FAQ

HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A WRITER?
I enjoyed reading as a child, but Mr. Kenworthy, my high school English teacher, instilled in me a love for the written word and literature. He recognized my talent, and though it would be many years before I wrote Cassandra and the Cowboy, the seed was planted.

WAS CASSANDRA AND THE COWBOY THE FIRST BOOK YOU WROTE?
(Laughs) No. Like most writers, that first novel is buried in the closet and collecting dust. The Way Back Home was about a young widow who works at an Arabian horse farm. The writing was dreadful, but I still like the storyline. Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll dust it off and see what I can do with it.

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO WRITE CASSANDRA AND THE COWBOY?
That’s a good question. There’s a BIG difference between writing a book and readying it for submission. I started writing Cass¸ as I affectionately call my book, twenty years ago. Five years later an agent picked it up for representation. We were both wet behind the ears, and after a year, we parted ways. As I look back, I understand why no publisher picked up Cass. She still needed LOTS of work.

After that, I wrote Juanita and the Outlaw (the second book in the Texas Treasures series), and for the next fifteen years, I continued to work on Cass here and there and periodically sent her off to publishers and agents. Then last fall I prayed and told the Lord I would give her one chance to be traditionally published before I considered self-publishing. That’s when I found Jennifer Farey of Journey Fiction. And the rest, I hope, will be writing history.

WHAT IS YOUR WRITING DAY LIKE?
My main job is to take care of my dear hubby and spend time with the Lord. In the morning, I have my devotions, do my chores, cultivate my author platform, and edit previous work. I write every afternoon along with making sure I exercise (Sitting in front of a computer tends to widen the ol’ hips!). I also read as much as I can, mainly for research purposes, but I TRY to read just for fun whenever possible (If you’re a writer, you do know to read, right?).

DO YOU EVER GET WRITER’S BLOCK?
Not really, but I do get an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach sometimes when I think about writing. I’m afraid I’ll be a one-trick pony (Or more accurately a two-book author) and not be able to come through with the third book in my Texas Treasures series. Fortunately, when my fingers hit the keyboard, the ideas start to flow.

WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT WRITING?
That one’s easy – writing a synopsis (Ugh!). It’s difficult to take a 90,000-word book and condense it to anywhere from 500 to 3,000 words. However, it’s a VERY important and NECESSARY evil, so put as much effort into it as you do your original work.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE AN UNPUBLISHED AUTHOR?
Never stop believing in yourself and never, never, never give up on your writing dreams. I’m living proof. Had I given up even one day before I sent my proposal to Jennifer, you would not be reading this now.

Learn all you can about your craft, continue to read and write, edit like crazy, and keep sending out your work. Maybe one day I’ll be reading about your success!

Do you have a QUESTION for Janine? She’s an open book! Ask her here!