things that drive me crazy if undone. Since my best writing time is early in the day, I am making it a policy not go to bed at night until those things are done so they don’t take control of the next day and my wrighting time. I also try to schedule other responsibilities and appointments for later in the day so it keeps my mornings more free to write. I limit myself in the time I spend with e-mails, blogs, etc. Reading was a distraction for me. Once I start a book, I hate to put it down. So, since I like to read as I eat, for breakfast I limit my reading to an Ensign article or a Relief Society lesson. To read for fun is becoming a reward for writing.

CRW:  Novel idea. (Pun intended.) I run crazy in the morning doing everthing.  Once I get writing, I tend to leave this world, and time means nothing.  I'm afraid I won't get even the most necessary of tasks done if I don't do them first. What makes you CRAZY about writing?

Connie:  I am awful at editing as I write. If I come up with something new in my story line, it is so compelling to go back and build it in to what has already been written. It’s almost like I can’t think straight until I have set all the clues and foreshadows before I can go on. I am trying to deal with that by setting aside some time each couple of days to do the editing rather than doing it at the moment.

CRW:  Where is the strangest place you have worked on a story?

Connie:  A few years ago I attended a writer’s conference on a cruise ship. The ship stopped off Catalina Island and they had small boats that ferried passengers to land. Since I was still using a cane as a result of breaking my foot, I decided not to risk climbing on and off those bouncing boats, so went up on the promenade deck and wrote instead of sightseeing.

CRW:  Sounds wonderful!  Do you have a timeline in mind to completing one of your projects?

Connie:  I’ve set a goal to have the rough draft completed by the end of the year and the editing and polishing done by the end of March.

CRW:  You mentioned about the scene with the father and son in the grocery store. Where else do you get your ideas?

Connie:  I love to play the ‘what if’ game. I see an unusual person, or a person doing something unusual, overhear a snatch of conversation, and I can ‘what if’ it into some really fun things. The fun thing about being a writer is that it is only limited by your own imagination.

CRW:  Where do you come up with your character names?

Connie:  Sometimes the names just come to me. Occasionally a character reminds me of someone I have known and I use that name. Of course, sometimes those names change as the character develops more fully.

CRW:  Do you have a favorite writing food?

Connie:  Chocolate and ice cream. Unfortunately, in my effort to reduce weight and get more fit and healthy, those are now off limits. In this not as perfect world of weight loss, I have resorted to almonds and lemon drops.

CRW:  Why are you a writer?

Connie:  I have had a love affair with books from the time I was big enough to hold one. In grade school, most of my recesses were spent on the front steps of the school with a book. By the time I could read well, I had a younger brother and sister that loved to have me read aloud to them. That added a whole new dimension to reading pleasure. It was a very small step from loving to read to wanting to write.

CRW:  Good point.  Who do you hope reads your work?

Connie:  I tend to write in different genres. I have too many works in process—mystery, historical fiction, fantasy, and romance. These tend to be geared to young adult or women.

CRW:  What would be the best compliment about your writing that you could receive?

Connie:  That I am the best writer they have every read. (Just kidding.) To have a reader identify with a character and to receive strength and hope for their own lives through what they learned from that character would be like reaching out and sharing a piece of my heart and soul with the reader. To have them understand and appreciate what I shared would be overwhelmingly gratifying.

CRW:  Tell us about your current work in progress.

Connie:  I am working on a story based in the early 1900’s. Young Daisy (Demaris Anne Parker) is leaving the family farm to enjoy a social season with her aunt and cousins in Detroit. She meets Henry Malcolm, a young attorney who is gaining a reputation for defending the underdog. Henry’s sense of justice and responsibility coupled with Daisy’s optimism and zest for life create some interesting growth experiences for both of them.

CRW:  Sounds like you have a great story coming.  Connie, I really appreciate you letting us have some insight on you as a writer. How fun that you did this interview with Writers Mirror before you books come out.  It's like we get a sneak peak into whats to come.

