Member of the Week: Deborah Bouziden

And member since 2002!

Q: When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
A: I think I have always had a desire to be a writer. When I was young I read Jack London’s, Call of the Wild. In second grade, every month, I’d check the book out from the school library and read it. Finally, my grandmother gave me the book for Christmas. That book was the very first book I owned. (I still have that book BTW.) I loved London’s descriptions and the way the story unfolded. As a teenager, I wrote articles and won trophies locally, state wide, and regionally for them.

Then after my children were born, sometime in 1982, I wanted to do something so I could stay home with them. One day, while I was lying on the couch, the sun came shining in through the front door. Like a spotlight, it illuminated one of my writing trophies sitting on the fireplace hearth. I thought, maybe I could do some writing.

Q: How and when did you make this dream a reality?
A: Later in 1982, my husband and I traveled to Branson, Missouri. We had taken several trips there in the past, but this time on the way home, we started talking about how the area needed a travel guide book. I got home and decided I was just the person to write it. I contacted a publishing house and to my surprise they were actually interested in the idea. The problem was I had NO idea what I needed to do.

I went to the bookstore and bought Perry L. Wilbur’s book, How to Write Books that Sell. I read that book from cover to cover and realized I knew even less than what I thought I knew. Through a series of “synchroncity” events, I wound up in a private writing class. I sold the first thing I wrote for the class and was in that class for four years.

Unfortunately, I never did write the guide book on Branson. We visited there five years later and saw a Branson Tour Guide book on the shelf by the particular publisher I had contacted. My husband was angry, but I told him it wasn’t the publisher’s fault. After the initial contact, I never got back to them. They thought it was a great idea. After I dropped off the map, they found someone else who would and did write it for them.

I tell my friends, at times I feel with the writing of the Off the Beaten Path and Insider’s Guide books I write, I have gone full circle. I started out wanting to write guide books and here I am doing just that. I write other non-fiction and fiction too, but the guide books have been my most steady projects by far.

Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in your writing career?
A: There are two things every one who ever desires to write a book must know. First, you must sit down, write, and complete a book. I tell my writing students, “you must have a body of work, a product if you will, to sell before you can sell it.”

Second, you’ve got to be persistent. Don’t let anyone shatter your dreams. Keep searching for a market for your book. Keep trying to sell it. You only fail, if you quit.
Q: What are you working on right now?
A: I just finished a guide book on Oklahoma City, titled Insider’s Guide to Oklahoma City, for Globe Pequot Books out of Connecticut. It will be released in December 2009. Between working on promoting it, I’m working on a fiction series called The Grave Hunter. I wrote a short story some years ago using the same title. It was published in an anthology. An editor expressed some interest in the main character and asked me if I had ever thought about using that main character for a series. I’ve got the series plot lines down and now I’m working on the first book for that series.
Q: Name some authors or books that have influenced your writing life in a positive way.
A: Wow! There have been so many over the span of my 25 year career. Of course, Jack London, Jane Austen, and Charlotte Bronte, go without saying. I have so many writer friends now. Jennifer Blake, who is a NY Times Bestseller, seems always to be there for me when I need a little push in the right direction. I interviewd Laurell K. Hamilton some years ago for Writer’s Digest’s Novel & Short Story Market Book. Her story is inspiring. She had a desire to write, but in college, one of her professors told her she couldn’t and shouldn’t write. She didn’t let that stop her. She continued to follow her dream and today she is also a NY Times Bestseller.
You hear so many stories like that. People trying to tear down another person’s dreams and goals. But it’s like I said earlier, a person has to keep at it. No matter what. Writing is not easy. Publishing is not easy. But if you want it, really want it, you can reach your goals.

