Tell us about yourself.:
As a child, once I learned how to read, books were all I wanted. I especially loved book series; The Happy Hollisters, Nancy Drew and so on. My mom began to reward my good behavior with books. That didn't work for me. I wasn't getting them fast enough. So I hunted down my 'reward book stash' in her closet and read them while she was gone from the house. Amazingly, I never got caught. By the time I received a new book, I'd already read it twice — the first time for the story, the second to catch any details I might have missed.
During elementary school, I read just about anything I could get my hands on. By the time I was 12, I knew for a fact that I was eventually going to be a professional novelist.
Meanwhile, when I was 13, I began to travel much of the world. Over some years, I saw South America, Central America and all of Europe. My travels ended when my parents put their foot down and pulled me back to the States. I was attending the University of London at the time.
I did not want to come home. Having no choice, I enrolled in an American university. Soon after, I met the love of my life. My parents despised him. His parents despised me. We were marrying outside of our faith and they weren't going to allow it.
We married quietly and ran away to Manhattan. There, we raised our brilliant daughters and have been happily married for 44 years. My husband is the finest of men.
And now, I have settled down into becoming a professional novelist. It took a while, but I finally got here.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?:
Ah, Miami, Florida. Back then, it was a great place to grow up. I loved running around barefoot in the sunlight. And I loved South Beach. Nights could get a bit mystical. I have memories of Spanish moss hanging from oak trees like witches' hair and blue ladies dancing on rooftops in the moonlight.
But none of this has had any influence on my writing. It's simply how I saw my childhood … romantic and magical.
Today, Miami is a far different place than the one in which I grew up. Most of the old Spanish homes are ploughed under in favor of wealthy mansions. The waterfall fountains are all gone. I still visit occasionally but it will never be like it was in my childhood.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When writing, I watch a literal movie in my mind and transcribe what I'm 'seeing.'
I am a Pantser (vs. a Plotter), meaning I don't outline my books from start to finish. Of course, I make many internal notes to keep my events and scenes on track.
However, I let my characters show me what they want to do. I am often surprised because I didn't see something coming. And typically, it's better than what I thought was going to happen.
I began "The Other Shoes of Larry Martin" with a kernel of an idea. I intended only one book. That's not what happened. My movie kept running and Larry turned into a 7-book series in one long story. From this, I learned it's important to be flexible. (An understatement.)
In sum, my process is …
Movie, transcribe, detailed notes and see what happens … I doubt much of this is unusual for many authors. Yes, there are those who outline from start to finish. And this works well in nonfiction books. However, for fiction, when it is all about imagination, characters and world building, I find it best not to be rigid.
As for habits, I tend to get up around 5:00 am. No alarm, just when my eyes open. I have coffee and settle down to write. Often, I write all day long. I love it when I can do this. But equally often, I am pulled out of my work by family and responsibilities. I just want to say, do what you must do … but do not ignore your family.
What authors have influenced you?
Ah, Miami, Florida. Back then, it was a great place to grow up. I loved running around barefoot in the sunlight. And I loved South Beach. Nights could get a bit mystical. I have memories of Spanish moss hanging from oak trees like witches' hair and blue ladies dancing on rooftops in the moonlight.
But none of this has had any influence on my writing. It's simply how I saw my childhood … romantic and magical.
Today, Miami is a far different place than the one in which I grew up. Most of the old Spanish homes are ploughed under in favor of wealthy mansions. The waterfall fountains are all gone. I still visit occasionally but it will never be like it was in my childhood.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes. Run! Okay. Joking aside, writing a novel is seriously difficult.
There are many forms of writing … articles to books; non-fiction to fiction. But like anything else, the more you write, the better you become.
I have found writing fiction novels to be a generally lonely experience. I could not tolerate this; it was too emotionally hard. So, I asked for help anywhere I could find it. I found an editor willing to deal with a few thousand pages. I advertised for Beta Readers on Craig's List and Nextdoor.com and found relief in their straight forward perspectives. I stopped being alone.
