Author Interview with Mattie Richardson

Today I have the pleasure of introducing Mattie Richardson, author of Appaloosy and Dusty's Trail. I'm sure a couple of you bloggers out there will know Mattie Richardson from her blog, Appaloosy Dreams. And if you don't know her, be sure to click on the link and check out her blog! She's really cool!

1. When did you first start writing?

I'd have to say I first started writing when I was about 8 years old. I went to public school at that time, and while the other kids were finishing their assignments I would write tablets full of stories, most of them involved animals of some sort.

2. Is life any different now that you're an author?

Yes life is different. It is so cool to be able to say, "I'm an author" to people and watch their response. I do get tired of explaining the details over and over, though. One thing that is definetely different now too: I have no time! Who has time to be bored in this world? Every minute when I'm not doing something else I'm thinking that I should be writing.

3. How long did it take you to write, edit, and publish your first book? How long did the first draft take?

The first book definetely was a long process. It took me the entire summer of my 13th year to write Appaloosy. Editing took about three months, the saving up money for the first round of publishing is what took the longest. I worked about a year to earn enough to publish it, the publishing process itself took about a month and a half.

4. Do you have any hobbies/things that you really enjoy doing?

I love to ride horse! Wanting a horse is what inspired me to write Appaloosy. Now that I actually have a horse reality has hit me a bit. =) I also like to write, play the fiddle and the electric guitar, work on 4-H projects, and hang out with friends.

5. What/who most inspired your writing?

My want for a horse really inspired the writing of Appaloosy. When I was 13, I didn't have a horse yet and dreamed about owning a beautiful Appaloosa. Add a little history, a character modeled after myself, and a little bit of special aspects to a normal horse, and there you have Appaloosy.

6. Are you working on any books right now? How many books do you have out?

Currently I have two books out, Appaloosy and Dusty's Trail. Both are historical fiction told from a horse's point of view. I am working on my third horse book, Golden Sunrise, and a longer teen novel I have entitled "Blackberry Blossom".

7. Did you always want to be an author? What did you want to be when you were little?

I don't think that I always wanted to be an author. I kind of wanted to be a veternarian or horse trainer when I was little. I always have written stories, but I didn't think about it until I heard a few stories about teen authors and thought, "Hey, I could do that!"

8. Do you have a favourite writing quote?

I love all kinds of writing quotes! Everytime I read one, I can relate to it so much usually I hurry and put it on facebook as my status, only to find out that not everyone thinks like a writer. :) Here's one of my favorites:

What no wife of a writer can ever understand is that a writer is working when he's staring out the window. ~Burton Rascoe
Change "wife" to "parents", "friends" or "coworkers" and this quote is amazing to me!

9. What was your first reaction when you found out your first book was going to be published?

It was a long time coming for me, but you wouldn't belive how excited I was to hold the first copy of Appaloosy in my hands. I had put so much time, effort and inspiration into writing my first novel, and here it was, a real book!

10. Who is your greatest support in your writing?

I'd like to say my parents, but because they are so busy in their lives they don't have a lot of time to support my writing so they usually leave me on my own in writing, publishing, earning money to publish, marketing, etc. I think the greatest support would be my blogger friends! I do have to say that my uncles on my mother's side have been very helpful too, helping with editing, marketing and stuff like that.

11. Do you have a favourite book? Author?

I love the book Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, and I like Louis L'amour books too. But I'm not sure on my favortie author yet. I guess I haven't read enough books out there to decide yet!

12. What's your best tip for beginning writers?

Keep plowing along, and don't have too high of expectations. Being a writer is hard work and there really isn't a lot of glory in it unless you hit the bestseller list (very unprobable). It takes a lot more time and work than you would think to write a  book so don't start it thinking that it will be easy. It never is.

13. What's the best part of being an author?

I think the best part of being an author is sharing your work with others. It is so scary having your writing out there for the whole world to read, but also it is very thrilling, especially when people like it. Of course though, I think my favorite part was always being locked in my room typing away, not having to listen to any voices except for the characters that are in my head.

Waterfall by: Lisa T. Bergren

What do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in another world?

The Betarrini sisters decide to explore an ancient tomb during their visit to Italy with their archaeologist mother. They are bored out of their minds, so it takes Lia very little convincing from her sister Gabi to check out the tomb, not matter how dark and uninviting it may look.

