I’m very happy to introduce Krysten Lindsay Hager and her latest novel True Colors.

Krysten is an author and book addict who has never met a bookstore she didn’t like. She’s worked as a journalist and writes middle grade, YA, humor essays, and adult fiction. TRUE COLORS is her bestselling debut novel from Astraea Press. She is originally from Michigan and has lived in South Dakota, Portugal, and currently resides in Southwestern Ohio where you can find her reading and writing. She received her Master’s in American Culture from the University of Michigan-Flint.

SDG: What inspired you to write this book?

I saw the quote in a class that you should write the book you want to read and that got me to thinking about what I would have wanted to read back when I was the age of my readers. We all deal with “frenemies” and fair weather friends—those friends you thought were true blue and then aren’t there when you need them. It’s difficult to deal with things like jealousy or being left out, but when those negative feelings are coming from people you considered good friends…well, it hurts all the more. I used to like to read about girls I could relate to and I hope someone reads TRUE COLORS and feels a little less alone in the world, too.

SDG: Nicely said! What was your approach to writing True Colors (did it just flow or did you use an outline or other preparatory method)?

I really just began with the idea and the writing flowed. I didn’t use an outline. I never begin with an outline, but after I finish a draft, I often go back and do one to check the plot structure.

SDG: How long did it take to write the complete novel from first draft to edited final?

I honestly can’t say because I took breaks during the writing process due to several moves (including one overseas) and an accident, too.  

SDG: Glad you managed to finish it with all of that turmoil. Can you tell us a little about your book and if you have had book signings or readings?

The book is about Landry Albright, who just wants to be one of the interesting girls at school who always have exciting things going on in their lives. She wants to stand out, but also wants to fit in, so she gives in when her two best friends, Ericka and Tori, push her into trying out for a teen reality show modeling competition with them. Landry goes in nervous, but impresses the judges enough to make it to the next round. However, Ericka and Tori get cut and basically "unfriend" her on Monday at school. Landry tries to make new friends, but gets caught up between wanting to be herself and conforming to who her new friends want her to be. Along the way she learns that modeling is nowhere as glamorous as it seems, how to deal with frenemies, a new crush, and that true friends see you for who you really are and like you because of it.

SDG: That sounds like an awesome plot! Are your family members supportive of your writing and what do they think about your writing career?     

My mom is a great sounding board when I’m working on something. She’s a reader, not a writer, so it helps to have her perspective and she is not an “everything you write goes on the fridge” type of mothers. She’s completely straightforward and honest. She’s currently not happy with me because I wrote another story where the character ends up with, as she would say, “the wrong guy.”

My dad likes hearing me read my work. When I started out writing for newspapers, he read every article I wrote—even the boring ones about where to buy organic eggs in the local area. If my name was in the byline, he read it and acted like it was the great news story ever written.

SDG: I love to hear how supportive and proud families are. Do you have any advice or words of wisdom for budding writers?

Take literature classes as well as writing classes to learn from the best. Read as much as you can and attend conferences and workshops, and get into a critique group.

SDG: Totally agree with that list! What are you working on now? Is it in the same genre?

I am writing a sequel to TRUE COLORS that picks up right where the previous story left off. I am also working a women’s fiction novel as well and another MG/YA and an older YA one.

SDG: You sure are busy! What is the best time for you to write and does it ever interfere with your day job, if you have one? Also, how long on average do you write each day?

Writing at night works best for me when the interruptions are gone from the day and I can focus better. I don’t have a set period of time I write for or anything. Some days I might work for hours, others I take to just think on the story and go over a scene over and over in my mind until it feels right.

SDG: We certainly do need quiet time, don’t we? Is writing, to you, a lonely occupation?

I had a wonderful English professor named Dr. Jacqueline Zeff who assigned us to read, A Journal of Solitude by May Sarton as undergrads. It changed the way I looked at writing and made me realize the importance of solitude for a writer.

SDG: How wonderful that you had such an inspirational teacher. What is your website and where can readers purchase your book or books?