And then there is publishing. How to do it? Traditional? Indie? Self? There is SO much to learn. If you want to control your rights and content, traditional might not be the way to go. But if you go with Indie, you may need an entertainment lawyer to review any agreement or contract.
I came close to signing an agreement until I sent the contract to my attorney. She discovered that this firm retained the rights to creating any ancillary characters and/or movie rights from my book(s). What? No! While the publishing firm swore they'd never do this, they also refused to put it into writing. (I was done with them.)
To new authors: Be careful of scams. Sadly, there are many out there. Pay the few hundred dollars to have an attorney protect you.
Also, if you're going to publish an eBook on Amazon, realize you must do all your own marketing or hire a publicist.
So for new writers, I suggest you write a lot. Write articles and short stories. Joining writing platforms like Medium or Substack are helpful. Learn to format and get good at writing.
If you eventually want to write a novel, do it. But research and find a good editor to work with. Finish your book. I've seen many authors send out query's before their book is finished .. but they give up or cannot finish their novel for whatever reason. By finishing your novel, you know what you have and can discern your genre and audience.
Also, last but not least, create a social media presence. For me, this was an annoyance that took away from writing. But I did it anyway. It's a part of the business end. So, FB, Twitter, Instagram, ect, … create a following and, if possible, build an email list of people interested in your writing.
Like anyone else, new writers must be willing to grow and take on new challenges that are relentless in expanding the mind. There are no shortcuts. This is, in my opinion, a true labor of love.
What is the best advice you have ever been given?
I want to say something profound here … but I can't. Oddly, in my life, no one has personally given me advice. It's not that I haven't been open to it. It's more that no one has.
In Book Two of Larry Martin, he asks his father, "How do I do it all, Dad, if I don't do it?"
I think I identify the most with this mentality. I often get overwhelmed. And then I think, "How do I do it all if I don't do it?" So I dig in and just do it.
What are you reading now?
Recently, I had the pleasure of traveling to Portugal. During my travels, I finally had time to read some John Grisham books: Judges List, Sooley and A Time for Mercy. I continue to admire Grisham's clean writing style.
What’s your biggest weakness?
My biggest weakness with writing has been trying to create an actual work schedule so my family could know what to expect. But it hasn't worked out. Some days, I'll write for 12 hours straight. Other days, I'll write nothing, waiting for my mental movie to begin again.
The compromise is when my family needs me or there is a planned family event, I am present.
I often read about writers who hide their writing from family and friends. I get it — there are many reasons why this is necessary. But my family is happily supportive in my work. Thus, I enjoy their involvement in discussing my progress, particular scenes, or obtaining their opinion on certain matters. As for a writing schedule, I see now it's never going to happen.
What is your favorite book of all time?
Hmm. This is hard. There are so many books I love. But if I had to choose one, it would be The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.
When you’re not writing, how do you like to spend your time?
My greatest love is spending time with my family. My husband and I have two amazing daughters, both successful, brilliant creatives. We are all very close. We travel (the world) together and enjoy simple pleasures like grilling at home beside the pool. I also like to compose music. My music is for orchestra and in the genre of movie soundtracks.
In sum, if I am not writing, my family and music are how I like to spend my time. I also have wonderful friends with whom I enjoy socializing.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
Growing up, there was no internet. And in my family, there was very little TV. So, everything for me was about books.
Truthfully, I don't recall any first story. I just recall nonending stories of all kinds. Certainly, as a little one, I had Golden Books. But from there, I enjoyed classics like Gulliver's Travels, Treasure Island, Oliver Twist and more, more, more. I was never without books.
I remember the day my elementary school librarian told me that I had read all the books in the small library. That was not a good day for me. Fortunately, my parents had a fine library of works at home and I turned to that. I got involved with literature like Steinbecks, Grapes of Wrath and Tolstoys, War and Peace. I found authors like London, Hemmingway and Truman Capote.
But I do remember from an early age loving books like Pollyanna (Porter) and Anne of Green Gables (Montgomery).
