I think that the world needs more hopeful messages. We hear so much about negativity, but when you read something that lifts you up, it makes a difference in your day and even life. That’s one reason I look for positive bloggers. Enjoy this interview with Samm from The Inspiration Tree.

I really adore your blog. How did you decide to start it?

Thank you

I don’t ever remember sitting down and making the decision to start The Inspiration Tree, it kind of just became. I was going through sort of a personal revelation at the time and started writing down ideas that I found inspiring on a personal blog. I was changing my life and habits step-by-step and as I came across a new concept or a helpful tip that I found relevant I posted it on my blog. Gradually people started visiting and leaving their own thoughts so I made the decision to make The Inspiration Tree a place for learning and sharing. I asked people to send me their bits of optimism and it was amazing the things that people started to send in. Every time I would check my email I would leave the computer with a smile and often times, a deep feeling of gratitude. With everyone participating in The Inspiration Tree, to me my blog become a sort of mini optimism movement and to be a part of something so positive has been such a great experience.

What are some of the blog posts that have been most inspiring to you?

Wow, this question is extremely difficult to answer because everything that has been posted on my blog has been posted there because of the sole fact that it inspired me in some way. One of the posts that sticks out the most though is “I Believe”. A lovely girl named Kelsey submitted a list to me which is from a poem called “I’ve Learned” by an unknown author. (I’ve also heard, since posting it, that is is displayed on a sign throughout a certain restaurant in the United States.)

What was really inspiring about this particular post though was larger than the poem itself. Once the post was online, I started to receive comments, emails, tweets, private messages, etc. with people telling me what THEY believed. It was amazing. Day after day I was reading hundreds of peoples personal beliefs and each and every one was beautiful. Due to the response, I started the What Do you Believe Project where I asked people to continue sharing their beliefs with me, and to this day I am still receiving responses. I often scroll through both these blog posts and the response emails to read over the wonderful things people have sent me and I’m moved everytime.

Tell me about the design of your blog. Did you do it yourself or hire someone?

The design of my blog is quite basic. I drew the background (the silly, curly tree) on photoshop one day while playing around. I then uploaded it to a simple template and edited some of the formatting and voila, there was my design!

What are some of your blogging goals?

This question is actually very pertinent to my current situation, haha. Unfortunately, my dedication to my blog has been less than satisfactory in the last 6 months due to working full time and finishing up my psychology degree and to be honest, I really missed blogging.

However, now that I’m finished up at University (YAY!!!) I have made The Inspiration Tree one of my main priorities again… so back to posting it is

My current goals are pretty simple- to get caught up with the back log of submissions and posts that are sitting around waiting to be shared. After that I hope to expand on what The Inspiration Tree is right now and continue to reach out to the larger blogging community… how I plan to do these things must remain a secret for now though Stay tuned!

Let’s switch gears to books. Do you enjoy reading? What’s the most interesting book you’ve ever read?

I love love love reading. One of my favorite past times since kindergarten! The most interesting book I’ve ever read was The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. I was in junior high when I read it and although the major theme is concerning racism specifically I believe that it can lend itself to any form of discrimination. Overall, the theme/message within the story helped me make sense of the world around me at the time and I’ve forever remembered this book fondly.

To quote Morrison…

“We were so beautiful when we stood astride her ugliness. Her simplicity decorated us, her guilt sanctified us, her pain made us glow with health, her awkwardness made us think we had a sense of humor. Her inarticulateness made us believe we were eloquent. Her poverty kept us generous. Even her waking dreams we used–to silence our own nightmares. And she let us, and thereby deserved our contempt. We honed our egos on her, padded our characters with her frailty, and yawned in the fantasy of our strength.”

“… And fantasy it was, for we were not strong, only aggressive; we were not free, merely licensed; we were not compassionate, we were polite; not good, but well behaved. We courted death in order to call ourselves brave, and hid like thieves from life”

Favorite authors?

So many! Some all time favorites are Janet Fitch (author of White Oleander) and J.D Salinger (Catcher in the Rye). Something about the way they both write always gets to me.

Where can we learn more about you?