Wednesday Writer ~ Donna Hatch

Donna has had a passion for writing since the age of 8 when she wrote her first short story. In between caring for six children, (7 counting her husband) she manages to carve out time to indulge in her writing obsession, with varying degrees of success, although she writes most often late at night instead of sleeping. A native of Arizona, she now writes Regency Romance and Fantasy. And yes, all of her heroes are patterned after her husband of over 20 years.

Donna Hatch writes clean romances known as "Sweet Romances."  Writer's Mirror applauds Donna for her stance on keeping high standards in writing. 



CRW:  Thanks for being with us here on Writers Mirror today as our Wednesdy Writer Donna. What inspires you to write?

Donna:  Anything might. A story I read that I wish had gone a different direction. Wondering about a secondary character in a book or movie. A song. Sometimes I just get a scene in my head, like watching a scene in a movie, and I build the rest of the story around it.

CRW:  Do you try to write daily, and if so, do you set a goal of a certain number of words?

Donna:  Word count doesn't work for me because sometimes I need time to chose just the right word or phrase. Instead, I try to write for at least two hours daily. It used to be longer, but now that I'm juggling three part time jobs, plus being a mommy, it's cut into my writing time. I write more when I'm suffering from insomnia.

CRW:  In a nutshell, what gets in your way of writing?

Donna:  Life. Kids. Self doubt.

CRW:  How do you get past it?

Donna:  Usually because I can't NOT write. Or sometimes I just make myself sit down and write something. Anything. Even if I'm sure I'll cut it later. Some of the biggest bursts of brilliance have occurred when I was sure I was writing utter trash, which most of it was, but there was often a jewel in there that I salvaged which changed the course of the story or the basic element of a character.

CRW:  Intersting.  What makes you CRAZY about writing?

Donna:  Self doubt. My interal editor. Critique partners, sometimes, when they don't "get" what I'm writing.

CRW:  How long does it take you to complete a book?

Donna:  I can usually write the first draft anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 months. But I spend 4 months or more polishing it depending on how many interruptions I have. Novellas go much faster. I wrote both of my novellas in just a few days.

CRW:  Where do you get your character’s names?

Donna:  Nothing clever. Sometimes they come pre-named. Other times I rename them several times until I get just the right one. The character doesn't become 3 dimentional until I chose the right one. I stick to names that were used in Regency England or that were Norman Conquest names to help create that believable Regency feel.

CRW:  What is your favorite writing food?

Donna:  I don't eat while I write unless my stomach wakes me up out of my writing coma. And then I'm so starved that I want whatever I can get my hands on fastest.

CRW:  I love that you get into a "Writing Coma"  or zone. Okay Donna, here's the million dollar quesion.  Why are you a writer?

Donna:  I am. Therefore I write. It certainly isn't for the glory or the money, since obviously I have neither of those.

CRW:  Keep it up, you will!  Who do you hope reads your work?

Donna:  Anyone who wants an escape into a glittering world unlike their own. Anyone who wants to fall in love. Anyone who wants to know more about the magical and mysterious Regency Era. Or anyone who will buy my book and tell a hundred of their closest friends it's the best book they've ever read!

CRW:  What would be the best compliment you could receive from one of your readers?

Donna:  "I couldn't put it down so I stayed up all night reading it."  -  or  -  "I totally fell in love with your hero."

CRW:  Please tell us about your book you are now promoting. You know, kind of your elevator pitch.

Donna:  Alicia must marry a terrifying man to save her family from ruin. But little does she know, a killer is stalking her family. Is the handsome lord tempting her to leave her husband merely a harmless flirtation...or something much more dangerous?.
 
CRW:  I'm hooked.  Please tell us more about your books.  I understand that your book, "The Stranger She Married is a Golden Quill Finalist.  Congratulations!

