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Glenys O'Connell, aka Lydia Grace |
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Lydia’s 18Q |
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The Eighteen Questions |
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18Q |
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Bibliography |
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1. Did you choose the writing profession or did it choose you? I wrote my first story when I was four years old, an essay about life after death challenging something my Sunday school teacher told us! I guess the dye was cast then, and I inveigled my way into a reporter's job with the local newspaper when I was 17 - the editor back then didn't believe women should be reporters so I made it my mission in life to prove him wrong. He liked my work so much he cut the probation period and the company paid for my college studies. In my heart, though, I always wanted to write fiction and there was always a book lurking at my fingertips. As I think it was Isaac Asimov said: I write for the same reason I breathe; because if I didn't I would die. 2. What is your background? (education, work, etc.) I went straight into journalism from school at 17, and went through the National Council for the Training Of Journalists' college courses. I worked for several newspapers, freelancing for magazines, and was a staff writer specializing in covering crime and the courts for a large regional daily in Canada. I was even managing editor and publisher of a community newspaper. I've also taught law in high school, worked in literacy programs with disadvantaged children, and I teach creative writing, life coaching, writing a family history, journalism, and writing non-fiction at adult level both online and in the classroom. I took a degree in psychology and studied counseling and palliative care counseling, working in private practice for a while. I also took courses in hypnotherapy, you are getting sleepy, sleepy, so relaxed now. 3. When did you 'know' you were a writer? I think in my heart I've always known it. Seeing my very first front page by-line when I was 17 was the greatest buzz - and the rush of seeing my name in print, whether on an article or a book cover, has never diminished. 4. How would you describe your style of writing? Casual and to the point - I write pretty much the way I talk, and I don't really use much description - I actually find it an effort to put descriptive passages in my work and 'purple prose; gets more and more rare. 5. What is your writing process? An idea hits me and whoosh! I'm off. Then the euphoria wears off and I stop, think a lot, write an outline....and sometimes have to set the whole thing aside and work on something else until enough ideas assemble themselves that I can return and rework the original idea and then finish the book. Of course, with non-fiction it's a bit different - you know what the book is about and you break it down into headings for the material you need, and then you write, and research, and write. 6. What was your path to publication? Well, as a journalist I've written literally thousands of articles and feature stories. Strangely enough, I found myself being published as a children's writer, quite unintentionally. I saw an ad. for stories written for teenagers but at a lower grade level for 'reluctant' readers. The idea interested me, so I wrote a story about a couple of adventurous early teenaged boys, and it was accepted. I went on to write a number of other children's stories which were published, but it was never a deliberate decision to write for that age group. I personally like lots of romance and suspense seasoned with murder and blood and gore. And I've just been approached by a company who want me to write a book featuring fairies. Judgment By Fire, a romantic suspense I'd worked on over a number of years, was published by Rose Publishing as an ebook, and they have also published my second book, a detective novel set in Ireland that's laced with humor - Winters & Somers 7. What is your favorite self-marketing idea? I loved doing children's writing workshops - it's terrific to see the kids' faces as they realize that they can write stories, too - and when they get their parents to buy my books :-) I think the classes I teach are a great way to get known to an ever-widening group of people for whom the fact that they have had personal contact with me is a reason to buy my books. 8. What are the biggest surprises you've encountered as a writer? My goodness, that's a question with a lot of answers! On the down side, just how darn long it takes to get a publishers' attention and to get a book to publication. On the upside, I never cease to be amazed by the 'community' of writers and how generous and encouraging writers are to each other. 9. How do you inspire yourself? What are your sources of creativity? Everything. Family, friends, work, the tiny country village I live in most of the year, books and TV programs (I'm currently reading a book about organized crime) and one of my very favorites is to eavesdrop onto other people's conversations in coffee shops. Maybe it's not very polite, but you can get some great ideas! 10. What is your proudest writer moment? When my son was browsing Amazon, saw a list of my books and pronounced it 'Awesome!"11. What's the best advice you were given about writing? Keep going. Ignore the naysayers, but pay attention to honest, constructive criticism. Be humble - don't dismiss criticism or rejections, but listen to what is said and see if there is something there that you can learn from it so that you can improve your writing. 12. What is your most embarrassing writer moment? When I was speaking at a school classroom workshop and a little boy of eight told me in glowing terms how much his sister loved my books - until I realized that he had me confused with another writer! I later met her at a writers' conference and we had a good laugh over it as I explained to her that I'd been basking in her reflected glory! 13. What business challenges have you faced as a writer? Keeping going when it seems like flipping burgers at a fast food restaurant would be easier - and probably better paid - than continuing to struggle to get the next book into publication. Also, juggling the 'paid' writing work that I need to do, with the equally basic need to write the stories that I want to write. Fortunately, they sometimes come together as the same thing! 14. What is your writer life philosophy? Writing is my life - I can't imagine ever not writing. It's a part of me and even though I have had times when I've sworn I'd never write again, I know in my heart I'll always be working on something. It's the act of writing, of creating, that is the most important to me - to produce something that entertains or informs another person, maybe helps someone else to cope with their day. I've been lucky because I have not experienced a lot of criticism or negative comments about my work, but even so, I think writers need to have thick skins and to remember that you are not your writing, so criticism should not be taken as a personal attack. 15. When you're not writing what do you do for fun? Think about writing. I'm really very boring and have to make an effort to drag myself away from the keyboard and visit friends and take part in my community. I'm a member of our local historical society, and most social life revolves around visiting friends. I also design and make jewelry, paint in acrylics, and last year I finished my very first quilt! I'm lucky enough to spend a lot of time living in a very rural area of Canada so I get to take long walks and watch the wildlife. I'm also keen on auctions and yard sales, which is why my home is so cluttered. 16. Who do you like to read? Lots of authors. Stephen King, Kathy Reichs, Patricia Cornwell, Sue Grafton, Dean Koontz, Tess Gerritsen, a Canadian author called Barbara Fradkin has become a current favorite. 17. What’s your advice for new writers? Believe in yourself and your dream. Don't give up. Work hard to hone your craft, take the time to find your own voice, but read other people's work to develop an understanding of story structure, the use of dialogue, etc. If you get criticism, think about what is said: is there anything there that you can learn from? 18. What are you currently working on? I'm finishing up a travel book and putting together a book on writing a novel, working titled: 'Naked Writing, the No Frills Way to Write Your Novel'; from a course I teach. I've three novels on the go: one is a police procedural set in England, one is a mystery set in New York State, and the other is a cozy detective story featuring a character I hope will become a series: Gracie, the forensic psychologist who just seems to attract trouble! And I'm writing the lessons for an online writers' goal setting class, a sort of life-coaching for writers, that will be up on Absolutewrite.com later this year. |
