About Kathy L Wheeler:
Kathy L Wheeler loves the NFL, the NBA, musical theater, Outlander, reading, writing and… karaoke.
She writes historical and contemporary romance with strong heroines and their heroes who celebrate them.
What inspires you to write?
I cannot explain how important writing is to me. I feel like if I couldn't write, I would choke with the things that need to come out of me. 🙂
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
Goodness, this list… Jayne Ann Krentz, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Julie James, Teresa Medieros, Suzanne Enoch to start. I re-read my favorites on a regular basis. There is a certain mood that I associate with certain books, and certain books that fulfill that need.
Tell us about your writing process.
2020 was an eye-opener for me. I've always been a pretty fast writer. I start with an idea, then when I have a solid start, perhaps 3500 words in, I try to map out a list of scenes. So I fall in between the pantser and plotter. During lock down, I completed eight books! My day starts with me, getting up, logging numbers, then writing. Sometimes, it's like pulling teeth to get 500 words down. Other times? 2000 come out flying. I should chart that!
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
When things are flowing for me, meaning, I'm in the middle of a solid plot, I will have my ipad and write with the ipen a bunch of handwritten notes. I think of my stories as movies. So, I suppose, I listen to my characters. Not talk to them.
What advice would you give other writers?
Writing is hard work. I have two sisters and they decided they wanted to write a book – the three of us together. I told them it would be a lot of work. So we decided on a 4 book sisters mystery series. To date: I finished the 1st and 4th one. Sister two completed the 2nd one, and sister 3… is not even close on the 3rd. I've learned a lot in the process. New writers are highly sensitive, easily offended with suggestions and, yes, criticism. Would I do it again? Perhaps, but differently. I would not include a book in the series because now the series is on hold and I have 2 books in it. Mostly, I would tell new writers, if you want to write, you'll be in the chair, writing. Writing is a solo thing. Yes, you need people to bounce ideas off of. You should let others bounce ideas off of you, as well. So, no. 1: sit ass in chair. No. 2: write. No. 3: join groups with other writers who are as serious as you are. That's important.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
When I began writing in 2007, I started with my Cinderella Series. Self-publishing was just taking root. In fact, by 2010 it was exploding. I was so new, I didn't understand things like "writing to market" or even "single-title vs category" sized romance. So my Cinderella series didn't fit anywhere. It was a sweet romance, retelling Cinderella's slipper fitting her evil stepsister. It either needed to be "dumbed down" for middle readers or something else. So I decided on self-publishing. I did get picked up by several small press, so I knew my stuff was marketable, but these are the lessons you are dealt and learn from.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
It's evolved considerably since 2007. Your guide in publishing is what the readers tell you. I think that is something that will never change. I'm not sure what the future is. But the options are tremendous.
What genres do you write?: Contemporary. Historical: Regency, Western, Vintage. Suspense, Mystery
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Kathy L Wheeler Home Page Link
Link To Kathy L Wheeler Page On Amazon
Link to Author Page on All Author
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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.