The Inspiration Tree is my little corner on the internet so that’s probably your best shot. I also love random emails so feel free to fire away

Anything else you’d like to add?

I think that I’ve covered most of it. Much gratitude to Cherie for being interested in my blog enough to email me with an interview, I’m truly honored!
☮ & ❤,
Samm

Ever wanted to write as part of a team? It’s a completely different process, as Helen and Lorri Carpenter will tell you in this interview. Enjoy.

Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from and how long have you been writing?

We’re Helen and Lorri Carpenter, a mother/daughter writing team. We write together as HL Carpenter.

We’ve lived in a lot of different states, and loved time spent in all of them, so we like to say we’re from everywhere. We live in Florida now. Though native Floridians believe you’re not a true southerner unless you were born here, we’ve been Sunshine State residents so long we figure we nearly qualify.

As for the writing, we’ve been doing that long enough that we think we’re almost natives in this strange land, too.

Tell us about your latest book. What do you hope readers take away from it?

At heart, The SkyHorse is a story of the special love between a girl and a horse. We hope readers understand why our heroine makes the decision she did, and that love sometimes involves hard choices.

Do you believe in writer’s block? 

No. It’s another term for procrastination. Writers write, even if they think what they’re writing is unpublishable.

Share some of your writing goals. What’s next for you?

More books! We’re nearly finished with the first draft of another young adult novel, and we have three other finished manuscripts cooling off and waiting for revision. We also have a completed series of cozies for adult readers, along with three novellas featuring the same character.

What’s the most interesting book you’ve ever read?

That’s a tough one, because we read so much, and we’re interested in so many different topics. The books we like best are the ones that teach us something new, or that capture our thoughts and experiences in a way we might not have been able to express ourselves.

And, of course, there’s the dictionary, which we actually do read. Should we admit that? Well, since the horse is out of the stall, we’ll just say you can find a really interesting article in the back of The American Heritage College Dictionary about Indo-European and the Indo-Europeans. Words and their origins – what could be more fascinating?

Book you’re currently reading?

A re-publication of Stephen King’s first novels, which he published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. He has a knack for sucking the reader in with his opening sentence.

What is one thing that frustrates you about being a writer?

Not being able to write fast enough. Those notebooks full of characters, settings, and ideas keep reaching out ghostly tentacles, moaning, When? When? When do we get our own life?

Any type of writing ritual you have?

We’re not superstitious, so there’s no sharpening of pencils or arranging of reference material or touching of lucky amulets, if that’s what you mean.

However, our favorite book – yay for the dictionary! – offers another meaning: A detailed method of procedure faithfully or regularly followed. So we actually do have a ritual, by that definition.

You could call it the graphic novel ritual, because it works the same way as books written in the comic-strip format. Here’s the routine: As co-authors, we take turns writing chapters. We go back and forth until we’re done with the book.

So how’s that like graphic novels? Because you always know there’s more coming, and though you’re not quite sure what the “more” is, you know it’s going to have an unexpected twist tying into what’s already happened, yet at the same time pointing the way to whatever exciting event will happen next.

What is one of the things you’re most thankful for as a writer?

Our partnership – and it’s not one of the things, it’s THE thing. Sharing words and ideas with someone who is so deeply into the same story is a great way to write. In fact, we did a post on the topic of writing together at LK Mitchell’s blog.

Where can we learn more about you?

At our virtual home on the web is Top Drawer Ink Corp. We write semi-monthly newsletters, and each issue contains a “Carpenter Country” essay. Since the essays date back to 2003, when we created the site, there’s probably more information available about us than we realize!

If that’s not enough to satisfy fans or the casually curious, we recently did an interview with Sharon Ledwith, a fellow Musa author.

Anything else you’d like to add?

We’d like to thank you for sharing your writing space with us, and for giving us this opportunity to talk about The SkyHorse. It’s our first published book, and we’re still bubbling over with joy. The delight we felt when we got the acceptance email from Kathy Teel, head editor at Musa Publishing – there’s no way to capture that in words, even for a team of writers.

Susanna Carr is sharing her writing process with us today. She has read romance fiction since she was a school girl even though they were forbidden in her home at the time. She always managed to sneak one in from the local library or from her twin sister’s secret stash.