Suffice it to say, all these wonderful books impacted me in many different ways. In short, from them, I learned that I wanted to be a writer. Perhaps, more specifically, I wanted to be a fiction novelist.
What has inspired you and your writing style?
There are several parts to this question.
First, my inspiration comes from visualizing my story. I literally watch a movie in my mind and then, I transcribe what I am seeing. I do not plot out a story from start to finish. I have learned to let my characters show me what they want to do. Many times, they show me things I had not thought of. And many times, this is better than what I had planned. But I do make detailed internal notes to keep my story on track and neatly wrap up any loose ends.
Finally, I write the old-fashioned way … something akin to typing my manuscript on an old Remington typewriter. It's not that bad; I use Word. However, my style is to write with my own voice and in my own way. I have great respect for grammar and punctuation, but I also have my own cadence.
Once, I plugged some of my writing into an AI tracker like Pro-writer. This program hated my writing style and highlighted my many 'errors.' It turned my writing sterile. But by this time, I had a professional editor and a bevy of Beta readers, so I was secure in my own approach based on their enthusiastic reactions.
I never forget that great writers of the past used their own words and their own way to tell a story. I don't know if I am great, but as a professional novelist, I am content to just be me and write the way I want.
What are you working on now?
I have four books planned.
I will finish "The Other Shoes of Larry Martin" series. This series is one long story told through seven books. I am on Book Six now. These last two books will be the hardest thing I have ever written … especially the finale of Book Seven. I hope I can do it.
After Larry Martin, I have two more novels planned. The first is titled, "Purgatory," a contemporary story of two fanatically religious families who fight to keep their children from marrying outside their faith. There is nothing funny here.
The second is more light-hearted. In "A Note on the Mailbox," an elderly man desperately out of options asks a new neighbor for help. This is a small study of how one person can dramatically change the life of another for the better.
What is your favorite method for promoting your work?
Sigh. All I want to do is write. I dislike the business end of self-promotion. Some writers are excellent at this, but that is not me. Knowing this, I have enlisted the help of Publicist and Book Marketer, Catherine Lyon (Lyon Literary Services) to do my heavy lifting. To be honest, I leave it to her to decide where to promote my work. She knows her field, whereas I don't. I do believe in asking for help when I am lost.
What’s next for you as a writer?
What's next for me as a writer is the same as what I am working on now. I look forward to writing the four novels I currently have planned. It will be interesting to me to see if this road is smooth or if something new crops up.
How well do you work under pressure?
Oddly, working under pressure pushes me to maximum output. I could be in the middle of a scene that has me immersed. Then, when something comes up requiring my immediate attention, I will write fast to finish my thoughts so I do not lose them before turning my attention to the latest distraction. I don't think I am unusual in doing this. Most writers, I imagine, need to finish their thoughts before moving on to something else.
How do you decide what tone to use with a particular piece of writing?
I don't. But again, I am involved in the novels I am writing, so I already know my tone.
There are a couple of things here. I know my fictional works will all be 3rd person as opposed to 1st person.
If I want to use passive voice for a reason, I am going to use it. I strongly disagree with getting rid of this useful tool as some writing communities are suggesting. Nor do I agree with ditching the past perfect tense of "had." Under certain circumstances, I will use this tense if I feel it's necessary. I am just surprised there is even a discussion about this. However, it seems some writing programs tend to reject the use of passive voice and the use of "had."
Frankly, I don't care for AI taking over writing. For better or worse, I am going to remain true to my own tone and voice.
If you could share one thing with your fans, what would that be?
First, I appreciate my fans. Every review, every opinion matters to me. I want to know what they are thinking. I cannot become a better writer without my readers and their honest opinions.
Second, I would say that authors have bled (words) for you. You may not like a story but consider why you don't. Was it the writing or are you disagreeing with the writer's point of view? Don't attack in your reviews. Be thoughtful.
Third, thank you for the thousands who have supported me on social media. I am still a very small voice. But no author can get anywhere without the fans who support them. Overall, I find this a very humbling experience.
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