Writing Through the Ages: Author Interview with J. Traveler Pelton

You’ve published 50+ books, which to me is quite a feat; but what inspired you to write that first novel and continue writing? 
I have always written: I started in 4^th grade when a wonderful teacher named Mrs. Campbell had us write story each week out of our spelling words.  I loved spinning the tales.  I had my first actually published story in Highlights at 14, and then Stone Soup.  And then I was bullied at school about being smart for a girl and didn’t write willingly for several years.  

I started up again when I had children of my own: I was going to homeschool, so I wrote texts to teach my daughter to read someday.  I started writing children’s stories for some magazines.  I wrote the first book with my kids as a school project: and then I wrote some others and again I quit when I got a really nasty editor who told me I was terrible and should quit before I seriously destroyed anyone’s belief a woman could write-so I was young and thought he must know because he was an “real”editor.  

Several years later, I was working full time as a social worker and started collecting off news clippings which became the foundation of my first full length novel, The Infant Conspiracy, which I wrote when I retired from the agency and opened my own office so I had time.  That was back in 2014 and I have been writing ever since. 

You’ve written several series, but one in particular intrigues me as it starts in the Civil War era and goes up through space travel. Tell me what inspired you to write a family saga about the Oberllyns? 
 This series started in the middle with The Infant Conspiracy which was based on real facts, as I said before.  I started wondering what the back history of this family might be and started writing backwards, again using historical stories and combining them into one family.  For instance, the prequel is based on an actual biography of a young native who was sold into slavery in Scotland and what happened to her.  

The next book was the family years later heading west to California, and is based again on historical events, like the founding of Pinkerton’s Detective Agency and the U.S. marshals. I just kept going forward with the family until there was no more history and I took it into conjecture; hence they ended up colonizing Mars.  They were adventurers all through the history, so of course the next logical step would be space travel. 

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing? 
My fans write to me on my website:  they tell me they’ve enjoyed what I write.  The reviews on Amazon have been great, most of them.  Once in  a while, they can be downers but generally, I learn from them.  I have been accused of being a Mormon,  racist,  homophobe,  conservative,  liberal, Democrat, Republican and  agnostic. 

For the record, none of those happen to occur in this head on a regular basis.  I’m a Christian author; I write where my very active imagination takes me.  I find that my writing can cause people to think encouraging, even if they sometimes draw the wrong conclusions about me personally. 
  

Marketing is the biggest key to getting sales. What is the best marketing source you've used that has produces more sales rather than just clicks? 
Three things; giveaways to add emails to my newsletter lists, my newsletter, and website.  I have used some paid sources but they aren’t all that cost effective. 
  
What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner? 
Not to listen to grumpy old editors.  Look for positive people.  I just got back from the 20K convention in Vegas and it was wonderful to be surrounded by other authors-everyone spoke the same language, so to speak.  

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give? 
 To not give into imposter syndrome-where you think you don’t measure up.  To not allow anyone else to set my goals for me and what the definition of success has to be. 

Are there any other points about writing you would like to add? 
Always read, every day, good books by others.  Read things that stretch your vocabulary; read things that give you new thoughts.  Don’t copy their ideas but let them augment the fomenting pot in the back of your head where the ideas come out. 

What's coming up next in your writing?

My newest devotional, The Sage, the Swindler and the Sheep  is based on the book of Hebrews. Here's the link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BSTQHF5K

My newest compilation/omnibus/book set is 4 books in one called the The Falconcrest Chronicles.  It's nearly 775 pages in paperback, and from March 24^th to 31st, it's on sale for $1.99-that's five dollars off for the launch.  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BWFPVMML

I am doing several boxed sets this year, and prepping for a Christmas mystery cozy based in the Tritowns.  Somewhere in there is book three of the Melody’s Zoo series.  I plan on 12 releases this year; I am still firming up my planning/marketing schedule. 

Website:https://travelerpelton.com (includes a FREE course on self-publishing. Find under the "courses" section)

For all her other books, go to her Amazon author page: 

https://www.amazon.com/stores/J.-Traveler-Pelton/author/B07837X14 

And now a special bonus for my readers... The author will do ONE giveaway for EACH of her book categories. one devotional, one sci-fi/fantasy, one historical. This is for a print book that will be autographed by the author. USA addresses only. 

 That's a total of 3 prizes. All you need to do is choose which category you'd like to win and write that in a comment on this post. One week from today, we'll announce the winner. 

So, check out her website and pick the book you want to win, and leave a post. Do it now!