Sounds like a writer in the making!

Enjoy.

Do you tend to write nonfiction or fiction?

I write sexy contemporary romance.

How long does it take you to finish a book?

It can take between 4 to 6 months. I’m always trying different techniques to improve my productivity, but sometimes what works for one book doesn’t work for another.

What’s your usual approach? Seat of your pants? Outline?

The seat of your pants approach was disastrous for me! I’m much more comfortable outlining. There are so many things to think about when writing a story, so I feel more confident if I fix potential problems with the plot way before I start the book.

How many rough drafts do you usually go through before you’re satisfied with the final version?

My first draft is very bare and I focus on the plot, the dialogue, and the foundation for each scene. By the time I’m finished, I have a stronger idea about themes and which threads of the plot I want to highlight.

Then I go back and flesh out the character’s motivations and internal thoughts. Once I’ve done that, I go back to again and work on description and pacing. Then it’s a quick read-through for any errors or inconsistencies.

This isn’t the most efficient way to write a manuscript, but I’m learning to accept that this is my process. I work a lot better knowing I can always go back and fix something.

Do you have someone you give your manuscript to for feedback before you give it to an editor or agent?

I usually send my partials and full manuscripts to my twin sister for her to read. Not only does she read romance, but she also works at a literary agency. I trust her judgment and I know she won’t hesitate to tell me what works and what doesn’t.

Sometimes writers get so close to a piece that they aren’t good at judging what needs to stay and what should be edited out. How do you get perspective when this happens?

Sometimes you need to put away the manuscript to gain perspective. Work on something else for a week or two. Longer is better, but that’s not always an option. Once you return to the manuscript, you will know what you want to keep or delete.

What’s your latest project?

I am currently working on a short story that I’m going to put up as a free read on my website. Writing a different length allows me to tell stories that won’t work as a full-length book and it helps me sharpen my writing skills. It’s a fun challenge!

Where can we catch up with you online?

Visit me online at susannacarr.com.

Books by Susanna Carr:

• The Year of Living Shamelessly
• Ex, Why, And Me
• Pink Ice
• and more!

Lauren Proctor joins us today to talk about her writing process. Enjoy!

Do you tend to write nonfiction or fiction?

I work professionally creating content for companies online. As a result, I end up writing a lot of nonfiction ebooks, whitepapers, blogs targeted at executives, etc. This means a lot of research and almost all nonfiction.

How long does it take you to finish a book?

This varies widely. The pace of business and digital means everything should be been done yesterday though, and so it often takes me a couple months to finish something substantial. That novel I’ve been meaning to finish though, that’s taken years.

What’s your usual approach? Seat of your pants? Outline?

I start with a target audience in mind and brew over the idea for a night or so. Then I read the New Yorker or whatever fine writing happens to be near me for inspiration and flow. After that I spew out as much as I can think of based on the outline in my head.

Then I take a break, think things over, refine, and spew again. Cycle, repeat.

How many rough drafts do you usually go through before you’re satisfied with the final version?

I could fiddle around with refining my writing until the end of time. Alas, deadlines force me to call it quits before I drive myself crazy.

Do you have someone you give your manuscript to for feedback before you give it to an editor or agent?

When something is of extreme importance I usually give it to a fellow English major or my girlfriend. I owe much of my success to these extra pairs of eyes.

What’s your latest project?

I have a digital marketing guide that I’ve decided to publish as an experience as opposed to an actual book. The experiment is an interactive in-browser reading experience that can also be downloaded as an ebook in .epub or .mobi.

It’s going to be interesting because I can literally measure engagement with my writing on each page.

Where can we catch up with you online?

I’ve been focusing more on my own brand and am in the process of formalizing my startup focused on creating and marketing content for brands. You can read more about it at LaurenProctor32.com/blog and ProctorHall.com.

One thing I’ve learned from these writing process interviews is that while each of you might follow a certain process, they are all still a little different. Following that same note, Chris Redding shares her writing process with us today.