While in the tomb, Gabi places her hand in a hand print, and finds herself transported to fourteenth-century Italy. And worse still, she arrives in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces. All she wants to do is get out of there, but one side - the good side, she hopes - takes her with them to their castle.

It doesn't take long for Gabi, who isn't afraid to get in on the action, to make a name for herself. She believes her sister was transported with her, yet she cannot find her. The search begins. The knight who rescued her from the fight, Marcello Forelli, will do everything in his power to help her find Lia, her sister. Maybe too much? Marcello, after all, is already betrothed, to Lady Rossi, a flirty girl who doesn't want Gabi to get in the way.

Even though they are betrothed, there is no true love between Marcello and Lady Rossi. On the other hand, could there be some between Marcello and Gabi? But how could that ever come to be? Gabi is from the twenty-first century, while Marcello is from the fourteenth. Why does Gabi always seem to fall for the guy she can't have?

At a ball, her partner tells her he knows where her sister is, and he only requires one thing. Something she would be a traitor to give.

My thoughts:

Argh! I hate cliff-hanger endings! This book is so cool, I just have to know what comes next! I want to go get the next book, Cascading, right now! Oh well, maybe tomorrow.

I love the cover!!! Though I'm still wondering what the book has to do with waterfalls.

I fell in love with Gabi. She's so strong and smart, and I love the way she always wants to get in on the action, and she wants to fight her own fights, though all the other girls think it's scandalous.

Objectional Content:

Language: A few uses of the word "heck" and one other word that I can not remember.

Romance/Sexual Content: Marcello and Gabi kiss a few times. Luca falls in love with Gabi's sister, but it is rarely mentioned.

Violence: Some sword fighting, and some nasty wounds.

Drugs/alcohol: They drank some wine at the feast

Here is the book trailer:

Author Interview with Dandi Daley Mackall

Author Dandi Daley Mackall has agreed to do an interview with me! She is the author of around 450 books, which is way too many for me to mention here. :)

Her webite is HERE.

1. When did you first start writing?

I think I was “writing” even before I could hold a pen. I made up characters and stories in my head. I’ve always written—which is a good thing because I’d hate to have to keep all those characters stuffed inside my head. When I was in high school, I wrote letters to the editor and got them published in newspapers and magazines. In college, I wrote articles for national magazines. Then I turned to books, first to grown-up books, then to children’s books and teen novels. Now I get to write for all ages.



2. Is life any different now that you're an author?

Hmm…It’s been a long time since I wasn’t an author. But I’m pretty sure that, even if nobody ever published my books, I’d still write them. That’s my calling, and I love it…most of the time.



3. How long did it take you to write, edit, and publish your first book? How long did the first draft take?

I took a year to write my first book—probably half on the writing, and half on editing it and rewriting.



4. Do you have any hobbies/things that you really enjoy doing?

I do! I love to ride and hang out with our horses, play with our dogs. I walk around our lake (5 miles) about 5 times a week, play tennis when I can. In the past, I’ve painted and done all kinds of craft, though I don’t seem to have time lately.



5. What/who most inspired your writing?

Inspiration is everywhere, but I do believe God is behind it. I think if we see what’s in front of us and around us, it’s not that hard to be inspired.



6. Are you working on any books right now? How many books do you have out?

Right now I’m working on a new horse series, BACKYARD HORSES. I’m also finishing a young adult novel, THE SILENCE OF MURDER, a middle-grade novel, DREAMS OF A DANCING HORSE, two picture books, LISTEN TO THE SILENT NIGHT and THERE’S A BABY IN THERE! I’ve written some I Can Read chapter books. And I’m “playing around” with another mystery, a new novel set in the sixties, an adult novel set in WWII, and ….

I’ve had about 450 books published. I know—it’s crazy! I feel very blessed.



7. Did you always want to be an author? What did you want to be when you were little?

I have always wanted to be an author, although I didn’t think I could make a living at it. So I’ve been a college teacher, too. I did toy about being a horse trainer at one point.



8. Do you have a favourite writing quote?

Here are a couple: Proverbs 18:20 20 Wise words satisfy like a good meal;
the right words bring satisfaction.

I John 1.4 joy We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.