Being a writer for me is not just what I do, it’s who I am. My writer friends are like that. We are driven. I’ve heard so many of them say, I could NOT write, no more than I could NOT breathe. It’s a part of our DNA.
Q: What have you recently read or what are you reading right now that you would consider an outstanding work?
A: I just finished reading Pride and Prejudice. I read it at least once a year. I love the way Austen transports me to that time period. A few months ago, I read The Shack. It was interesting in the way the author presented God. I like Stephanie Barron’s work. She writes edgy, unique fiction. I started reading her because of her Jane Austen Mystery series, but have read her other books too. She worked as an analyst for the CIA, and then decided she wanted to write fiction. Her husband thought she was a little crazy, but after her first book was accepted, she quit her job and hasn’t looked back. How fun is that?
Q: What excites or ignites your soul?
A: The things that truly excites or ignites my soul are words, books, and great stories. My family laughs at me because I can lose myself for hours reading through the dictionary. I love to hold books in my hand, smell the pages. I love libraries and bookstores. It is a sad day indeed when I go to the bookstore and can find nothing on the shelves I want to take home. That has only happened twice in my entire life. I buy old 18th, 19th century books and ponder who were the people who read them.

Finally, a good story excites me. My daughter came home from work today and told me about one of her patients. He is originally from Yugoslavia. He has climbed mountains around the world and one particular 14,000 footer, 113 times. They now have a five day hiking program in his honor and was promoting in on television last night. He’s 86. My daughter asked him about the program. She said he acted like it was no big deal and told her a couple stories involving his exploits. I asked her if anyone had ever written a book about him. She said, “no.” I told her, “someone definitely should” and am considering calling him tomorrow.

Deborah Bouziden has been writing and publishing non-fiction and fiction articles and books since 1985. She teaches writing and publishing classes when her time allows, holds workshops, and speaks at conferences across the south and southwest. Visit her website to learn more about her work and enter her monthly contest. Visit her at http://www.deborahbouziden.com

A: About ten years ago at age 42, I entered college for the first time. I had bought a business when I was 21, it was successful and kept me busy but I always wondered about college. Luckily because of scoring high on the assessments, I was able to bypass the basic writing classes and take the most advanced writing class at the university called: How to Write a Major Project. There I decided to write my first book, If the Battle is Over, Why am I Still in Uniform? It was a story I wanted to write for my two children who were 3 and 5 years old at the time when I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer at age 39. It tells about going through colon cancer in a funny and poignant way. One night as I was writing, I heard a weird sound, looked up from my writing and realized it was birds chirping. I had been writing nonstop all night long and was totally engaged. That is when I realized the writing bug bit.

Q: How and when did you make this dream a reality?

A: A few years later I published my first book, two years after that, the second book came out, I’d Like to Buy a Bowel Please! I also started writing a humor column in a medical newsletter regularly as well as a blog with a medical thread to it. You can read that at www.C3life.com.

Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in your writing career?

A: Show, Don’t Tell! and how powerful a sentence is without superfluous words.

Q: What are you working on right now?

A: My third book, Bedpan Banter which comes out in May 2009. It is a collection of funny and inspirational medical stories from many different writers including my own.

Q: Name some authors or books that have influenced your writing life in a positive way.

A: Judy Delton, an accomplished author of over 200 books including the series, Pee Wee’s Great Adventures and the Lottery Luck Club was a personal mentor to me and had the greatest influence because of her straight forward talk and presumption I would understand and put to practice all she taught me. I hope I have, sadly she died 6 months after I knew her. I enjoyed reading Brenda Ueland’s book on writing, If You Want to Write.

Q: What have you recently read or what are you reading right now that you would consider an outstanding work?

A: Some of the stories for my next book that were submitted for Bedpan Banter.

Q: What excites or ignites your soul?

A: Rich conversations with good friends over a lovely meal that I didn’t have to cook, a good book to get lost in that can be life changing, a long bike ride through a country path, when my children and husband seem happy and content, traveling to other countries where I meet the native people, and delivering a good message of hope, healing and humor.

Brenda Elsagher is a funny, energetic woman who entertains and enlightens audiences across the country as a national keynote speaker. Brenda believes that her honest outlook after going through colo-rectal cancer brought about many gifts. She became a comedian and won many titles, Twin Cities Funniest Person, Newsmaker of the year by the Women’s Press, and received the Golden “Mic” award from the American Cancer Society. Brenda is in an interfaith and inter-cultural marriage which she says is good fodder for material… and the fact that they have two teens also aids in some good comedy. Brenda says, “I believe that we all have many gifts to discover, no matter what age we may be; challenge is good. If you want to feel more alive each day, just walk outside your comfort zone and see what happens.”