Like many authors, the writing bug bit her early. She knew she wanted to become a writer when she got an A on a story she wrote while in the fifth grade. She writes on her website that “writing romance fiction books didn’t enter the picture until later in her life. She didn’t read many romance books growing up, but after college, discovered the genre fictions of mystery and romance. Her favorite authors are Suzanne Brockmann and Lisa Gardner, both of whom she has had the pleasure of meeting.”

I agree that it’s very cool when you get to meet a favorite writer of yours. Enjoy this interview and in learning more about Chris.

Do you tend to write nonfiction or fiction?

I write fiction. I have a degree in journalism so I’ve written a little bit of non-fiction, but it is more fun to make things up. That’s frowned upon at a newspaper.

How long does it take you to finish a book?

If I’m really dedicated about 3 months. If I’m not so dedicated about 6 months. But that’s the rough draft only. I revise for a few months also.

What’s your usual approach? Seat of your pants? Outline?

I am a pantser through and through. If I outline I now don’t want to write the book. That said. I may outline the novella I’m working on because I don’t want to get off course.

How many rough drafts do you usually go through before you’re satisfied with the final version?

Usually 3. The first one is the roughest of course. The characters are naked in no man’s land. The second one is when I add more details. The third is for suggestions from my critique group.

Do you have someone you give your manuscript to for feedback before you give it to an editor or agent?

I have a fabulous critique group who reads my stuff.

What’s your latest project?

I’m working on a novella about a nerd and the cool girl.

Where can we catch up with you online?

www.chrisreddingauthor.com

http://chrisredddingauthor.blogspot.com

Books by Chris Redding:

• Blonde Demolition
• The Drinking Game
• A View to a Kilt
• and more. Visit her Amazon author page for more info.

Rolanda Pyle is a single Christian woman who loves to write. She is a social worker and has worked with grandparents raising children for the last 20 years. She was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and currently live in New Jersey. She started writing by keeping diaries as a youngster and started writing poetry as a teenager. Rolanda has published two books, Finally and Beneath His Everlasting Wings. She has also contributed to the “Gumbo for the Soul “series and to “Beautiful Women: Like You and Me”.

Enjoy this interview.

Tell us about your latest book. What do you hope readers take away from it?

Beneath His Everlasting Wings is an anthology. This devotional ministers to those going through difficult situations by providing tools to help readers cope with life challenges. It features a host of authors on diverse topics that affect us in our everyday walk in life. Some authors share personal stories and testimonies. Readers will witness  authors recount their incredible experiences; these journeys include an author telling of how malicious words that should have dampened her vision, caused her to conquer her fears and propelled her to accomplish her dream; one woman’s trip to Africa where she comes to realize her “life’s purpose;” and another woman’s walk of faith after being diagnosed with cancer. My hope is that readers will discover many more triumphs of faith that is a source of empowerment and enlightenment which the reader can continue to draw from for many years to come.

Share some of your writing goals. What’s next for you?

I recently submitted a children’s story to a publisher. I am hoping they will pick up the story. It is a story about a grandchild who has to go and live with their grandparents. I would love to contribute to a daily devotional. My ultimate goal is to write my life story- my memoir.

What’s the most interesting book you’ve ever read?

The Bible – it has everything, drama, love, romance, mystery, biography, history and then it gives tips on how to live a victorious life and inspiration to go to the next level.

Favorite authors?

Maya Angelou, Chuck Swindoll, Kay Arthur, L.A. Artis, Tania Michael, Lisa Nichols, T.D. Jakes….wow, there are too many to name all of them.

Book you’re currently reading?

The Pursuit Of Your Creative Call by Mel Holder

Any type of writing ritual you have?

I write in a journal, I write poems based on events, and I write when inspired.

What is one of the things you’re most thankful for as a writer?

That people tell me they are blessed by something they read that I wrote.

In your opinion, what’s the measure of a successful writer?

One whose writing touches someone’s life in some way whether they identify, they laugh or they are challenged to think or to do better.

Where can we learn more about you?

My website is www.rorosrainbowcommunications.com  and my facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/rorosrainbow.  Also by reading my books, I share a lot of myself and my life in both of my books.

