Guest Post: The Importance of Time Between Edits by Elsie Elmore

Hello again! Beth here. After a whirlwind of a week, I'm back, and stoked to participate in the book blitz for The Undead: Playing for Keeps by Elsie Elmore. Elsie has stopped by today to share with us the importance of giving a novel some time to simmer before jumping back into the editing pot. Very good advice! But first, here's a little bit about her debut novel:

The Undead: Playing for Keeps by Elsie Elmore 
Published by: Curiosity Quills Press
Publication date: September 3rd 2014
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

When an undead woman with serious de-comp issues stalks sixteen-year-old Lyla Grimm, her hope
of rescuing her rock-bottom reputation takes a back seat. Especially once Lyla’s new talent of resurrecting the dead draws the attention of Eric, a Grim Reaper with a guitar and a chip on his shoulder.

While Lyla navigates the gossip-ridden halls, Eric works to gain her trust and discover why Death’s clients aren’t staying down. If she passes on her gift, his death-messenger destiny might be altered. But the closer he gets to Lyla, the less sure he is of his plan. The dead are way easier to deal with than the living.

Gossip explodes, the Grimm family implodes, and desperation sets in. Death wants the gift and a soul. Lyla and Eric face hard choices with hidden consequences. Sometimes life’s choices aren’t really choices at all.

            

The Evolution of The Undead: The Importance of Editing After Time Has Passed

by Elsie Elmore

Photo Credit: Flickr by Jennifer Donley

Writing blogs often suggest letting your manuscript rest between edits. That time allows the story to become fresh again and offers you distance from your work.

The Undead began as a tale told only from Lyla’s vantage point. Her troubles at school were chronicled in detail, along with the tension at home, and oh yeah, the awakening of her ability to resurrect the dead. Eric was a character, but not a main character because we never understood his motivations.

When my editor read my ms for the first time, she had many questions about Eric and suggested I offer more information about him. He was too mysterious, in an incomplete and frustrating way. His motivations were not understood. What did he want? What did he need? I thought long and hard about how to show more of him. But the trouble with showing more about another character written in first person is the fear of info-dumping or labored conversations to include the pertinent past information.

To develop Eric's character more and make his motivations central to the story, I gave him a voice of his own. And boy did he take off.  I could barely keep up with everything he wanted to do and say. His depth of emotion ran deeper than I expected.

Without someone suggesting I offer more and allowing my work to rest, I wouldn’t have thought to push that way.

Having a CP, beta reader, and/or an editor read your work and offer feedback are critical steps for your story. Sometimes a suggestion or question is enough to turn your tale into something deeper and stronger. Especially if you’ve given it enough time.

About the Author

Elsie Elmore lives in North Carolina with her husband and two kids.
She loves the color red, has an appreciation for chocolate and coffee that borders on obsession, writes stories that challenge the laws of nature, and wishes fall temperatures would linger year round.

Elsie is a member of several writing organizations: RWA, SCBWI, and WSW. The Undead : Playing for Keeps is her debut novel.


               

Three Things I've Learned in Five Years

As some of you might know, Dorothy has been away at BEA most of this week meeting publishing professionals, readers and the like, and signing books. In other words, being a REAL AUTHOR! (So excited for you, Dorothy!) Because of that, Dorothy had nothing scheduled for the blog this week, except Monday's post. But, since I'm available to post today, I thought I'd switch it up a bit and give you something a little different.

I've been seriously writing for almost five years. Over the years, I've learned quite a bit about writing and publishing. Some of it helpful, some of it... not so much. So, for a change of pace, I thought I'd give you a short list of those tough lessons learned that made a huge difference in my writing journey.

1. Beta-readers and Critique Partners Are Gold

There are two extremes with beta-readers/critique partners: the cheerleaders and the ass-kickers. And they are both incredibly valuable.

*record scratch* What? Yes, you read correctly. They are BOTH valuable.

My work would not be at all publication ready if not for those beautiful, golden, ass-kickers. A writer NEEDS someone to tell them exactly where things are going wrong, with no bias or coddling. Does it hurt? Sure it does. But it is SO worth it when that agent/publisher phone call comes. Really.

Most serious writers know this. What they don't know is the importance of those heaven-sent cheerleaders . Those are the angels that keep you going. If not for a few amazing cheerleaders, Call Me Grim would probably still be a work in progress. Knowing there was someone out there who was excited about my work and who really wanted to know what happened next kept my butt in the chair pounding those keys. And what is a writer, if she/he's not writing?

