Today on "Inside the Writer's Life" we are delighted to have Vickie McDonough with us. Vickie is a prolific author, writing for almost a decade now. She is also a mother of four grown boys, caretaker of both her mother and grandchild, and takes time to volunteer as the treasurer of the American Fiction Christian Writers association (among all the other hats she wears!).
She is an "award-winning inspirational romance author, with 20 novels and novellas published. She was recently voted 3rd Favorite Author in Heartsong Present’s annual readers’ contest, and her book, Outlaw Heart, placed 2nd in the Favorite Historical Romance category.
Thank you Vickie for taking time out of your very busy schedule to give us a peek into your life today.
Q: How did you get started writing?
A: I have always been an avid reader, so I’m sure that influenced me to become a writer, even though I’d never planned to be one. One day, a story started going through my head, and it got to the point where I wasn’t sleeping at nights because of it. I decided to write it down, hoping it would go away and leave me alone.
As soon as I finished that book, another one started running through my mind. At this point I took a step back and started praying about my writing, and that’s when I felt God leading me to into the writing field. I jumped in and started learning all I could about writing by taking classes online and at my local community college. I joined ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and some local writer’s groups and began learning the craft of writing.
Q: How old were you?
A: I was 47.
Q: After you first started writing--how long was if before you were published?
A: I was fortunate and got published three years after I started writing.
Q: Do you have a particular degree or other educational experience that has helped you write well?
A: No, I don’t. In fact, way back in school, I hated writing. I was a math kid and loved numbers. When I realized that God was pushing me to become a writer, I started learning everything I could about the craft of writing. I’m proof that you don’t have to have a degree to accomplish something good. Don’t let the lack of a degree keep you from reaching for your dream.
Q: What compels you or has influenced you in your writing?
A: The number one thing is that I’m a Christian. I write stories about people who struggle with problems in their lives and their faith just like I do. My faith is one of the most important things in my life, and writing books is my way of sharing it with others.
Q: How many hours a day do you spend writing?
A: This varies a lot. Besides writing, I’m a wife, mom of four grown boys. I baby-sit my four-year-old granddaughter twice a week, and I’m primary caregiver for my homebound mother. I try to write at least two hours, five to six days a week, but some days I don’t get to write at all.
Q: Do you have any favorite places and routines when you write?
A: Definitely. I sit in my recliner with my feet up and usually a heating pad on my back. I write on my laptop that is linked with my main computer. I used to drink a lot of Cokes when I wrote, but in my effort to lose weight, I quit drinking pop.
Q: Who are your mentor(s) and supporters?
A: My critique partners are my greatest supporters and best friends. I’ve had other authors who’ve been mentors to me like Cathy Marie Hake and DiAnn Mills. The writers on the ACFW loop are also big supporters.
And then there’s my family, who has been encouraging me every step of the way. My husband believed in me as a writer before I ever believed in myself.
Q: When you first started writing, what was the biggest mystery to you about the process of publishing?
A: How to get a book published.
Q: And now?
A:Why some really strange books get great reviews while other fabulous novels go almost unnoticed.
Q: What steps did you take to get your work published?
A: Besides learning the craft of writing, the thing that helped me the most was joining ACFW. It’s an online network of both published and unpublished writers. I met people there who took an interest in my writing and helped me get my first book published.
I started out getting three novellas published, then I began writing for the Heartsong Presents book club, and now my first long fiction book is releasing in April. Another thing I did was attend writers’ conferences where I could have a face-to-face meeting with an editor.
Q: Tell me about the day you first received word that your first work was accepted. What was it like?
A: I got a phone call from one of the ladies who were in my anthology proposal telling me that we’d sold the collection.
Q: What did you do?
A: I squealed, started shaking and asked her if she was kidding. As soon as I got off the phone I called my husband, parents, sister and emailed my writing buddies. It was a fun day!
Q: Is the “writer’s life” what you thought it would be?
A: Actually, it’s a lot more work than I expected it to be and takes a lot of time. People are in love with the idea of writing a book, but books take a lot of research, time writing, time rewriting, proofing and then time waiting for the book to sell or be rejected once you send in a proposal.
It’s a very emotional time waiting to see if your “baby” will make it through. Once it does, there are copy edits, editor edits, and galley edits. Then the marketing begins. It’s a lot of work, but very rewarding when you hold your book in your hand or when you get a fan letter from someone who loved your book or had it speak to his/her heart.
Q: How do you deal with writers block?
A: I really don’t get writers block too often, it’s more like writer’s procrastination. When I do get stuck, I call one of my crit partners or meet her for lunch and brainstorm ideas. Also, I find getting away from the story helps, so I’ll read someone else’s book or watch a movie.
Q: Was your work ever rejected?
A: Of course.
Q: How did you react?
A: My heart sank. I cried some. Moaned to my friends and contemplated quitting writing. Then I pulled myself together and reworked the story and sent it to another publisher or started something new.
Q: What are your biggest distractions?
A: Emails. Time restraints because of my other obligations. Reading. Fav TV shows.
Q: What was one of the best moments in your career and what was one of the worst?
A: One of the best moments of my career was being awarded my first Heartsong contract at the 2004 ACFW conference. My book, Sooner or Later, had won the unpublished author’s contest the previous year, and this was the book they were contracting. Everyone there cheered for me, and then I had to go up to the front to get the contract.
The worst thing was waiting two years to hear about a book I’d sent to a publisher and then having them reject it.
Q: What do you least like about being a writer?
A: I supposed it would be that you can’t walk away and leave your work. My stories are always in my mind, and when I finish one, another one comes.
Q: Most like?
A: I like the freedom to work from home or a hotel room if I’m traveling. I love the vast number of friends I’ve made in the Christian writer’s community. It’s also very rewarding seeing your book in print and getting letters from readers who enjoyed them.
Q: What is the role and importance of an agent?
A: I didn’t have an agent for a long time, but there are great benefits to having one. For me, he can submit my stories and get them past the slush pile. He also knows contracts well and has gotten not so good things removed and gotten me more money than I could have been able to on my own. He’s a good encourager, too.
Q: What advice would you give to new writers?
A: Write, write, write. Get into a supporting critique group, refine your work and then send it in. If you never send it in, you’ll never get published. Also, find other writers you can be friends with, either online or where you live. They can be a huge support and encouragement.
Q: What is your personal ministry focus?
A: My primary focus at this time of my life is my writing and helping my family. I’m currently serving a two-year term as the treasurer for ACFW, and I also like to help and encourage new writers.
Q: Do you have anything else you would like to share with our readers?
A: I’ve often told people that my becoming a writer proves God has a sense of humor. I can honestly say I never once considered becoming a writer until God started sending me story ideas. He helped me learn what I needed, put me with people who could help me get published, and gave me a wonderful circle of friends. If you say yes when God calls, He just might do something wonderful in your life.
Q: When you see God, what do you want to ask him?
A: Why did I have to be fat? Why did he make me a redhead? Where did Cain and Able get their wives from? Did I please You with my writing?
Look for Vickie McDonough's new release April 2010: The Anonymous Bride-- Book One in the Texas Boardinghouse Brides series available at Amazon.
To learn more about Vickie McDonough please visit her website:
VickieMcDonough.com
email: fictionfan1@cox.net
Publisher: Barbour Publishing and Heartsong Presents
Agent: Chip MacGregor, of MacGregor Literary
Comments
So good to read this interview with another wonderful Christian writter.
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