The Story Behind Drops of Awesome: An Interview With Author Kathryn Thompson AND a DOA Giveaway!

by Kasey Tross

You have heard us mention Drops of Awesome around here a few times (click here to read what I had to say about it), and I lucked out and got invited to be part of the launch team for the Drops of Awesome BOOK! How lucky am I, right? And really, how lucky are all of us that Kathryn Thompson turned her amazing blog post into a book/journal??

As part of the launch team, I had the opportunity to read the book and do the journaling, and it was such a delightful, confidence-building experience. One of my assignments was to pick some of my favorite quotations from the book, and it was extremely difficult to not just copy and paste the whole book! Here is one of my very favorites:

"If you’ve ever heard that negative voice putting you down…then two things are certain: you are someone who cares and you are someone who’s trying. If you didn’t care about doing right or improving your life, you wouldn’t be bothered at all by your perceived failures.” 

That was just one of my many “aha” moments as I read. Not only was I journaling my drops of awesome- putting them in writing, recording them, being able to see my successes- I was also getting all of these fantastic little boosts along the way, along with journaling exercises that made me really think about the way I think and how it affects me.

 I am planning on purchasing several copies of this wonderful book as Christmas gifts, because it’s so much more than a book- it’s a way to help others realize their own value and a way to help them be kinder to themselves. And to me, that is a priceless gift.

Today I am thrilled to have Kathryn with us to share the story of how Drops of Awesome came to be, from an inspired idea all the way to the amazing book. AND she’s offering a free copy of the book to one lucky winner! (Find out how to enter after the interview.)


Me: Welcome, Kathryn! We’re so excited to have to you here today! Time for the interrogation...

I’ve read that you started your blog as a way to deal with postpartum depression, and that’s something many moms struggle with. How has writing helped you emotionally?

KT: I think we all do better emotionally when we have a strong creative outlet. When I am writing fiction, I escape into a different world and become someone else entirely. I can create problems for my protagonist, solve those problems, and I can give her the power to control her own destiny. Giving power to my characters inspires me to feel more in control and powerful myself. Blogging has also been a great outlet because it keeps me constantly focused on what is funny about my life. When things go wrong, the blog helps me view my struggles through a humorous lens and if I can laugh about what bugs me, then things don’t seem quite so bad.

Me: Laughter is the best medicine. And so are some Drops of Awesome- Your Drops of Awesome post is amazing! Do you feel that it was inspired? How did it come to be?

KT: Drops of Awesome was direct inspiration. It came to me as a loving flick on the forehead from my Heavenly Father in a time when I really needed it. I was beating myself up and I feel like He was not happy with how I was treating myself, one of His much loved kids. At the time, I was teaching a class of young women who needed it as well. It’s one of the rare occasions in my life where I was given inspiration that I knew had to be shared, but I had no idea how far it would travel.

Me: Ha, a “loving flick on the forehead.” Love that. So, how did Drops of Awesome go from a blog post to a book?

KT: When the post started getting passed around all over Facebook, it caught the attention of a small publisher with a mission to strengthen families. They approached me about turning the post into a print journal and the project was born.

Me: Dream come true! So Drops of Awesome is both a book and a journal- how did this unique format come about? What benefits do you feel that this format has over an ordinary book?

KT: I have to give credit here to Christopher Robbins and David Miles at Familius. The journal format was their brain flash and I loved the idea that my readers could co-write the book with me. Drops of Awesome is a deeply personal concept because it deals with exploring what’s going on in each person’s brain and the way they talk to themselves. So the journal works really nicely to encourage that process of self-discovery. Also, it was a great first print publication for me because it was an easily manageable amount of content to generate and organize. Baby steps to publication.

Me: Speaking of baby steps, you have a busy life as a blogger and a mom- how do you balance your writing time with your mommying?

KT: I don’t. This is a really difficult aspect of writing for me. When I am into my blog or a fiction project, I am IN and my creative process sometimes comes at the expense of my kids and my husband. I tend to work until it becomes really obvious that I’m working too much and then I scale way back and repeat the cycle. For me, it’s about checking in every once in a while and honestly asking myself if I’m happy with the big picture of my life. If I’m not, I adjust. As my youngest is starting school next year, my plan is to only write when they're out of the house. I’m interested to see if it’s really possible.

