Paige Winship Dooly - PRAIRIE HILLS - Free Book

I'm happy to feature my "Dooly Sister" from Barbour publishing. But she just hasn't learned how to spell our last name. Just kidding. I've teased her about that before. How wonderful for you to be in a collection with Susan May Warren and Linda Ford. Now, Paige, tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

I’m sure there’s a little bit of me in every character. But there are also characteristics of how I’d like to be. That’s what makes writing fun. You get to have your characters do whatever you want them to do.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

When I was a teen I went on a float trip with some friends. We found a road we had to lift the canoes across. The road had several cement tunnels under it so that the water could pass through. We had the brilliant idea to drop down and shoot ourselves through the tunnels. Looking back…I know it was a totally stupid idea! The water went so fast and as I went my leg caught and I scraped it. I thought my leg was going to break. The pressure shot me on through, but I had a moment of realization that it wasn’t the wisest choice we’d ever made. And what if something had blocked part of the tunnel and prevented our passage? Shudder. At least I was smart enough not to be the first person through. Now I allow my characters to do the quirky stuff, and I try to think things out in real life a bit more carefully.

That does sound scary. I went spelunking in a cavern where I worked during the summer. Many of the most beautiful formations were in places that you had to crawl on your stomach to reach. I found out I don't like tight spaces. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I’ve always written, from the time I could hold a pencil. I wrote my first “novel” when I was seventeen. I can’t imagine not writing.

That's how I feel. If I'm away from writing for too long, I get restless. Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

I love reading romance, romantic suspense, historical, romantic comedies, and adventure stories.
What other books have you written, whether published or not?

I have five books with Barbour Publishing with their Heartsong Presents line, and five novellas in anthologies, also with Barbour. I have others that may or may not see the light of day, but I hope eventually they all do.

I hope so, too. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

I don’t really have time to think about it. We have a houseful of children, including two babies under 13 months old, and with homeschooling and writing, etc, it gets kind of crazy. I’m trying hard to focus on priorities and to cut out the non-essentials. Someday I’ll hopefully figure out which things those are!

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Usually I’ll have the characters’ names from the start. They just show up in my head. The ones who don’t…I do an online search or look them up in a baby book. I try a lot of names until I find the perfect one to suit that particular character.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

My family and completing books! I love being a mom and wife and raising the kids, but I also love having my imaginary world to slip into. It feels really good to get a full book finished while in the midst of dealing with everything life throws at us.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

Does a dolphin count? I’d love to live in the water and swim freely and see the sights from a dolphin’s viewpoint.

What is your favorite food?

Anything Mexican. Yum! And Italian. And Thai. And anything chocolate…which deserves its own food group listing.

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

Years ago, I had a really rough rejection that set me back for a long time. I finally realized it was only one person’s opinion, and that I needed to go forward with what I loved to do. I focused on all the positive reviews I’d received on other books instead.

What advice would you give to an author just starting out?

Put your fingers to the keyboard and get words down every day. Expect criticism and accept that not everyone will like your stories. Ask for feedback and take it to heart. The positives will outweigh the negatives by far!

What would you like to tell us about the featured book?

I’d love readers to know that we all make bad decisions at times, but God forgives all. Everyone is redeemable.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I’m in process of having a new website developed that will be up and running soon. http://www.paigedooly.com/

In the meantime, I have a blog that’s sadly out of date at the moment: http://www.paigewinshipdooly.blogspot.com/ (See above comment: two babies in the house under 13 months!) We’re getting back on track, but babies, writing deadlines, and homeschooling are the priority!

Thank you, Paige, for spending time with us. I'll be looking forward to another book from you.

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