Not as much as some writers, perhaps more than others. All my female main characters seem to turn out shorter than average! Maybe that’s because I have no imagination regarding what it’d be like to be tall.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?
Bought myself a dirt-bike motorcycle, enjoyed riding it ‘til I had to sell it to pay college tuition. I can prove I’m a biker chick. I have photos.
When did you first discover that you were a writer?
I started writing when I was ten, because “Bonanza” had no pre-teen girl with her own pony. I thought this was a crying shame so I grabbed a stub pencil and a spiral notebook and created Vanessa Cartwright, the long lost sister. I haven’t stopped writing since then—so I expect that makes me a writer. I’m still discovering what kind the Lord wants me to be.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
I read everything from science fact to science fiction, techno-thrillers, historical non-romance, contemporary romance, historical romance (particularly medieval) and the occasional mystery. The only genre I can’t read is horror. It squicks me out.
I agree about horror. What other books have you written, whether published or not?
How long have you got? I have two out of print (POWERLINE and OAKWOOD), three e-books currently available (ANGEL WITH A RAY GUN, ANGEL WITH A BACKHOE, and DAMAGES), and one print book (SEASONS IN THE MIST). I have something like 14 other stories finished, about 4 in progress, a couple languishing and one or two that will never see daylight. Currently I’m working on SEASONS OF RECKONING, a sequel to SEASONS IN THE MIST.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?
Who says I keep my sanity? I call my house “Casa Chaos.” That ought to ring a bell for many readers. I find I need my “down time” increasingly as I get older, and I’m getting more covetous of my prayer time. If I don’t get enough during a typical week, it tends to get still more insane.
How do you choose your characters’ names?
It varies. Sometimes when I start a book, I just “know” the characters, and their names come to me as part of who they are. Sometimes, particularly when I’m writing a historical, I have to dig long and hard for a name that sounds right to me for that person, and is authentic to the time.
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?
Raising my daughters. Both of them know and love the Lord. If ever I lay a crown at His feet, I think that will come first to mind.
If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?
I’d be a horse, because they look like they’re having fun much of the time. I’ve always loved them.
What is your favorite food?
Dark chocolate, good coffee, artichokes, well-prepared fish. I can’t choose just one!
What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?
My stories tend to be more character-driven than plot-driven, and I’m a seat of the pants writer. So I never quite know exactly where a story will take itself while writing it. That can be a challenge, when I’m sitting here staring blankly at the keyboard and wondering what happens next. I’ve tried a more structured approach, such as outlining, and find it just doesn’t work. It’s just not my work style. I’m still overcoming it and learning to accept that my style is okay for me.
What advice would you give to an author just starting out?
Write early, write often, write what’s in your heart. It’s a learnable skill, but you can’t learn it if you don’t do it.
What would you like to tell us about the featured book?
SEASONS IN THE MIST is a story my heart was begging to tell. A young woman accidentally time-travels from 21st century Cornwall, in England, to that of the 14th century. In the journey she must rediscover both love and faith. I’ve loved this story since the first parts of it came to me, on vacation in Cornwall, and I’m tickled to pieces that it’s out there now for others to enjoy.
How can readers find you on the Internet?
I’m at http://www.debkinnard.com/ . My blog’s address is http://www.justtellthestory.blogspot.com/ . I love company!
Thanks, Deb, for the wonderful interview.
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