Vickie from Oklahoma won Nowhere to Hide. If you want to enter the drawing for Linda Ford’s book, please email me at Mdaley50@aol.com by Sunday evening.
1. What made you start writing?
Once upon a time there was a little girl who had a dream. Yes, the little girl was me. But no, the dream was not to be a writer. The dream that never varied from the time I was 8 or 9 was to run an orphanage and have 12 kids. I can’t say why it was such an unerring, unchanging thing. But it was. And in a way, my dream came true. I married, had 4 homemade children, adopted 10 and lived (at times endured) my dream. Our adopted children came with lots of baggage that unfortunately did not go away with love, discipline or any other tool we had at our disposal. During one of those time when the dream seemed more like a nightmare, when several of the kids were teens and acting out in weird and awful ways, I got invited to a meeting—a writer’s meeting. I sat with other people though I can’t say if they were like-minded or not. I doubt it. We listened to a tape telling how to organize our thoughts and events into chapters and write a non-fiction book. It all sounded so …so controllable. I went home, picked an idea—I can’t even tell you what the idea was. I think it was something about my early childhood. And I started to write. From the beginning I was hooked. I had found a world I could control. Although I hadn’t planned to write, I had always made up stories in my head, often late at night when I couldn’t sleep. I thought everyone did the same thing. To this day I can remember one rancher hero I created—tall with a rolling swagger and a smile that didn’t end.
2. How long have you been writing? When did you sell your first book?
For a few years I wrote human-interest stories and farm articles then I joined a romance writing group in 1993. I knew nothing—really nothing. I had no idea what a plot was even. But I learned a lot and in 97 published my first book with Heartsong.
3. How do you handle rejections?
Let’s just say I’m not mature about it at all. There’s lots of mumbling, grumbling and grouching. Eventually I get over it. I’m too stubborn to quit.
4. Why do you write?
Because I hope to control my imaginary world? And also because I have stories in my head—people I like, places I want to visit, ideas I want to explore. Story seems the easiest way to satisfy my curiosity about what happens to all these people and things.
5. What would you be doing with your free time if you weren’t writing?
I would probably do some quilting and maybe try to learn to paint (Pictures—not walls). I’d almost certainly spend a lot more time on the internet and my restlessness would demand more travel.
6. What are you working on right now?
A three-book proposal, revisions for a book and the third book in my current contract.
7. Do you put yourself into your books/characters?
One of the ways that works very well for me is do to the character exploration questions in Alice Orr’s book No More Rejections. Her questions include things like ‘As a child, I was….” “The thing I believe in most strongly…” By the time I can answer these questions, I tend to know my character fairly well. Each develops a unique voice in my head.
8. Tell us about the book you have out right now.
A contemporary, Darcy’s Inheritance, is out with Heartsong Presents. It’s the story of a young woman who feels she’s been abandoned by her father. She’s forgiven him and moved on in her life. She thinks she’s past the whole business until she learns he’s died and she has a little sister she never knew about. The story is a journey of healing.
9. Do you have any advice for other writers?
Now this is going to sound really mean spirited and it isn’t meant that way but if you can find anything else to do besides write then by all means, do so. Writing is hard. The wait time is killing. The learning curve steep. You know there will be rejection. You have no idea who demoralizing it will be. So my advice—find another hobby. If I can’t dissuade you then dig in your heels and do whatever you need to do in order to write.
10. How important is faith in your books?
I think even if I wrote secular stories faith would be a part of my character’s lives. I don’t think I could write without portraying a Christian worldview, which for me, is a good reason for Christians to be writing in the secular market.
11. What themes do you like to write about?
Home, healing, belonging, overcoming trials, overcoming a painful past.
12. What is your favorite book you’ve written and why?
What I find ironic is the books I liked best when I started are not necessarily the books I like best in the end. I guess what makes a book a favorite of mine is when I feel like I’ve successfully told a satisfying story. That said, I have always had a weakness for Crane’s Bride. It is written entirely in the hero’s pov and for some reason that story meant a lot to me.
13. I love your tag on your web site: Faith, Family and a Forever Love. How did you come up with that?
I suppose because it’s a recurring theme both in my books and my life. Having adopted so many children, I hope they will find all three in their lives.
14. What is your writing schedule like?
I have been under a lot of deadlines lately so have been putting in extra hours. I am fortunate that my job (I have a live in client—a paraplegic, double-leg amputee man) allows me flexibility. Normally, I write about 4 hours in the morning and try and fit in another hour late afternoon or early evening.
15. I noticed you have a lot of writing articles on your web site. What is your favorite article and why?
I had to scurry over to my site and review the articles I have on my site. I like sharing what I’ve learned. I am without a doubt the world’s slowest learner so if something I learn helps someone else progress faster than me I am only too happy to do that. I can’t pick a favorite. They each represent something I’ve found valuable in my writing journey.
Thank you for providing me the opportunity to do this interview.