My website: http://www.krystenlindsay.com/

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/True-Colors-Krysten-Lindsay-Hager-ebook/dp/B00L2G0YJS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403419976&sr=8-1&keywords=krysten+lindsay+hager

Barnesandnoble.com: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/true-colors-krysten-lindsay-hager/1119742726?ean=2940149747658

itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/true-colors/id890673002?mt=11

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/true-colors-17

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/449308

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/True-Colors-Krysten-Lindsay-Hager-ebook/dp/B00L2G0YJS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403420109&sr=8-1&keywords=krysten+lindsay+hager

SDG: Author social media sites:  
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KrystenLindsayHagerAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KrystenLindsay

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/krystenlindsay/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/krystenlindsay

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22444090-true-colors

Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96jxcUH54hU

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+KrystenLindsayHager/posts

Thank you, Krysten, for stopping by and telling us a bit about yourself. I look forward to reading your book, and will definitely watch out for others you write!

I am so happy to introduce a wonderfully talented author, Susan Hart Hellman, to my blog for a quick interview about writing and her mystery novel, Catch 'n Release: The Game.  Welcome, Susan! 

(susan@susanharthellman.com)

Brief bio: where you live, any other writing, job related or education info.

Hello, Sofia, glad to be here. I live in Southern California, and in addition to being a novelist, I’ve been a freelance magazine writer and newspaper journalist for many years. My work has appeared in The Writer Magazine;   Horizon Air in-flight magazine; Ojai Quarterly;   the Ventura County Star;   Recovery Living, and many other publications. I was Executive Editor of Your Wedding Day magazine, and have also been an advertising copywriter, college instructor, and writing workshop instructor, including those for seniors who wish to write magazine articles and their memoirs. 

I am working on the second in the Dr. Savanna Jamison series, Ring Master; a fantasy series; and a non-fiction book for writers.  The first in the Dr. Savanna series was Catch ’n Release: The Game.

My education includes a Master’s of Science degree in psychology, with an emphasis in behavioral psychology, and research with schizophrenia. After taking a break from educational studies, I’m planning on completing my Ph. D. in clinical psychology this year.

SDG: What inspired you to write this book?

Catch ’n Release: The Game (C ’n R), stems from several levels of inspiration. First, after leaving my second career in psychological testing, cognitive rehabilitation, and research (a 15-year break in my writing career), I decided I needed to return to my first love, writing.  However, I’d only written non-fiction for newspapers and in public relations and advertising, so joined the Ojai Writing Workshop to see if I could learn to write fiction too. 

That group, itself, was an inspiration, and I started writing C ’n R  just as a learning tool, a writing exercise, really. But the genre I chose, a psychological murder mystery, was inspired by my work and education in the field of psychology.  

SDG: What was your approach to writing it (did it just flow or did you use an outline or other preparatory method)?

Because Catch ’n Release originated as a writing exercise, I did not use an outline, but, rather, just started writing, trying to incorporate all the techniques I leaned in the Ojai Writers Workshop and at writers conferences.  But when it became obvious that that “exercise” was turning into a novel, I did prepare several outlines. I had come to appreciate the concept of outlining during my PhD program; it always helped with the required extensive papers, so figured outlining would help with novel writing too, and it did.

Now, however, I wouldn’t start a book, fiction or non-fiction, without an outline because having that structure is how I work best.  Of course, that outline may change a dozen times during the process. 

SDG: How long did it take to write the complete novel from first draft to edited final?

Because  C ’n R was never intended to be a novel, time was not a factor, and I worked on it for about five years.  I used the novel to learn how to write a novel, and gave that a couple of years, under the guidance of the Ojai Writers Workshop. I was in no hurry. Then, the revision process took another couple of years, because I revised the whole novel probably a dozen times, and some scenes and chapters more like several dozen times. Again, it was a learning process, with no thought of publication originally. I was just enjoying the challenge of learning writing technique, and enjoying the entire writing process. 

However, although I’m enjoying the process with the next in the Dr. Savanna Jamison series, Ring Master, this one is going much faster! I’m working on a new fantasy series too, and that is also coming together quickly.