Me: Sounds like a good plan- does that mean there are other books in the works from Kathryn Thompson, either fiction or nonfiction? 

KT: Yes! I’ve been shopping around my first YA fiction manuscript Dark Bird and I’ve had great success getting requests from agents but not so much success once they peruse the entire manuscript. So I’m reworking it and I have a couple of other fiction projects in the works. There is nothing more fun than creating stories. I’m also working on a veggie cookbook.

Me: So exciting! Okay, one final question- What is one thing you hope your readers gain from Drops of Awesome?

KT: I want people to know they can be happy right now and that no matter where they are in their lives, they are their own best asset.


Hear that? You are your own best asset! Many thanks to Kathryn Thompson for doing this interview and for offering a giveaway.

Now for the goodies: if you want to enter to win a copy of this inspiring book, simply leave a comment below. If you want a bonus entry, then share this post on social media- Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter- and come back here and let us know that you shared it in the comments section. Winners will be selected at random at 12:00 noon EST on Thursday.

Interview with Cassie Mae: Self-Publishing vs Traditional Publishing

by Katy White

A few weeks ago, I had the chance to interview the brilliant Jolene Perry about the differences between self and traditional publishing. Today, I'm excited to share another interview with another brilliant author, Cassie Mae, who has oodles of experience in both forms of publishing! Cassie is the author of a ton of adorable books, including the adorable Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend and her new release, Secret Catch, which she cowrote with Jessica Salyer!

Without further ado...

Cassie, you’re a successful author with loads of wonderful books that you've published both traditionally and self. Yet, I've seen enough cute pictures of your family on FB to know you’re also a wife and mother. How do you do it all?

You have to come out with the hardest question first, lol.

I don’t.

Or I do.

I don’t know, lol.

Mainly, I prioritize. I write 1000 words a day (or try to) and if I set aside a half hour-45 minutes a day to do so, then I get it done.

But sometimes, I don’t write, and I make it up later. Honestly, I just make time for it.

How did you get started writing? In which type of publishing did you get your break?

I got an agent in 2012, but while I was on submission I decided to self publish in January 2013. Also in January, I signed two deals (a two book deal with Random House and a two book deal with Swoon Romance), so it kind of all happened at once. I can’t say which one was my big break, haha.

What have you learned about publishing since then?

It’s hard, lol. Lots of pressure and deadlines and if I thought I was crazy before, it no way compares to how I am now. But I’ve also learned when the best time to release a book is, what works marketing/promotion wise and what doesn’t, and also when to run from a contract and when to sign.

Where would you tell someone interested in self-publishing to start?

Focus on your book. The quality of your book is more important than any other thing in self publishing. Once you have had the thing through several critique partners, beta readers, and an editor, and you are 100% satisfied in its quality, then you can start looking at the other stuff. Whether or not you want it exclusively on Amazon or not, cover designers, stock photo sites, formatters, if you want a publicist, etc.

Why do you pursue both types of publishing? Do you have a preference between them?

I actually wrote a blog series on the pros and cons of self publishing and traditional publishing :) I’ll put the links right here:

Being a Hybrid Part One: Why I’ll Continue to Traditionally Publish

Being a Hybrid Part Two: Why I’ll Continue to Self Publish

Being a Hybrid Part Three: What Book Goes Where

You publish several books a year. How do you write So. Many. Words?

I’ve seen people write 4-5K words a day. I can’t do that. On a good day, I write more than 2000. So I’m not a big chunk word writer. I do a little bit at a time and in sprints. Half hour of nothing but writing. Sometimes I get 1000 words in that half hour, sometimes 200, but I do it every day. Sometimes twice a day.

How do you keep your ideas and characters fresh?

I read a lot. I see what’s out there and what’s missing or less of and I say, I want more of that! Then I write it :D

How important is editing in self-publishing versus traditional publishing? Do you recommend hiring an editor in either/both?

Editing is the most important in both aspects. Not everyone can afford an editor, so I understand not hiring one. If you choose not to, you better make sure you have kickbutt critique partners, and some who are experienced in working with an editor.

I don’t know why you’d hire an editor for a traditionally published book, because the editor is given to you. Hopefully you’ve got yourself a good agent who got you a credible publisher. Those editors have been doing this a long time.

Everyone talks about the importance of covers in publishing, but especially in self-publishing.  Do you agree? Where do you go to find your adorable covers?