Check out Brenda’s website at www.livingandlaughing.com or send an email to Brenda@livingandlaughing.com.

Q: When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

A:  I’ve written poems since I was in my teens; it was a wonderful way to express my thoughts and feelings. I’ve always been an avid reader, and I loved the different ways in which authors communicated with the reader.  I guess I’ve always wanted to write, it was simply a matter of time.

Q: How and when did you make this dream a reality?

A: When I began to experience bouts of depression in my late 20’s to mid 30’s, I searched for information on the subject but could find practically nothing that addressed the illness. This was during the mid 1970’s through the 1980’s, long before personal computers enabled you to simple “Google” something for information.  Books on the subject were practically non-existent.  I simply wanted to know if other people had experienced this “darkness of the soul” that seemed to encompass my life.  Later on, I was determined that I would somehow provide anyone else going through what I had experienced, the realization that they were not, as I had felt, alone.  My book, Running Uphill, is my personal memoir of my journey through depression and bipolar disorder and my subsequent recovery.  I began writing it in 2003, put it aside at times, and finally had it published in January 2008.

Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in your writing career?

A: That even when you think you’ve written the perfect book, there’s always room for improvement.  Tenacity is imperative while procrastination is your worst enemy.  I’ve also learned that a good editor is critical, particularly in a first book.  Finding them, however, is a major stumbling block for a new author.

If I could have had my book reviewed prior to publishing, I feel I would have infinitely more knowledge as to how to put it all together and it would have been a much better literary piece.  Nevertheless, it did win the POW! award in the autobiography category.

Q: What are you working on right now?

A:  My main objective now is promotion of Running Uphill.  I’ve been asked to ghostwrite a book for a friend about her parental abuse growing up, which I look forward to working on.
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Q: Name some authors or books that have influenced your writing life in a positive way.

A: “Putting Your Passion Into Print” was the most helpful.  I read several others but the titles elude me.  Writers whose styles I admire are Mitch Album, Margaret Atwood, and many, many others.

Q: What have you recently read or what are you reading right now that you would consider an outstanding work?

A:  Among the greatest, I would choose “To Kill A Mockingbird” and “Grapes of Wrath”.  Most recently, “A Thousand Brilliant Suns” stands out as excellent.

Q: What excites or ignites your soul?

A: Observing the joy of a child or elderly person receiving something they’ve longed for but never expected; watching the waves splash against cliffs in the Pacific Ocean; giving something of myself that makes a difference in someone’s life; and riding in a convertible up Highway 1 the entire length of the Pacific Coast with the wind in my face.

About Lora Inman

Originally from California, Lora Inman has lived in many states across the U.S., from the Pacific Northwest to the east coast of Florida.  She and her husband, Michael, currently divide their time between their homes in Jacksonville, Florida and Kirkland, Washington.  Between them, they have three grown children: a son in Washington State, a son in Wisconsin, and a daughter who lives in Jacksonville.  As a member of several support and writer’s groups, she has been a speaker at several events.  Lora Inman may be contacted at lki49@aol.com or by phone (904-343-6511).   Website: www.inmanwriting.com.

Technorati Tags: Lora Inman, NAWW, National Association of Women Writers, To Kill a Mockingbird, Grapes of Wrath, A Thousand Brilliant Suns, Mitch Album, Margaret Atwood, Running Uphill

Q: When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
A: Actually I started out as a Publisher and worked for many years in-house initially with an independent publishing house and then also with Penguin and Random House.

Then in 1999 when I was at a Penguin sales conference in Cyprus, in front of several hundred people, a falling stage spotlight hit me on the crown of the head and knocked me clean out! I was off work for over a year in recovery … and during that time completely reassessed my priorities in life.

As a result I decided to give more time and space to my own creativity and wrote my own book “The Writer’s Journey: From Inspiration to Publication”.

I also set up my own business offering aspiring authors coaching on the process of writing a book for publication, and as part of that, began to deepen my connection to my own writing through sending out regular newsletter articles etc.