Donna:  Thank you.  It is book 1of the Rogue Hearts Series.
         When her parents and only brother die within weeks of each other, Alicia and her younger sister are left in the hands of an uncle who has brought them all to financial and social ruin. Desperate to save her family from debtor's prison, Alicia vows to marry the first wealthy man to propose. She meets the dashing Lord Amesbury, and her heart whispers that this is the man she is destined to love, but his tainted past may forever stand in their way. Her choices in potential husbands narrow to either a scarred cripple with the heart of a poet, or a handsome rake with a deadly secret.
          Cole Amesbury is tormented by his own ghosts, and believes he is beyond redemption, yet he cannot deny his attraction for the girl whose genuine goodness touches the heart he'd thought long dead. He fears the scars in his soul cut so deeply that he may never be able to offer Alicia a love that is true.
          After yet another bizarre mishap threatens her life, Alicia suspects the seemingly unrelated accidents that have plagued her loved ones are actually a killer's attempt to exterminate every member of her family. Despite the threat looming over her, learning to love the stranger she married may pose the greatest danger to her heart.

The next is Book 2 in the Rogue Hearts Series; "The Guise of a Gentleman." It's about a secret agent who must impersonate a pirate in order to expose a pirate ring. But the stakes raise when the woman he loves is dragged into his dangerous world of espionage and piracy. This book will be out April of 2010. 
          "Combining Jane Austen with swashbuckling adventure, The Guise of a Gentleman is a fine specimen of pirate romance!" USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Ashley
          The widowed Elise is a perfect English lady living within the confines of society for the sake of her impressionable young son. Her quiet world is shattered when she meets the impulsive and scandalous Jared Amesbury. His roguish charm awakens her yearning for freedom and adventure. But his irrepressible grin and sea-green eyes hide a secret.
          A gentleman by day, a pirate by night, Jared accepts one last assignment before he can be truly free. Elise gives him hope that he, too, can find love and belonging. His hopes are crushed when his best laid plans go awry and Elise is dragged into his world of violence and deceit.She may not survive the revelation of Jared’s past…or still love him when the truth is revealed.


"Troubled Hearts" is a short novella.  Desperate to escape her estranged husband and a home enshrouded with death and despair, Julia flees in the middle of the night. Little does she know, her determined husband is in pursuit. Along the journey, she discovers a telling revelation. But will it be enough to banish the ghosts of the past and quiet her troubled heart?

CRW:  Where can our readers go to buy your book(s)?

Donna:  At Barnes & Noble (they'll order it for you if they don't currently have it in stock.)  Also, Amazon.com, or my publisher, The Wild Rose Press http://www.thewildrosepress.com/historical-historical-nonamerican-c-176_138.html?alpha_filter_id=0&filter_id=258&sort=7a&zenid=bacc7a0e2c5c1f13dd557deb8b0b7211

CRW:  Donna you have this tag on your email, "Believe in happy endings…"  Your books fit this so well. Thanks for sharing with us today on Writers Wednesday at Writers Mirror.

To read more about Donna Hatch click onto her sites.

http://www.donnahatch.com/
http://donnahatch.blogspot.com/
http://historicalhussies.blogspot.com/

Wednesday Writer ~ Rachel Rager

Rachel Rager

CRW:  Welcome Rachel Rager, to Writers Mirror, Writers Wednesday.  Please introduce yourself to us.

Rachel:  I’m the mother of three beautiful young girls. My husband and I have been married for eight and half years. I love to sing and have a degree in vocal performance for opera. I published By Love or By Sea in April 2009 but have seven stories that are complete and five works in progress! I love to read any good, clean romance book, ride my bike, go on picnics with my family, write, sing and bake! (Not usually at the same time, of course!)

CRW:  What inspires you to write?

Rachel:  I get inspiration all over the place. One day I wrote a character based on a young man I saw driving a truck through an intersection! I have notebooks everywhere so I can write down things whenever the thought strikes me. I also often find inspiration while on road trips.

CRW:  Do you try to write daily, and if so, do you set a goal of a certain number of words?

Rachel:  No. That takes the fun out of it. I try to write every day, but I don’t set myself a time limit. I prefer to take the journey and enjoy it. If I try to fulfill something, I get stressed and I find I don’t write as well and the ideas aren’t as good. I do set some goals occasionally, such as when I’d like to finish a chapter, but I don’t do that often. I prefer to just have fun.