Yes. As much as I hate that people judge books by their cover, they do. Your cover sells your book, your words keep people coming back.

Some of my covers are stock photos, some are original photos. Because I can afford to do it now, I try to get original photos for every book I self publish. (I also try to talk my publisher into those as well ;))

What are the advantages/disadvantages to traditional publishing vs. self-publishing?

Oh! I’m just going to point you to my blog series again :D

Being a Hybrid Part One: Why I’ll Continue to Traditionally Publish

Being a Hybrid Part Two: Why I’ll Continue to Self Publish

Being a Hybrid Part Three: What Book Goes Where

Any last words or advice for authors looking to publish in either format?

Do not slack on research.

Know what your contract says before you sign it.

Have fun :)

Writing a book in a month and publishing it the next is not the way to do it.

Edit.

Edit a lot.

Have fun :)

Do not get discouraged.

Keep comfort food within arms’ reach.

Have fun :)

Cassie, thank you so much for your fabulous help and your fabulous, smoochy books! We appreciate your time and perspective. Now, to read Secret Catch...

You can find more books by Cassie here! For now, though, if you have any questions or comments about either form of publishing, please sound off below!

Author Interview: Pamela S. Williams

By Lacey Gunter

Today I am interviewing one of my good writing friends, Pamela S. Williams.  Pamela's debut novel, Living It Down, just came out from Walnut Springs Press. It it available through Deseret Book online and in stores and though Amazon.com. If you are in the Provo, Utah area, her book launch party will be tonight, June 28, from 4-7 pm at Pioneer Book, 450 W. Center Street, Provo. Oh, and it will involve cookies!

LG: Pam, tell us a little about your road to becoming a published author.

PW: My road to becoming a writer began when I was 16 years old, and the rest of the story is posted on my new blog, auntsophiesays.blogspot.com, which is associated with this first series. (I also have a Book of Mormon series in the making.) 

LG: Can you tell us what type of reader you think your book will touch the most and give us a short blurb of what your book is about?

PW: I hesitate to call this romance or women's fiction. This book is not just for women--couples would also enjoy it. I hope it reaches the adult LDS audience who would like to read a grownup love story.

Carrie Burke has it all—marriage to a successful lawyer, two lively teenage daughters, a beautiful home, the gospel. Why isn’t she happy? Confused, joyless, and depressed, she questions her own worth and decides to take an unorthodox “time-out” to reevaluate her life. Her husband Morgan calls it selfish. Carrie calls it self-preservation. Moving to the basement apartment of Aunt Sophie's vintage Victorian home in Provo brings its own set of challenges, but also the advantage of friendship with vivacious, creative Lainie McGuire. Coincidence brings an old flame, Todd Kendall—a man Carrie never wanted to see again—back into her life. To guide her daughter through a moral crisis with a predatory boy, she realizes she needs the help of both Todd and Morgan. In her spiritual quest to reconnect with her values and reclaim her best self, Carrie yearns to find joy again, and in the process discovers that maybe there's no such thing as coincidence.

LG: Sounds very interesting. I am excited to read it. What is one thing a reader would be surprised to find out about you?

PW: My main body of work is journalism, essays, poetry and plays. I never thought I was smart enough to write a novel--now I have written six, with ideas for several more. I am exceedingly ordinary, pop-culturally illiterate, and not terribly academic even though I graduated from BYU. Now I couldn't write a paper with footnotes and a bibliography to save my soul, although I did it occasionally out of necessity when I was a student, but I just don't think that way. My writing is intuitive and my background in theater had a tremendous influence on my writing process. A novel is structured like a three-act play. In fact, I wrote four LDS-oriented plays before I started writing Living It Down, and all four were produced in the town where we lived for 33 years.

LG: I've never thought of a novel that way, but it makes a lot of sense now that you mention it. Do you have an odd writer habit or ritual to help get your creative juices flowing or to help you write, and if so what is it?

PW: I don't think my writing habits are particularly odd, but my husband might tell you a different story. Since I don't have young children to care for, or teenagers to referee, I generally neglect everything when an idea obsesses me, including the clock, and write until it's all out there on paper. Then the REAL writing begins--revision. I'm generally not a seat-of-the-pants writer. I'm lost without an outline to follow. That's the only way I know where I'm going.