SDG: Can you tell us a little about your book and if you have had book signings or readings?

This is my official synopsis: 

Catch ’n Release: The Game, is the first in a series of psychological murder mysteries, in which Dr. Savanna Jamison, Southern California behavioral neuropsychologist, defense witness, and unintentional underground sleuth, is called upon to help defend a strange looking, possibly brain-damaged man, killer of a girl in a sleazy bar, Happie’s.  The defense, spearheaded by Savanna’s friend, Deputy Public Defender Macy Washington, seems clear cut: killer grabs a knife off the bar; stabs and kills the girl; dozens of witnesses see it.  This killer is headed for death row. Case Closed.

But the case is far from closed.  Savanna dons her newest Armani miniskirt and sets out to work, only to find that most of the witnesses she needs to interview are clueless; the bartender at Happie’s appears to be leading a suspicious double life; and the evidence has gone missing. Also, the victim and her sorority sisters nationwide have been playing a complicated, dangerous little game, Catch ’n Release. And this is the good news!

Savanna unknowingly becomes caught up in the game, and receives several death threat notes delivered in a most unconventional way. And, she’s being stalked by a killer she previously helped convict, but who’s been released from his life sentence on a little-known technicality.

And, clear to everyone but her, Savanna’s new romantic relationship is falling apart. It appears that everyone is playing some version of one game or another, each with a common goal:  catch what you can, release what you don’t want, and never, ever be the one to get caught.

Yes, there have been several readings/signings, including at a wonderful book launch hosted by Ojai’s Feast Bistro restaurant, a location in C ’n R which Savanna and Macy visit to hold all of their important discussions concerning the murder case.  More reading are being set up in both Southern California and Oregon. Also, I did enter this novel into a Writers Digest completion, and didn’t win, but received a glowing review, including this statement:  

“This book is more than a book: It’s a well-conceived package that knows this book is not the end, but just a step in the path. . . .  The characters are engaging, the scenes are riveting, and I absolutely love seeing the way Savanna’s mind processes everything from the beginning of Catch ‘n Release to the excerpt of the next book. Great work.”~ Judge, Writer’s Digest 21^st Annual Self-Published Book Awards.

SDG: Are your family members supportive of your writing and what do they think about your writing career?      Yes, very supportive.  My partner tries to make sure I have uninterrupted work time. My oldest daughter, Melissa Hart, is a freelance writer and author of several non-fiction books, so she, of course, is all in favor of what I do.  My other daughter, Jennifer Steinmann, does some very creative event planning, so she is certainly supportive of other’s creative endeavors.  My son, Mark, with Down Syndrome, is thrilled because I work at home and my flexible schedule allows me to “taxi” him to his dozens of Special Olympics activities, social engagements, and dates with his girlfriend.

SDG: Do you have any advice or words of wisdom for budding writers?

Definitely.  If you’re serious about your writing, take it seriously.  Treat your writing career the way you would treat your career if you worked in the corporate world. What would you do to better yourself in that situation?  Attend seminars, get your ideas and work critiqued, develop a team, join professional groups? Do that, and more, to improve yourself as a writer too.

SDG: What are you working on now? Is it in the same genre?

I’m always working on magazine articles, and now also working on some short fiction pieces, with the goal being to have them published in journals. My three large projects include Ring Master, another murder mystery, the sequel to Catch ’n Release: The Game. As I mentioned before, I’m also working on the first novel in a fantasy series, and a non-fiction technical book for writers, which is nearing completion.

SDG: What is the best time for you to write and does it ever interfere with your day job, if you have one? Also, how long on average do you write each day?

Fortunately for me, my “day job” is writing. I write magazine articles and am also spending a great deal of time right now ghost writing a memoir. 

I’m definitely a morning writer, because I’m a morning person.  I guess from spending a great deal of my early childhood on my great aunts and uncles’ farm, which had barely changed, technically, from its homesteaded status, I got in the habit of starting the day before the sun was up, and going to bed very early. This included arising at 4:30 am to help my great aunts milk the cows.  This has stuck with me, but it means writing at night is totally out for me.

