Tuesday, January 23, 2018

FAOM: Author INTERVIEW Part 2 - Writing What's Right

My plan was to have the second part of Kelly Lyman’s interview posted yesterday but, just like our Featured Author of the Month, I have 4 kids (ranging from 8 months old to 13 years) and life at our house is pretty chaotic at the best of times – since Christmas it’s been about 7 steps past that. So, my plans did not go quite according to how I intended them and here we are. It’s all good though, and honestly that is simply life. Or my life anyways, LOL!

In this second part of Kelly’s interview I asked her several more questions about writing – not the process or her routine, but the actual content of what she puts in to words. She dived in to writing in a genre after all that is not just putting words to paper and using your imagination to make those words interesting to other people too. Historical romance, like any historical fiction requires more – it requires a great deal of historical fact, or at least the writer’s understanding of the historical facts to make the story possible and believable. We touch on this a bit here, but Kelly will also share more about it in her guest post later this week.

For now, I’ll share with you the answers to the questions my curiosity dredged up.



THE INTERVIEW – Part 2
[italicized = LDF // regular = Kelly Lyman]

You just recently released your debut novel… How did that feel on release day?

Amazing. Terrifying. Unreal. I had ALL the feels! I had been working toward publication for eight years. Eight years! This particular book for three years. I still can’t believe it. I kept smiling all day long. Actually, I’m still smiling. There were days when I thought I should hang up my dream…but I’m a determined sort of person. I don’t believe in giving up, especially if it is something you really want.

Why did you choose historical romance? And why (or how) did you choose the historical era that you did?

Historical romance chose me! I was stuck on a YA story I had been drafting. The plot wasn’t coming to me. I was having trouble finding the main character’s voice and whatnot. I was on the web researching a topic for this YA story when I stumbled upon an article about the Culper Spy Ring and from there, I fell down the rabbit hole. 

The Petticoat Letters just sort of happened…the subject found me. Since I was stuck on the YA story, I decided to investigate this other topic and write something totally different hoping it would “unlock” my creativity and help “unblock” my mind. I had never written an adult book before, nor had I written historical, or romance…so…I decided I would try my hand at all three and challenge myself, keeping in mind this book was for me. I thought I would be the only person to read it.

I was wrong. Three months later, I had written 132k words and was in love my characters and the story. I showed it to my critique partner and the rest is history.

Is The Petticoat Letters a stand-alone novel or is it just the first in a series?

The Petticoat Letters is the first book in a series. As of now, I only have one more book planned (but we’ll see!).

What else are you working on? What comes next?

I’m currently drafting book 2 (no title yet!) and I have two YA books that I’m looking to publish. I also have a regency story that is almost finished!

As a newly published author what is one thing that you wish you had known before your book was released that you do know now?

This is a hard question!

There is SO much that I’m learning every single day in this business. If I had to name one thing it would be that I never realized how much time marketing and promotion would take. There are some days where I feel as if I spend my 2.5 hours promoting the book and not writing. Since I tend to be an introvert, it takes a ton of courage for me to do all this promotion. And since I’m brand new and trying to find readers, it takes more time because I need to establish myself.

That being said, it has been fun getting to know people. The writing/reading community is awesome. Everyone is so supportive, and we really do cheer each other on. I have been so blessed and still can’t believe the book of my heart is out for the world to read.

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As I mentioned earlier, writing any type of historical fiction requires an immense understanding of the era that you chose to write within. I have to really admire the writers who choose to write historical fiction – for whatever reason – and I hope that like me, you look forward to what Kelly has to say when we’re back later this week to share her guest post and an “in-her-own-words” Part 3 of her author interview.


Now I always ask a few quick and silly but fun questions. I wasn’t going to include them this time around because the way I’m sharing this author interview is different. But… well, I’m a sucker for the “what if” questions in life – those things that you dream about happening and what would you do if they did – so I guess I couldn’t not share Kelly’s responses to those inquires. Enjoy!

When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be on the stage. Broadway baby! I grew up singing and dancing and I loved being on stage. I first majored in music but switched to regular education and minored in music instead. I still perform with a local community chorus.

If you could go anywhere in the world on an all-expenses paid vacation, where would you want to go?

I’ve always wanted to go to Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and England….so a trip to the UK!

If someone gifted you $1,000,000 tomorrow, name three things you would do with it?

Pay off my house, invest the money for my children to have later, take my whole family on vacation somewhere.

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I hope you’ve enjoyed learning a bit more about Kelly and her writing. Make sure you keep an eye out this week because not only will her guest post on releasing a debut novel be on the blog, but I’ll also be sharing my review of that debut novel The Petticoat Letters as well.

I do have one question for you though… Have you entered to win a copy of The Petticoat Letters yet?



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Happy reading all!!

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