(Hugs and kisses to my betas and crit-partners. You guys ROCK!)

2. Rules Are There For a Reason. Break Them Wisely

Show, don't tell. Cut the adverbs and excessive adjectives. Avoid purple prose. Don't write your query from the POV of your MC. We've heard them all.

They are all valid and important rules to know and follow. They will improve writing and the chances of getting in the publishing door.

Except when breaking the rules makes the work better.

Sure, there are a few hard and fast rules that really should NOT be broken, like the Follow-Submission-Guidelines-To-The-Letter Rule. Don't mess with that one. Unless you want your query to see the bottom of the trash-bin before it's even opened. But, some rules cry to be broken...wisely.

I learned not to be a rule-breaker simply to prove that I could. I know the rules and break them when I have to, because to do otherwise would sacrifice something valuable, like voice, pacing or character development. The act of breaking the rules, for me, is now a very thoughtful process.

3. Know When To Let Go

This was the hardest lesson for me to learn. It's important in two ways, both, I'm afraid to say, I've learned from personal experience. Let me elaborate.

After months (who am I kidding? years) of writing one novel, I KNEW it was a masterpiece. I queried and queried and after several rejections, I decided I needed beta-readers. I revised and revised and out the door it went. Again. Only to be rejected. Again. And so it went. I poured all of my efforts into revising that first novel and the query, trying to get it picked up 'cause, darn it, it took me FOREVER to write and it DESERVED to be published.

Then I got this awesome idea. It was pretty and shiny and I decided I would NOT screw this one up. It wasn't leaving the door until it was PERFECT. In every way. I got some feedback from betas, but they had some negative comments. It wasn't ready. I fixed those issues and sent it out to a few more betas who had different negative comments. Still not ready. Rinse and repeat, while my pretty, shiny idea grew a fine layer of dust and went absolutely nowhere. When I finally got around to submitting, the desire for that kind of a manuscript had waned.

With both of these novels, my problem was my inability to let go. And learning to let go was the way I eventually moved on to bigger and better things. With the first novel (which is under the bed, where it belongs) I wasted a ton of time on something that, looking back, was not worth it (Yeah. It was really that bad. Purple prose. Muddled POV. The works). With the second novel, I nearly lost my opportunity obsessively picking it apart.

Lucky for me, that second novel got me my agent and eventually my publishing contract with Month9Books, so there's that. But that never would have happened if I hadn't eventually learned to let go.

Three, Two, One Pitch Contest: Official Heads Up!

So you think you can pitch? Once again, we'll be giving aspiring writers everywhere a chance to pitch to a literary agent. The next Three-Two-One pitch contest takes place April 25^th and 26^th. This gives you all about three weeks to get your manuscripts and pitches ready. Just a reminder to those who haven't participated before, a Three-Two-One pitch contest goes like this:

THREE - Pitch your story in only three sentences.

TWO - Two days to enter:  April 25^th and 26^th.

ONE - One agent will judge and pick a winner.

Doesn't that sound great? Well then, get those pitches ready!

Do not enter your pitch on this post. We will make an official contest entry post on April 25^th and entrants will post their three-sentence pitches (no run on sentences!) in the comments section of that post. At midnight on April 26^th, We will turn off comments and no other entries will be accepted. The winner will get a full manuscript request!

We will announce our spectacular judging agent sometime prior to the contest, so keep an eye out!

This contest is open to unagented, completed and polished manuscripts in the genres of:

Middle Grade

Young Adult

To be eligible, you must:

1) Follow this blog - go ahead and click "Join this Site" on the right if you haven't already

2) Follow Dorothy on Twitter

3) Follow Elizabeth on Twitter

4) Spread the word! Tweet, Blog, or mention on Facebook about the contest and link back to this post.

So, don't forget: Three sentences, two days to enter, one agent will judge. Good luck, everyone. We can't wait to read all of your pitches. See you back here on the 25^th of April! :)

Guest Post by Kate Walton: Staying on the Path

Today we have an inspiring post from the fabulous Kate Walton, whom I interviewed back in May. She also made a brilliant parody song for aspiring writers that I still sing to this day. Listen to her words of wisdom, fellow aspiring writers.


First, thank you to Dorothy for asking me to contribute this guest post.  It is an honor.


Quitting.  Throwing in the towel.  Jumping ship.  Leaving it all behind.  Giving up.