LG: Since I don't have your husband here, I guess I'll have to take your word for it. So, if you lived on a waste dump in Cambodia and collected trash to sustain yourself, what one thing or book would you be most delighted to find?

PW: If I lived in a trash heap in Cambodia, I would hope to find scriptures and a dictionary. That would be the kind of knowledge that could lead me out of the trash.

LG: And finally, what is the best piece of advice you can give to an aspiring Mormon Mommy Writer?

 PW: I am living proof that pigs fly. My first novel has been published, and I am 71. As it says in the acknowledgements, I am the poster child for late bloomers. I got the idea for the story when I was in my 40s, but didn't have the maturity or wisdom to do this idea justice until I was 60. Don't be in love with the idea of writing--write. Don't think that when the kids get older you'll devote yourself to your passion for writing. It doesn't happen that way. Write, and keep writing, even if you don't have time to polish it now. Keep files of your snatches of writing and they will become the seeds that will sprout into full-blown work later on. When your kids know it's that important to you, they will appreciate your example of devotion and determination, and it will have a tremendous impact on them.

Thanks Pamela. I am very excited and inspired by your persistence and subsequent success and I look forward to reading  Living It Down. My next MMW post I plan to summarize some of the great tidbits I took home from WIFYR.

Talking Tuesday with Author Brian McClellan

I am excited to get the opportunity to introduce Brian McClellan and his debut novel Promise of Blood to any of our readers who haven't  heard of him yet. 

 

Author Brian McClellan

Brian lives in Cleveland, Ohio with his wife, two dogs, a cat, and between 6,000 and 60,000 honey bees (depending on the time of year).

He began writing on Wheel of Time role playing websites at fifteen. Encouraged toward writing by his parents, he started working on short stories and novellas in his late teens. He went on to major in English with an emphasis on creative writing at Brigham Young University. It was here he met Brandon Sanderson, who encouraged Brian’s feeble attempts at plotting and characters more than he should have.

Brian continued to study writing not just as an art but as a business and was determined this would be his life-long career. He attended Orson Scott Card’s Literary Bootcamp in 2006. In 2008, he received honorable mention in the Writers of the Future Contest.

In November 2011, PROMISE OF BLOOD and two sequels sold at auction to Orbit Books.   Book one hit the shelves in April of 2013.

 PROMISE OF BLOOD

The Powder Mage Trilogy

Book One

Field Marshal Tamas’ coup against his king sent corrupt aristocrats to the guillotine and brought bread to the starving.  But it also provoked war with the Nine Nations, internal attacks by royalist fanatics, and greedy scrambling for money and power by Tamas’s supposed allies:  the Church, workers unions, and mercenary forces.  Stretched to his limit Tamas is relying heavily on his few remaining powder mages, including the embittered Taniel, a brilliant marksman who also happens to be his estranged son, and Adamat, a retired police inspector whose loyalty is being tested by blackmail.  Now, as attacks batter them from within and without, the credulous are whispering about omens of death and destruction. Just old peasant legends about the gods waking to walk the earth.  No modern educated man believes that sort of thing.  But, the thing is, they should.






Having a series launch in April, while submitting book two keeps an author busy.  Luckily I pulled Brian away from his writing and revisions long enough for an interview. 

MMW:  I read that you started writing about 10 years ago. Was there any particular event or story that started it all for you?

BMc: When I was around fifteen or sixteen, I really got into Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time books. I found that there was a decent online community and I joined thousands of other fans writing and sharing fan fiction.

I went through that phase pretty quick—no more than a few months—but it taught me that I quite enjoyed writing. My mom signed me up for a week-long summer writing class at BYU. Everyone really seemed to love my stories and I decided that maybe I wanted to do this for a living.

I've been working at it ever since.

 

MMW:  Are you an outliner or a pantser?

BMc: Definitely a mix. I like to make a general outline before I start the book, and then I work off of single-chapter outlines as I go. That being said, if things don't feel right for the narrative I will veer off those outlines without hesitation (and I frequently do).

 

MMW:How long did you allow the idea for Promise of Blood to mature before you began writing?  How long after beginning were you ready to begin querying?

BMc: I brainstormed for several months, maybe even close to half a year before I started writing. The writing itself took me about five months.

