This week’s guest blogger is Tricia Schneider…
When did you begin writing?
I wrote my first novel when I was 15 during summer vacation. It was a fantasy romance inspired by a strange dream I had one night. I still think often about that story. I wrote several more novel-length and short stories during my teens and twenties. I began submitting to publishers when I was 18. I had some poetry published during this time and I won a few writing contests. My first paranormal romance was published in 2010 with The Wild Rose Press.
What’s been your biggest challenge?
Finding time to write. I’ve never had a writing schedule. Maybe I’m not disciplined enough. I’ve always found time to write, but it’s never been easy. I went from working full-time sometimes with a second job to becoming a stay-at-home mom once I had my third child. Raising three kids under the age of 4 and then another baby four years later did not give me the time I desired to write and by the time bedtime rolls around, I’m usually exhausted. My husband was a truck driver, so I was essentially a single mom for a long time. Now, he’s my ex-husband, so life hasn’t really changed much in that respect.
My youngest is now in preschool, so I have four hours a day all to myself. But I also juggle teacher meetings, doctor appointments, grocery shopping, house-cleaning and all the other tasks that I’d like to get finished while the kids are at school. And then there’s summer vacation where again I have no time to myself. Finding time has always been a challenge, but I do the best I can to make writing a priority. To be honest, I’m not even sure how I manage it, but as long as I’m getting words on paper, I’m satisfied.
Why did you choose your genre?
I write romance. Primarily paranormal and historical, but I’ve been known to dabble in other subgenres that might see publication in the upcoming months. We’ll see which direction my publishing path takes me.
I love reading and writing romance because it’s a guarantee of a happily-ever-after. Life and other genres don’t promise that kind of ending. The first horror novel I read ended with the heroine losing her family, including her young son. I was horrified, so it fit the genre, but it depressed me for weeks afterward. I’d rather the happy, warm, fuzzy feeling of joy and contentment that I get from reading and writing romance. If I want to be depressed, I can watch the news.
My choice in paranormal romance is simple enough. I grew up watching TV shows like Dark Shadows. My mother, my aunt and my grandmother were all Dark Shadows fans. The show was on syndication in the ‘80s. Since my mother had watched it when it first aired, she was thrilled to see it repeated. I fell in love with the storylines involving vampires, witches, ghosts and werewolves. Each episode left me breathless with anticipation. What would happen next? Now, as a writer, I try to bring that level of suspense to my stories, too.
What writing tips would you like to share?
Read and write. A lot. Read everything but read most of whatever you’d like to write. And then read more. I’ve learned so much from reading other romance author’s work. Also, read writing how-to books. I devoured these kinds of books when I was a teenager. Anything I could find I would read and then write the exercises in my journals. Even after writing for so many years, I’m still learning this craft. Keep writing. Write as much as you can. With each story you write and finish, you learn more.
What are you currently working on?
I’m in the middle of several projects. I tend to bounce around a lot. Like I said before, I don’t feel that I have much discipline. I’m currently in the middle of writing book 2 in my Cougar Shifters series. I have a few books planned for this series about a family of cougar shifters who are struggling to survive in a world with hunters trying to eradicate their species. Loving Boone is the first in this series and is currently available on Amazon.
I’m also in the planning stages of a vampire romance that I haven’t titled yet and also a historical paranormal romance set in the Regency era. I have a fondness for Regency England, so I often write my paranormal stories during that time period.
What would you like to promote today?
My newest release is Loving Boone, as I’ve already mentioned, is the first book in the Cougar Shifter series. I also have a paranormal ghost romance called Her Haunted Valentine that will be released with Sweeter Than Chocolate: A Valentine’s Day Anthology scheduled for release on February 11, 2020. The Mermaid which is a paranormal romance with (you guessed it) a mermaid that will be released with another anthology called Mermaidia scheduled for release on March 1, 2020.
You can find all of these books and the pre-orders on my Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/author/triciaschneider
Find out more about Tricia and her books at http://www.triciaschneider.com and her blog http://www.shadowsofromance.blogspot.com.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authortriciaschneider
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/triciaschneider
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/triciaschneider
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/triciaschneider
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/triciaschneider
Thank you, Susan, for the interview! 🙂
Hope you can stop by again. Happy writing-Susan
Thank you, Susan, for the interview! 🙂
Hope you can stop by again. Happy writing-Susan