Author Bio:
Linda Lee Williams writes “contemporary romance with a paranormal twist.” After moving to Denver from Chicago, she taught writing classes at Arapahoe Community College and formed a writers’ group. Recently, she teamed up with her husband Tim—the artist that illustrated her book covers—to publish her novels on Amazon.
An outdoor enthusiast, Linda enjoys hiking, biking, and birding. She loves critters of all kinds, domestic or wild. During her journeys, she’s called Maryland, Virginia, Illinois, Missouri, and Colorado home. Wherever she roams, she draws inspiration from her surroundings.
What inspires you to write?
Understanding other people…delving into human nature and deep into the heart is what inspires me to write. All of us are different, and yet we want to conform–fit in, whether we admit it or not. Most of us have internal struggles, secrets we try to hide. The theme of all my novels is that “Love Changes Everything.” Why? Because love exposes us, lays our emotions bare. I enjoy exploring that tangle of emotions and the way that love can magically transform our lives.
Tell us about your writing process.
Before I begin a novel, I write dossiers on my main characters. Then I write a synopsis of my story. The fictional people will grow and change along the way, but at least I know their “basic personalities.” While the story assumes a life of its own, my original concept remains intact. For me, this method prevents false starts or getting stuck midway through the book without any sense of direction. I store a lot of information in my mind first and then let my subconscious take over.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
Always…and sometimes we argue! However, I try to be nice to them, or they might shut up completely. When I’m writing a book, my characters are a major part of my life and we become close friends. I laugh and cry with them, love them and hate them. When I finish telling their story, I feel a terrible sense of loss. Yes, I can always read “their book,” but I can never be that intimately connected to them again.
What advice would you give other writers?
Write because you love to and strive to excel at your craft. That means mastering grammar and punctuation, a necessary part of the writing process that is often overlooked. Join writers’ groups and associate with other authors. Have good beta readers, ones you can trust to be honest. If you’re not confident in your editing abilities, hire a skilled editor to do the job. Other than that, work hard and have fun!
How did you decide how to publish your books?
It’s difficult to find an agent, much less a publisher. However, many smaller publishing houses welcome authors, such as Solstice Publishing. An Internet search will yield many more.
I chose to self-publish on Amazon and reap the benefits of KDP Select. Other authors use Smashwords. If you go that route, you can distribute your books through Barnes & Noble as well as other sites. It’s a matter of individual preference and what an author thinks will work best for her or him.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
E-readers have grown in popularity, facilitating room for more and more books. This provides lots of opportunities for writers, but also increases competition. In most cases, prices for e-books are lower than prices for print books. A Kindle or Nook is easier to carry around and hold, especially if you have arthritis. You can switch between one novel and another with ease, and you don’t need bookmarks. I could be wrong, but I see the e-book market continuing to grow. The number of available titles will be staggering, however, and quality will likely suffer.
What do you use?
Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?
Contemporary Romance, Parnormal Romance
What formats are your books in?
eBook
Website(s)
Linda Lee Williams Home Page Link
Link To Linda Lee Williams Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7123006.Linda_Lee_Williams
http://www.facebook.com/author.linda.lee.williams
http://twitter.com/williamslindal
http://www.pinterest.com/lindaleewilliam/my-novels