I’m still doing so now (available from www.JuliaMcCutchen.com) and I find that the more I write, the more I love writing. Making the transition from publisher to author felt strange at first but now I can’t imagine my life without writing!

Q: How and when did you make this dream a reality?
A: I wrote my book in two stages.

Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in your writing career?
A: That you just have to do it! Overcoming resistance, or the voice of the inner critic, is all about accepting that this is a natural part of the creative process and the more you just carry on with your writing anyway, the less power the inner critic has to stop you in your tracks.

I also know for certain that working with a coach or mentor makes all the difference. With the right information and support, writing will happen!

Q: What are you working on right now?
A: I’m just starting to work on a new Masterclass course for writers on the subject of writing a first-class book proposal. I’ll be running this as a 5 week teleseminar event later in the year and from that will turn it into an Ebook or workbook – I haven’t quite decided which yet.

This topic is right at the top of most writer’s priority list because it is the way that the publishing door can open. It has become an area of speciality for me and I work with lots of writers to help them create a presentation that will inspire serious attention from publishing professionals. I guess that my success with getting book proposals right comes from my years spent in-house receiving such material and making publishing decisions based on the information contained within those all important pages.

Q: Name some authors or books that have influenced your writing life in a positive way.
A: I love Gail Sher’s books “The Intuitive Writer” and “One Continuous Mistake”. I also think this book is fabulous “The I Ching for Writers” by Sarah Jane Sloane.

Q: What have you recently read or what are you reading right now that you would consider an outstanding work?
A: I have to say that I found Eckhart Tolle’s book “A New Earth” deeply transformative to read as it is outstanding by virtue of content and clarity …

Q: What excites or ignites your soul?
A: I am passionate about looking within to discover the true source of your writer’s voice – which is in fact your true self – and when you combine the ‘real you’ with the skills of your writing craft, then you have a powerful formula for expressing your voice in the world in an authentic way which readers and publishers alike will love!

Julia McCutchen is the author of The Writer’s Journey: From Inspiration to Publication. She works as a Writers’ Coach and a Professional Publishing Consultant presenting coaching, courses, and classes which open the way for people who want to write a book for publication. Julia is passionate about offering her wealth of knowledge to inspire, inform, and support writers on their paths to becoming successful published authors. Her core message can be summarised as InsideOut Success 4 Writers, and she presents a new paradigm for writers which highlights the value of enjoying the journey and arriving at the destination! A former Director and Publisher of Element Books, Julia has also worked with Penguin as a Publishing Consultant for Random House. She has 20 years’ publishing experience and a track record that includes UK no 1 and international bestsellers. For more information, see www.JuliaMcCutchen.com or email Julia@JuliaMcCutchen.com

Technorati Tags: Julia McCutchen, The Writer’s Journey: From Inspiration to Publication, the writer’s journey, writer, writers coach, Professional Publishing Consultant

Q: How and when did you make this dream a reality?
A: I’ve never stopped writing or studying the writing process, nor talking or teaching others about writing. I’ve been blessed with knowing the writer’s psyche well enough to be aware of the patterns writers go through to sabotage their own writing. I also have some different kinds of “knowing” skills that help me move deeper, beneath the surface, to bring to light what a writer already knows by doesn’t know she knows that’s keeping her from finding her writer’s voice.

Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in your writing career?
A. Tenacity. You never know when you’ll be in the right place at the right time, doing the right activity. And because of that unknown, a writer must keep writing, without expectation. Writing is not an end to a means, it’s a lifelong process of self-discovery.

Q: What are you working on right now?
A: I’m working on rewrites of a full feature screenplay, “Hidden Portraits.” I’ve just had it reviewed again. In the late 1980’s I became a widow. I asked a lot of questions about life then, and one of those questions was a pesky little thing that would not release me, so with a yellow note pad and about 20 pages I began to formulate a story. It collected dust and it cooked in my psyche until I remarried years later to someone else who love to write stories. We pitched it and another short screenplay to several Hollywood producers, including an Emmy Award winning HBO producer, who all gave it a thumbs up! But the budget on this movie was very high, so they dropped it. Remember tenacity? Well, here’s a story I’m still working on in 2008. Sometimes something’s not done until it’s done. Viki King, the author of “How to Write a Movie in 21 Days” told me that in a telecourse offered by Stephen Simon at the Spiritual Cinema Circle. She said, “We write to answer the questions of our lives.” Viki’s a brilliant woman and has extraordinary gifts and skill to help writers.