9. What was your first reaction when you found out your first book was going to be published?

I called everyone I knew and told them I was an author! The funny thing is that I didn’t know enough to get everything in writing, and they never sent me a contract. Months later when I asked when the book would be out, I was informed that my editor had died of a heart attack, and the publisher wouldn’t be following through on the promise. Can you imagine? But I thought I was an author, so I’d gone on to write another book, which I’d sold as a proposal. And I was well into my third book. Later, that first book did get published and was much better than it would have been. The title was: When the Answer Is No.



10. Who is your greatest support in your writing?

My husband is my greatest supporter and cheerleader, and he’s also my first reader and editor. He writes adult nonfiction, and we’ve both edited professionally. So we’re lucky to have our own in-house editors.



11. Do you have a favourite book? Author?

I still love TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee. If you haven’t read it, you must.



12. What's your best tip for beginning writers?

Write your heart out. Don’t worry about what happens after that.



13. What's the best part of being an author?

For me, it’s picturing a reader at the other end of the process, reading my book and seeing something in there that connects, that will make a difference. And then best of all, it’s getting a letter or email from that reader.

14. Do you usually start your stories on the computer or on paper?

Although I usually do start stories on the computer, I’ve written entire books by hand when I had to—three books in the hospital, in fact. And I always keep a notebook on me just in case.

The Golden Road by: L. M. Montgomery

In this book, you will join a lively group of children who share the triumphs and falls of growing up together on Prince Edward Island. You can always be sure their leader, Sara Stanley, or the "Story Girl," is always cooking up beautiful enchanting stories and planning their next adventure. In her group of willing accomplices are Cecily, Felicity, Dan, Felix, and Beverley King. Also in the group are homely Sara Ray and gentlemanly Peter Craig.

Beverley has a plan for the cold, boring winter ahead. He thinks they should start a magazine! Each person gets a section in it. Sometimes, though, they go a little bit overboard with it and end up printing things about each other that aren't true. Ah well, such is the way of a reporter.

But one things is for sure, they are never bored. One time they even get to spend the night with the local witch, an experience they will not soon forget. Or the time when Felicity put tooth powder instead of baking powder into a recipe for potatoes when an important person was visiting.

And there's always the time when someone they thought was a horrible old relative came to visit, and it turned out to be the governor's wife! They said all sorts of horrible things, thinking their deaf relative could not hear them, when she was hearing...and enjoying... their every word.

Peter is always trying to get the attentions of prim, proper Felicity. Sara Ray is always worried about getting in trouble with her overly-protective Mother. Sara Stanley finds a hidden romance in the town they live in, and Peter's father turns up out of nowhere!

But if things are getting slow, Sara Stanley is always ready with a plan or a story. Sometimes it can take months for her to get the story just right, but there's always one there.

Unfortunately, nothing can ever stay the same. The friends are growing up and everything is changing. New people are entering their lives and they are experiencing new things...fame...romance...sorrow...adulthood. Their lives can never be the same.

My thoughts:

I love all of L. M. Montgomery's books, especially this one and the Anne Of Green Gables book series. These books are true classics! Some people might say that in a review, I should find all the bad things in the book, but there are none in this book - at least, that's what I think.

Objectional content:

Language: None that I remember.

Romance/Sexual Content: Peter tries to get Felicity's attention all the time, but that's it.

Violence: Unless you call spending a night in the local witch's house "violent," then no. No violence. At least, that I remember. I've learned not to rely on my own memory when it comes to these sorts of things.

Drugs/alcohol: None that I remember.

This book is for all ages, though I think ten or eleven and up would appreciate this book more than, say, a nine-year-old would. :)

Always Watching by: Brandilyn and Amberly Collins

The daughter of a rock star has it all - until murder crashes her world.

Sixteen-year-old Shaley O'Connor has the life that many people could only dream of. Her Mom, Rayne, is the lead singer in a band. Shaley's excessive life is full of limos, hotels, and behind-the-stage secrets. Besides that, Shaley is beautiful and famous. But then something happens. Shaley finds her friend, Tom Hutchens's, body backstage... he was shot in the eye.

From then on Shaley isn't even allowed out of her hotel room without a personal bodyguard. But bodyguards can't do it all. They can't keep her safe from the notes and white roses that keep appearing in mysterious places. They can't quiet her fears that Tom's death was just the beginning. They can't keep the paparazzi from stalking her non-stop all day. One of the paparazzi even goes to serious measures to get a picture of Shaley, including setting off a fire alarm, harassing her, and following her wherever she goes. The paparazzi don't care about Tom's death, they only want a "good story" to send into a magazine, where Shaley's life, now a living nightmare, would be displayed for the world to see.

