Becoming a Debut MG Author: Interview with Kirsten Marion

You’ve just published your first middle-grade book. What inspired you to write in that genre?
I was about eight or nine when I first started reading the books that have stuck with me through the years. Books about magic, and adventures, and fabulous creatures. I wanted to write the kind of book that my young self would have loved to read.

When did you actually start writing your first book? How long did it take to write your first draft? 
I started writing Lucy & Dee, The Silk Road in 2016. I had the first draft virtually written by 2017 with input from my writing buddy. And then I was overtaken by events (as we so often are) and I didn’t get back to it until March 2021.

You own a publishing house that publishes books for children and teens. What was it like being on the author side for once and going through the process?
Oh my (puts head in hands). I had no idea how much hard work the editing process was going to be. I had an amazing editor, the brilliant Emily Stewart who is also our managing editor.

When she sent me my first editorial letter (the developmental edit), it was eleven pages long! I almost fainted. After we completed the developmental edit, we went on to the copy edit stage where all the fine details were smoothed out. It was a months-long process. But all of her thoughts and prodding brought the book to a level I could never have achieved on my own.

What has frustrated or pleasantly surprised you the most in the process of publishing your book? 
I can’t think of anything hugely frustrating about it. What has pleasantly surprised me is the support and interest I’ve had from family (particularly my husband, who had to put up with his wife disappearing into the land of Sericea for long stretches of time) and friends.

What advice would you give someone who wants to write children’s stories?
Make sure you have well-rounded characters with strengths and flaws that drive the plot forward. External events can and do happen in a plot, but it’s how the different characters react to them that makes for the most interesting stories.

What is the best writing advice you’ve been given?
I actually took my advice from a long-dead Victorian-era author, Anthony Trollope. Despite working full time at the Post Office, Trollope managed to write over forty novels. He did this by setting a timer to write a set word count in 15-minute intervals. By using this method, I was able to finish Lucy and Dee.

How much time daily do you have for writing?
Not enough! I try to set aside dedicated chunks of time three or four times a week but I can’t count on getting any writing done on a daily basis.

Could you give me a brief synopsis of your book?
Sure! Here it is... 
Best friends Lucy and Dee couldn’t be more different. Breezy, optimistic, and impulsive Lucy wants an adventure. Dee, more cautious and thoughtful, needs money to help him find his missing parents.

When a flaming bird leads them to a hidden road, and the lord of stone offers them a quest, the opportunity for both arises. In a land full of magic, dragons, and demons, all they have to do is befriend a young emperor―which would be a lot easier if he wasn't a royal pain and an angry queen didn't want to destroy him.

Soon they're running for their lives with the entitled ruler in tow. Lucy and Dee must find a way home with a mysterious feather and a dragon-whisperer (who looks suspiciously like a hedgehog) their only defense against capture...or worse.

What message would you like parents and children to take away from your books? 
Lucy & Dee, The Silk Road is at heart a story of courage, perseverance, compassion, friendship. and personal growth all wrapped up in a wonderful adventure. I’d love it if parents and children could point to the book and say it was one of the books that gave them a life-long love of reading.

What plans do you have for other books?
Book two of the series is currently in editing (to be published next March) and I’ve mapped out the third book already.

If you'd like to learn more about Kirsten's writing, go to her website at https://kirstenmarion.com/ 

You can also download sample chapters of Lucy & Dee, The Silk Road there. 

Her publisher website: https://www.commondeerpress.com/

If you have any questions about her writing, use the contact form on her website so she can follow up with you!

The Joy of Writing Historical Fiction: Author Interview with Madeline Martin

Today's interview is with a New York Times and International Bestselling author of historical fiction and historical romance. She is a die-hard history lover who will happily lose herself in research any day. Read on to learn her writing journey.

You’ve now published almost 40 novels with several series, but what inspired you to write that first novel?

While I was on maternity leave with my first daughter, I started reading Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I’ve always been a huge reader and started writing short stories when I was in school. After falling in love with Scotland through her storytelling, I decided to take the plunge and try my hand at writing my own Highlander romance.

How many books in did it take before writing became your full-time career?

I was actually laid off from my job as a Business Analyst just before the pandemic due to a slowdown of incoming work. When that happened, I decided to try writing full-time. At that time, I had around 28 books under my belt. I've been writing full-time for the last two years and it's been an absolute dream come true

Your three most current books cover stories set during WWII, but your previous books were of lords and ladies in castles from centuries in the past. Why the change in genre? 

I've actually always wanted to write a historical fiction and decided 2020 was the year I was going to do it. I really enjoy digging deep into the research and losing myself in non-fiction books about the time period I'm writing. With romance, the focus of the story in on the love developing between the characters, but with historical fiction, the historical detail is as important as the protagonist.

Getting to add in so much of the amazing facts and historical backstory necessary for historical fiction is something I have found I absolutely enjoy. As far as the time period goes, WWII is something that means a lot to me after having spent more than 12 years of my life living in Germany. I grew up going to museums that were designed to not only share what happened during WWII, but also ensure such atrocities never occur again. 

What is the hardest part of writing for you?

I have to say it's the plotting. I’m a very Type A writer and need to have all of the character charts and plot completely done before I can start the book. It is very hard to hold off on writing when I have to sit there and narrow down the chapter-by-chapter details. But if I start too much before my plot is done, I find myself in a hole that is very hard to get out of.

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?

 My friends! When I first started writing, I had somebody very important in my life who did not support me at all - in fact, they were very disparaging about my work. It was through my friends’ encouragement that I entered several writing contests. I then won first place in those contests and that is what gave me the confidence to find an agent and put my writing out there for publication. I would never be where I am today without the love and support of my friends.  

What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner?

I wish I would've had a little bit more confidence in myself from the start. In my earlier books, I never felt like I could push back with edits because I didn’t feel worthy of speaking up for myself. Now that I’ve written so many books, I’m comfortable with politely standing up for what I think should remain in my books if I don’t agree with the edits. I think that confidence is definitely something that comes with time though. 

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?

When you have to stop writing, take a few seconds to jot down at least a sentence about what you plan to have come next. It can be as simple as “He says no, she gets mad and goes to see her neighbor” – whatever – anything that can help jog your thoughts to pick up where you left off the next time you sit down in front of the computer. 

Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?

Two very important things to always continue as a writer: 1. Read! In your genre, out of your genre, classics, contemporaries, best sellers…all of it. Keep your well full or it will go dry. 2. Never stop learning. Nobody knows everything - and if they think they do, they haven’t been digging deep enough.  

What is the next book coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis?

The Librarian Spy is my next upcoming book that comes out July 26, 2022. This was a really incredible book to write, not only because I had to research three different countries during World War II (Portugal, France, and the USA) but also because I was able to travel to each of the locations.

Ava thought her job as a librarian at the Library of Congress would mean a quiet, routine existence. But an unexpected offer from the US military has brought her to Lisbon with a new mission: posing as a librarian while working undercover as a spy gathering intelligence.

Meanwhile, in occupied France, Elaine has begun an apprenticeship at a printing press run by members of the Resistance. It’s a job usually reserved for men, but in the war, those rules have been forgotten. Yet she knows that the Nazis are searching for the press and its printer in order to silence them.

As the battle in Europe rages, Ava and Elaine find themselves connecting through coded messages and discovering hope in the face of war.

 Sounds intriguing! If you’d like to learn more about Madeline’s books here is the link to her website which also features all her social media links!

Website: https://madelinemartin.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Madeline-Martin/e/B00R8OGFN2
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/madeline-martin

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12062937.Madeline_Martin