Michelle Weidenbenner

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in the burbs of Detroit with five brothers and no sisters. I was the second oldest, but never had the chore of acting as the surrogate mother. Thank God. My brothers had to cook, clean, bake, and babysit just as often as I did. But I was also required to learn how to change my oil, my spark plugs, and my tires. My bro’s were tough on me, often telling me exactly what they thought. I grew a thick skin, which will probably prepare me for tough book reviews.

I’ve written about eight books. Some need more work than others. I’m random about the genre’s I like to write. I read a wide range of genres and like to write a wide range, too.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
CACHE a PREDATOR is my debut novel. It’s a crime mystery novel, but some reviewers called it a thriller.

A few years ago, a writer friend said, “You should write a novel about geocaching.” I had no idea what that was so I researched the sport and was intrigued.

Wikipedia defines it this way: “Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity, in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called “geocaches” or “caches”, anywhere in the world.”

My villain plants body parts in these cache boxes.

However, the story is about a dad’s love for his five-year-old daughter. Geocaching just happens to be a subplot. The “Dad’s” story was prompted by someone I know who was struggling to get custody of his daughter. So often judges think mom’s are the perfect custodial parent, but that’s not always the case.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Sometimes I like to write in my car on a sunny day at the lake. There are no interruptions there.

However, the last time I did this I forgot that my lights were on, and since I never got out of the car, they stayed on the entire time I was writing. When it was time to go home, my car wouldn’t start. My battery had died. I had to call my husband for a jump. He thought it was strange that I was sitting in an empty parking lot in the middle of the day.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Susie May Warren from My Book Therapy. She’s taught me a lot. Also, Dr. Dennis Hensley from Taylor University taught many of the writing courses I took. Both of these authors and teachers are amazing and taught me more than writing skills. They taught me how to encourage other writers.

What are you working on now?
LOVE IS JUST A WORD, a YA fiction novel about a teen living in Russia who’s abandoned by her Mama before she has a chance to say good-bye or tell her a secret that haunts her.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
It’s too early to say. I haven’t had enough experience yet, but I believe word of mouth is the best. But first, we have to have a product to sell, one that readers want to buy. One that’s been professionally edited by both a developmental and a line-editor.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. The writers who stop writing never get published. And check out my blog, RANDOM WRITING RANTS where we teach How to Get Published.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Trust God. It’s not easy though, especially when life takes you by the neck, shakes you, and slams you to the ground.

What are you reading now?
For book group I’m reading LET THE GREAT WORLD SPIN. But I’m also reading STUTTER CREEK, by Ann Swann for review purposes.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Since I became an Indie girl last month, giving up on finding that top traditional publisher, I’ve decided to self-publish all my novels. So, for now, I’m fine-tuning them, getting them ready to launch. I have several YA novels, a children chapter books series, and a MG novel about a boy.

I hope to write my next suspense novel in November, 2013 during NaNoWriMo. I have it loosely outlined.

What is your favorite book of all time?
There are too many to pick just one. My favorite 2013 novel is ME BEFORE YOU, by Jojo Moyes. It’s because Jojo helped readers see two sides to a very controversial story–which is something I try to do when I write. Because, hey, there are always two sides to the story, aren’t there? Even villains are people with junk in their trunk.

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