I actually sent out queries only a week after finishing my first draft. This is a BIG no-no. Agents only want to see your most polished stuff, and I knew that. My logic was that it would be several months before I heard back from anyone and that would give me time to polish.

Imagine my surprise when I started getting partial manuscript requests less than a week later. A week after that, I had two offers of representation.

I don't think I've ever told my agent that. Mostly because I can already see the head shake she'd give me.

MMW: The process of finding an agent and publish is one of the most stressful times for writers.  How did you navigate through the process?

BMc: Finding the agent was abnormally quick for me. Everything I had been taught was that it would take me forever to find an agent and then forever for her to find a publisher.

So I psyched myself out for it. I went through days of nail-biting before I managed to calm down and tell myself that it would be months and there was no use worrying... and then I got that quick turnaround where seven different agents asked for sample chapters.

The most stressful part for me was that my agent wanted to edit the book with me and she really put me through the ringer. I must have rewritten over half of Promise of Blood by the time we were finished a year later. During that time I lost my job, was unemployed for six months, got a minimum wage job that I hated, and then a better job—and so I'd gone through so many highs and lows that I thought my hair was going to turn gray.

I got through it with frequent talks with my agent and with the loving support of my wife and family.

MMW:You attended the Orson Scott Card writers boot camp.  Please share with our readers the impact this experience has had on your writing?

BMc: It was a very good experience. I met many talented writers that I'm still in contact with today and got to go through a rigorous week of writing that helped prepare me to be a full-time author (even though that last bit wouldn't come for six years).

MMW:Are there any other writing blogs, books, conferences, or podcasts that you have found particularly helpful?

BMc: I absolutely adore Chuck Wendig's Terribleminds blog, but he uses a great deal of very strong language. If you feel you can get past said language he gives excellent advice for writers of all kinds.

I like to listen to the Speculate! podcast, as well as Brandon Sanderson's Writing Excuses. Both of those are cool ways to get inside the heads of various authors.

MMW: What is your advice to our readers who hope to see their own work in print?

BMc: Same advice I always give: keep writing. Don't give up. There are lots of highs and lows in writing and sometimes it seems like the lows vastly outnumber the highs. You have to push through it.

Thanks, Brian.  We appreciate your time and advice.

Author Interview: Jaima Fixsen (& a Giveaway!)

There is something very magical about stumbling upon a gem of a book. There is something unforgettable about the chance to be involved in the evolution of one.

One of my best friends, and critique partner, Jaima Fixsen, just published her first book.

I have been waiting and waiting and waiting for this book. Not waiting for the chance to read it (I've already had that unique privilege). No - waiting for the chance to share it! Because, when you believe in something, you want to stand and shout it from the roof tops. You want to pepper the streets with pamphlets and flyers. You want to tell every stranger you meet on the street.

However, that's not exactly standard author behavior, so I shall censure myself, subdue my excitement, and pass on the good news with more socially acceptable composure.

I have invited Jaima over today to dish on some of her writing secrets.  I am also giving away an ebook copy of her new book (see the end of the post).  Her she is folks, the spectacular Jaima:

 

Thanks Mandi, for inviting me over to dish. If only we could share dessert too . . . I'll imagine a plate of cupcakes. Chocolate? Red velvet? Anyone?

Sorry. That was mean. There's nothing worse than pseudo cupcakes. We'll just have to go straight to the part where I dish.

1. When/Why did you start writing?

After my third child was born I stopped working as an occupational therapist. I'd been working part-time, covering weekends at the nearby hospital. I loved stepping away for a few hours and coming home, feeling like I'd been missed. I knew I would have to replace work with something, but I had no idea what. First I tried a dance class. It was fun, but I'm afraid I was pretty awful. I decided to try writing because it was cheap (no supplies to buy), convenient, (I could pick it up and put it down whenever I needed), and I had a character hanging around in the back of my head that I wanted to get to know.

2. How did you get the idea for Fairchild?

Well, I've always thought the story of the Princess and the Pea is a little odd. It's a fairy tale that doesn't belong. There's no magic, no villain, just a girl in disguise and a mama's boy prince. I thought about these two people--unheroic, passive, even a little boring--and wondered what it's like for them, mingling with the rest of the fairytale crowd, standing next to plucky children who push witches into ovens, dragon slaying knights and the fairest in the land. The characters in the Princess and the Pea don't fit in that club any better than their story. Immediately I imagined a bastard child--a girl who can't fit anywhere. Right away I knew she was my girl in disguise, pretending to be the impossible--legitimate, a person who belongs. An accident brings her to a handsome boy. What would happen, if she's so good at pretending he thinks she's real? A princess even?

