Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a retired registered nurse. I wrote my first book, a biography, in the middle of my nursing career. The book, A Passion For Life: Ruth Marie Colville, inspired me to continue writing. I met Ruth Marie when she was 92 and I was 48. She was a role model in how to reinvent yourself over and over again throughout your life. My second book, My Darling Dorothy, has just been released due, in part, to the lessons I learned from Ruth Marie.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The letters that My Darling Dorothy is based on provided the inspiration for this particular story. They are authentic love letters written to my mother from two prospective suitors. One turned out to be my father, the other a mystery man my mother vaguely referred to as “just a friend.” Reading his letters and uncovering his story motivated me to write about these young people and their dreams.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know how unusual it is, but I can’t really write a thing without a yellow (and it has to be yellow) college-lined legal pad. I can write on a white one, but only for lists of things I have to do. Somehow the yellow color releases my muse. I always write first drafts on the yellow pad, and I always write them while sitting on the day bed in my office. I can’t write at a desk, because I have to have my feet up. Once that first draft is written, I transfer it to my laptop and make revisions from there. I also like to have either classical music playing quietly in the background or complete silence.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My first love is writing short stories and I was inspired to begin writing them in high school after reading William Sydney Porter, better known as O. Henry. I was captivated by his surprise endings and quickly adopted that style for mine. Malcomb Gladwell is another favorite nonfiction writer. He forces me to think differently and I crave that sort of stimulation. The books that have influenced me make up a rather esoteric list. I was first turned onto reading, the first step in becoming a good writer, by biographies checked out from the bookmobile in elementary school. I loved learning about inspirational characters like Eleanor Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. In high school I read The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck and of course Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations. I have read Anna Karenina three times. Recently, I have been impressed with authors like Donna Tarrt, Paula McClain, and Anthony Doerr, because they are extremely good writers. They carry me off to far-away places and for the hours that I spend in their books, I am free from any perceived problems I may be facing. When I return to this realm, I am refreshed (although it takes an hour or so to get my feet back on the ground.)
What are you working on now?
To be perfectly honest, right now I am working on marketing My Darling Dorothy. It’s a full time job, especially as an Indie author.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still learning, but right now I am getting the most response from my Facebook author page and I think Goodreads is also going to be a very helpful website.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I consider myself a new author, but I guess the best advice is to surround yourself with supportive friends and family. Professionals that can guide and direct you on your journey are also a must. AND, never, never, never underestimate the value of a really good proofreader and editor!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I have a poster on the bulletin board over my desk. It’s of a Buddha sitting in Vitarka Mudra hand position and it says, “Let That Sh&* Go.” On the one hand, it’s rather crass. On the other hand, reading those words in juxtaposition with a serene, meditative Buddha gives me the whack on the side of the head I need on a regular basis.
What are you reading now?
Currently, I am reading The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, I am rereading The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer, and for fun, I am reading The Sunday List of Dreams by Kris Radish.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I am considering writing short stories about the minor characters in My Darling Dorothy. I also have notebooks full of short stories that are patiently waiting for some attention, so that will be my first endeavor once My Darling Dorothy is well on its way. That doesn’t mean I’m not working on anything. As all writers will attest, there is always some remnant of a story running through our minds. When it’s ready, it will come spilling out onto that yellow college-lined legal pad.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A desert island calls for long involved plots with twists and turns so I would take two classics that I haven’t read yet; Moby Dick and anything written by Leo Tolstoy with the possible exception of Anna Karenina. I would also take any book written by Malcolm Gladwell.
Author Websites and Profiles
Jo Virden Website
Jo Virden Amazon Profile