Ever want to do it?  If you said no, then you seriously are a super human and far stronger than I.  I’m sure you’ve read or heard, “Publishing isn’t for the faint of heart.”  I know I have, and I truly believed my skin was tough enough, that my manuscripts were good enough, and that I had the iron will to plow through and attain my goal…land a literary agent.  


Then the rejections came. 


They came on queries.  They came on partials.  They came on fulls.  They came as form letters all the way up to the ultra-painful, “After reading your novel, I’m afraid I’m going to pass because…”  And they kept coming until I literally quit, threw in the towel, jumped ship, left it all behind and gave up.  Oh yes I did. 


I just couldn’t take it another second.  And you know what “it” I’m referring to…the agent researching, contest entering, query-revising, query-submitting, query-checking, tear wiping, fist balling, forum reading, blog reading, manuscript reading, and on and on and on.  A writer’s life on the agent hunt ain’t easy, and I was bone crushing tired of it all.  Ache and want filled me up and I overflowed all over my office when I typed on my blog: At the risk of sounding overly dramatic...I think I'm going to take some time off to lick my wounds and do some writer'ish soul searching.


I quit.


That was June 3, 2010.


Time jump with me to June 10, 2010 – a mere seven days later (yet a long 922 days since I completed my first novel. Yes, that translates to 2.4 years).  


On June 10^th I wrote a public letter to The Universe…a letter of gratitude.  In those seven days I received two full requests, and one of those requests ended up turning into an offer of representation from Sarah LaPolla at Curtis Brown Ltd.  I am proud to say I am represented by her (proud and chill-inducing-excited).


You know my ultimate point; you’ve heard it before:  If you want it bad enough then do not give up.  It really is that simple.


Stay on the path no matter how many trolls or witches try to lead you astray.  Shut the inner demons up by doing even more…more writing, more conference going, more class taking, more researching, more revising, more reading, more everything.  If writing flows through your veins and feeds your soul, then it IS your destiny.  Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. 

Inspiration Time

Some of you might remember that back in May I did an interview with aspiring author Kate Walton. Well, Kate, being the creative genius she is, has made a video so full of awesome it would be a crime not to share. This song is not only motivating for aspiring writers, but also for anyone with a dream worth chasing.

Take a gander! I promise you'll be glad you did. Oh, and if you spread the word, Kate's having a contest with a great prize. Check out details on her blog.

I Wrote a Book and You'll Like it

I'm not the only writer who comes up with crazy ideas in the shower—and certainly not the only person who sings in the shower. Combine the two and you get a whole new world of bizarre.

And that brings us to today's post. Today's shower had me changing the words of Katy Perry's I Kissed a Girl to fit a writer's struggle to get published. And yes, I am that insane.

I WROTE A BOOK

I’ve got a manuscript on hand,
for your consideration
I got so brave,
pen in hand
Used imagination
It’s not what you’re used to,
You’ll really dig my book
You’re curious, aren’t you?
Just take a little look

I wrote a book and you’ll like it,
Here’s the first 20 chapters
It’s saleable, so just try it,
I hope it’s what you’re after
Don’t take too long,
Read it tonight
Make an offer
And I’ll say, ‘All right!’
I wrote a book and you’ll like it
Please like it

I read your agency is yet
Closed to submissions
But you are my last hope to get
Representation
It's just what writers do
We often misbehave
Plot leaves you confused?
Let me explain

I wrote a book and you’ll like it
Here’s the first 20 chapters
It’s saleable, so just try it,
I hope it’s what you’re after
Don’t take too long,
Read it tonight
Make an offer
And I’ll say, ‘All right!’
I wrote a book and you’ll like it
Please like it

My plot twists are so magical,
My MC’s super lovable
Hard to resist,
Publishable
Too good to deny it.
The next big deal,
Profitable

I wrote a book and you’ll like it
Here’s the first 20 chapters
It’s saleable, so just try it,
I hope it’s what you’re after
Don’t take too long,
Read it tonight
Make an offer
And I’ll say, ‘All right!’
I wrote a book and you’ll like it
Please like it

;-)

Interview with Mireyah Wolfe

Welcome back to We Do Write. We're still brand new but slowly building up a following, isn't that great?

Today we're having a chat with 17-year-old aspiring writer Mireyah Wolfe!

Tell us a little bit about yourself, Mireyah.

I live in Louisiana with my parents and my animals. I’m homeschooled and currently studying for my GED, hoping to go to SLU later this year. When I’m not writing, I’m reading or doing research, making knives or playing with the dog. And if I’m not doing any of those things, then I’m probably procrastinating on Twitter with my other writer buds. *blush*

We're all guilty of procrastinating on Twitter, don't worry! So, what is the name and genre of your manuscript?