Q: Name some authors or books that have influenced your writing life in a positive way.
A: The first book on writing that really spoke to my writer’s mind was “Becoming A Writer” by Dorthea Brande. She knew what to say to a writer. It’s a book I still pick up and read. It’s timeless. I read The Hardy Boys series and watched every Zorro episode on Disney’s Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday nights. Now, Disney knew how to tell story. Of course, Anne Lamott’s book, “Bird by Bird” sits right next to Dorthea’s book, as does “Writing Down the Bones” by Natalie Goldberg. I am a bit of a bungler when it comes to what I need to be reading or doing. I walked into a neighborhood bookstore in Florida and bumped into a table displaying several books. “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker fell on the floor right in front of me. The book’s cover was a field of purple flowers, before the movie was made, before Ms. Walker won the Pulitzer Prize. I took it home with me because it literally jumped out at me and said, “You need to read me.” I did. Isabelle Allende is another author who speaks wisdom writers’ words. There are writers who write and great writers who write great works; then there are great writers who write great works and know how to tell you how to becoming a writer. They are like the spiritual prophets who can lead you, by example, and few words, to the promised land of your own voice.

Q: What have you recently read or what are you reading right now that you would consider an outstanding work?
A: I’ve not read a great book in quite awhile. Partly because I’m reading lots of manuscripts, considering the works of other writers for my publishing company. The last really delicious book I could not put down was “The Secret Life of Bees” by Sue Kidd. The anticipation of reading that book literally rippled my arms in chicken skin.

Q: What excites or ignites your soul?
A: Music moves me on so many levels and all kinds of music. If I need an emotional tone that isn’t showing up on the page, I’ll stop and find the right CD. I do dance like no one’s watching. It sets the stage and the writing flows. When writing plucks the stings of my soul, I know the words that ring true for me, will ring true no matter whose eyes fall on the page. Good writing has power that embraces all the parallels of our knowing who we really are.

Technorati Tags: Toni Holm, NAWW, NAWW member, NAWW member interview, Hidden Portraits

A: I began writing poetry as a hobby about fifteen years ago. Having a young active son at the time and my own accounting business left little time for creative writing. God stirred the creativity in me after I committed my life wholly to the Lord Jesus in 1989. It was during that time that God prompted me to write this first book, MISSION POSSIBLE – Spiritual Covering.

Q: How and when did you make this dream a reality?

A: After completing my small book manuscript seven years ago, I shared it with close friends, and it sat on a “spiritual shelf” until right after I completed a ladies’ bible study at my local church in November 2007. I believe the Lord moved on my heart to enhance my last chapter and add an epilogue to the book. I contacted the publisher I had talked to several years prior, and we put the process in motion. The book was completed in December 2007, right before Christmas.

Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in your writing career?

A: I am learning that even someone as ordinary as myself can be of use to God in ministering to other women who face a similar situation in their marriage. Encouragement and hope are essential to “facing your tomorrows” when there is often apathy, or worse–ridicule–in the home environment. The subject of my book is not an easy one to discuss, but I know there are many women (and men) who need this “lift” for the weary soul.

Q: What are you working on right now?

A: I have begun working on another book — very different from the first one. It is a book for the “coffee table” entitled, Trees of the Bible – a Spiritual Journey. It will address the spiritual significance of the various trees in scripture, emphasizing the historical and social aspects of their variety and diversity in the Bible.

Q: Name some authors or books that have influenced your writing life in a positive way.

A: I enjoy the many bible study courses offered by Beth Moore thru Lifeway, and the book Extraordinary Faith by Sheila Walsh.

Q: What have you recently read or what are you reading right now that you would consider an outstanding work?

A: Being that I am self-employed with my accounting business, and am promoting & distributing my first published book, I have little time for anything else. My reading material is primarily devotionals and the various bible studies that I attend throughout the year. I do hope to do more “leisure” reading when I complete my next book.