I put this story in the English Regency because it's a real time and place, but one where fairy tales belong. Balls, gowns, Mr. Darcy--all the good fairy tale elements are right at home here. I wanted this story to sparkle like Eva Ibbotson's romances, but for the characters to be as nuanced and ambiguous as they are in the original tale--there's a lot making this batch of misfits tick.

 

3. What was the hardest part about writing Fairchild?

The middle. I got there and I knew where I needed to end up, but I couldn't find how to get there. In my first draft, big chunks of the middle were even in point form. Like this:

-Somehow Sophy and Tom meet at X.

-They say m, n, o, p.

-What are you going to do about Alistair?

-Lady Fairchild doesn't like the dresses Sophy chooses.

It required shelf time, substantial rewrites, and stage dressing. If I hadn't had so much encouragement from early readers, I think I would have left it alone for much longer.

4. What is your writing routine?

Without firm limits I'm afraid I tend to submerge myself in writing and neglect important things like listening when my husband is talking and making sure my kinds have clean socks and underwear. It takes care to keep things balanced, and often I get it wrong. What works best for me is to allow myself one hour when my kids will not need me--when they are in bed, at school or ski lessons, or whatever. I don't answer the phone, I don't check email, I just write. I have a daily word target, and I do everything I can to meet that target within my allotted time. But if I don't, I stop when my hour is up. I'm trying to do the same thing with the publishing/promoting work, but things are still pretty hairy and I'm learning as I go, so it's harder to contain that in a fixed time. I'm working on it. If I'm lucky enough to get extra time, of course I take it.

5. What books/authors inspire you?

Oooh, that's hard. There are so many books I love. I reread my favorites over and over. Fairchild was inspired by Georgette Heyer. I love her Regency novels, but I have particular favorites: Friday's Child, Cotillion, Arabella, and Regency Buck. Heyer is a writer with humor, flair, and the best eye for historical detail I have ever come across. It is hard to believe she wasn't writing during the Regency. I was also inspired by The Secret Countess and A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotson. I love her quirky characters and her deft use of the omniscient perspective.

6. Have you ever based a character on someone you know?

I don't think so. If I have, it was unconcious and I apologize. I'd like to point out that even though I am a redhead like Sophy, the protagonist in Fairchild, I never intended her to be me (or me to be her). For one thing, Sophy's hair has more curl than mine. And I think I am much more reticent.

The reason I made Sophy a redhead was because I wanted her to have some trait that indisputably linked her to her father. My father is blond and my mother brunette, and I grew up hearing 'So, where'd the red hair come from?' probably every week. So making Sophy and her father both redheaded seemed the easiest way to connect them physically, and was perhaps a quiet joke for (or on?) myself.

 

Okay, It's Mandi again.  And now I want to give you a chance to win your own copy of Fairchild.  I had hoped to use rafflecopter for this giveaway, but I've been having some issues with it this week, and have opted for a more old-fashioned technique.  All you have to do to qualify for an entry in my draw is:

 

Leave a comment on this post explaining how you helped spread the word about Fairchild.  You can do this any of the following ways:

• Share the link on facebook (to this post, or to her book)
• Pin the book to pinterest
• Add the book to your goodreads list
• Tweet about the book
• post about the book on your blog.
• Any other creative way you can think (as long as you share what it is)

For each of these things you do (and tell me about in the post), you will earn one entry.  Because this is based largely on the honor system, for each entry you can provide evidence for, you will gain an additional point.  Next Wednesday, I will put all the names (one per point) in a hat, and have Jaima physically draw a winner.  I will announce the winner next Thursday.  (Who knows, there may be more than one!)

Believe me, this is a book you will enjoy reading!

Come On An Adventure to Edenbrooke

 I was picking up my daughter from school a few weeks ago when a friend of mine approached. She handed me a copy of a book called "Edenbrooke" and said, "You have to read this. I just read it twice in two days. I've never done that before." I've always trusted the literary tastes of my friend, and so I dove right in. 

