About Victoria Benchley:
Victoria Benchley lives with her husband of over twenty years and their two children on the West Coast of the United States. She grew up reading the classics and counts Dickens and the Bronte Sisters as her favorite authors. After a career in corporate America, spanning public accounting, cash management, and real estate investments, at national and international firms, she chose to become a stay-at-home mom and full time taxi cab driver for her children. She is a Christian and enjoys quilting, cooking, and traveling (road trips included!), as well as reading and writing.
What inspires you to write?
My inspiration starts within my imagination. A scene develops in my mind and I begin to weave a story surrounding that. From there, I incorporate things I’ve seen or experienced that fit the theme of the book.
Tell us about your writing process.
I’m definitely a seat of the pants writer. Once I actually begin to write, I’m never quite sure where the characters will take me. For example, I actually wrote two endings for a book. The first was the ending I had planned. Then, the characters took me in a different direction and I wrote the ending found in the novel. I will employ a loose outline once I get close to finishing, or if I find myself in a jam, mid-book. That can keep my story moving along if I am bogged down.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I listen to my characters. As I write, I am getting to know them better just as a reader does, progressing through the book. So, I must observe their nuances and reactions, both verbal and nonverbal.
What advice would you give other writers?
I’ve learned that one reader can hate your book while another loves it. While positive feedback is wonderful and inspiring, my joy comes from the writing. Buckle up, get a thick skin, and hang on for a wild ride!
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I chose to self-publish because I am not a spring chicken. I knew self-publishing would be immediate, while trying to get a book deal could take years. Also, I had an author friend who encouraged me to “Just do it!”
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
Unfortunately, I believe there will be fewer print books available in the future. The ready availability of an eBook is hard to resist. Combine that with the ease of handling an electronic reader (no heavy books to carry) and we may see less and less hard copies making their way into people’s hands.
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: Mystery
What formats are your books in?: eBook
Website(s)
Link To Victoria Benchley Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
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.
