18Q Renee Russell

Renee Russell

1. Did you choose the writing profession or did it choose you?

I think the profession chose me. I tried to stop writing at one time and just couldn’t do it. It must be in my blood. I have to write something (even if it’s just a short paragraph) on a regular basis or I get really, really cranky.

2. What is your background? (education, work, etc.)

I’m a college graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in a double major of Marketing and Business Administration. Once I graduated from college I moved around quite a bit in the work world. Retail Management, Newspaper advertising, Buyer for a women’s clothing store and now I’m in the Investments field. I still have a full time day job, but my dream is to be able to write full time.

3. When did you ‘know’ you were a writer?

That’s difficult to say. Does anyone really “know” they’re a writer? I’m my own worst critic. My advance readers will love something that I think is just not quite right. I’ve heard multi-published authors say the same thing about their work. I think this goes back to question one. You just have to write, you do the absolute best you can and hope others will love it too.

4. How would you describe your style of writing?

I’m a self proclaimed ‘pantzer’ which means I start the book with a broad outline and let the characters tell me the story as we go along.

5. What is your writing process?

Ha. I have to squeeze it in whenever and where ever I can. Lunch time at my day job, sitting in the waiting room of the dentist. I try to write three pages total each week day and 20 pages total each weekend.

6. What was your path to publication?

I wanted to get with one of the big New York publishing houses and become an instant best seller. After the wake up call of form rejections for all those places, I began to look around for smaller venues. After a lot of research, I found Wings ePress and liked what I saw. Not only do they publish e-books, they also published paperback from day one. Some of the other e-publishers choose to do the e-book first and if that’s successful, then they will publish that book as a paperback. I wanted both coming out of the gate and Wings gave that to me. They are truly a wonder and hard working group over there.

7. What is your favorite self-marketing idea?

I have a page in the beginning of my book that offers readers in book clubs the opportunity to set up a Question & Answer session with me once they’ve read the book.

8. What are the biggest surprises you’ve encountered as a writer?

How extremely difficult it is to get published. Of course I knew it wouldn’t be easy or everyone would be doing it, right? But until I got into it, I didn’t realize just how tight the market is and how few slots are available each year in the publishing houses.

9. How do you inspire yourself? What are your sources of creativity?

I’m pretty much a dreamer at heart. I like to go away inside myself and just think about whatever comes to mind. A lot of the time, the next section of my book will come to me this way.

10. What is your proudest writer moment?

The moment I saw my book available on the Wings site. Before that it was the day I signed the contract, but seeing it out there for anyone to buy -- that was the moment of a lifetime.

11. What’s the best advice you were given about writing?

Write the absolute best book you can. After that persistence, persistence, persistence

12. What is your most embarrassing writer moment?

Mmmm. Haven’t had one yet...and hope I never do.

13. What business challenges have you faced as a writer?

Being with a small publisher that doesn’t have distribution through the major outlets, I’ve not been able to get my book into stores yet--and may not be able to. Even the smaller independent stores don’t want to stock my books. That means I have to find other creative outlets for getting my books out in the world

14. What is your writer life philosophy?

Write the best books I can and hope to build an audience that loves them as much as I do.

15. When you’re not writing what do you do for fun?

Would you believe I read? Some friends think that’s strange.

16. Who do you like to read?

I have many, many favorites. Jodi Picoult, Mary Higgins Clark, Tess Gerritsen, Michael Connelly, Lincoln Child, Anne McCaffrey, Stephen R. Donaldson.

17. What’s your advice for new writers?

Don’t give up. You may not publish the first novel you write, or even the second or third. It may take many novels before you hit one that gets published. Don’t give up. Trust me, it’s worth all the blood, sweat and tears along the way.

18. What are you currently working on?

I’m just getting started imagining a new mystery series.

Renee’s 18Q