Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My first children’s picture book will be released mid summer 2019. Finalizing illustrations now.
I have been writing in one form or another since I was in high school. First poetry, and articles, and then journal type pieces – none of it with an eye toward being published. After college graduation when I started on my career, I didn’t take much time for writing again until after I retired. I have really gotten the writing bug again, and have various things in the works – in my writing life children’s books have become a passion.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Scooter and Friends Take a Vacation – and I have wanted to write a children’s book about animals ever since I read The Wind in the Willows. My book is an rhyme, and I have been putting things to rhyme for as long as I can remember – now sure how that all started, since the poetry I used to write was all free verse.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Only one is probably when I have trouble sleeping at night I fall back to sleep thinking up new ideas for my next story –
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Books I’ve read many times, and are all time favorites, are Wind in the Willows and Pride and Prejudice.
What are you working on now?
sequels to Scooter and Friends Take a Vacation; a piece with a working title “The Cat who would be Dog”
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
More on this when I finish the 8 part Marketing Mentoring program I am currently taking.
After only 2 sessions I can tell it is a program I will be recommending to any and every author who wants to improve their marketing skills!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
If thinking about assisted independent publishing, be sure to look up ALLI – that was, and is, a wonderful resource for me with reviews on editors; proof readers; illustrators; publicists; publishsers, etc., etc. A great organization, and a great resource.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
several things: trust yourself; don’t be afraid to fail; Ignore the Naysayers – and once you succeed – give something back!
What are you reading now?
mainly edits of Scooter 🙂
other than that, my latest book club book is The Nightingale – loving it! and before that
The Whistling Season and News of the World (thank goodness for book club – it keeps me from getting overwhelmed with my own stuff!)
What’s next for you as a writer?
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?
again – The Wind in the Willows; Pride and Prejudice; -which I would read again and again – and then the latest Brad Thor and David Baldacci books 🙂 🙂