But Shaley's mother refuses to believe that someone in the band could be responsible for this. After all, she knows them all too well for them to do something like that... right?

Somebody keeps sending Shaley white roses.White roses have a special symbolism to Shaley and her mother. White roses were what Shaley's Dad gave her Mom when he was courting her, no one is supposed to know that, though. But Shaley doesn't know where her Dad is, or even who he is. Where is God in a time like this?

Shaley learns that the person who was murdered, Tom, was secretly in love with her. This only raises more questions. Is the killer out to get her? Shaley's friend, Brittany, senses that something evil is going to happen. Life may seem pretty bad, but it's about to get worse.



My thoughts:

I liked this book!

One thing I would like to point out, though, is that this is a Christian book, but God is only mentioned twice. Once on the back-cover, and once inside the book. Actually, I didn't even realize it was a Christian book until my sister told me. To me, I think that a Christian author should make God shine through in their books so that it's clear that he's there.

I really liked the ending. It was such a surprise! Though I was kind of hoping it would be someone else who did it. But isn't that what everybody does? Makes you like the bad guy?

I thought the bad guy's reason for killing the two men was kind of silly, but it's never not silly to murder someone.

Language: Though they never specify the words, they will sometimes say things like 'Mom uttered a curse,' stuff like that.

*SPOILER ALERT*

Romance/Sexual Content: As I mentioned above, Tom (the person who was murdered) was secretly in love with Shaley. She found out after his death, because a detective found some paper with the words "I love Shaley" written on it, and he has pictures of him with her plastered all over the wall. I don't want to get into specifics, because that could spoil the book, but the reason that Tom (and another man) were killed, was because the killer was in love with Shaley.

Violence: Of course, having the two men die, is violence. Also the fact that the two men were shot in the eye doesn't make it any more pleasant. After that it's just smaller things, like the paparazzi (which Shaley is terrified of) crowding in so close that Shaley can't breath and having the possibility of them trampling her... things like that.

Drugs/alcohol: None that I remember, but there might be some, I'm not sure.

8/10 stars

13 and up (one review I read said sixteen and up. But I didn't want to rate it that high, since I don't think it needs it. Besides, I'm not even thirteen yet, so I guess, according to my own review, I shouldn't be reading it :)

Author Interview with Heather Burch

Heather Burch has agreed to do an interview with me! Book one of her HALFINGS series will be available February, 2012. Visit her website HERE.

And here's her bio:

Heather Burch grew up weaving stories and rewriting movies when she didn’t like the endings. She loves a good romance if it’s set in the midst of danger with the fate of the world on the line and where characters narrowly escape with their lives. She is an award winning author and conference speaker. Book one in her series, Halflings, will debut in February of 2012 from Zondervan publishing. You can find more information about her at Novelteen.wordpress.com

Here's a little taste of her book:

Seventeen-year-old Nikki must entrust her life to three half human, half angel young men; the Halflings are sworn to protect her at all costs, but when two fall for Nikki, it puts more than their lives in danger; their very eternal souls hang in the balance.

1. When did you first begin writing?

I’ve always written. My first story, I was six or seven. It was about a trip to the beach. My mom sent it to our local newspaper office in Branson, Missouri—my hometown. The paper published the story. I guess that could be considered my first writing credit. *smile*

2. Do you enjoy writing poetry at all?

I wrote a lot of poetry during junior high and high school. It was a great way to express myself. Lots of frustration and confusion during those times, so poetry became a terrific outlet. I was able to explore territory on the written page that is difficult to sort through.

  
3. What was your first reaction when you found out that your HALFLING series was going to be published?

Shock, excitement, relief all rolled into one. I really believed in the Halflings. I also knew it would be a tough sell because it breaks a ton of unwritten rules. But I believed in the characters. I had to write about Nikki, Mace, Raven, Vine, and all the other Halflings. Their story took me captive. Which is why selling the series was a relief. I’d like to do ten more Halfling books. And because of the uniqueness of the characters, that’s totally plausible. The storyline has endless possibilities. If people love them the way I hope they love them, I’ll get to write several more.

4. Do you have any hobbies/things that you really enjoy doing?

We live near the beach now, and I love anything having to do with the ocean. I’m a certified scuba diver, but I don’t go as often as I’d like. I love to travel! I’m constantly looking for a conference to speak at or somewhere to go. Cruises are a favorite too. In fact, any boat will do. I love being on the water.

