About C.D. Verhoff:
C. D. Verhoff grew up in Indiana, the fourth of five sisters, and currently lives in rural Ohio with her husband and two children. In real life, she goes by her middle name, Deanna. Her resume includes retail, teaching, medical lab processor, the contemplative life, insurance and finance. Authors like Piers Anthony, Issac Asimov, Terry Brooks, Dean Koontz, Madeleine L’Engle, Anne McCaffrey and J.R.R. Tolkien were early influences, sparking a lifelong love of fantasy and science fiction. She says that writing fiction ranks somewhere between eating warm chocolate chip cookies and riding the Millennium roller coaster at Cedar Point. Her interests include weird trivia, landscaping, dogs, dragons, history, The Walking Dead, coffee and chocolate.
What inspires you to write?
Writing fiction is fun because it allows me to control the universe and everyone in it. Returning to reality where I’m just an ordinary human and not a god is always a letdown
Tell us about your writing process.
My writing process varies from book to book. I usually start out with an idea. It pings around in my head for days, or months, or years before I commit it to my handy dandy spiral notebook. By hand, I write out a one or two page outline, establishing the major elements of the story: point of view, characters, plot, conflict and setting. Then I sit down at the computer and drink gallons of coffee. If I didn’t distract myself with Candy Crush, Youtube and Netflix I’d be a more prolific author. Anyway, my final manuscript seldom resembles the original outline. So why do I bother?
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I don’t listen to my characters or talk to them, but I often put myself in their shoes. I’ll say their dialogue out loud or try to imagine the physical sensations they might be experiencing in a scene.
What advice would you give other writers?
Keep the writing in perspective. Odds are, you’ll never get rich off of it, so don’t quit your day job. Writing can become all-absorbing if you’re not careful. Don’t let it come between you and your healthy. Don’t let it come between you and your loved ones.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I set out to find a traditional publisher, but the gatekeepers wouldn’t let me in. Now, imagine my middle finger going straight up into the air. So I turned to self-publishing. It’s been an enlightening journey and a lot more work than expected, but I’m super grateful for the technology that has allowed me to pursue my dreams. Thank you Amazon, Smashwords and Draft2Digital! I advise new authors to explore all of their publishing options.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think the traditional and self-published realms will learn to peacefully co-exist. Physical books and digital readers are both here to stay. However, it will be even harder for authors to be able to support themselves on their writing alone. There’s just so many books out there and the number grows everyday. When the supply of books exceeds the number of people that want to read them, it’s inevitable.
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: I write Fantasy, Christian Fantasy and Science Fiction.
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
C.D. Verhoff Home Page Link
Link To C.D. Verhoff Page On Amazon
Link to Author Page on Smashwords
