On Writing
I've been a medical writer for many years, but always wanted to try writing fiction. My chance finally came when I was on bed rest with a twin pregnancy. I sat there typing happily away on my first novel, A DANGEROUS DREAM, which has recently been published by Wings ePress. I'm drawn to stories about the horse world and have always loved stories with plenty of mystery and romance, so writing an equestrian romantic mystery, which A DANGEROUS DREAM is, came naturally.
On the Writing Process
I wrote A Dangerous Dream without an extensive plan. The ideas just flowed. As my setting was the Grand Prix horse show circuit, I didn't need to do extensive research. I rode in hunters and equitation for years and one of my trainers rode on the Grand Prix circuit, so I had lots of material from my own life experiences from which to draw.
My current work in progress, on the other hand, is a contemporary fantasy with strong romantic elements, and I've done extensive research and outlining. My heroine is a horse trainer as well as a witch, so I'm familiar with the horse setting. To make the fantasy portion of the story real as I'm writing it I created an international society of witches with a level of detail which will never make it into the book, but I need that level of detail to write the story in a realistic way.
On Writing Schedule
I would love to say I have an organized writing schedule, but with young children my writing works around their schedules. I've learned to be very productive at five in the morning!
On Writer's Block
There are times when I feel nervous that my work won't be good enough, and I think of a hundred excuses not to sit down and write, but I think those are the times it is most important to keep at it. Even if I'm not at my best that day and I need to go back and revise later, it's vital to at least get words down on the page.
On Conferences and Contests
I've received some good feedback from contests. My goal has always been to look for trends in feedback across multiple judges, rather than any one particular judge's comments. I haven't attended conferences yet, but I've enjoyed the learning process from online workshops.
On Getting "The Call"
I was checking my email early in the morning while my family was still asleep, and I saw a message from Wings ePress with the word Contract in the Subject line. It took me a moment to work up the courage to open it. When I saw it was a contract offer for A DANGEROUS DREAM, I jumped up to share the news, and then looked at everyone sleeping so peacefully and didn't have the heart to wake them. I had to hold onto my excitement until they woke up, then I practically dragged my husband into my office to make sure I wasn't dreaming!
On Being a Published Author
The best thing about being a published author is hearing the wonderful words "I loved your book." There are two main challenges to face. One is learning the business of marketing and promotion and the second is planning for long-term career success. I'm still learning to balance my time between marketing and writing time. Personally, I need to block out times per day for certain activities and stick to the plan.
Best Advice Received
The best advice I ever received is to write what I love. The road is long and hard, and loving the work is what keeps you going.
Worst Advice Received
I can't say I received any bad advice, but in the beginning, I wasn't sure which sub-genre my work fit into. I entered contests in sub-genres are for which my natural voice was not suited. I received the appropriate feedback to train for success in the category I'd entered, but when I tried to follow that advice the writing was flat. I did learn from the experience where to best target my work.
On Promotion
I believe self-promotion is essential for any writer to be successful, and especially for new writers looking to build a readership. The best advice I can give is first to get a web site and then to research the myriad ways other authors market their work by talking with them and reviewing their web sites. Once you have a better idea of the options, you can better decide what will work for you.
On Publishers
Wings ePress publishes in electronic and print on demand formats. They have been in business six years, and that track record was important to me in choosing where to submit my work. Publishing with a small press or e-publisher is a great way to get started and learn the business side of publishing fiction. It's been an invaluable experience.
On
Agents
For my first novel, while I was learning the basics of the industry, I was happy to sell unagented. Going forward, I plan to find an agent to partner with. There is no way I can with the sale of one book learn anywhere near as much about this business as a seasoned agent. Working with an agent would be a wonderful boon to my career. I could focus more on writing, and learn how to target my work better. Also, it would be wonderful to have someone knowledgeable to review and negotiate contracts.
On the Future: What are you working on now?
LEGACY, my current work in progress, is a contemporary centering on the efforts of Gemma, a gifted witch, to protect a spellbook of great power. A global society of witches selects her for this mission because of her unique ability to hide information by controlling others' perceptions and memories. Cathaoir, an evil wizard, uses his talent for divination to predict market trends and has amassed great wealth. However, with the advent of modern information systems, his competitive edge narrows. He looks into his own future and sees loss and ruin. Panicked, he discovers the existence of the spellbook, or grimoire, and begins a campaign of terror to obtain it, aided by powerful and evil magical creatures.
Cathaoir discovers Gemma has possession of the grimoire. He slowly escalates threats and attacks on those she loves to persuade her to give him the grimoire, knowing if he kills her the location of the spellbook dies with her. Gemma battles him while trying to protect her family and the man with whom she is falling in love, aided by the coven and an array of mystical creatures aligned with the coven. However, Gemma must learn to trust in the power of her family and the man she loves to find her greatest strength.
Advice for Aspiring Writers
The most important piece is to enjoy the process of learning how to create a good story. It's fun to see the characters living in your imagination becoming real on paper. There is so much to learn, it can be discouraging, but remember to look at how far you've come in refining your writing and enjoy that accomplishment!
The Last Word: Any parting words for our readers?
Thank you for the opportunity to be interviewed. Please stop by my web site at http://www.marypaine.com to learn more about my books and check out my book video for A DANGEROUS DREAM. And don't forget to enter my monthly contest! Happy Reading! All the best, Mary.
More About Mary
I am a Computer Training Consultant by day...that pays the bills...and a professional astrologer (over 20 years) and I teach astrology classes, do workshops and lectures, and I was an astrological columnist for five years for a Midwest newspaper. I am a technical writer (computer manuals, curriculum designer, etc.) and I have been a contributing writer for a few astrology publications by Llewellyn Publishing Co., and last but not least, an aspiring fiction writer (at this point not feeling very confident about that ever happening - I have difficulty turning off my left brain and letting my right brain take over...not to mention my slight attention deficit problem). Right now, I'm working on an astrology manuscript that I hope to submit to a publisher soon! Wish me luck.
So...basically I am a teacher, computer software trainer, and astrologer, and my mission (in this lifetime) is to explain complex, technical/scientific subjects in practical ways so you can apply them in your everyday life.
You can visit Mary on the web at http://www.MaryPaine.com
(Interviewed March, 2008)
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