Tell us about yourself.:
I’m in my mid 50’s living a quiet, sustainable lifestyle. I consider myself semi-retired, working our business daily but not having to work a day job. We’ve slowed down a bit now and have learned how to refine the operations so that we do not have to work as hard to get better results. My husband, Dave, and I run the Brummet Media Group. This involves: 2 blogs, 7 books (so far) , a drum studio, and a Youtube channel. 3 more books are currently in the publication schedule.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?:
I grew up in a broken home environment but there were happy moments too… my mother married 5 times, 2 were abusers… and I was on my own at 14. I put myself through school and by 25 was running my first business. I think, looking back, that the need for self-sufficiency, a willingness to do the hard work to achieve a goal. Exposure to hardship helped me face early adulthood challenges as I struggled to fit in and do all the “shoulds”.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am a sporatic, spontatious writer. While I can write on schedule for a project, when it comes to creative writing and book manuscript writing I feel that I have to have the right energy and mindset prior to placing hand to keyboard. Poetry and fiction especially, work this way for me. I’m writing sentences and paragraphs in my head before I can get to a keyboard or scrap of paper and by the time I have the tools for writing in hand – I’m grasping at the fading words in desperation. When it comes to office writing tasks – I’ll schedule them in. For instance the last 2 days I’ve been writing and scheduling 5 articles and 2 interviews (submitted) for publication for a blog. I like doing interviews with my connections – it gives me insight into their world, I get to know them better or a tidbit that helps me run the business better.
What authors have influenced you?
I grew up in a broken home environment but there were happy moments too… my mother married 5 times, 2 were abusers… and I was on my own at 14. I put myself through school and by 25 was running my first business. I think, looking back, that the need for self-sufficiency, a willingness to do the hard work to achieve a goal. Exposure to hardship helped me face early adulthood challenges as I struggled to fit in and do all the “shoulds”.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be afraid to dabble into several different writing jobs within the ocean of writing opportunities. You might do some freelance work, take on a staff writing gig or an assignment writing gig, you might write copy for a company or reviews for a magazine. Articles, poetry, books, chapbooks, novels… there are so many channels to explore. Writing is like art, it can a be a business, but it can also be a creative art. It’s up to you – if you get bored, feel you’ve exhausted a topic or genre of writing … then move on and start enjoying writing – playing with words again.
What is the best advice you have ever been given?
Do it right the first time.
I do a lot of research, ask a lot of questions, create an action plan (if necessary) and create drafts that we then tweak several times before we actually begin the next project. I loathe doing things twice. Tweaking something later is one thing, but starting all over is just… well – it ain’t fun.
What are you reading now?
I just finished reading (and reviewing) Beyond the Fifth Gate (Donna Sundblad) and I’m about to read another book of hers that I downloaded to my e-reader. However I have about 6 books in the e-reader library to read. …and I love it!!!
What’s your biggest weakness?
I’m not a fan of converting data, watching analytics, seeing if I got “likes” or getting perturbed if I didn’t see new subscribers or any of that stuff. I do it – especially when it comes to online advertising that I’ve paid for. (she laughs) But I hate it. I just loathe it.
What is your favorite book of all time?
Shibumi (Trevanian) – a super spy-assasin thriller.
When you’re not writing, how do you like to spend your time?
Watching movies or documentaries or concerts with my husband (Dave) and being with our dogs. I enjoy gardening and strolling easy trails when I’m having a good day.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
The Little Red Hen – my earliest memory is me trying to color the way I was taught by my artistically inclined step-dad. Then my mom saw and freaked out. I didn’t know then but when she passed and I inherited the book, I saw it was a gift to my mom from her Aunt. I just gave that book to one of my brothers, who lamented not having things from our childhood. He read it to us (his wife and I) in our kitchen and it was a real family moment.
What has inspired you and your writing style?
I started out wanting to make a difference by choosing to write about inspiring, positive topics. That initial passion has continued throughout my career as a writer, blogger, & throughout former positions as a staff or freelance, and assignment writer, a radio show host and former professional reviewer.
What are you working on now?
We are just about to release a family memoir containing stories from 3 generations in Dave’s family. His Uncle Tony was once an Environment Minister (Canada) and also did a term as Education Minister. His father, Frank, tells of his childhood growing up through the depression and his memories of various places around the Okanagan and the people they were named after. His grandmother also tells her story of travelling from a Romanian village to Canada where she met and married Dave’s grandfather. Each story is laced with fantastic memories, and we are super proud to release it this November (2024)
What is your favorite method for promoting your work?
Well we use the Purple Snowflake Method that we write about in our Purple Snowflake Marketing book series. The information in those books are exactly what we do. I love doing interviews either giving or receiving them, doesn’t matter which. Our 2 blogs, YouTube channel & the 7 social networks that we are on help a great deal. But we do paid advertising online too.
What’s next for you as a writer?
After Down The Road is released there will be at least 6 months of marketing ahead of us. In between those activities we will focus on the 2nd book in the Purple Snowflake Marketing series.
How well do you work under pressure?
I like having a deadline, and I keep an eye on our action plans making sure we are on schedule or at least heading in the right direction. I’ve learned to be organized, tenacious, keep records so that I don’t have to remind myself… and I use both Calendly and daytimer as well.
How do you decide what tone to use with a particular piece of writing?
Researching the best selling books and the writers with the best name recognition in that genre helps a great deal. I will look at what reviewers are saying, if their blog has comments and I will likely download at least one of their published books on my e-reader to examine. I’m taking notes, noticing trends, similarities and gaps in information. I’m seeing how I might work it differently, where I might take it to be unique in that genre.
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