Mike Lynch‘s first book, Dublin, came out in 2007, followed by When the Sky Fell, American Midnight, The Crystal Portal, and After the Cross. He has also published numerous short stories in various magazines. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and two children.

He lists some of his attributes on his website: “Christian . . . Husband . . . Father . . . Writer . . . Amateur Historian . . . and Intergalactic Wise Guy!”

I think that about says it all! Enjoy learning about Mike’s writing process.

Do you tend to write nonfiction or fiction? 

Fiction.

How long does it take you to finish a book?  

About 1 year.

What’s your usual approach? Seat of your pants? Outline?  

Both actually. I like to create a general outline for my stories, and rough sketches of the main characters. This gives me the structure I need to start the book, a skeleton as it were. I then start filling in the gaps as I go from chapter to chapter. I like having a foundation to work with, but at the same time, allow for the creative process as the story unfolds before my eyes.

How many rough drafts do you usually go through before you’re satisfied with the final version?

4-5

Do you have someone you give your manuscript to for feedback before you give it to an editor or agent?  

I always send a story I’m working on to a few people first before I send it to a publisher. We all have our blind spots, and need others to help us see them. What professional sports team doesn’t have a coach to help great players become really great players. Writers are no different. People know what works when it comes to storytelling, and what doesn’t. We sometimes get so lost in our stories and/or characters that we miss elements that just don’t work. With that said, it’s always best to choose people who know something about writing and the structure of stories. Also, don’t pick too many people. Like the saying goes, “Too many chefs spoil the soup.”

Sometimes writers get so close to a piece that they aren’t good at judging what needs to stay and what should be edited out. How do you get perspective when this happens?  

That’s the benefit of sending the manuscript to others first. I refer to them as “a fresh pair of eyes.” More often than not, they see things I don’t—misspelled words, character inconsistencies, plot holes, parts of the story that drag. Their comments are usually quite helpful. I have found that the problems they point out really help me to shape the story in a much better way than I could do on my own. I owe my readers a lot.

What’s your latest project?

I’m doing something a little different this time around, a romance novel entitled, Love’s Second Chance.  It’s a story about a woman who’s faced a tremendous loss in her life, and retreats to a quiet town in Connecticut. She believes she’ll never be able to love again, until a man she doesn’t think much of enters her life. That’s when things really get interesting. It’s a story about the power of love and how God can work in our lives in most unexpected ways.

Where can we catch up with you online? 

www.mikelynchbooks.com

Books by Mike Lynch:

• The Unit
• Beyond Horizon’s Edge
• The Wrong Place at the Right Time

Jerri Ledford‘s answers here proved to me once again why I wanted to do this interview series so much. I love her thoughts about the writing process and think that you’ll be able to pick up a tip or two that will help you as well.

She’s also a gal after my own heart: a working writer who is spending time establishing herself in the fiction world. Bravo.

Enjoy this interview.

Do you tend to write nonfiction or fiction?

I write both.  I write non-fiction for a living. It’s how I pay the bills.  I write fiction because it’s what I love to do, and eventually I hope to be making a living from it.  But it takes time to build a name, so that’s what I’m working on right now.

How long does it take you to finish a book?

When I’m writing a non-fiction book, the process is a little different. I usually write those under contract, so I have a set amount of time in which to write them. Since I focus heavily on technology, that time frame is usually pretty short – about 2 months from start to finish. It sounds terrible, but if all you’re doing is writing, it’s not bad.

The non-fiction schedule has helped me to build a good bit of discipline when it comes to writing, so a fiction book for me take about three to six months.  That’s from idea to publication. Because I self-publish my fiction, I have to allow time in the process for editing, reader input, cover design, and layout. Actual writing takes 2-3 months.  The rest of the time is production.

What’s your usual approach? Seat of your pants? Outline?

Speaking strictly about writing fiction, I’m a bit of a hybrid writer.  I usually have an idea that’s been stewing around in my head for a while; sometimes years. When it comes time to write, there’s a good chunk of the story already there, so I start as a seat of the pants writer. I just put my fingers on the keyboard and let the story start to flow.

About a third of the way into it, though, I find that I’m a little mired by all of the details, unanswered questions, and general uncertainty of what’s happening and why.  That’s the point that I go back and create a rough, working outline.  I usually do that in the form a storyboard.

