Lucynda Storey-Erotic Romance Writer

Today I’m pleased to share an interview I did with Melinda Elmore.  Melinda has always been a story teller but got serious about her writing four years ago.  Her story, Native Dreams combines Native American lore and traditions with a fiction story set in the 1800’s that will grab your at your heart and have you wishing for Native Dreams of belonging and rescue.

Please tell our readers a bit about you and how you came into the fiction writing business.

I have been married for 22 years to my wonderful husband.  I have 2 great children.  My writing began in the 6th grade.  To write gives me closure to the day.

You have an interesting email name.  How did that come about?

It came to me in a dream.

How many hours a day do you spend working on your stories?

 Usually, I write for 3-4 hours but longer if possible

Who inspired you to write and how?
 
 Laura Ingalls Wilder.  That may sound strange but once I read about her I found a connection.  My teachers in school also encouraged me.  But mostly it is just a part of me.  It comes natural.

What process did your story undergo once you were contracted and how long did it take from acceptance to publication?

 Anywhere from 6 months to a year.  I had to do page proofs, approve the cover, then it was off to print.

What was the best piece of advice you were given in regards to your writing?

 Never give up no matter how many rejections you get.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?  Why?

 I am a plotter.  I can easily come up with events to the story line.

Who is your favorite author and why?

 Tony Hillerman.  He takes you to another place and time.  I must say that I like Carol Ann Didier and Margaret Coel also.

What is the title of your first published work and where can readers find it?  How many books do you have available? 

 “Native Dreams” at Amazon and “Native Dreams” at Barnes and Noble
What organizations are you a part of and how have they helped you?

 I joined a lot of different online writing groups.  They help by encouraging me to keep going.

What single book helped your writing the most? What lesson did you learn from it?

 “Encyclopedia of Native American Shamanism:  Sacred Ceremonies of North America.” By William S. Lyon.  It helped me to learn about Native American cultures and just how amazing they are.

Do you have critique partners or beta readers? Why?

 Currently I have neither.  Trying to find one.

Were you always a writer?  What did you do before you started earning money as an author?  Do you still do this?

I started writing in grade school but I must admit I started seriously writing full time about 3-4 years ago.  Before that I was a 911 dispatcher/supervisor.  No, I am a full time writer now.  My writing is my life.

What would your ideal day be like?

 Drinking my coffee, looking out my window at the beautiful mountains that Mother Earth provided for me, writing my book, then ending the day with my family.

Who has given you the most support along this creative path?

 My family.  My husband constantly encourages me and stands beside me on all my journeys.  Also, my children are so understanding and patient.

What was the most important piece of fan mail you’ve received?

 It was in an email, stating how they loved my book and poems.

What do you do to refill your creative well?

 I always give myself a day off from writing to spend with my family.  It is always on a Sunday.  We relax and do things together.

Where do you write?  What is the oddest place you’ve found yourself writing?

 I write mostly in my office.  The oddest place I found myself writing is in the doctors office and in my car.

If there were one writing class/conference/course you could take, what would it be and why?

 I would love to take a creative writing class because you can always learn something.  But I would also like to attend a conference full of publishers so I would have a face to face with them.

And just for fun, what or who is your favorite:

Drink-     Diet Pepsi
Movie-     Last of the Dogmen
Actor-     Joseph Marshall, Val Kilmer
Actress-   Irene Bedard, Kathy Bates
Book-      Laura Ingalls Wilder books
Color-      Turquoise and Brown
Holiday- Christmas
Season-    Spring and Fall
Saying-     “Walk in peace and harmony”
Historical person-  Crazy Horse

Lucynda, Thanks for having me today.  Readers can contact Melinda by clicking on her name or going to her blog at Essential Writers.

Thanks for answering my questions Melinda.  I know I’ve found another great book to dive into!A 

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 1st, 2009 at 10:43 am and is filed under Lucynda Storey, Interviews, Writing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.