Meet author: Angela Verdenius

Did you jump into writing and rocket to contest fame, or did the process happen over time?

LOL - I wish it happened to instant fame! No, it was a process over time. I wrote from as young as I can remember, but what sticks with me the most is the first book that I wrote - I submitted it to a publisher and it came back with the suggestion to keep my fantasies to myself! So I got mad, wrote another book and submitted it, which she accepted after a lot of cutting that I had to do myself - the book was massive, I admit it. *sheepish grin*. Unfortunately, the publisher went broke and I had to look elsewhere. I stumbled across Wings ePress, and the first book, Heart of an Outlaw, was published.

We’re all writers, whether our efforts are emails, grocery lists, or notes to our children’s teachers. You’ve done technical writing and published a number of articles. How do the skills you learned in those endeavors contribute to your novel writing?

I guess it taught me to use words that are needed and not to meander all over the place. Keep the writing tight and focussed! Or at least, that's the plan...

Writers face many challenges. What are some of yours?

I'm a great procrastinator. I'd rather sit and read or watch a movie than finish that pesky section of my current book that just won't work properly.... or keep putting off starting a new book until tomorrow, 'cause I can get a bit more reading done in the meantime or play on the internet. Someone smack me!


Are you a Pantser or Plotter?

Oh, definitely a plotter. I have a basic outline, so I know my main hero, heroine and setting, and a rough idea of the storyline. From there, things can change, so I always have paper and pen beside me on the desk to jot down changes and new characters and ideas. But a rough outline helps keep me focussed on the story and plot.


Are your books plot-driven or character-driven?

That's hard - I'd say character-driven, because nothing is going to happen unless the characters do something! (apart from drive me mad because they won't do as I want them to all the time).


Do you go with the flow or follow a schedule?

I try to follow a schedule, meaning anytime I can write, I rev up the computer. Once I'm working on a book, I keep plugging away every chance I get.

Is your research in advance or as you write?

That's the beauty of my genre - sci-fi/futuristic romance. My research is my imagination (scary thought, I know). I make my own rules, laws, worlds and monsters!

How do you write the best with noise or quiet?

I like it quiet around me with the music playing softly. I can't write without music. Well, I can if I have to and really try, but music is always in the background when I write.


Our characters claim much of our time as we spend hours in front of our computers capturing their stories. However, each of us has a cast of real life characters who inspire, encourage, and support us. Who are some of the many members of Team Angela?

Jemma, Rae, Kerstine and Theresa are always supportive. I'd have to say Bee is one of my main members. She's saved a few characters from being killed off when I have a fight with them! LOL Bee is the one I moan to, and send teasers through to when I'm writing.

What are you working on now?

A new sci-fi/futuristic romance, something different to the Heart & Soul series. It's going well so far.

What are five things Angela has around her when she writes?

Diet Coke, CDs, paper, pens, and a stack of notes that needed to be looked at like - oh, last month....


Do you ever have writers block. If you do, how do you overcome it?

I have never had writers block - until last year. I had a really hard time writing, nothing would come together, I left my job in March (I'm a nurse and worked at the hospital for about 8 years) , came back to my old job in August and now everything is flowing smoothly again! Not something I'd recommend for anyone with writers block LOL. I had a lot of personal issues to get through, and once they were sorted, everything was fine writing-wise as well.

On the other hand, if it comes to writing myself into a corner and nothing will work and the characters won't co-operate, I find having a shower helps the mind to flow and clear the cobwebs, or even just leaving the writing for a couple of hours or a day or so, and then coming back to it. Ideas usually come to me in the shower or when I'm driving in the car with the music on. I've even had an idea come to me when walking down the corridor at work!

Let's talk writing mechanics. How many drafts do you do? How many books can you complete in a year?

I don't do drafts. I write the book, check things as I go along, do a re-read and fix-up at the end and submit. I can do 2 full novels a year, sometimes a novella or two inbetween, and if I didn't have to work for a living as well, I could probably do 4 novels a year!


Do you have a method for promoting your books?

I try to do chats, I hhve a newsletter and website, I usually have postcards and magnets for new releases that I submit to the bookshops in Australia that carry my books, and I submit books for reviews. Promo is always a hard trail.

Was writing fiction something you have always wanted to do? Did you write stories as a child?

Oh yeah, I've written from as far back as I can remember. I was always reading and writing.

To write requires discipline. Do you follow any writing schedule or particular process that works best for you?

The only thing I do is once I'm working on a book, I try to write every day. About once a month, when I have a day off from work, I'll take it off from writing as well and just have a slack 'Angela day', where I watch TV, read and do nothing without feeling guilty . Otherwise, I just write on my days off and inbetween work.

Discipline is one of the most important things for me in writing. It's too easy for me to slack off!


In your writing career, anything you would do differently?

