The next stop on our blog tour is Middletown, Kentucky. Middletown is the suburban end of Louisville, shouting distance from some of the beautiful horse farms of Kentucky. I have access to some beautiful backdrops for writing and inspiration in my area of the country. If you ever have the chance to visit the Kentucky Derby, it’s worth the trip. And thanks for stopping by right now.
The wonderful crime fiction author, Sue Coletta, passed My Writing Process Blog Tour torch to me. If you don’t know Sue, please visit her dynamic crime central at http://www.crimewriterblog.com which screams drama, danger and crime as soon as the visuals of her blog appear. Sue hails from New Hampshire and is active with Prose & Cons and Sisters in Crime. Sue has written three novels in addition to other works. Her blog is full of all things crime, so be sure to explore all of the nooks and crannies. There’s some great reading there!
What am I working on?
I’m working on a young adult contemporary fiction book, Coach Hart’s Fumble. This is my first attempt at completing a novel length work of fiction with eventual publication in mind. Coach Hart’s Fumble was inspired by the teenage boys I’m surrounded by so often. I set out to write a book that both boys and girls might enjoy. Some football, some romance, some mystery.
To date, most of my writing has been professional and non-fiction. But, I am one of those writers who writes for my own pleasure and I have rough drafts gathering dust.
My blog, Caught in the Middle focuses primarily on the challenges of raising tweens and teens. I’m a novice blogger, so thanks for visiting.
How does my work differ from others in its genre?
Coach Hart’s Fumble will focus on a teen boy main character facing loyalty issues on all sides. Teens in our modern era have more conflicting loyalties than many of us can understand. Varying configurations of family test loyalties, and normal societal expectations dismiss loyalty, forcing teens of today to face decisions we simply didn’t. My story will dig deep into that theme of loyalty to others, but also loyalty to yourself, a special challenge for contemporary teens. Dealing with a serious topic doesn’t preclude using humor to lighten the mood occasionally. There will be a colorful grandma, a crazy dog, and goats.
Why do I write what I write?
I write what I write because I must. Everything I’ve ever written literally flowed from my fingertips. I am truly a write-what-you-know writer. And I know a lot about teenagers, thus my current work in progress. This work of fiction, as most do, has tiny bits of truth buried deep within. I’ve watched many kids struggle with issues of conflicting loyalties during their teens and believe it’s a driving force for many teen decisions. I want to reach out to a young adult audience with an engaging story that shares issues they face.
How does my writing process work?
I don’t have a process yet for fiction. For non-fiction, I just wrote after research was complete. In retrospect, it was much easier for me to write factual information. I didn’t realize how challenging it would be to write fiction that was this lengthy. I’ve probably spent more time studying fiction writing the past few months than I have spent actually writing fiction. And that is with degrees and lots of credit hours under my belt.
Roughly, though, I started with an idea which I outlined. The actual writing has to be done with pen and ink, one of my quirks. Then, I dictate my work into text after editing. I have trouble editing on the computer, so I print everything multiple times along the way. Tedious, right? I have found some others at MOOC Writer’s University who have this same process, so I feel a little less lonely with it now.
Introducing Natasha Raulerson
The next author is the charming Natasha Raulerson, hailing from Florida. I became acquainted with Natasha on Twitter during Pitch Wars and came to love her online antics as the hostess of the Whiskey, Wine and Writing, her broadcast featuring many things writing. Natasha’s website and blog is www.thirtynerdyfabulous.wordpress.com because she is. Natasha has completed two books, co-hosts Whiskey, Wine and Writing and stays active with her blog. So hop on over and see Natasha now.
Sherry Howard 