Well… better late than never, right??? Our apologies for the mix up with Lynda’s interview. But we’re on track now!!
Who/What influenced your writing the most?
Honestly, it was the books I read as a child/young adult. I learned to read very early, at age two-and-a-half, and I absolutely devoured books. When I realized you could escape to a different place and time, simply through stories, I knew I wanted to be the one writing them. Also, I grew up in a family of avid readers. We didn’t spend time gathered around the television. We each curled up in our favorite corners and read. Alone, but together. It’s a cherished childhood memory for me.
Did you always want to be a writer? If not, then what?
I always wanted to be a writer, but I thought I needed to “get a life” before I’d have anything worthwhile to write about. I don’t regret that decision, as I worked a lot of jobs and traveled the world, but I’m glad to be settled down, doing what I love now.
I understand you tried out a lot of different jobs before becoming a writer. Do you still have a “dreaded day job”? If so, what?
“A lot of different jobs.” Understatement! LOL. Yes, I do have a dreaded day (actually night) job, but it’s by choice. I’m a part-time 9-1-1 emergency medical/fire dispatcher. I’ve been with my department for 8 years, and it’s a nice swap from the solitary writer’s life.
How did you make the transition from being a cop to a writer?
You know, it was both simple and excruciatingly difficult. At the time I got the job, I was the smallest cop ever hired in the state. Even though I passed all the physical/arrest control/firearms tests with flying colors and tested/interviewed extremely high as far as knowledge, people were understandably concerned about hiring such a tiny cop. It was a true accomplishment for me to overcome that obstacle, and I loved being a cop. However, as my writing started to take off, I had to choose. Writing and police work are both super taxing, and I couldn’t do both. I’d wanted to be a writer my whole life, so I chose that. I don’t regret it for a moment, but I do miss police work occasionally.
But, in the nuts and bolts category, I saved up enough money to pay off all my debt so I could start with a clean slate once I resigned. That was super important.
How did your experiences as a cop impact your writing?
I employ a lot of police tactics to my career as a whole. For example, when the writing career seems out of control, like a crazy bar fight or in-progress shooting scene , I will back off (take cover), assess what the heck’s going on, concoct a plan of action, and then go at it with as much control as possible. The person acting is always in control. The person reacting is always out of control.
I’ve also learned to let a lot of craziness in this career roll off my back. At least no one’s shooting at me—there’s perspective for ya!
What does your normal (writing) week look like?
I set weekly page goals, which gives me leeway to handle unexpected crises that crop up without feeling guilty. If I did daily page or word count goals and then didn’t meet them, it would throw me off (I know myself). So the weekly thing works for me.
I don’t have set work hours or set days off, as I tend to immerse myself in a project when necessary. To a fault, sometimes, which can lead to burnout. (That’s a whole different interview). But, anyway, I prefer writing at night, as I am not, never have been, and never will be a morning person. LOL. Just ask my mom. Or my high school teachers. I need to write alone, no music with lyrics, no television. I need silence in my head.
Do you work with critique groups? How has your experience with them been?
Earlier in my writing career I worked with a full critique group, and it was a good experience for the most part. However, as we all began to need different things from the group, as people moved on, or just moved, it disbanded. Now I work with a single critique partner who is absolutely invaluable to me. She knows my writing better than I do, and she can tell me when I’m veering off track, pulling my punches, or forcing a character to do something he or she wouldn’t. Also, we never try to alter each other’s voices, which is vital, in my opinion. I wouldn’t give her up for the world.
You’ve written in several genres. Which is your favorite to write and why?
Oh, gosh, this is a hard one. Actually, I like the variety. It’s nice to write a romance, then a YA, then a women’s fiction novel. Keeps my brain stimulated.
How is your approach to Latina or young adult books different than your romances?
First of all, I don’t write Latina fiction. I write romance or YA or women’s fiction novels in which the characters “happen to be” Latina or Black or teenaged or gay—whatever. That’s a misconception I’ve tried to overcome for a long time, because people are people, and stories are stories. The world I live in is a big, colorful canvas with different kinds of people. That’s why I populate my stories the way I do. That said, my approach to writing any of my novels doesn’t change. Everything I write is character driven, and every character is distinct. If his/her heritage, age, sexual identity, etc., affects the story, as it should, that’s the way I want it. It’s all character.
If you could write yourself into a story, what would your character be and be like?
She’d be a superhero! And debt free. Just kidding. You know, as authors, we write from our own experience, world view, upbringing, geographical region, etc. I think there is a bit of me in every character I write—even my heroes. Speaking of heroes, I often get comments, good or bad, that my heroes are “nice.” Yes, I write beta heroes, but that’s because I like nice guys. I don’t even think I’d be capable of writing an alpha hero. LOL.
What do you do to relax (not writing)?
I love, love, love to sew, decorate, read (of course—and I don’t actually trust writers who say they don’t read), quilt, knit, and yes, watch TV.
What advice do you have for writers who are still waiting for “the call”?
The age old advice: start the next book. This isn’t flippant advice. Once you sell, they’re inevitably going to ask, “What else do you have?” That answer should NEVER be “Nothing.” Why make it harder on yourself? Release the book that’s out there and move on.
What do you wish you had known earlier in your writing career?
Two things. I wish I’d known that you could be 24 books into your career and still not wealthy. LOL! And I wish I’d known about professional jealousy. Personally, I love helping other authors, and I think every success is shared by the whole. But, had I known how pervasive and invasive, not to mention downright hurtful, professional jealousy can be, I would’ve donned my armor much earlier and saved myself some of the pain. As it is, professional jealousy came as a rude slap in the face to me.
What’s coming up next for you?
I’m really excited that the sequel to my first YA, “Who’s Your Daddy?” is FINALLY going to be released in April 2010. “Father Knows Best” is the title.
Would you mind giving us a sneak peak at your current release? =)
Sure! “Lexy’s Little Matchmaker” is a June Silhouette Special Edition out now. It’s the fourth in my Return to Troublesome Gulch miniseries. The premise behind the series is this: a decade or so before the books begin, four couples went to prom together and were involved in a catastrophic car crash. Four teens lived, four died. Each of the Troublesome Gulch books deals with one of the survivors, and all of the books deal with healing and redemption. Lexy is the friend who actually caused the accident, and she’s been living with crushing guilt for twelve years. She’s the supervisor of the 9-1-1 Communications Center in the Gulch, and she’s been focused on her friends’ recoveries, not her own. Anyway, here’s the link to the first bit:
EXCERPT
She also gave me my first romance novel when I was 14. Most of you know this, the one by Rosemary Rogers – Sweet, Savage, Love. I was hooked. She had an extensive romance collection for a time and she always would pass them along to me.