CRW:  What gets in your way of writing?

Racgel:  Everything. As a mother of three young girls, finding time to write is challenging, especially as they get older and take fewer naps. However, my biggest speed bump is checking emails when I get a chance to sit down to the computer. I easily get distracted.

CRW:  How do you get past it?

Rachel:  Persistence. It’s something I continually have to work at. But I restrict myself from checking my email once in the morning and once in the evening. That seems to help. Then when I’m on the computer, I can concentrate on writing!

CRW:  Please tell us about your book, "By Love or By Sea."

Rachel:  Here is the blub on the back of the book.  ALICE LIND FRANK never forgot the boy she loved when she was just six years old, even after he was lost at sea. Now a young woman, Alice has found happiness in living and working with her grandparents, and in the affections of Clarence Hielott, the wealthy shipyard owner who intends to make Alice his bride.

WHEN A RAGGED SAILOR appears in town, Alice is reminded of the young boy who once held her heart. Upon learning that the sailor is in fact her childhood love, Caleb, she finds herself falling for him again.

 BUT CLANRENCE REFUSES to let this ghost from the past destroy his plans for the future. He exposes the secrets of Caleb’s past, and Alice realizes that the boy she once knew is now a man with a dark history. Soon Caleb and Clarence are locked in a fierce competition for Alice’s heart.

CAN ALICE OVERCOME HER FEARS and surrender her heart to Caleb once more? And what will she do about Clarence?

ACTION, ADVENTURE, and most of all, ROMANCE, make By love or By Sea a thrilling and emotional love story you won’t soon forget.

To read an espert of By Love or By Sea, go to http://www.rachelrager.com/byloveorbysea.htm

CRW:  Sounds great Rachel.  I am sorry to say I have yet to read it, but I certainly will now.  Now back to more about Rachel. What makes you CRAZY about writing?

Rachel:  Crazy good or crazy bad?

CRW:  Either one.

Rachel:  I hate it when people think they know so much about writing and say you can or can’t do something because of a certain rule. It takes all the fun out of writing. I love it when I’m writing and all of a sudden, I just can’t type fast enough. The characters and events are happening so vividly in my mind that all I can do is type out the story, not think about what comes next or how to fix certain problems. I love being ‘in the zone!’ However, inevitably, I am interrupted and have to decide if I should continue on writing or attend to whatever “emergency” has come up!

CRW:  How long does it take you to complete a book?

Rachel:  It depends on the story. It depends on how well I know the characters. I wrote a short story that took me just a little more than a week to write. However, By Love or By Sea took closer to a year before I felt like it was submission worthy. Even then, it took me five years from start until it was published. But usually I can write a story in a couple months.

CRW:  Where do you get your ideas for your books?

Rachel: Everywhere! I once based a character off of a young man I saw in a pick-up truck at a stoplight. I had to pull over and write down some notes to tie me over until I could get home and write him onto paper! I also find that when my family and I are traveling, just looking at the scenery is extremely inspiring. Needless to say, I have little notebooks EVERYWHERE!

CRW:  Where do you get your character’s names?

Rachel:  I don’t know. I’m terrible at names. In fact, I had to change many of the names for the characters in By Love or By Sea because they weren’t ‘time’ appropriate. I just pick whatever comes to mind. I’m not very good at it, I’m afraid.

CRW:  What is your favorite writing food?

Rachel:  Hmmm. That’s tough. I can’t dismiss chocolate, because that’s wonderful! I usually have a cherry Pepsi. Anything that I can just munch on is good. Seldom is it healthy, though. I’ve found gum a good alternative because then my hands can be busy without getting my keyboard sticky or greasy! I also get more writing done and less pounds on my waist!

CRW:  Why are you a writer?