My average day of writing or writing related activities is at least eight hours.  I can easily write for 14-16 hours a day for days at a time if I’m really dug into a novel. 

SDG: Is writing, to you, a lonely occupation?

Yes, and I love it!  Being a pretty serious loner, having the opportunity to sit alone in my office, writing for hour-upon-hour, suits my personality!   However, don’t get me wrong, I do love people, and try to go out for tea with other writers several times a week.   Also, there is a lot of socializing in the writing groups I attend (Ojai Writer’s Workshop, Ventura County Writers Club, formal writers conferences several times a year). And when I teach writing workshops, it’s great to chat with the attendees before and after class.

SDG: What is your website and where can readers purchase your book or books?

My books are available on amazon.com, printed and -book versions, and the e-book through smashwords.com.

Amazon

SDG: Author social media sites:   Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, LinkedIn, and I’m starting a new blog soon.

Facebook

Twitter

Interview with Children's Book Author Sharon C. Williams

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m honored to have today’s interview with Sharon C. Williams, author of the children’s book Jasper, Amazon Parrot: A Rainforest Adventure. Welcome, Sharon!

 

 

Can you give us a brief bio so the readers can better understand you and your background?

 

Growing up, I never thought of becoming a writer. To me, it was for people who had the skills to transfer amazing ideas onto paper. My husband, however, mentioned to one of our friends that he felt I wrote really well. Soon, I started thinking of a story in my head, and it just would not go away.  In 2009, while recovering from two surgeries, I started placing my thoughts on paper. It’s been a wild ride since then.

 

I tend to write long hand. The low-tech method is harder with my disability but I feel more creative and the flow works better for me this way. I have used this technique to complete a multitude of short stories, a novelette, and a children’s book. It still amazes me how writing has taken over my life.

 

Two of my short stories were published in the anthology, Cassandra's Roadhouse. My children's book, Jasper, Amazon Parrot: A Rainforest Adventure, was released by Fountain Blue Publishing, on Sept. 7th of this year.

 

I love to read, take pictures, sketch, walk, exercise, go to the movies, and listen to music. I’m a budding bird watcher, and knit on the side. I am a huge fan of all sports, and especially of baseball, basketball, hockey, and football.

 

I’m a native of New England, raised in Northern Maine and live in North Carolina with my husband and son. I’m owned by a flock of eight birds and have a B.S. Degree in Chemistry.

 

What inspired you to write the book?

 

Hearing for the longest time, “Write on what you know” I came up with an idea of writing a book based on my Amazon parrot, Jasper.  Having been with us since 1999 I have had years of learning how this animal ticks and his quirks around us. He gave me so much material. All I had to do was write the story and infuse Jasper into it.

 

What was your approach to writing it

 

I write everything by long hand. I have found my creativity truly flows better this way.  I didn't create an outline or worked on my character development. In the Fall of 2009 I had two unrelated surgeries within weeks of each other. Being stuck in bed for a while I decided to take the time to start writing. There was no rhyme or reason or scheme of things. I just started and kept at it until I wrote the famous words, The End.

 

How long did it take to write the complete novel from first draft to edited final?

 

It took me under three months to write the first draft which consisted of a little over 3000 words.  Once it was completed I let it sit there for a few months. Not being in a writer's group at that time or knowing any writer I started to seek any potential groups in the Spring of 2010.  It did not take long as a writer's group was soon forming out of the local library.  Soon afterwards a second group formed in town. Sharing a few chapters of my manuscript with the members I started the tedious job of editing and revising my manuscript while starting on volume two. Months went by as suggestions and rewrites came and went. By the end of 2010 I was nearing my final revision.  The year 2011 prove uneventful as life took over and I had to concentrate on more pressing matters.

 

Deciding to test the open waters, in 2012, I started to submit the book to potential publishing houses in hopes of getting a nibble. What I got was rejection letters but they were laced with compliments and encouragement. But one stood out. A publisher had requested the entire manuscript saying I would know in 4-6 weeks since they were a small press. Three months came and still no word.

