Interview with Julie Affleck plus Giveaway

Chins up, everyone. Friday always seems far away, but it's just around the corner, I swear! Let's move things along more quickly by enjoying an interview with author Julie Affleck.

Welcome to We Do Write, Julie. Tell us a bit about yourself.

Thanks for having me! A little about me. I am 'mostly' a stay-at-home Mom (last year I started waitressing in the summer because there is no chance of writing with so many kids around. It's my break!). I have been married to Robbie for almost twenty years and we have four children. Two boys, aged 16 and 13(almost!), nope, not thinking about drivers' licenses, and two girls, aged 11 and 6. That's my life. My kids and family. I have four brothers and six sisters, my husband has nine siblings, so we're used to noise. It kind of follows me around. Or maybe I cause it. I've never thought about it like that.......

Wow, big family! How long have you been writing?

I have been writing for close to ten years, taking online or correspondence writing courses, workshops when I got a chance. But it was probably about five years ago before I actually let anyone (even family!) read anything I'd written.

Tell us about UNBELIEVERS. What’s the story about?

Unexplained deaths have occurred in the tiny village of Mount Stewart, Prince Edward Island, for more than half a century. Every five years, to be exact, the river claims a victim. This year, thirteen year old Leigh Kennedy and her friends are destined to die. Can Leigh find out why this has been happening in time to escape their fate?

How did the idea of the story come to you?

I live close to a river where there has been drownings over the years. There was a 'what if' kind of moment, and the story happened. With a lot of work!

Sounds spooky. Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

I do a lot of editing myself until I can't see the words anymore. Then I have as many people as I can read it to find more mistakes. I know teachers (my sister, a friend) who are extremely good at finding
mistakes. And I finally joined a writing group, and when we resume again in September, I will have new writers who can edit/critique for me, and I can't wait for that! Love my group! I love being critiqued because it only makes me better. I am not too attached to my writing to let go of mistakes.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I am definitely a plotter. I find it so much easier to write. I do a rough outline first, then a chapter outline. When I'm writing, anything can happen in the story and I find myself adding a chapter or
two in addition to my outline, but I love that! I get back to my outline because I knew where I was going so I'm never lost. I find myself finishing what I've started because of my outlines. I still
have a few manuscripts laying around unfinished from the times when I was a pantser.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

The hardest part of writing is finding the time. Because I am a stay-at-home Mom, I was always picking up after the kids, waiting on them hand and foot, spoiling them. Sad but true. I'm paying for it now. No amount of growling fixes it. No, they're really not that bad. But there is always laundry, dishes, cleaning, kids running around. So I take what time I can find and run and hide.

I'm with you on the time issue. What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

Peace and quiet. Oh wait - that never happens. I don't really 'need' anything except my pen and paper. I can't type first, gotta write it out.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Love this question! So many possibilities....I pick a super-fast picker-upper/cleaner! And I mean super quick! As in clean my entire house spotless in fifteen minutes or less! Oh, the time I could have. To write - hey, I could do more than write! I could watch television..........read a book............have a three hour bath.......Could I have that power please? Just for a day? Anyone to help with that?!

Let me know if you find someone to help with that. ;) What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

The weirdest thing I've googled would be natural poisons and how they affect the body, nervous systems, all that fun stuff. I'm not actually planning to kill my husband, seriously I'm not, but I wanted to research that for a character that wanted to kill their spouse and not get caught or make it look accidental, not sure how that will happen yet.

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence:
unbelievable, vacant, and celebration.

The vacant house looked haunted, and it was unbelievable that anyone would ever think to have a celebration in such a filthy dump.

Finish this sentence: If I'm not writing, I'm probably ...

doing laundry!

Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

Oh, the people I could thank! Thank you for the opportunity to be on your blog! I thank Megan for all her work on this book tour! I thank my sister Tina who always types my manuscripts for me. I'd still be typing the first short story now. I might be on the last page - nah, probably not. That's how slow a typer(typist?) I am.Thank you, Faith, for giving me confidence to let other people read what I write. I thank all my sisters and family (Mom!) for always supporting me! And my hard-working husband, who works too many hours so I can write. And even my kids - my daughter who made my facebook page because I am sooo computer-savvy (NOT!) and helps 'edit' my books, and the other kids who stay out of my way if they can see I'm 'really into a good part' of my writing!And thanks to anyone who reads my books and can find something nice to say! It helps because some writers are shy.......

And finally, where can people find you and your books online.

I'm on all of the Amazon sites, Amazon.com,Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.es, Amazon.fr, Amazon.it, Amazon.co.jp, Amazon.com.br, and Kobo.com. (The Unbelievers will be available on Kobo after July, because I enrolled it in KDP select for three months.)
I have a blog I write (foolishness!) on. What I'm working on, what I should/want to be doing in my writing career. My goal is to post once a month so I don't overload myself or scare me away with another deadline. It is http://julieaffleck.blogspot.ca/
My author facebook page(brand new with the help of my eleven year old daughter!) https://www.facebook.com/JulieAffleckTheAmazing. If anyone knows how to get rid of 'the Amazing' part that would be great! I didn't know it was there until I copied and pasted for this! Hey -
maybe my daughter did it and it means I am a good Mom! Something for me to think about next time I'm growling about the mess in her room.

Giveaway

2 paperbacks of Unbelievers by Julia Affleck
International
Ends 16th June 2013
a Rafflecopter giveaway