I’m Celebrating Victoria Day by Getting Grilled in My Author Life…

Recently, I was cornered, er asked to have a chit-chat with Mirror World Publishing’s promotional specialist, Rhiannon Lotze. Though this interview appeared on their blog at the end of February 2024, I thought it would be appropriate to share this Q&A with my readers on the Victoria Day holiday here in Canada. So, if you’re opening the cottage, setting up your trailer at the campground, or in your backyard garden getting your hands dirty, take a break, grab a chair and your favourite beverage, then relax to find out what the next chapter of my author life looks like in the near future. Cheers, and enjoy the grilling…

Most authors are also avid readers. Would you also consider yourself to be an avid reader? What was the first book you remember that you couldn’t put down?

Actually, no. I’m a slow reader, so it takes a lot of time for me to read, say a 300-page book. So, I select my books wisely – sometimes buying them ahead of time for research purposes – or what other readers have recommended. The first book I couldn’t put down? Hmm. Hard question! I’d have to say the time travel romance, Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, where I paced myself every night, and absorbed the story in my own time. Pun intended.

What would you say were your first early experiences that showed you the power of language and writing? 

In high school, a girlfriend of mine had a way with words. Even when she wrote a letter or poem, she chose her words carefully, and from the heart. I wished I could write like that; to easily articulate stories or poems like she did. It took quite a few years for me to jump into the writing pool and try my hand at writing a book, but I got up the courage in my mid-thirties, and took that leap of faith.

Finding time to write can be a struggle for plenty of authors. How do you maximize your writing time? What would you consider “maximization” when it comes to your particular style of writing?

I’ve been retired for over twenty years, so I plan my days where I’m either writing or editing or creating a blog post or ad blurb. I find scheduling my writing time in a day planner helps tremendously. When I first started writing (mid 90s), I used to drop my son off at school, then go home and hone my craft on the days I was off from working at our graphic trade business.

To be honest, I do have a problem with ‘maximization’, as I attend to checking emails, sharing author friends’ posts, and promoting my books first, before I sit down and actually write in the day. Guess I’d better revisit my priorities! LOL! I’m a very intuitive plotter with a touch of the methodical thrown into the mix. So, even if I plot out a book, my muse eventually hijacks the story, and takes me in another direction. Gotta love when that happens!

Do you normally think of the plot first or the characters first? Can you describe your process for developing the stories you write?

I think of both, actually. Presently, I’m writing two young adult book series with Mirror World Publishing. The Last Timekeepers time travel adventures include the same cast of main characters, though the POV switches with each book. My other series, Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls, are stand-alone books with a different psychic teen solving a mystery in the small tourist town of Fairy Falls. Though, each character from my teen psychic mysteries makes a cameo in the next book, the story focuses on the new character and the challenges she or he face possessing a psychic ability. It’s quite exciting and fun to keep those characters moving forward.

 I’m a very organized person, so I planned each book out for both book series, and created a master list. It’s quite fluid, so if something changes, or I get a better idea for a title or premise of each book, I can easily add or change it in the documents. When I’m ready to sit down and plot out the next book in the queue, I pull out my character tracking sheets, a pad of lined paper, and get to work developing the story. There’s a lot of research involved in both series, so I make sure I’ve got most of the information needed before I start. If it sounds like a lot of work, it is, but the end results are so rewarding! 

What are three things you must have in your writing space to stay focused?

Single Malt Scotch. LOL! Kidding. Definitely a bottle of water (or sometimes a tea or coffee depending on the time of day). My office door must be shut (I like quiet when I write). And a few healthy snacks in my desk drawer like almonds or walnuts, and a bar of dark chocolate. Face it. When you’re hungry, your mind is not focused on your story. Wink. 

How often do you take risks in your writing? Have you ever tried something risky that turned out really well or really poorly?

I don’t take too many risks, but I’ve changed directions in where I want to take both my series. I’ve always included characters with diverse ethnic backgrounds and cultures, as well as feature characters with different gender identities. This is our world now, and I love the cornucopia of expressions offered by each and every one of my characters who can shine their own light in a sometimes harsh and dark world. Risk comes with rewards, so even sitting at my keyboard and writing something completely out of my comfort zone is a risk I’m willing to take. Whether it ends really well or really poorly, I’m more concerned with getting the message out of my bones, and onto the screen or paper. It’s so cathartic.

If there’s one thing you could change in the publishing industry, what would it be?

The ridiculous amount of book marketing authors must do. LOL! No seriously. It’s crazy!

You enjoy writing about topics that revolve around things like mysteries and legends and the arcane, just to name a few. What topic or theme would you like to explore in your magnum opus?

I’m working up to that with the two book series I have on the go. Once they’re finished, I want to develop a trilogy based on how humanity is growing and evolving, and what’s next for us. I’ve actually written ideas and book titles for this magnum opus, and hope I live long enough to breathe life into this unique creative endeavor. Fingers crossed!

Writing is a craft that is typically learned and honed over many years of practice. If you could pick one famous author (dead or alive) to mentor you, who would it be?

Wow, tough question! You know, I would love to be mentored by Rick Riordan, who’s created this whole mythical universe of characters and their stories, and has an enterprise based on his book series that’s geared for middle grade and young adult readers. Love the humour and wit he injects in all of his books. Plus, he has an ‘in’ with the Disney Corporation. Sign me up!

How would you define success as a writer?

That I basically learned the craft of writing a novel from the ground up. It took fifteen years of practice, patience, and perseverance to actually get my first book published. Truthfully, many people would have given up. Writing is not only an investment in yourself, it’s an investment in your readers. It’s a process that you have to LOVE, no matter what. So, just showing up for myself as a writer, getting the work done, and believing in my ultimate goal of reaching readers throughout the world is success to me. The gravy part of this journey is creating long term relationships with those readers, and getting paid for just being me.

Do you have anything else to add?

First, I want to thank you for interrogating, er I mean interviewing me, Rhiannon. Your questions are all thought-provoking and insightful. I just have an update in my writing world. Shortly, I’ll be submitting the third installment of Mysterious Tales of Fairy Falls titled, Stick and Stones, for publication in 2025. It’s about fourteen-year-old Thane Berg, who’s been forced to live with his estranged father in Fairy Falls, and how he deals with his unique gift of psychokinesis (the ability to move objects and bend metals). Then, it’s on to book four of my time travel saga, The Last Timekeepers and the Reluctant Scribe, which will feature Treena Mui’s POV. There’s gonna be a lot of research for this tale, with tons of twists, entanglements, and of course my brand of humour. Stay tuned, and happy reading, everyone!