Leanne Karella, who also writes as Anna Leigh
Keaton, has a new book out this month: A Place
To Call Home. Here Leanne answers 15 questions
about writing, books, and more, all in 15 minutes.
1. Which comes first when you're starting
to write a new book: character, setting, plot,
or theme?
Most of the time I start with a setting. I travel
as much as possible every year and almost always
find a new and exciting place to set a book.
2. Do you plot or write by the seat of
your pants?
I don't plot on paper, and I rarely know the
details when I start writing, but I usually know
where the particular scene I'm writing is going.
When I begin, I have the beginning and end in
my mind, and then I sit down and fill in the middle.
3. How do you write the first draft (longhand,
typewriter, Alphasmart, computer)?
My trusty laptop. Don't leave home without it!
4. How long does it take you to write
a first draft?
Depends on my mood and how well the characters
are cooperating. I've written a novella in a week.
I've written a full novel in two weeks. But then
I've taken up to five months to finish a full
novel.
5. How many drafts do you usually end
up writing?
One draft. I edit as I go--rereading yesterday's
words then continuing on today. And then one final
readthrough looking for gaps, problems, mistakes
and typos.
6. Out of all the books you've written,
which one is your favourite?
My favourite is always the one I'm working on
at any particular moment. I have a few very memorable
characters, but the stories, as a whole, I love
whichever one I'm totally immersed in right then
and there.
7. What's the best book you've ever read?
Lycan Instinct by Brandi Broughton.
8. What's the most useful book on writing
you've ever read?
On Writing by Stephen King.
9. What's the most useful writing advice
you've heard?
Don't ever give up on your dream and learn your
craft.
10. Which character do you wish you had
created?
I don't have an answer for that. I'm not envious
of other people's characters because I know how
personal every character is to the author.
11. What prize or award would you most
like to win?
I'd prefer to be on best-seller lists than win
awards.
12. If you hadn't become a writer, what
might you have become instead?
A schizophrenic. Probably institutionalized for
having conversations with all the little people
in my head.
13. What's the nicest compliment someone
could give you about one of your books?
"It made me cry."
14. What's the worst thing about being
a writer?
Slight rewording of the question... What's the
worst thing about being a "romance"
writer? And I would answer: The failure of the
general public to respect the work that goes into
the production of a great romance.
15. What's the best thing about being
a writer?
Having my heart and soul in print and holding
it, smelling it, knowing I created it. Oh, yeah,
and working from home in my pajamas. *wink*
Sheri Radford is the author of Penelope and
the Monsters, Penelope and the Humongous
Burp, and other upcoming books in the Penelope
series. Visit Sheri on the web at www.sheriradford.com.
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