Edenbrooke was written by the delightful new author Julianne Donaldson, and published by Shadow Mountain.  The blurb for the story (as taken from the back of the book):

Marianne Daventry will do anything to escape the boredom of Bath and the amorous attentions of an unwanted suitor. So when an invitation arrives from her twin sister, Cecily, to join her at a sprawling country estate, she jumps at the chance. Thinking she’ll be able to relax and enjoy her beloved English countryside while her sister snags the handsome heir of Edenbrooke, Marianne finds that even the best laid plans can go awry.

From a terrifying run-in with a highwayman to a seemingly harmless flirtation, Marianne finds herself embroiled in an unexpected adventure filled with enough romance and intrigue to keep her mind racing. Will Marianne be able to rein in her traitorous heart, or will a mysterious stranger sweep her off her feet? Fate had something other than a relaxing summer in mind when it sent Marianne to Edenbrooke.

I recently contacted Julianne and asked her to answer a few questions about her own unique writing and publication journey.  I am so grateful that she agreed to answer, and here is what she had to say:

1.  When and why did you start writing?

I started writing when I was young because I love to tell stories. As an adult, I would write stories here and there but never seriously thought about being published until I started having children. As a stay-at-home mom, I found within myself a yearning to create something outside of my home and family--something that belonged just to me--something that wouldn't come undone overnight (like the dishes, the laundry, the cooking, the diapering, etc.). I started small, with poems and ideas for picture books. Then I started dreaming bigger and bigger until I had written Edenbrooke.

2. How did you get the idea for Edenbrooke?

 

 Edenbrooke didn't come to me as an "idea." I don't think it's an "idea" type of book. If I try to describe it, I usually end up saying inane things like "It's about a girl who lives in England in the 1800's who grows up and falls in love at a grand estate." No big ideas there. So writing Edenbrooke was not really writing around an idea, but taking a journey of emotional exploration. I escaped into a finer world than my own, where no children existed and money was not an issue. And in my escape, I tried to recreate what it felt like to grow up and fall in love.

3. What was the hardest part about writing your novel?

 

The hardest part about writing my novel was finishing it. I spent hundreds of pages writing threads of plot that I didn't know how to tie together. Huge gaps existed in the middle of my story that I didn't know how to fill. And the perfectionist side of me rebelled every time I attempted to call the story "done." The best thing I did for myself as a writer was attend a writer's conference, where I learned how to overcome those trouble spots. And sheer determination did the rest.

4. What future plans do you have for your writing?

 

 I loved writing Edenbrooke, but after I finished it I vowed I would never write another historical fiction. It is so limiting to write in that genre, and I think it takes a lot of patience and attention to detail to do it well. Yet...here I am, writing another historical fiction. My fans convinced me to give it another go, and I am currently working on Blackmoore, which is set in England in the same time period as Edenbrooke, but features a whole new cast of characters and problems. As I have been writing Blackmoore, I have sworn up and down that I will never write another historical--yet, I am obviously a person who can be persuaded to change her mind. So I guess I will take things one book at a time. I do know that there are a lot of stories I want to tell. And I have a real science fiction streak in me that will probably make itself heard sooner rather than later.

 

I invite you to go check out her blog.  If you haven't heard of Edenbrooke, I urge you to go get a copy.  I loved it so much, I bought my own, and you can bet I'll be reading it again.

Talking Tuesday: With Author C Michelle Jefferies

I am looking to continue some of our author/writer spotlights with today's Talking Tuesdays.  Today we are lucky to sit back and chat with Author C. Michelle Jefferies.  I hope you will enjoy getting to know a little more about her as well as her debut novel Emergence.

Q: Who are you? Tell us what makes you tick.
I’ve often described myself as a write-at-home-mom. A forty something mom of seven, that loves to write. I say write in loose terms right now. I’m chasing a two year old who I have nicknamed destructo boy who makes writing almost impossible. I’m learning that good things come from tiny little snippets of free writing time or to tolerate the mess in my office because at least he isn’t trying to launch himself out of a chair to the floor while I work at my computer. What makes me tick? Hmmmm not as easy of an answer as it seemed earlier. I write because of two things. One, I love writing I love the flow of words and how they sound both in my head and out loud. I love how words look as you fill a blank page. Two, I have a very bossy main character named Noble who doesn’t let me forget that I am writing his story. He’s stubborn and incessant but also a good companion.