The title is almost always changing these days, but the current title is “Grace of the Grave.” It’s Urban Fantasy with a few romance elements thrown in.

Love the title! I'd definitely pick it up if I saw it in the bookstore. Here’s the part where you pitch it. What’s your story about?

I tend to get rambly and confusing when I talk about it—which I really need to work on—so I’ll give you the description I’ve got on my blog.

“In Johanna Devlin's world, everything is simple-- her work is fulfilling, her home is warm, and her fiancé is loving. In Joey's world, demons don't exist and angels are simply regular people who are nicer than most.

But when her grandfather dies and her loving fiancé turns abusive, Joey is forced to return to a life she’d long left behind, complete with family secrets better left buried and friendships that hide betrayals.

If only life were simple.”

How did the idea of the story come to you?

To be perfectly honest, I came up with the original idea (which has since evolved and changed quite a bit) while I was brushing my teeth. I had spent the day alternately reading a friend’s book and watching episodes of Supernatural (the tv show), so my head was filled with demons and angels and hunters when I went to go to bed that night. At the time, I was smack dab in the center of a huge idea drought. I couldn’t even dredge up a micro-short story, which I can usually do at any point in time.

Maybe it was a combination of minty freshness and letting my mind wander, but I suddenly had this idea and this character who was going from the normal life to utter chaos. I think I might’ve freaked my parents out when I burst out of the bathroom, practically squealing that I’d finally had an idea for NaNo!

I'm a Supernatural fan myself! Love those Winchester boys! Is your manuscript complete or still a work in progress?

Definitely a work in progress. I started it for NaNoWriMo and I did hit the 50k mark, but the story wasn’t done. I’m in the middle of major revisions because I’ve recently had a few epiphanies about it. (I swear, those things are gonna be the death of me.)

Do you have a word count goal, and how far along are you at this point?

My general word count is 70,000 words, since it’s an Urban Fantasy. I’m not as far along as I’d like to be, but it’s coming slowly but surely. If only I could finally defeat the Procrastination Demon—it sneaks up on me whenever I look at my WiP! I’m gonna catch it one day…

Maybe we should call in Sam and Dean to lend a hand! Hehehe! Do you have a critique group or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

I’m a member of an online critique group, but I can’t really post my work there because the group is for YA Authors—I joined because it was the only I could join when I was 15—and my work is definitely not YA. But through that group, I met a few other authors who are wonderful and willing to read and help me out. Minor edits, I do myself, but the major things are usually the stuff I completely miss.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Staying interested. I’m not a fast writer by any stretch of the imagination and I tend to get bored with things after a while. Because it takes me so long, I have a hard time keeping myself from simply drifting away from whatever I’m working on. (And yeah, it’s happened quite a few times before.)

 I’ve managed to find a few ways to keep it fresh—reading an as-yet unpublished work in the same genre, watching movies and television shows that have similarities to my story. I recently started drifting away from my current WiP, and I watched an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer—it made me want to jump back into work. *grin*

Any tips you’ve learned about writing you’d like to share?

It doesn’t have to be a solitary art. With the support of family and/or friends, of other writers, it doesn’t feel like you’re alone in this seemingly impossible endeavor. I think that’s the one thing I see a lot of—writers who think that writing is something you have to do on your own, that you have to be completely self-dependant, and that’s simply not the case. You can if you want to, but it’s not a requirement.

Great advice! Do you have an idea for your book’s cover art?

Oh, I love making mock cover art—and I fully blame SM Blooding (smblooding.webs.com) for that. I have so many thoughts on what my cover art would be that I think I’d be happy with whatever they gave me! *grin*

Who are your inspirations?

I’d have to say that the television show Supernatural is my number one inspiration, with Buffy the Vampire Slayer as a close second. Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series inspired me to write in first person, and many other books have kept my attention there.

My friends, Ceridwen Swift and Ashelynn Sanford, have kept me on my toes and I thank the fates every day for having met them.

SM Blooding, an extremely prolific novelist (sadly unpublished), continues to keep me motivated and reaching for that finish line.

Beyond that, possibilities are inspiration.

Ooh, I like that! Let’s get to know you on a deeper level. Can you name three things about yourself people may not know (or maybe they do know but they are special traits/hobbies/quirks)?

