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Frequently Asked Questions (especially by students)
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
No, I always wanted to be a math teacher, but for some reason, that never seemed to work out. I changed my major in college and dropped the idea of being a math teacher and became a computer analyst instead. I struggled back and forth with the idea of teaching and finally taught high school math briefly in 2008. However, I ended up right back at what I think I was called to do - raise a family and write.
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I knew I wanted to write to entertain people during my freshman year in college when my English teacher would read my papers to the class and everybody would laugh. From that point on, I always tried to write something good enough that the teachers would want to read it to the class. I also read a lot, and every time I read a good book, it leaves me wanting to write one.
What inspired you to write The Lie That Binds?
My husband wanted to enter a writing contest, so he wrote a short story. His story needed a little work, so I rewrote it for him. After he read it, he said, "Wow! You can really paint a picture with your writing." That's when I told him about my college experience and my desire to write a book. He told me to go for it, but I didn't have an idea. So he gave me one, including an outline for the story. So The Lie That Binds is really my husband's story, with a few plot changes.
Is The Lie That Binds based on a true story?
I think all novels are based on some truth. The Lie That Binds does not follow a true story, but my husband did go swimming in a pond in a wooded area behind his house when he was growing up. And, he said he always wondered what it would be like to find a dead body at the pond, so that's how the story began.
Will the book ever be a movie?
I would love for that to happen, but that is not solely my decision. Someone who produces movies would have to take interest in the book.
How did you get your book published?
After I first wrote The Lie That Binds (the original manuscript was written in 1995 and I don't even remember what I called it), I had dreams of becoming a bestselling author, like all first-timers. So I sent query letters out to agents, a few asked to read the manuscript. One of them (who happened to be John Grisham's old agent at the time) asked to see the entire manuscript. The novel didn't work out for him, but, luckily, I had sent a large envelope with postage so that the manuscript could be returned to me. Shortly after that, my house was burgularized, and my computer was stolen. My backup disk was also in the computer (not so smart). I put the manuscript away and went on to something else. Five years later, I thought, "If I were to die today, what is the one thing I would want to accomplish?" The first thought in my head was to get my book published. So, I pulled out the manuscript and retyped it into my new computer (saving it to disk and removing the disk after each save). After months of reading and editing until I knew the first chapter by heart, I was ready to send it out again. However, this time I sent the manuscript straight to publishers, six to be exact. Then a funny thing happened on the way to the publishing house...I came across the website of an author who had chosen to self-publish after having been published by a traditional publisher. I found that intriguing and thought it was something I might want to try. So, I decided if none of the six publishers wanted to publish my book, then I would publish it myself. And that's just what I did, which led me to publish my book, plus two hardcover children's books, and a young adult novel. So, two years after I decided I wanted to venture into self-publishing, I was running a small publishing company and had published myself and three other authors.
Do you still publish books?
When Lambs Cry, the sequel to The Lie That Binds is the last book that I plan to publish. From now on, I will submit my work to traditional publishers and let someone else handle printing and distribution. Publishing took away precious writing time, and I wish to focus on my writing and make more people laugh, cry, cringe, etc.
What advice can you give a new writer?
Read. Read. Read. Reading will help exercise your mind and make writing easier. Reading is like music. When you listen to a song over and over, you learn the lyrics. When you read books by the authors you love, you learn to write like them. Also, write, write, write. The more you write, the better you will become. My husband (remember the short story?) journals every day. Now, when he asks me to edit something, I rarely make changes. So, yes, you can learn to write if you practice. You can read Jeff's wonderful writing on his website (www.whenlambscry.com). And when you submit your writing to agents, don't be deterred by rejection. Your writing will not strike a chord with everyone, but it will strike a chord with someone. So keep trying, and you will find your audience.
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