Today I’m taking part in the blog tour for Christmas Gaming Hell: Volume 2. I’m sharing my Q&A with one of the contributing authors with thanks to Rachel Gilbey at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me on the blog tour and to Kathy L Wheeler for answering my questions!
Have you always wanted to write?
I wrote some when I was a kid, but didn’t really get going until 2007. I saw a Google prompt that said “what if Cinderella’s slipper fits one of her evil stepsisters?” And I thought, I love Cinderella. I could write that. So I did and another four books in the series. 😊
What were your previous jobs? Have they helped you with your writing process?
I was a computer programmer for Hertz for 16 years. I would say that yes it helped, even though I wasn’t a very good programmer.
What was your inspiration for your story? Amanda texted me one night and said “We should write a Christmas Story.” This was like October 10th. I replied, “You mean like for next year, right? Or late December?” She said, “Well, December 1st would be better.”
That was for our Regency Christmas Kisses book that has 5 short stories. Then we decided it would be fun to do a series over the next three years, which as already decided to be four now.
How do you construct your characters? Do they have traits of people you know?
For me, not really.
What does your writing process look like? Every morning I get up between six and seven and log my sales numbers, ratings and rankings. Then I start writing. I keep a spreadsheet that calculates my daily wordcount. I try to lay out the length of the story to determine my daily wordcount.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
A little of both, however, on this Kerse Who Saved Christmas tale, I was in a bit of a panic. I had just completed on story and had to get it to the editor and was running behind. So, I was reading 7 Figure Fiction by Theodora Taylor. She shared her method and a YouTube link of someone who uses index cards. I took two days and mapped the whole thing out. I got the story written in less than three weeks. Now, I’m trying to adapt that method as “Kathy’s Law.”
How did you research? Did you enjoy it?
I research as I go. And, yes, I enjoy it. But it is a rabbit hole as they say.
Who are your favourite writers? Are you influenced by them?
Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Jayne Ann Krentz, Teresa Medeiros, Julie James, Suzanne Enoch. They definitely influence me. I think it’s how they treat the Point of Viiew that draws me in. I try to emulate that.
If you could invite three people, living or dead, to dinner, who would they be and why? 1) I loved Tom Landry, the long time Dallas Cowboy’s coach. 2) I would love to spend the day with Susan Elizabeth Phillips. 3) Ann Wilson of Heart. She would be awesome. So, many to choose from.
Who would you least like to be stuck in a lift with and why?
Donald Trump. I think I’d have to kill myself. Enough said.
Who would play the main character/s in a film version of The Kerse Who Stole Christmas? Let’s see: Philomena – Gwenyth Paltrow. She would have two parts because of her twin sister, Thomasina. For Viscount Kerse, hmmm. I think I would love Sam Heughan. Boy, talk about being jealous of your own characters.
What do you like to do in your spare time? What spare time?
What is next for you?
I’m working on a 4 book Sexy Contemporary series due out next year.
Favourites:
Book? This Heart of Mine – Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Musical Theatre? Phantom of the Opera; Hamilton; Wicked. (I have trouble picking…)
Band/Singer? Chicago; Heart
TV show? Friends
Place? Europe
Biscuit? Chocolate Chip. Or Oreos. Hmm.
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Gaming Hell Christmas Volume 2 is available from Amazon.
You can follow the rest of the blog tour here:
Portable Magic 