1.  I love unevenly numbered lists. It’s completely contrary to my mild, but sometimes overly apparent O.C.D, and it drives my friends up the wall, but I do love uneven lists.
2. I’m only a neat freak when it comes to my book shelves. Everything else…I honestly don’t care. (IE: Making the bed does not concern me.)
3. I couldn’t think of something that I haven’t already admitted to on my own blog, but according to my mother, I make weird faces when I’m completely engrossed in whatever I’m doing on the computer—and she doesn’t mean normal weird faces, she means The Incredibles mom faces when she’s feeding the baby. And that kind of freaks me out now. I may never get on the computer in public again.

Making the bed doesn't concern me either - and I'm a mother, so that's probably not good to admit, lol. Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Who would you like to give a shout out to?

Ah, so many to choose from—I’ve got amazing friends and family, but the major players are definitely my parents, my BFF, Ceri, in Australia, SM Blooding, and my friend Ashelynn. There are many more, through twitter and the blogosphere, and I hope they all know how much they mean to me.

And finally, where can people find you online?

My blog: http://m-wolfe.blogspot.com

My twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MireyahWolfe

Mireyah, thank you so much for letting me interview you. Good luck with your book, and please keep us updated when you've reached the next phase of your publishing journey!

Thanks so much for asking me, Dorothy. I thoroughly enjoyed it! 

Interview with Todd R. Vick

Hello and welcome to We Do Write's very first interview. For our debut we will be chatting with aspiring writer Todd R. Vick!

Todd is a 42-year-old freelance writer from Leesville, South Carolina. He is happily married to Tracy, and together they have seven -- yes, that's right, SEVEN -- children, 3 cats, and 3 dogs. Sounds like it's a full house over at the Vick's! Todd is originally from Monona, Wisconsin. He's also a coffee addict (aren't we all) and a proud cheesehead.

Welcome, Todd! Let's talk about what you're writing. What is the name and genre of your manuscript?

It is a work of fiction and the title is Purple Lilacs.

Here’s the part where you pitch it. What’s your story about?

The story is about a minister from the Bible Belt who experiences great loss and betrayal. He then questions his faith and loses his way. The story follows him through his grief process and the ending will be a huge shocker.

Sounds dramatic! How did the idea of the story come to you?

The inspiration for the novel is loosely based on some things that I went through years ago when I left the ministry. I was determined that this would be a novel and NOT an autobiography, hence the word, “loosely.” At first I had no idea where to begin, so I just started writing. After about 700 words, I hit a major writer’s block. So, I let the story sit for a couple of weeks.

At the time, I was having some major financial issues due to being laid off. My mother’s birthday arrived and I was invited to have dinner with her and my two sisters. I had to decline. My younger sister offered to buy me dinner, but there was still the matter of having no gift. I couldn’t even afford a card for her at the time. My older sister suggested I just write her a poem.

That day, on my lunch hour (believe it or not), I composed a poem to my mother and the title was, “Purple Lilacs.” When I was a small child, we lived in Monona, WI, and our backyard was full of purple lilacs. My best childhood memories come from that particular time in our lives. In my psyche, that backyard has served as my “happy place.” So the poem just sort of wrote itself.

The poem then became the inspiration I needed for the novel; title and all.

What a touching story! I'm sure your mother appreciated such a personal gift. Moms love home-made presents. So, is your manuscript complete or still a work in progress?

It is a furious work in progress right now. Since my Mom’s birthday, it has practically written itself! I can hardly keep up!

Do you have a word count goal, or estimation of how long it will be, and how far along are you at this point?

My total word count goal is in the 62,000 range, more or less. My current goal is to have the manuscript completed and ready for edit by June 2010. I am currently close to 17,000 words as of today.

Once the manuscript is near completion, my plan is to start a massive query campaign. I have talked with a couple of publishers already, and there is some interest out there. Twitter has been a great tool for meeting other writers, agents, and publishers. That is how I met you!

Yes, it is! Twitter is a great way for writers to network. Speaking of networking, do you have a critique group or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

I have a group of four people whose opinions I completely trust that I send my manuscript to at different times. My best friend James is an insightful writer/editor who is very well read and was trained by the late James Dickey. I also use his wife, Caryn, who is also an author and seasoned English teacher. Then I have a fellow writing colleague, Heather Sedlock, who writes with me at Examiner.com, read and edit my manuscript. Heather is a very seasoned and published writer with 25 years experience. Last but not least, my wife, Tracy, has been invaluable throughout this entire process.

Sounds like you have the right connections! Tell us, what’s the hardest part of writing for you?

