About Josephine Strand:
Josephine Strand was born in Italy, grew up in South Africa, and is a long-time resident of the United States. She discovered her love of books when she was introduced to her town’s public library at the age of eight. At nine, she gained her English teacher’s praise with her short story The Library at Midnight. She hasn’t stopped writing since, though Misty Dreams is her first published novel. Her travels between the three continents have strengthened her love for the sea and the outdoors. It’s no surprise that Misty Dreams is set on a small tropical island. When not writing or absorbed in the latest gripping page-turner, she loves to cook and enjoys long nature walks.
What inspires you to write?
Ever since I can remember there has been a creative need inside me, a compulsion to design an alternative reality where there might be obstacles in the pursuit of happiness, but where in the end all is conquered and love triumphs. My inspiration comes mostly from reading great books, novels that evoke deep emotions in me, and I want to be able to create stories that move readers in the same way. Often, when I’m lacking inspiration, listening to a well-narrated emotionally charged audiobook will put me in the right mood.
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
Nicholas Sparks and Jojo Moyes are by far my favorite authors. A recent discovery is Emma Scott, who writes just the type of emotionally charged stories I aspire to write.
Tell us about your writing process.
I'm definitely an outliner. I use spreadsheets to create character charts and outline my plot. Ideas come to me at odd hours of the day – and night – and I jot them down on my phone’s notepad. My characters have a tendency to have a mind of their own, especially if I don’t have a well-defined plot, so it’s not unusual that I adjust my plot according to the character’s temperament.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
My characters talk to me, and not vice-versa, and most of the time I let them have the last word.
What advice would you give other writers?
The advice I would give to new and aspiring writers is, do your research, learn the craft. My first draft was a cliché-ridden 300,000 words before I realized it wouldn’t be marketable. Don’t rush into things just for the sake of being published.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
Like a million other writers before me, I submitted my work to several agents and publishers and received a lot of very polite rejections. Since I had waited a long time to see my book in print and since I'm not exactly a spring chicken anymore, I decided to take matters into my own hands and self-publish.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
As much as I love trees, I sincerely hope digital books will not replace print books in the future. There’s nothing like holding a physical book in your hands. Most writers want to see their book on paper, and as long as people are writing and self-publishing, print books will always be in demand.
What genres do you write?: Contemporary romance, Clean, Small-Town Romance
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Josephine Strand Home Page Link
Link To Josephine Strand Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Instagram
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
