Interview with author Lena Nelson Dooley

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Today we are interviewing author Lena Nelson Dooley. Her most recent book, Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, is available through Summerside Press.

Lena Nelson Dooley is a multi-published, award-winning author who loves to mentor other authors. With her 25th book release, she has close to 650,000 books in print. Her next release, Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, will be on sale May 1, 2010. Look for it bookstores everywhere.

Lena has spoken at conferences and writers’ meetings in four states. She also speaks at women's retreats and event of all kinds. She lives in Hurst, Texas with her husband of over 45 years.

Lena’s door and heart are always open to those God places in her path. She seriously considers her ministry as a mentor, prayer warrior, even a champion of the downtrodden, her life’s work.  

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Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico: It’s 1890, and Golden, New Mexico, is a booming mining town where men far outnumber women. So when an old wealthy miner named Philip Smith finds himself in need of a nursemaid, he places an ad for a mail-order bride—despite the protests of his friend Jeremiah. Hoping to escape a perilous situation back East, young Madeleine Mercer answers the ad and arrives in town under a cloud of suspicion. But just as she begins to win over Philip—and Jeremiah himself—the secrets she left behind threaten to follow her to Golden...and tarnish her reputation beyond redemption.

Lena took a few minutes to talk about publishing from a writer's perspective with Tiffany Colter.

Tiffany Colter: Do you have a tip for finding-and working with-an agent?

Lena Nelson Dooley: I love my agent. She became a friend long before she was my agent. We are very compatible. It's easy to work with her. 

And when I'm at conferences, I've formed friendships with other agents. We're all in this business together. We should get along.  

I love my agent. She became a friend long before she was my agent. We are very compatible. It's easy to work with her.  

And when I'm at conferences, I've formed friendships with other agents. We're all in this business together. We should get along. 

TC: What do you do other than writing? How do you maintain balance.

LND: As a full-time author, it's important to set up priorities. If I'm not on a looming deadline, I make room for friends, family, women's life group, time for volunteering. But when a deadline is closing in, I concentrate on the writing, and those who know me have learned to respect that need to complete submerge myself in the book

I always make time for my husband. He's the only one who can come to my office door and talk to me while I'm writing. And when he wants us to do something, I drop what I'm doing and go, because he respects my time when the deadline approaches.

And I serve as president of our local chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. In addition, I've hosted a critique group in my home for over 25 years, and I've seen over a dozen people sign their first book contracts after my mentoring (along with help from others). I'm as proud of those contracts as I would be if the authors were my children. 

TC: Upcoming projects?

LND: Some exciting things are happening right now. I may have some really good news in two or three weeks.