5. Where did you get the idea for the HALFLING series?

Years ago, I read a scripture that really stuck in my head. It suggested there was a time when male angels roamed the earth and actually took human wives. I’d always wanted to explore that scenario in a contemporary setting. But that was just step one of the idea.

I think teenagers are awesome. I wanted to write a story where the fate of the world rests in the hands of teenagers. I wanted a supernatural element to the story as well. One part X-men, one part angel fiction. And I wanted it to be “edge of your seat” suspenseful. All those thoughts were rolling around in my head. So, I started playing the “What if” game. What if the offspring of that human/angel union still roamed the earth? What if once they “tap into” their angelic ability, they stay teenagers? What if the entire world rests in the hands of these super human beings?

Then I got a picture of the first scene where Nikki is being chased through the woods by hell-hounds.

Once I wrote that, the story just kept coming! Literally, it consumed my thoughts for months. And with each passing day, the Halflings became more and more real.

6. Are you working on any books right now (aside from the Halfling book)?

Zondervan purchased the first three books in the Halfling Series, so those will keep me busy for a while. If the books do well, the door is open for many more—which I LOVE! The Halflings are quirky and fun to write, so I’d be happy to camp right here for a good long time!

7. What's your absolute favourite book to read? How about your favourite author?

That’s such a tough question for me because different things hit me at different times. Right now, I’m loving the Hunger Games. It’s so well written and beautifully crafted. Another recent favorite is Maria Snyder’s Inside Out.
8. What was your greatest inspiration to write? Did you ever want to be something else?

My mom was a huge inspiration because she always wrote beautiful poetry and encouraged me to write. Then, I married into a family of published authors. Book authors! I was gloriously ruined. But, I've done lots of other things. I worked in the spa industry for ten years. And I've always worked with teens in some fashion.

9. What genre is your favourite to write in?

Young adult. No question.

10. Do you have a favourite writing quote?

Yes. It comes from my first writer’s conference after the sale of the Halflings. Roxanne St. Clair was the key note speaker. She was talking about inspiration and writing great books. Her quote? Write Your Butt Off Every Day!

I will always remember that conference because Roxanne St. Clair was making her way around the room chatting with people and introducing herself before the conference began and when she asked my name, I told her and she said, “I know who you are!” Wow. It stunned me. I didn’t even know what to say, and at that point playing it cool was out of the question what with the big cheesy grin on my face and all!

11. What's the best part of being an author?

There are so many things I love about it, I don’t know where to begin. I really enjoy connecting with people. And I love helping people discover their own potential as a writer. I love words. People who read lots of books share my passion for words. It connects us.

12. What stage are you on in the HALFLING series (still editing, ready for printing, etc.)?

Halflings, book one in the series will release in February, 2012. I’m doing some final edits on book one right now. I am working on book two and will send it to my editor in the next couple of months, then on to revisions for book three. I’ve already done quite a bit of work on books four and five, but they will need a lot of attention before they’re ready. Book two will release about six months after book one, book three, the same.

 
13. Is life any different now that you're an author?

In some ways. I don’t feel any different, but sometimes now I get treated differently. Suddenly, people listen. I try not to give advice on writing unless I feel pretty sure about what I’m talking about. It used to frustrate me when I would give someone a solid piece of advice—you know, the kind that could turn an okay book into an awesome book—and I could almost see the words floating into one ear, passing behind their glazed eyes, and right out the other side. Glazed eyes. Maybe I’m just that boring. Hee hee. Anyway, I love, love, love to see people succeed! Writing is a tough business and anything I can do to help someone makes me feel great. So, I guess that’s how life feels different. People tend to listen.

14. How has your faith influenced your writing?

That's a tough question to answer because I don't think there's any area of life that our faith doesn't influence. It is everything to me, so it probably comes through in the writing. But at the same time, I'm vastly aware that my story is fiction. I'm not writing to "convince" people of anything. I'm not trying to make them see the light because as an author of fiction, I don't believe that can be your main goal. My books are deeply rooted and grounded in Biblical themes like sacrifice, loyalty, and being willing to lay down ones life. But as an author of fiction, it's my job to tell an amazing story and if it sparks people's questions about who God is, then that's a huge bonus. When the weight of responsibility gets overwhelming, God quickly reminds me He called me to write fiction. Not nonfiction. If not for Him, I would never have launched into this series of books.