Q: I've read that you wrote your first 189 page novel in 10th grade. What was it about? Have you gone back and read it?
The monstrosity that is my very first novel is a strange concoction. It was about a rebel member of a “super team” (Think Avengers in the 80’s. Maybe more A-Team. Maybe not.) who struck out on his own leaving the team behind. I’ve gone back and read it a few times feeling thankful that I know how to write now. LOL I still have it, it’s special and marks the beginning of my writing career. When I was writing it long ago I had a cold at one point in time and took some cold medicine with alcohol in it and then wrote a chapter. Um yeah it was weird. In green pen too.

Q: How have you managed the tough schedule of being a mommy writer?
Some days are better than others. Years ago, when my six-year-old was a baby I could do anything I needed to because he was mellow and happy. This new baby is the energizer bunny on steroids. I get very little time to myself and spend most of my time keeping him from killing himself. I covet, protect, and celebrate naptime.

Q: This month is a big month for you. Can you tell us a little more about your novel Emergence? What inspired the story?
Emergence is about, an atheist assassin who is called to be a prophet, and how he deconstructs all while insisting that the “Hell” he’s being dragged through doesn’t exist.
I had a 100K manuscript that I was shopping but kept getting the same type of rejections. I went to my critique partner and asked for some brainstorming help and we started to do the “what if’s”. One of those what if’s was to make the story a “personal triumph” story, so we started to play with it. The next suggestion was to use a different character for his wife, giving him motivation to do what he needed to do in the story. I fought the changes for weeks, to the point I was sick to my stomach and the original wife character protested the idea by walking out of my head. She came back of course but she wasn’t very happy with me.

Q: What do you feed your muse?
I mostly read. I also bake and craft things. Sometimes on the rare occasion I watch a movie or TV, if I watch TV it’s Burn Notice.

Q: Share the most valuable lesson you have learned on your writing journey.
Learn to love revision, rewriting and editing. The only thing they can do is make the story better. While the story skeleton is created in the rough draft stage, the true fleshing comes out in the revisions and polishing of that rough draft.

Q: Where is the one place you would travel if time and money were not an issue?
I’d go to Canberra Australia where Emergence is set. I want to stand on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin where my main character gets shot at. To take pictures of all the places he interacts with in the story. I’d have to stop in Kyoto Japan on the way home too.

Q: Any words of advice for the Mormon Mommy Writers reading today
Never ever, ever, ever, give up!

EMERGENCE:

Hit man, Antony Danic, has never killed an innocent man. At least, the corporation he works for has never given him a reason to think otherwise—until now. Reeling from a series of complications and troubled assignments, the assassin is desperate for some downtime. As he sits on a white sandy beach in Tahiti watching his wife play in the waves, he can almost feel the ten-day vacation start to ease his tired muscles and calm his racing thoughts—until a messenger from his employer delivers a death threat.  In a matter of seconds, the hunter has become the hunted. As he scrambles to find a way out of his “till death do us part” contract, he’s faced with the decision of a lifetime. Continue with business as usual and kill another innocent man—or do what’s right, even if it puts his family in jeopardy.

More About the Author

C. Michelle Jefferies practically grew up in a library, and she spent her early years reading books with her mother. When Michelle was ten, she realized she wanted to write stories instead of just reading them. In high school, she met another writer, who inspired her to write a full-length book instead of just short stories. Michelle finished that 189-page handwritten novel the summer of her junior year. She married her best friend and put her writing on the back burner while she focused on raising her seven children and volunteering as a breastfeeding counselor in her community. When her children were old enough for her to spend a few hours on the computer without them burning the house down, Michelle returned to writing and hasn’t stopped since. She can often be found writing or editing with a child in her arms or under her feet. With a passion for secret agents and all things Asian, she writes technical suspense and futuristic thrillers about bad boys turned good, all while beating herself up in karate class as she works toward her black belt in tang soo do.

Contact Information

Email: michelle@cmichellejefferies.com

Website: cmichellejefferies.com

Blog: cmichellejefferies.blogspot.com

Facebook: C Michelle Jefferies – Author

Twitter: cmjefferies

 

Hope you all have a Happy Halloween.  And if there are any other authors/writers who would enjoy being under the Mormon Mommy Writer's microscope, contact us at mormonmommywriters@gmail.com to set up an interview.