Q: What excites or ignites your soul?

A: Knowing that I can be of use to God to minister to other women. It’s all about Him and not about yourself. I can’t wait to see what impact this book can have around the world. I am believing in BIG things for God’s glory…

Deborah grew up in a US Navy family moving often and eventually settled in north Florida. She has been married to her husband of twenty-six years and has one son in college, who will be commissioned in the US Marine Corps in late 2008. She resides in Orange Park, Florida where she continues working in her small accounting business and enjoys creative writing as a hobby. You can reach her by e-mail at deb@alabasterboxpublishing.com or visit her website at Godmissionpossible.com.

Technorati Tags: Deborah McCarragher, God Mission Possible,   MISSION POSSIBLE – Spiritual Covering

Q: When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

Q: How and when did you make this dream a reality?
A: The short answer: I write. The long answer: Baby steps. In 2001, I started writing a humorous “Bombeckesque” column for my local weekly newspaper, and it now runs in several small town papers across northern and central Illinois. In 2005, we moved (temporarily) to France. Readers loved the tales of our adventures abroad. I took a creative writing class (in English). I started submitting, and my short stories and poetry were published. Each step was a confidence builder.

When we moved back to Illinois, I wanted to give writing a chance as a career, not a joyful hobby. I’m now a fulltime freelance writer/ghostwriter, living a dream. My first book, When Life Stinks, It’s Time to Wash the Gym Clothes, was published in October 2007. My husband (known as The Man of the Place) always said I lived in a world of make-believe; the writing life gives me the best of both worlds, the real one and the land of imagination.

Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in your writing career?
A: Ancora Imparo. I’m still learning. (Michelangelo). Never give up. (Winston Churchill). If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. (Barney).

Q: What are you working on right now?
A: Learning how to promote my book, When Life Stinks, It’s Time to Wash the Gym Clothes. I tell the stories of our lives, with a light touch and a deep soul. What first endeared me to readers was “being real.” This anecdote didn’t make the cut to be in the book, but I wrote when my two sons were younger: We had a sports-free night, just mom and boys. We walked to town for ice cream and then to the playground. They invited me to swing with them. “Look, three swings, Mommy! You take the one in the middle.” I was elated, and mentally logging the Memorable Mommy Moment, when my older son continued, “Yeah, it has the widest seat, and you have the widest butt.”

Q: Name some authors or books that have influenced your writing life in a positive way.
A: Mark Twain, Erma Bombeck, Dave Barry, Anne Lamott, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein, Strunk and White, songwriters, my guys.

Q: What have you recently read or what are you reading right now that you would consider an outstanding work?
A: I’m in a re-reading phase. All Quiet on the Western Front. Oh, The Places You’ll Go. Calvin and Hobbes. I’m also behind: I’m just getting started on The Kite Runner; the opening paragraph is an outstanding work in itself. I also am a recovering magazine junkie.

Q: What excites or ignites your soul?
A: Feedback from readers. Hearing my boys say, “My mom’s a writer.” Reading, watching movies, listening to music, laughing, making people laugh – these feed my soul. (And can I say great sex?) Writing excites my soul. I believe Isaac Asimov gets credit for saying: “I write for the same reason I breathe – because if I didn’t, I would die.”

Kelly Epperson is a columnist, freelance writer, ghostwriter, and speaker. She has overcome her fear of public speaking, and gives program presentations to audiences of all sizes and all ages (preschoolers to retired folks and everything in between). Topics range from “Life as the Expat Wife” and “France: Off the Beaten Tourist Path” to “How to Write a Love Letter”! Her first book, When Life Stinks, It’s Time to Wash the Gym Clothes was published in October 2007, and won its first award in December 2007. When Life Stinks has hopes of becoming a series. Kelly tackles life issues — kids, life in France, dog hair — with a light touch, but readers will tell you that she “feels things deeply.” Kelly is working on controlling her nerves for her radio interview with Nan Russell’s Work Matters on webtalkradio.net on February 22. She tries to live by her own philosophy: Life is short. Do a happy dance in the kitchen. She can be reached at kel_epperson@yahoo.com and www.kellyepperson.com.