I use a board divided into 8 sections (a screenwriting tool, really), and I place cards or sticky notes on it with one or two sentences about each chapter.  The cards are color-coded, according to my POV character, and they’re divided into one of those 8 sections to help ensure I have the pacing right. The whole thing helps me to figure out what I have and what I need, in a very visual way.  At times, there are only ideas on the cards…like what I want to have happen, so that I can glance up and see where a particular scene needs to go.  The more I write, the more filled in the story board becomes.

How many rough drafts do you usually go through before you’re satisfied with the final version?

I’m not a constant reviser. I tend to write about a third of the manuscript, then I revise it and work in the things that I’ve learned along the way.  After that, I’ll finish the book before I do any additional revising.

Along the way, I have critique partners reading as I write.  When the book is finished, I’ll go back and make those changes.  Then I send it off to readers.  I have three or four people who pre-read all of my books just to make sure everything from pacing to loose ends are covered.

If those pre-readers have any input, I’ll go back through the manuscript one last time to make changes or additions per their suggestions.  After that, the story editing is done.  All that remains is line editing, which I farm out to an editor. When those come back, I make the changes that are necessary, do one more read through for flow and to make sure everything works as I think it should, then it’s off to formatting.

Do you have someone you give your manuscript to for feedback before you give it to an editor or agent?

I do have several people who are pre-readers for me.  And although I don’t send my fiction manuscripts to agents and editors, I still go through the same process. I don’t want to put out a product that’s less than professional.

For my non-fiction, my pre-readers are editors and technical editors.  These are the people that make sure my voice is clear and not confusing, that the instructions I write are clear and easy to follow, and that everything comes together without leaving gaping holes in coverage.

On both sides, fiction and non-fiction, my pre-readers are my saving grace. They represent the audience that I want to reach, so what they say matters to me.  I don’t always agree with them, but I always listen and weigh what they have to say carefully.

What’s your latest project?

Currently I’m working on Book 2 of the Biloxi Series – Biloxi Blues.  Some of the characters from Biloxi Sunrise (The Biloxi Series) are coming back. But there are some new characters that I’m having a lot of fun with, as well. This book (Biloxi Blues) should be finished by the end of this month and out in all electronic formats by the end of April.

I’m also working on some small non-fiction pieces, but nothing that’s notable. I recently finished up a two year project with a corporate client, so I’m riding the wave right now, just trying to get back into some type of normal routine that doesn’t include staying up for days on end to meet deadlines, traveling for weeks at a time, and sacrificing life in order to complete my work.

Where can we catch up with you online?

Oh I’m all over the place!

• http://www.JerriLedford.com
• http://www.JerriLedford.com/blog/
• http://www.facebook.com/JerriLedford
• Twitter: @JerriLedford

Books from Jerri Ledford:

• SEO Search Engine Optimization Bible
• 25 Home Automation Projects for the Evil Genius
• Google AdSense For Dummies
• and more! Check out Jerri’s Amazon author page

If you’ve been paying attention to our collection of interviews in this latest “writing process” series, you’ll note some familiar tidbits. One is having people who can review your work and give you an honest opinion. Jennifer Fromke has a crit group she really loves, as well as her husband, who isn’t her normal target reader. I can relate to this.

I enjoyed Jennifer’s answers and I know you will as well.

Do you tend to write nonfiction or fiction?

I write contemporary women’s fiction. It’s what I read. It’s what I live.

How long does it take you to finish a book?

My first novel took about a year. I’ve only written one complete manuscript so far. My second novel is taking longer because I’ve joined a short story writing program this year. My short stories take about three weeks.

I live so much while I write, and I think the living makes the writing better. Sometimes I think the story takes longer because I need to live, allowing the story to marinate and sharpen in my mind.

What’s your usual approach? Seat of your pants or outline?

I’m in between these extremes. I like to plan most of the plot ahead of time, to ensure I have the proper elements set. But then I start writing and things change as I go. I always have the end in mind. I know where I want the story to go, but I don’t always know how it will happen.

How many rough drafts do you usually go through before you’re satisfied?

