Writing and Publishing News

This is my second interview with novelists this week. I’d like to introduce Wendy Dager.

I’m professional freelance writer Wendy Dager. I’ve written and sold button slogans, greeting card copy, press releases, articles, advertorials, short stories, a biweekly newspaper opinion column, two novels and more. My humorous mystery novel I Murdered the PTA was a top five finalist in Court TV’s Search for the Next Great Crime Writer, and was published by Zumaya Publications under its Enigma imprint June 2011. I Murdered the Spelling Bee, the second book in the series of Daphne Lee-Lee Misadventures, was published by Zumaya May 2012. I also wrote a very dark and kitschy thriller, the novella Thrift Me Deadly, which was a Fabri Literary Prize finalist and is now available on Amazon and Smashwords.

I’ve been a writer for as long as I can remember, but started getting paid for my work when I was in my early twenties—just a few decades or so ago! I primarily write nonfiction, so fiction has always been very difficult for me. I once won the top prize of $500 in a short story contest, and I believe it’s because I wrote the story the same way I write my nonfiction—in a non-literary, realistic, what-you-see-is-what-you-get style. That’s what I decided to do when I wrote the first draft of my first novel back in 2000.

Murdered the PTA is about a rock-and-roll mom trying to live as inconspicuously as possible in suburbia, when her kid’s elementary school PTA blows up and she becomes the prime suspect. It’s basically a cozy mystery, but the point of view is first person—something I do with my opinion column—which made it much easier for me to write. It was somewhat based on my experience sitting on an elementary school PTA board for seven long years—but it’s entirely fictional. I had lots of fun writing it, because I didn’t have any expectations. I knew I wasn’t writing the Great American Novel. My books are purely for entertainment.

A common phrase is “write what you know,” which a lot of people don’t do, but which happens to work for me. That is, I write fiction, but it’s based on real life, not zombie ghost vampire werewolves wearing fifty shades of grey. The problem with writing about everyday things and putting a spin on them is that people sometimes think I’m writing about stuff that’s really happened. When my book I Murdered the PTA came out, a lot of folks in my town were trying to figure out if it was a who’s-who and if they were in it! So, it’s kind of a compliment that readers—not just where I live—could identify with the characters, the setting and the plot.

The first book was fairly easy to write—and rewrite—but the second book, a sequel, was a little harder because it was more like work than playtime.

Wendy’s Approach
I don’t really outline anything I write, whether it’s fiction or nonfiction. I kind of already know where I’m going, and then I start writing and see where it takes me. With my novels, my biggest goal is to make it hard for the reader to figure out whodunit, but not insult them by making the ending totally implausible.

Naming characters is like naming children. It’s an awesome responsibility, but also a terrible one if you mess up. I had to change some names in the years between my first novel being represented by an agent, becoming a Court TV finalist and publication, because several of my characters’ names were that of people who’d become famous in the interim, including one “celebutante,” and two that were character names in a popular sitcom.

Another interesting incident: I went to a local book club meeting—the club members had read my book as their selection of the month—and learned that the name of my first novel’s PTA president was similar to that of a real PTA president who happened to preside over my children’s school’s PTA many years before I got there. It was a crazy coincidence, but I was mortified when I found out.

Creating and Developing Characters
My characters, like my plot, mostly develop as the book is written. I like to think of spontaneous character development as another way to move along the action. Even though fictional characters—just like real, living, breathing people—have specific ways of speaking and behaving, they sometimes react oddly or unexpectedly to unforeseen circumstances. Or, perhaps, they have a dark side we don’t know about until something awful happens. When one of my book’s readers told me she was very surprised by something one of my characters did, I said, “Me, too!” It probably sounds weird, but I get a kick out of surprising myself.

Story Development Wendy Style
I may be unusual in that I sort of go with whatever my imagination tells me to do at the moment. I don’t have anything entirely plotted out in my head or on 3” x 5” cards or in a detailed journal. Occasionally, I’ll scribble down some ideas for plot twists—usually illegibly, in the middle of the night, on a notepad on the nightstand, with a pen that’s nearly run out of ink—and you can imagine how that looks in the morning. After I decipher what may or may not be a brilliant idea, those twists and turns may change once I get to that chapter. Instead, I defer to my imagination, which tends to dominate my fingers on the keyboard. I guess you can call me a “seat of your pants” kind of writer. Which is not so bad. At least I get to love what I do.

For more about Wendy Dager, visit http://www.wendydager.com

This is the first in my series of interviews with novelists. Every day this week, I’ll feature a different writer of fiction. Today, I’d like to introduce Margaret Brownley.

Hi everyone,
First, I want to thank Patricia for kindly inviting me to visit today.

My writing career began, and ended, early. I wrote my first book in fifth grade—a mystery without an ending. I was on a roll until I reached eighth grade. Unimpressed with my essay on why I wanted to be a writer, my English teacher flunked me and told me not to even think about becoming a writer.

Discouraged, I put my dream aside until years later when I volunteered to write the church newsletter. After making the church picnic read like a Grisham novel, my former pastor said, “Maybe God’s calling you to write fiction.”

I don’t know if that’s what God had in mind, but I wasn’t about to take any chances. I immediately began work on a novel. Five years and four books later I received what is known in the business as the “call.”

I’ve since made the N.Y. Times bestseller list and am currently writing historical romance. Waiting for Morning will be released January 2013 and A Bride for All Seasons will be published June 2013, followed by Gunpowder Tea in October. Not bad for someone who flunked eighth grade English. Just don’t ask me to diagram a sentence.

Margaret’s Approach to the Writing Process
I wouldn’t know how to begin outlining a book. I’m not much of a planner which makes dinner a nightly surprise. To me the fun of writing is the suspense of not knowing what’s going to happen next. That’s what keeps me jumping out of bed each morning and rushing to the computer.

I start with a short blurb—a paragraph or two—which includes the basic idea. I then write out a simple sentence and let my characters reword it. Once I’ve determined character “voice” I then look for frame of reference. A poor person has a different way of looking at things than a rich person. A gambler’s daughter has a different world view than one brought up in a strict Christian home. Once I have the voice and world view down, I’m ready to go.

With Regard to Fleshing Out Characters
I’m a big Post-it note fan and they’re all over my desk and screen. When the Post-its are gone I know my book is finished. What doesn’t fit on a Post-it stays in my head.

The Flow of the Story
It seems to me that the more books I write the harder it gets. You’d think it would be easier, but it’s not. I’m always trying to “grow” my work by finding more effective ways to tell a story.

Margaret can be reached through her website: http://margaretbrownley.com
She’s also on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Bloggers note: I have read a couple of Margaret’s books. I highly recommend them. You’ll enjoy the unique circumstances, twists and turns and excellent writing.