Technorati Tags: Kelly Epperson, When Life Stinks It’s Time to Wash the Gym Clothes, author, writing

Q: When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

A: I realized I wanted to be a writer when people starting releasing ebooks electronically. Authors are no longer tied to traditional publishing methods. Since my website, WomanSavers.com, the world’s largest database rating men, is such a popular site and has so many subscribers, I knew I had a strong platform to market my ebook; and I could keep 100% of the profits with no overhead costs. That meant win-win to me.

Q: How and when did you make this dream a reality?

A: I started writing content and articles in late 2002 when I launched WomanSavers.com. Thereafter, I began writing cartoon comedy ecards for women that would sometimes be a spoof on a variety of songs and I would sing and reword them. I had tons of fun doing that. I started writing my book, S*x, Lies & the Internet, An Online Dating Survival Guide (http://www.womansavers.com/ebook/online-dating-infidelity-book.asp) in 2006. It took me over a year to write and design all the custom graphics, but there is nothing quite like it out there. It is full of great tips teaching women how to screen their dates. It also shows women how to avoid being scammed, used and abused by men.

Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in your writing career?

A: Everything takes twice as long as you have planned. If you plan to write a book in 6 months, it will take a year.

Q: What are you working on right now?

A: Right now I am working on a new project that is confidential about one of my hobbies. I’ll give everyone one clue. There has never been a book written about this material EVER.

Q: Name some authors or books that have influenced your writing life in a positive way.

A: The 7 Laws of Spiritual Success by Deepak Chopra was life-changing for me. Not only is he a master communicator verbally, he also is an incredible writer. I listen to his channel on Sirius Satellite 102, the Wellness Channel, every Saturday.

Q: What have you recently read or what are you reading right now that you would consider an outstanding work?

A: Right now I am reading a lot of different dietary books. I am a raw vegan and anything written by David Wolfe or Dr. Gabriel Cousens is phenomenal.

Q: What excites or ignites your soul?

A: Taking care of myself through diet and exercise, especially yoga, ignites my soul. Combine that with spiritual teachings, not religious, and that is when I feel my most balanced. I also get tremendous satisfaction from helping women, children and animals. It simply makes me feel good. Simple things like going on a nature hike, taking my dogs for a walk or finding some great, natural hot springs to soak in puts a smile on my face.

Stephany Alexander is the CEO/Founder of http://www.womansavers.com, the world’s largest database rating men. WomanSavers.com is a women’s social networking site where women share their stories and experiences about men to make better, safer and more informed decisions. WomanSavers is in the top 5% of the most popular women’s websites in the world. A percentage of proceeds are donated to abused women and children’s charities. Ms. Alexander is a dating expert, relationship expert, infidelity expert and the author of Sex, Lies & the Internet: An Online Dating Survival Guide. http://www.womansavers.com/ebook/online-dating-infidelity-book.asp.

Q: When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

A: I knew I wanted to be a writer in elementary school after completing a fourth and fifth grade project to write, illustrate, and bind your own book. I would go home and create books in my free time. I thought it was the best thing I’d ever been taught. I continued to write on and off in my teens–poetry, mostly–but became more serious about writing prose when I reached my late 20’s.

Q: How and when did you make this dream a reality?

A: I had been working on a young adult novel for 5 years, and had completed it at whopping 1100 pages. After working with an editor on it, I realized I needed to get some distance from it; and I put it on the shelf, for now. I needed a fresh project. I decided I wanted something that was new, uncomplicated and fun. After visiting with my little cousin, Laura for weeks, I knew I had found the character for the children’s book I wanted to write. It took about 4-5 months to complete Laura and the Leprechauns–the majority of the time being spent on illustrations. So, I’d have to say that the year of 2007 was when everything really came together for me as a writer as far as making my dream a reality.

Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in your writing career?

A: Hire an editor! I can’t stress this enough. An editor will improve what you thought was perfect. They are the extra set of eyes necessary to really make your writing shine and can catch errors you swore didn’t exist.

Q: What are you working on right now?