 

Reaching out to the company they stated that it was taking so long for they were going back and forth on whether to pick it up. But in the end it was a no. In that rejection letter there were listed three reasons why the book was turned down. I was encouraged to work on the areas mentioned and to resubmit.

 

I did just that. What happened was a manuscript that started out at just a little over 3000 words ended up as one that was slightly under 10,000.  That meant more revisions and editing to get it in the place it needed to be.

 

That brought me to July of 2012.  I took a small break from this book and started to work on other projects. Starting fresh in 2013 I started to actively submit the new and revised book. It was picked up by a small press out of San Francisco in March of this year.

 

Congratulations! Can you tell us a little about your book and if you have had book signings or readings?

 

The title of my book is Jasper, Amazon Parrot: A Rainforest Adventure. It is a children's chapter book.

 

Synopsis: Jasper, the Amazon parrot, is no ordinary bird. He lives within the rainforest, whose secrets he’s eager to explore. He loves his life, his home, and his family - grateful for the blessings he’s discovered. Learning how to fly, he learns to appreciate the world around him. When he meets a spider monkey with a penchant for food and a laid back attitude named Charlie, he realizes he’s in for an adventure he never thought possible. Exploring the boundaries of the forest, Jasper soon understands that there is more to the world around him. Most especially the strange new creatures that have come to live there

 

My book came out September 7^th of this year however I have the possibility of two book signings in the upcoming months.  One of my writing groups was meeting at a coffee shop. When it was over the manager asked what the meeting was about. When we told him we were authors he asked if any of us had a book coming out. When I told him I did, he mentioned his coffee shop had hosted in the past book signings and asked if I would be interested. A few weeks later two fellow writers were meeting at a different coffee shop. Again the manager asked them what they were discussing. They brought up my name and book and he wondered if I would be interested in hosting a book signing there.

 

So I am in the process of making those happen.

 

Do you have any advice or words of wisdom for budding writers?

 

Don't be afraid to write outside the box or your comfort level. Explore photo and

written prompts. Any critique you receive, always remember you can take some or take none. At the end of the day it is your story.  And for me a rejection letter is a badge of honor.

 

What are you working on now? Is it in the same genre?

 

I am working on a paranormal short story. The first attempt at this genre. The writing group that I started is putting together a book of short stories to publish hopefully later this year.  But I am also preparing for NaNoWriMo 2013. This will be my third straight year of participating. I won in 2011 and 2012.

 

What is the best time for you to write and does it ever interfere with your day job, if you have one? Also, how long on the average do you write each day?

 

The best time for me to write actually varies. I keep a small notebook with me always just in case an idea or the mood hits me. I don't have a set time to work. However, when I am writing for NaNoWriMo I tend to write early in the morning so I can get it out of the way. Else the day and life will take me away from it being successful. How long I write varies. However, if there is a thought or scene in my head that needs to be written down, I can write for hours.

 

Is writing, to you, a lonely occupation?

 

Absolutely. What doesn't help is I am the only writer in my family so it is hard for them to understand what one goes through when one is an author.  What has helped me is the writer groups that are located in my area. Plus I also started my own. Who better understand what you are going through than another writer? It helps break the monotony but it also gives me a chance to exchange ideas and encouragement.

 

What is your website and where can readers purchase your book or books?

 

My website is:

 

www.newenglandmuse.wordpress.com

 

Where my book can be purchased:

Fountain Blue Publishing:

Signed copies are available here

http://www.fountainbluepublishing.com/book-store.html

 

Amazon

Soft cover/e-book:

http://tinyurl.com/msjvkxw

 

Print hard cover:

http://tinyurl.com/lwhk9z3

 

Barnes and Noble:

Hardcopy and e-book:

http://tinyurl.com/lj2w4ll

 

Smashwords:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/354935

 

 

Author social media

 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NewEngland_Muse

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Sharon-C-Williams/195232693863109

Linked:

http://tinyurl.com/mdgt5s7

 

Pinterest

http://www.pinterest.com/newenglandmuse/boards/

 

Goodreads:

 

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7078132.Sharon_C_Williams

 

Amazon page:

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00CSAFL8Q