Halflings by Heather Burch will release in February, 2012 from Zondervan Publishing.

Author Interview with Melanie Dickerson

I'm happy to say that I have here an author interview with Melanie Dickerson. I reviewed her book HERE.

Here's her picture:

And now for the interview:

Tell us about yourself.

I am a wife and mother of two school-age daughters and I live near Huntsville, Alabama. My life is pretty boring, which I’m thankful for, since writing seems to provide all the drama I can safely handle! I am a graduate of The University of Alabama with a degree in special education, and I spent a year in Ukraine and a summer in Germany.


Tell us about your current release.

My debut novel, The Healer’s Apprentice, is published by Zondervan as a Young Adult romance and was released this month. It’s a historical, set in medieval 14th century Germany, with a wonderful castle and medieval town as the main setting. It’s full of intrigue and plot twists, deception and loyalty, but most of all, romance!


How did you come up with the idea for The Healer’s Apprentice? Was that your original title for this book? If not, what was you working title?

I came up with the idea for The Healer’s Apprentice while watching Disney and Barbie princess movies with my little girls. I had loved fairy tales all my life, and one day when we were watching Sleeping Beauty, I started thinking, what if this story was rewritten to be more realistic? What if the hero felt duty- and honor-bound to his betrothed? What if he fell in love with a peasant girl but was horrified at the idea of betraying his betrothed in that way? After all, men want respect more than anything else, and he would lose the respect of everyone if he shirked his duty to marry his betrothed. So that was the beginning of my idea for this story. And the original title was The Woodcutter’s Daughter. I had a really hard time getting used to the new title after calling it The Woodcutter’s Daughter for three and a half years!


What first gave you the idea for this book?

I’ve always loved fairy tales, and when I started getting the idea for The Healer’s Apprentice, my two girls were very young and they watched a lot of the Disney princess movies and Barbie movies which were based on fairy tales. One day they were watching Sleeping Beauty and I started thinking how unrealistic it was that a prince, who was betrothed from childhood to a princess, would meet a peasant girl in the woods and decide on the spot to marry her. I started thinking, what would this story be like if it was realistic? If it actually happened? And I thought, if this guy was betrothed and fell in love with someone else, he would feel a lot of inner conflict. He would want the respect of his family and his people, so he’d fight his attraction to this girl he’d fallen in love with. So that’s how the idea started.


Please share how you plot and what your daily writing goals are.

It varies greatly! I don’t have a set way to plot. I usually let the plot come to me gradually. Sometimes I use the Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook or another method, article, or checklist to help me with plotting. Mostly I just lie awake at night and think about all the possibilities. And my daily writing goals vary according to whether my editor needs me to do revisions. Normally, my goal is simply to get as much done as possible between the time my kids leave for school and the time they get home!


Do you have a link to a place to read the first chapter or an excerpt of this book?

Yes! Zondervan put the whole first chapter on their website: http://www.zondervan.com/media/samples/pdf/0310721431_samptxt.pdf


Can you give us a sneak peek at what you have cooking up next? Can you tell us something about it? Do you have a release date?

Well, I have a second medieval YA romance, a Beauty and the Beast story tentatively titled The Beholder. I don’t know yet if Zondervan is going to publish it. I’ve been revising it, and I think it’s a really strong story. Hopefully I will be able to announce a release date in a few months.
I also have an adult series, set in 1800’s Alabama, that my agent is working on finding a publisher for. Hopefully I can announce something about that soon, too.


Do you have advice for the beginning writer?

Keep writing and don't give up! It takes most people a long time to get published, so be persistent. Secondly, be teachable. Learn all you can about the craft of writing by reading books on writing, articles, and blogs. Thirdly, write as much as you can. Write short stories, poetry, novels, whatever you enjoy writing, and just keep writing. The more you write the better you'll become. Besides, it will give you opportunities to apply all you're learning from the books, articles, and blog on writing. Lastly, after you start submitting your work to publishers and agents, look at rejections as just another necessary step to getting published. Whatever you do, don't let a rejection devastate you. It's okay to be disappointed but you have to keep writing and submitting. A rejection is your "red badge of courage" so be proud of those rejections!


How can readers get in contact with you?

I’m on Facebook as Melanie Dickerson, on Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3408059.Melanie_Dickerson , and you can contact me through my website, www.melaniedickerson.com