I currently write for 2 online publications, and a local magazine. The hardest part of writing for me has been with budgeting my time each day for each publication, and then making time to work on the novel. Mrs. Sedlock has been a huge help in that regard.

What do you always have to have nearby when you are writing?

As weird as this is going to sound, it is the truth. When I write, I like to have coffee in my Daffy Duck mug (seriously). When I work on the novel specifically, I like to have the movie 1408 playing in the background. For some reason, it pumps my creative juices. My children now hate that movie with extreme prejudice! HAHA!

Hehehe. Well, I'm sure they'll forgive you for your movie-watching injustices once your book is published. Any tips you’ve learned about writing you’d like to share?

I have received a great deal of advice from various writers. Some of it has been wonderful. In my personal writer’s journey, three things have helped me a lot, and I will happily share them. 1) Just write. Sit down, focus, and start writing. Start a blog. I posted on my blog for 5 years before I ever started REALLY writing, but the blog is a great outlet for me. 2) Join local and/or online writer groups. I am a member of several, and some of them are incredible and full of very useful information. 3) Get a copy of The Writer’s Digest. That book has changed my life as a writer. There are many other great books, but that one gave me the confidence to write professionally.

Do you have an idea for your book’s cover art?

Nothing concrete yet. I have found great pictures of lilacs on the web, but I have yet to design a cover, and I know very little about how to do it! My good photographer friend, Jeff Hammond (www.jghphoto.com), has agreed to do the dust cover when the time comes.

Who are your inspirations?

My biggest inspiration to write came from my 8^th grade English teacher, Mrs. Lola Richbourg. Mrs. R. saw something in me that I didn’t see, and encouraged me to keep at it. Whatever I may achieve as a writer, I owe it all to her. She is a gem! She retired recently, and the world got a whole lot dumber! HAHA!

Another source of inspiration is my two best friends, James Kirk and Rick Stilwell. They are both prolific writers, and make me push myself harder as a writer. I’m not even sure I have ever told them this. Perhaps I will!

I also owe a nod to my good friend Caryn Crabb Kirk. She gave me the best practical writing advice of all. She told me to base each character in my novel on a particular actor or actress as I develop them. That has helped me tremendously. Should the novel ever become a movie, I want Judd Apatow to direct it. Most of my characters are based on characters from his movies.

Let’s get to know you on a deeper level. Can you name three things about yourself people may not know (or maybe they do know but they are special traits/hobbies/quirks)?

1. I am a semi-retired pro wrestler. Strictly small time and barely that.
2. I am a Sci-Fi enthusiast (geek, nerd, dork – take your pick). I absolutely love Star Trek and The X-Files, and I greatly respect the works of Irwin Allen and Rod Serling. These men were “light years” ahead of their time. My lifelong best friend’s name is James Kirk…Sci-Fi was my destiny.
3. In 2002, I recorded a Gospel CD. I hope no one ever finds it. 

Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Who would you like to give a shout out to?

In addition to the ones I have already mentioned, I want to thank my Mom for inspiring the poem and the novel, as well as all the good memories. I would also like to thank my children, Cody, Jenna, Katie, Steven, Christi, Matthew and Nicholas. They get so excited to see my stuff published online, and it keeps me going. They also give me my space when I am in “writing mode.”

And finally, where can people find you online?

My website is http://www.ToddRVick.com. There is a link to my blog on the website, which, like the novel, is a work in progress. You can also find me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ToddRVick

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ToddRVick?ref=profile#!/pages/Todd-R-Vick/233523611056?ref=ts

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/toddrvick

Readers can also see some of my work on RUSE the.magazine http://www.rusemag.com and on my

Examiner.com page http://www.examiner.com/x-38090-Columbia-Blended-Families-Examiner

Todd, thank you so much for letting us get to know you. I wish you lots of success on your writing journey, and please let us know once you've reached your next phase of publication!

Progression

My next step is to make a questionnaire for my victims ... er, I mean, interviewees.

This could be rather fun, though I can't believe I'm trying to fit it into my busy schedule. That's me, though. Glutton for punishment when it comes to anything creative.

Okay, so a questionnaire goes on my to-do list. But not to-do today or tomorrow, because tomorrow I'm sending out query letters to literary agents.

See, I'm an aspiring writer too!

In The Beginning ...

Hello!

Here's the deal. I'm looking for aspiring writers who wouldn't mind being interviewed about what they're working on and how far along in the getting-published process they are. If you think this is something you'd be interested in, drop me an email at dorothyanndreyer [at] gmail [dot] com.

I look forward to hearing from you!