I wouldn't have been so shy about my books when I first started.

Do your characters talk to you? If they do, what kinds of things do they talk about?

I don't think they talk to me, as such, but when I write them, I live them. I've cried when writing scenes, laughed, frowned, scowled, smiled, felt mad - I feel their emotions as I write their scenes.

What is next for you?

I've always wanted to do a horror novel, and have one sort of planned. Also an urban fantasy with a difference (don't we all want to do that Differnet Story?), and I'd like to try a contemporary comedy romance. I have plots and things, it's just getting the time!

I have an e-book novella coming out in Februray 2011 from Eternal Press - a futuristic romance titled "Blast from the Past", and book 18 in my Heart & Soul series, "Shattered Soul", is tentatively set for February 2011 as well. A great start to a new year!

Thank you so much for letting me share!

Angela

Happy Thanksgiving to all

This has been a banner year for me.I had a story published in February and my dragon story published in August to great enthusiasm from the people who've read it.

As with every story I begin, I rush into the first four or five chapters then the story slows while my characters tell me where they want the action to take place. Yes, I know, it sounds crazy but almost every novel writer will tell you they only facilitate the story. It's the characters or the storyline that determine the outcome.

I chose to begin the second in my dragon series, Dragons Among The Eagles, for a writing challenge I've been doing for the month of November. By November 30, I hope to be 50,000 words into the story. The challenge has set a pace I need to continue if I'm to get all the series books drafted by the end of 2011--and that's my personal goal. Let's hope I can accomplish my goal without going to divorce court.

As someone once pointed out to me, if I write just one page a day for every day of the year, that will be 365 pages. Even if I throw out 30% as garbage and unrelated ranting, 244 pages is a decent sized novel.

I must be on my way. I've 3,500 words to put on the page today. The countdown is close at hand.

I am thankful for all those friends and family who support me. Most of all I'm thankful for my husband whose faith is unfailing and constant.

Sable Angel

Kick Ass Girls

Kick-ass Girls with Guns/ or weapon of choice?????

Whatever happened to purity and innocence? Were those qualities ever realistic? Since time began a girl had better be prepared to defend herself. Let's explore the world of defense. The most obvious in this day and age is the gun. We see and read about gun tote'n-mamas all the time. Yet there are many other means of defense such as words, guile, astuteness, cunning as well as intelligence--perhaps even sex--well duh, of course sex.

How would all this apply to writing? The ability to defend can also be the same ability a woman might use to nourish and strengthen a relationship with the man she loves, her children and her friends. In 2011 readers want strong heroes and evil villains. And although I don't particularly care for villains with redeeming qualities--others do.

Ah, but as usual I wander off topic. My characters usually have a weapon of choice, but I have never really thought about the weapon before hand, or when I plot. I guess that is why the women don't have the weapon in hand at the beginning of the story. Dang it all, I'm a panster, slowly over time becoming a semi-panster. In Highland Song, Lainie always made sure she wore a small knife strapped to her leg. The hero of course thought this was rediculous and would get her into more trouble.

Do Angels have weapons? If so, Sable, Cinammon, and Amber what are your weapons of choice and how do you use them? Mine of couse is the power of the pen, words are my weapons but I've rarely found the necessity to use them. When asked once by one of my students if I grounded my children, I told him no. I don't believe in grounding because the punishment rarely fit the crime. My son told me once that he didn't want to misbehave because I made him feel way too guilty. Hence the power of the mighty word or was that the expression on my face?

Join in everybody. When you write what weapons do you give your heroine?

Officially Mad

Hello all,

Sable Angel here. As of the 1st of November, I can say I became "officially" mad. I joined the writing experience called NaNoWriMo. This venture challenges any who wish to join to write a 50,000 word novel in a month. NaNoWriMo stands for National November Writing Month.

The participants are not allowed to write the same word 50,000 times nor are they allowed to plagiarize another's novel but they must string their own words together to complete this task. The rules are simple: 1)write everyday of the month [yes on Thanksgiving, too], 2)don't edit, and 3) finish the challenge.

When you break it down to daily numbers, the word count is only 1667 words a day. For most writers, a drop in the bucket when the muse is happy. The hardest part is not editing but allowing the words to flow freely without change. The final product won't be anywhere close to release stage but will give the author the opportunity to make tweaks and finesse the novel for publication at a later date.

I am using this as a way to push start myself on my dragon series. Having gained two more books for the series, I've come to the conclusion my dragons will be a lifelong love affair--kind of like Wingman. I'm hoping to complete the challenge and have the next dragon book, Dragons Among the Eagles, to my publisher by the end of February 2011.

If the wind is blowing the right direction and my publisher likes what they read, it might be possible another Dragon book could be released in summer of 2011. Only time will tell.

Keep your feathers dry and don't fly too close to the sun.

Sable Angel