How much of your main character is really you?
I put so much into writing On My Way Home. It was a very personal experience. I think if you know me personally you certainly pick out similarities between myself and Gabriella. We are both independent, we both think that we know everything, we are both stubborn, and we both had to grow up fairly quickly. We both have also had to encounter our fair share of “Danielle Dickerts in our lifetimes.”
What do you tell yourself before you start writing?
I take a deep breath. I clear my mind, and I tell myself to just it let happen. I let the story flow as it comes to me. I can always go back and change things if I need to, but I try to tell myself that it is only the first draft.
Why did you write the book?
I started writing this book in my early twenties during one of the darkest weeks of my life. I had found out that my mother might only have a year left before she would lose her battle with breast cancer, my sister had something terrible happen to her, and then to top it off someone stole $500.00 from me, and I thought I was going to lose my mind. My family was a few hundred miles away. I didn’t know how to help them. I didn’t know how to cope. So after a couple of sessions in therapy she helped me see that writing was the answer. There was nothing I could do beside pray to control the situation around me, so I wrote. I wrote and the first three chapters of On My Way Home came out. Then I didn’t know what it would become or how much I would grow from the writing experience, but it helped me through one of the worst bouts in my life. When everything got better, doctors were wrong my mom is fine, my sister is kicking butt, and I made more money. I moved on, but I stopped writing the story. It wasn’t until I was 25 until I started the story again. I didn’t want to answer phones forever. I wanted to accomplish my dreams. I went home and thought about what my dreams really were, and that night On My Way Home came to my mind, so vividly, and I couldn’t stop writing. It was when I knew that I could do this. I could be a writer.Why did you go Indie?
I had a publisher. I thought things couldn’t get any better. Then I got dropped. I wallowed for about a month. Then I decided that I wouldn’t be silenced. I wouldn’t let my dreams die. I went the self-publishing route. I haven’t looked back yet!
What’s the worst part about being an Indie author?
The worst part about an Indie author would be the lack of support from media outlets and traditional bookstores. It can be done I am in a handful of Barnes & Nobles and other bookstores. It is a struggle and it is a store by store basis to get the interest and for them to carry your novel.
(S - Allie is my spirit animal in this regard. I hope to be as ballsy as she is one day!)
What’s the Best part about being an Indie author?
The best part of being an Indie Author is seeing the results. I know that it is my hard work and the team that I have assembled around me making the success for On My Way Home happen. It’s an amazing feeling. I feel so humbled and excited to see the results. Every time someone posts a review it’s like Christmas morning. Exciting to open it up unsure if it’s going to be good or not, but it’s really the thought that counts.
How do you market your book?
I use every avenue possible. I call, I email, I tweet, I facebook, I blog, and repeat. Anything that I can utilize to promote On My Way Home I have done it twice. I tell everyone who will listen that I have a great product that I am very proud to share. It’s a full time job!
What advice would you give your younger self?
I would tell my younger self that it gets better. Keep fighting, keep praying, and keep writing. I would love to tell my younger self that all of the bad times won’t matter in a few years because you will be stronger because of it. I would love to tell my younger self to work on her organizational skills.
What advice would you give your future self?
If I could talk to my future self I think I would want a sneak peak, but I would tell her to keep writing. Don’t stop. Always have a story. Don’t forget to soak in the small moments as well as the big moments.
What advice would you give to other writers?
I try to tell other writers to keep writing. Invest in your work. If you expect someone to spend money on your project you need to make your work professional even if you are Indie. Editing and formatting cannot be overlooked. Writing. Practice. It helps keep your tone and style fresh. Don’t give up on your dreams and don’t ever let anyone tell you that it isn’t a viable career because it is whatever you make it!
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