Rachel:  I’m not always sure. I had other ambitions in life. I wanted to be a mom or a business woman but I never thought I’d be a writer. When I was young, I couldn’t spell well and didn’t like to read and I didn’t read well. I’d sometimes get great ideas but was too impatient to sit and write more than a page.
          Shortly after my first daughter was born, my mother-in-law gave me A Heavenly Surrender by Marcia Lynn McClure to read. I loved it and eagerly searched out more of Marcia’s books. At the time, she only had three in print, but I devoured them!
          Then one night I had a dream and when I woke up, I decided to try and write it down. Did I imagine anything might come of it? Of course not. I didn’t even know if I’d have the patience to sit and write all those words! Still, I eagerly wrote down an outline and then timidly told my husband. I will always remember the doubtful look on his face as he said, “Well…I guess if you really want to.”
          I told no one else! Instead I wrote. After a month of typing during my daughter’s naps and while my husband was in classes, I finished. And it was terrible! But I had done what I set out to do. So I edited and submitted it. (Only then did I tell my mother, who was floored by my revelation.)
          Needless to say, my first attempt was rejected, but I persisted. I kept rewriting, editing, and even began writing another book. I also broadened my horizons and read tons of books. With each rewrite or book I read, I learned more and more. Finally, after five years, I had written five stories. I submitted my third story and finally got a contract with Cedar Fort, Inc. Six years (almost to the month) after I started writing, I accomplished another goal and held a copy of my book in my hands.

CRW:  Your writing journey is a great story, Rachel.  Who do you hope reads your work?

Rachel:  I hope that everyone who enjoys a simple, clean romance will read my work. I want people to be aware that clean romance can be just as, if not more enjoyable than romance with smut. Kissing is wonderful and there is plenty of it in my stories but there is never anything inappropriate. I hope my readers will appreciate that!

CRW:  Yah, score one for my own personal motto of the "World needs more wholesome stories."   What would be the best complement you could receive from a fan?

Rachel:  My sister gave me a great one. She is very critical and reads a lot. I always ask her to read everything I write first. I gave her my WIP (work in progress) one day and she wrote me the next day. She said that her house was a mess and her family neglected simply because she couldn’t put down my story. She just had to know what would happen next. That was a great complement!
          From fans, I just love to hear from them! I love to know that there are people who really enjoy my work! And I always respond!

CRW:  What is the topic of the project you are currently working on? Please tell us more about it.

Rachel:  I’m polishing up one with a working title of A Dress to the Heart. Ivy Lewis is both provider and nurturer for her seven younger siblings. Plain and poor, she works as an apprentice to a seamstress, yearning for scholastic knowledge and finding her true love. Her social standing places her as an outcast among many, namely the arrogant Eleanora Key, who can’t seem to torture Ivy enough. And like Miss Key, Ivy has her eye set on Lord Sterling Bennett; the contrast lying in that she can never hope to capture his attention, let alone aspire to gain his admiration.
          When Ivy meets a mysterious man on the road, Mr. Alan, her entire world shifts. She is no longer invisible to the world. Amid trying to care for her ill mother and her siblings, she finds herself kidnapped, courted by two wealthy men, and demoralized by Eleanora Key. Through it all, she learns her worth as a woman and the importance of maintaining the values she’s always believed in. But she must discover the secrets of Mr. Alan before it is too late.
          I’m also doing some rewrites on The Tiger, Unleashed, and A Cold Heart which is a historical romance based at Platte Bridge Station just outside of Casper, Wyoming. I’m also considering writing a book about Betsy Winter’s journey. I have heard so many things about her. Everyone just loves her! So, I’m thinking about that. I have probably a dozen stories in my head and no time to put them on paper. So I hope that you will see many more books from me in the future!

CRW:  I hope so too. Thank you so much for sharing with us today. The world needs more voices like yours!

For more information on Rachel see her web and blog.

http://www.rachelrager.com/
http://www.rachelrager.blogspot.com/
http://www.cedarfortauthors.blogspot.com/

Her book is available at local book stores and:

Cedar Fort, Inc. http://cedarfort.com/kahuga/product_detail.jsp?product=20067553&ProductType=Books

Amazon.com   http://www.amazon.com/Love-Sea-Rachel-Rager/dp/1599552213/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257305868&sr=8-1