I don’t write separate drafts. I write a couple chapters, submit them to my critique group, and then I adjust the chapters based on their comments. As this is happening, I’m writing more, and when I get stuck, I go back to the beginning and make adjustments as I go. It’s a very fluid process for me. As I re-read what I’ve written so far, it helps me know where the story needs to go, and as I make things happen on the other end, I can sharpen what comes before with added details. I guess you could say I take a very circular approach. I’m constantly editing as I write, and writing as I edit. Some days I will only write new things. But at the end of those days, I’ve at least edited the new section a small bit. Can’t help the editor in me, it’s my favorite part.

Do you have someone you give you manuscript to for feedback before you give it to an editor or agent?

YES! I belong to a crit group called the Yay-Sayers. There are five of us who support each other, critique the work, pray for each other, and brainstorm plot solutions together. They are an enormous support to me and I trust them whole-heartedly. We all write women’s fiction, though our styles are very different.

I also have a friend in town who is a voracious reader and she proofreads my things for typos/grammar issues before I send it to the publisher.

Sometimes writers get so close to a piece that they aren’t good at judging what needs to stay and what should be edited out. How do you get perspective when this happens?

This is difficult. I like to have my husband read everything I write. He is not my target audience, so he has a wonderfully objective perspective. If it doesn’t make sense to him, I need to make it more clear.

The other thing I try to do is look at each scene and imagine the whole story without it. Would it stand up? How much of the scene is actually necessary to the whole? Can I add that one detail to another scene and scrap this one? Oftentimes, I’ll evaluate this before I start writing the scene, so I know what the goal of the scene is. For instance, I may need to introduce a new character, and show how this person gets under the skin of my main character. This might be setting up further action at a later time. So then I ask, do I need a whole scene for this? Or can I slip it into another scene?

What’s your latest project?

A Familiar Shore is my debut novel releasing March 23, 2012.

Meg Marks is a young lawyer raised off the coast of the Carolinas. An anonymous client hires her to arrange his will, and sends her to meet his estranged family at their lake home in northern Michigan. After a shocking discovery, she finds herself caught between his suspicious family and a deathbed promise her conscience demands that she keep. Will she sacrifice her own dreams for revenge, or will she forgive and leave the door open for possible happiness?

Where can we catch up with you online?

You can find me here: http://www.jenniferfromke.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jenniferfromke

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ – !/JJlakelover

Born in Krefeld/Germany, Carol Grayson followed the literary traces of her grandfather Hardy Kickers who became known as a composer and author of regional novels in the 1940s and 1950s. Therefore, it was obvious to found at first a music publishing company which takes care of the partly forgotten, nostalgic hit treasures which are very popular in German Rhineland until today.

Presently, she lives in Kempen on the Lower Rhine and is mainly writing Mystery and Dark Fantasy short stories and novels.

Enjoy this interview.

Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from and how long have you been writing?

My name is Carola Kickers and I´m also writing under my pen name Carol Grayson. Most of my books are settled in dark fantasy and mystery, but also crime novels and stories for kids are belonging to my themes. I´ve been writing since my earliest youth and my first book has been published in 1996.

Tell us about your latest book. What do you hope readers take away from it?

You will find a lot more information about my publications (sorry, in German only up to now) at http://carolgrayson-darkromance.blogspot.com – one of my largest projects is the Jason Dawn Series. Find more about this extensive vampire saga (published long before the Twilight hype started) here: http://jasondawn-luxaeterna.blogspot.com . The first English book has been published as DNL-Ebook and is called “Crimson Blood”.  Of course, there are more to come.

Share some of your writing goals. What’s next for you?

Continuing the series which are already running and maybe doing some readings this year.

What is one of the things you’re most thankful for as a writer?

I like to thank all my readers and I´m thankful for useful critics as well as people that are encouraging me to continue and to try new genres as well. Thank you all for your feedback.

Where can we learn more about you?

Check out www.carola-kickers.de (in German language).

Anything else you’d like to add?

There are new projects to come. You may also visit my facebook pages for the ROMANTICA series http://www.facebook.com/ROMANTICA.Buchreihe.