A: I am currently working on my next book in the Laura series. After this one, I have one more in mind. Right now I am developing and writing the story. Next, I will be traveling to Bavaria to see Laura in the springtime, and I plan to take plenty of pictures of her to use as reference material this time! It is a challenge to draw effectively when your muse lives oversees and isn’t readily available to pose for illustrations.

Q: Name some authors or books that have influenced your writing life in a positive way.

A: I’ve always been a fan of Lewis Carroll; Alice in Wonderland is a favorite childhood story of mine. I also grew up reading the Serendipity books, by Stephen Cosgrove, which I really enjoyed. There was always a moral to his stories and the illustrations kept me captivated. I kept a copy of his, Little Mouse on the Prairie, next to me for inspiration the entire time I worked on Laura and the Leprechauns.

Q: What have you recently read or what are you reading right now that you would consider an outstanding work?

A: To be honest, it’s been a while since I’ve had time to pick up a book for my own enjoyment, simply because I’m in the midst of working on my next project. But the last few books I read that I thought were truly exceptional were Jeffrey Eugenides, Middlesex, and Ian McEwan’s Attonement. Both books remained on my mind for a long time afterward.

Q: What excites or ignites your soul?

A: Seeing a look of wonderment or awe in a child’s face is a source of true inspiration for me. There’s nothing as gratifying as seeing a child’s happiness and excitement over new, simple experiences things we often take for granted.

Amber T. Kingston is the owner of Chrysalis Press, a publishing company dedicated to producing imaginative literature for children, teens, and young adults. Amber is also an author and illustrator, and has combined her talents for Chrysalis Press’s latest release, Laura and the Leprechauns. Creative Writing and the arts have been long-time passions for Amber ever since early childhood. Amber loves spending time with family and friends, and can usually be found writing, drawing, reading, painting, or spending time with children. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, the National Association of Women Writers, the Independent Book Publishers Association, the Small Publishers Association Network, the Small Publishers and Writers Network, and the Screen Actors Guild. She also enjoys volunteering at the Orange County Food Bank, an organization that provides meals for the homeless, the elderly, and those in need. Chrysalis Press is based in Newport Beach, California. You can visit Amber on the web at www.ChrysalisPress.com, or email her directly at amber@ChrysalisPress.com.

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Q: When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

Q: How and when did you make this dream a reality?
A:I put great effort into every opportunity I had to write — letters, school assignments, school newspapers, essays. I also wrote funny short stories and some poetry. I published my first book in 2004 and that was a thrill for me.

Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in your writing career?
A: I believe it’s very important to keep writing and continually fuel your imagination. Drink in everything that stimulates emotions and thoughts. There’s a story or valuable eye-opening idea to share in just about everything. Write it down for now or future reference because otherwise it may be lost to you.

Q: What are you working on right now?
A: I have two books in my computer, each about half-finished. One is about how the death of a parent affects children and the other about women and money. I also promised myself I would work harder on my newsletters and some articles.

Q: Name some authors or books that have influenced your writing life in a positive way.
A: I love the story-telling of the Bronte sisters and some of the Russian writers. The richness of language and description feeds my brain. Classic, simple styles influence the non-fiction I write because they stay focused and run smoothly; authors such as Kahlil Gibran, Sigurd Olson, writers in the spiritual and nature genres. I also like Edna Ferber and James Michener because of the historical significance.

Q: What have you recently read or what are you reading right now that you would consider an outstanding work?
A: I read Ken Follett and think his books are wonderful. I’m currently reading Barbara De Angelis’ book How Did I Get Here? It’s motivating me to keep digging deeper for inspiration.

Q: What excites or ignites your soul?
A: Being with people who are growing, sharing ideas and are excited about life…connecting. I love to learn and to find out what moves other people, their emotions and their actions.

Judy Strong is a native Midwesterner, who now resides in Mesa, AZ. When Judy’s first husband died, she had children still living at home to raise. The lack of a reference guide to help with the grieving process prompted the writing of No Time to Grieve. In addition to writing, Judy is a teacher and quilter. She loves spending time with her family. E-mail her at judystrong758@hotmail.com and visit Judy at www.notimetogrieve.com.

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