Christmas Books Giveaway

I will be giving away one paperback copy of this book, or a $10 amazon gift card to spend on a Christmas book of your choice!

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself (hobbies, kids, etc)? I’m a mother of four (2 boys, 2 girls) who sits in front of the computer way too much. So when it comes to free time, I love to do anything that takes me outside. Whether it’s gardening, biking, boating, hiking, or anything else, so long as heights aren’t involved, I’m game.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Probably not until high school or college. I always loved to read, but hated English, so the idea of writing a book never really occurred to me until it became harder and harder for me to find the types of books that I loved to read. So I decided to write my own and here I am. 

Can you describe your typical writing routine?

When it comes to starting a new book, I’ve learned to outline in great detail because it really cuts down on the amount of revisions I have to do. Once I get an outline in place, and characters looks and personalities mapped out, I start writing. At that point, I try to work on the book pretty much every day for at least a few hours--sometimes more, sometimes less--depending on my kids. I write during preschool, naptime, after the kids go to sleep at night, or early in the morning. No set routine, really, just whenever I can slip it in. 

Do you have any habits you have to do while writing (snacking, listening to music, silence, writing late at night, etc)?

I prefer silence. And hanging out on a comfy couch with my Netbook. Snacks are always a plus--especially chocolate covered almonds.

What are some important qualities in remaining sane as a writer?

Spending time with my family, getting out and socializing, and not letting this part of my life overshadow other, more important parts. I’ve noticed when I let that happen, I turn insane fairly quickly. 

Can you ever see yourself writing for children or teens?

Probably not children, unless I come up with some fun, unique picture book idea. But I’ve actually written a YA paranormal romance. It still requires some tweaking, so I’m not quite ready to put it out there, but hopefully soon. It’s pretty different from my other books, so we’ll see how it goes. 

I really enjoyed All I Want. How did you come up with the idea of compiling three stories in one book?

It was actually a suggestion from my previous publisher. I approached them about doing a non-fiction compilation Christmas book and they came back with this idea. I approached two other authors about a year ago and have since gone the self-publishing route, so we decided to do that with this book as well.

Do you have any advice to aspiring writers?

Write because you love it and not because you expect to be a NYT best-seller one day.