Kaye Dacus
Sitting down with Kaye:
I joined Kaye Dacus at a local Starbucks to hear more about her novel, Stand-In Groom, from her wonderful Brides of Bonneterre Series. We met previously when I caught up with the MTCW’s meeting a few weeks ago. Kaye is the President and co-founder of the group, and the person I previously referenced in my ‘Fellowship of local authors’ article. She leads the discussions and workshops. On the afternoon we met up, she was full of smiles, stories and insight.
Kaye began writing more than twenty years ago. The child of two parents who were involved in the world of science, she used to keep notebooks of stories she wrote for herself. She had ideas in her head and wrote because she “had to get them out.” A true storyteller, she always has a tale percolating, just waiting to be told.
A local to Nashville, since 1996, she was born in Louisiana. A true Southern gal with a fantastic imagination, she writes inspirational romance. She has her masters degree, in writing popular fiction, from Seton Hill, and her first novel is in fact created from her thesis. She wrote Stand-In Groom because she wants to show single ladies that they should “hold out for that right person, rather than settle.” Holding out in hope for finding the person meant for you is more than a dream if you let it be.
On Writing:
Kaye loves the revision part of creating a novel “almost more than writing.” A teacher at heart, she loves to go back and revise, rewrite, revise. One of her writing quirks is that she pushes herself so hard to complete the work that sometimes the process becomes a blur and she won’t remember certain parts until she returns to revision. The reward from this is that when she re-reads the story she has a moment of “Hey, I wrote that!”
Her dedication to her craft both inspires and intimidates. It reminds me of the hard work authors put into creating great works of fiction. They have to give a part of themselves entirely and push to take their writing to the limit.
One result of being an overachiever: she completed two thirds of her novel, Menu for Romance, in just five and a half weeks. When push comes to shove, Kaye immerses herself completely into the world of her characters and creating their universe.
Finding an Agent:
Kaye told me that her story of finding an agent wasn’t as great a story as others she had heard. I beg to differ; I believe that because it’s her story she doesn’t see the beauty of it. Kaye had known her agent, Chip, for years. She’d previously interviewed with him for a job. Having worked in the Publishing industry, and at the Tennessean, she sought a position in her field. While the opening was no longer available when she met with him, his friendship was.
So, they stayed in contact, and as fate would have it, he sat on a board for a contest she entered. She was a finalist and sent him the manuscript in hopes he would like what he read. What happened was that, as Kaye tells it, “he believed in it more than I did.” She lucked in to having a friend as her agent; a champion for her works. And what I learned is that any good agent should do just that – believe in the writer’s story almost more than the writer does.
Advice:
Kaye is a believer that if you want to be a writer you should, “finish the first draft.” Because by completing the novel you will learn the process of how to be a writer. You’ll get through the hiccups and frustrations to arrive at that great sense of wonder when you finish. It will help you build confidence, and in the end you will be proud that you made it. You wrote a novel.
Kaye writes stories that she wants to read, and that she can laugh with. If you love what you’re creating, you’re on the right track. Push yourself, enter contests and join a writer’s group. Remember to have faith in yourself and everything can, and will, fall into place.
Coming Soon:
Her debut novel, Stand-In Groom, is already out in stores. Ransome’s Honor, part of The Ransome Trilogy, which has a Jane Austen feel, as she is Kaye’s favorite author, will be out July 2009. And be sure to check back to read my book review of Stand-In Groom. To learn more about Kaye and her novels, visit her at: http://kayedacus.com/
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