About Stephanie Payne Hurt:
Stephanie Payne Hurt has been writing stories since she was a teenager, but only started publishing her work in 2012, 30 years later. The romance genre drew her in at an early age. Since 2012 she’s published over 25 Romance novels/novellas. One of her books is now published through Solstice Publishing.
Stephanie is a busy lady. She’s a Children’s Minister, Accountant, wife, and mother along with a blogger and writer. She now has a publishing service called Horseshoe Publishing alongside her publisher. It’s been an exciting ride and she looks forward to what the future holds for her writing.
She writes romance ranging from Christian, Contemporary, Suspense and Cowboy. Her work is available at many online retailers, on her website, the Solstice Website, and worldwide.
What inspires you to write?
I get inspired in many ways. Music, romantic movies, reading, life, there are many things that inspire me. I’ve been inspired by doing research for one book, then something just clicks and I’m inspired to start another book. A writer’s mind is always looking for the next bestseller!
Tell us about your writing process.
I guess you could say I’m a hybrid writer. Most of my stories come in my brain in parts, usually the start, middle and finish. If I’m busy with a deadline for another story, then I’ll quickly outline the story before I lose the delicate workings that came in with such a zeal. Since I use Scrivener writing software, I usually go ahead and put in the characters bios and the bones of the story. But if I’m not on a deadline, then it’s by the seat of my pants that I write like a mad woman, usually putting everything to the side to get the story out. Some days the characters screaming in my head win out and that’s a good thing or maybe it means I’m a crazy writer…
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
Some days my characters are so outspoken that I can’t ignore them. I’ve deleted several chapters due to the voice of my characters telling me it was all wrong. Yep, that always hurts, but since it’s my characters story, it works out better in the end. Then other days I talk to them as though they are real people, which in my mind they are.
What advice would you give other writers?
My advice to other writers is to never give up your dream of writing. Even through rejection, negative reviews, or writer’s block, you have to push forward to get to that dream. I’ve had moments of total defeat, then I pick myself up, dust myself off and use that to strengthen my writing. Writing is a journey full of turns and hills, but then there are those moments that have you smiling and knowing you made the right decision.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
Actually, I’d been writing stories for more than twenty years, but just hiding them away. My assistant found them one day, tucked away in the back of a drawer. She read them, came in the next day with everything I needed to self-publish. I’ve self-published 25 books and contracted one book with the fabulous Solstice Publishing. But I do love having the control of my work. In self-publishing, you decide what’s right and wrong, although it’s not easy, but it is rewarding.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
My thoughts on the future of book publishing; it’s getting easier to make your dreams come true. More and more authors are self-publishing, which I think is the future of publishing. Even bestselling traditionally published authors are going rogue by self-publishing. Of course, the traditional publishing route will still hold on, but with many changes to make things easier, but that’s just my opinion…
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer
What genres do you write?: Contemporary Romance, Inspirational Romance, Paranormal Romance, Historical Romance, Romance
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Stephanie Payne Hurt Home Page Link
Link To Stephanie Payne Hurt Page On Amazon
Link to Author Page on other site
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
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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.
