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How do you work through self-doubts and fear? I love this quote from Robert Hughes: “The greater the artist, the greater the doubt. Perfect confidence is granted to the less talented as a consolation prize.” I wrote a whole blog post on how self-doubt is like a common cold—you can’t cure it, but there are ways to soothe it, and eventually it goes away by itself. When I’m ready to throw my whole manuscript on the trash heap and light it on fire, the first thing I do is call my fantastic sister. She always talks me down off the ledge. The second thing I do is take a break from work and read some really good writing for inspiration. If that doesn’t work, I do some editing on what I’ve already written so I feel better about it. The thing is, the doubt always passes, and when I go back and re-read my writing with fresh eyes, it’s never as bad as I thought it was.
Why do you write? It’s a bit of a long circuitous story. It boils down to this: I’ve had a number of fascinating careers in my life, but writing is what I love to do most. I’m happiest when I have lots of uninterrupted time to write. The only thing that makes me sad is the knowledge that I can’t possibly live long enough to write down all the stories that are inside me.
What other jobs have you had in your life? My first job was in a bank opening new accounts. It didn’t take long for me to realize I needed a college degree, or I would be underpaid and underappreciated for the rest of my life. So I joined the laborers union and worked as a flagwoman on a construction crew to put myself through college. As graduation drew near, it became clear that a B.A. in Sociology was not going to get me much farther than the bank situation, so I went straight from college to law school. I started out as a trial lawyer, moved into corporate law, and ended up as General Counsel for a healthcare company. It wasn’t until after my second child was in middle school that I began focusing on my writing.
Do you have a specific writing routine? Yes. My ideal schedule is: wake around 6:30 am, drink coffee and watch Good Morning America, workout for an hour, meditate for 30 minutes, spend two hours on social media and marketing, then write for the rest of the day. But I always try to keep my schedule loose. In the past, when little family emergencies would crop up, or when a friend just needed to talk, I was resentful for the time it took away from writing. Now I’m much more relaxed. I’m able to go with the flow because I’ve learned that it will all get done eventually.
What marketing works for you? As an indie author it’s important to find ways to market where I get the most bang for the buck. I’ve achieved the greatest results by combining two things: KDP Select free promotions, which I advertise on sites with large numbers of subscribers (like Bookbub or Ereader News Today); and blogger interviews, guest posts, or reviews in conjunction with a giveaway on blogs with large numbers of followers. I frankly don’t know if I’ve ever sold a book through Twitter or Facebook, but I participate in all kinds of social media to get my name out there and build my author platform. While book signings are fun, they typically don’t give me enough exposure to readers in my genre.
Jaden Beckett, typical Connecticut teenager possesses an awesome power she isn't even aware of until it's triggered by a freak electrical storm and she's catapulted into a strange parallel version of earth and an amazing alternate existence. The destiny police want her out. She's got other plans!
In this life she's a princess and heir to the throne of one of the three surviving dome nations. She has her mother back, a miracle she never imagined possible. And, just as compelling, is her breathless romance with Ryder Blackthorn, a wanted outlaw and possibly her one true soul mate.
Can the Inter-Universal Guidance Agency force her to leave this world, or will Jaden use her gift to pursue the life of her dreams?
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Genre - Science Fiction/Fantasy/Paranormal/YA
Rating – PG13
More details about the author
Connect with Vicky Savage on Facebook & Twitter
Website http://www.vickysavage.com
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