My niece (age 12) is an author. She may not see herself that way, but it’s true. She writes. A lot. And that makes her an author. Merriam-Webster agrees:

AUTHOR noun

1: the writer of a literary work (such as a book)

2: one that originates or creates something 

Ezra, or Ezzy as she’s affectionately called by my sister, had a few author-to-author questions for me. They’re beyond delightful. You can tell a lot about a person by the questions she asks. Ezra is deep. And curious. And she’s going to go far in life. Maybe journalism is her thing because I couldn’t wait to answer these questions. I’m going to pass Ezra’s blessing along to an author friend to be named in Ezra’s Author Questions Part 2, so come back, y’all.

Ezra’s Author Questions

1. How do you start your book?
   • Starting a book is the absolute hardest part for me. It feels like making pots with no clay or music with no instruments. I literally am afraid to open my laptop and look at the white space. But I start with what I consider to be an interesting premise or a compelling situation. I write a lot of words that get deleted. I do freewriting, where I set a timer and just pour out my mind. It includes phrases like: God, I don’t know what to write! Why is this so difficult? Where does this even take place? And why does my character own so many cats?
2. Do you make outlines for your book? If so, what do they look like?
   • Not at first. I’m a plantser, which is a hybrid between someone who outlines and someone who writes from the seat of her pants. Once I get enough clay (see answer #1), I create an outline based on the book Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody. It has helped me know the rules so I can break them. This is how I use recipes, too. Outlines look different for everyone, and you have to experiment. I use a corkboard and a mind-mapping software called The Brain (thebrain.com). I have files and notecards and pictures galore.
3. What do you think about when you write books?
   • That’s the beauty, Ezra, I think only of the book and the scene I’m trying to describe. Write long enough, and writing becomes similar to reading, except you call the shots.
4. What is your environment when you write books?
   • I wish I had a cool office like Stephen King, but alas, I’m still in my washing machine phase. (King himself originally wrote on a makeshift desk in the laundry room.) I do most of my writing while sitting cross-legged on the couch. Very unromantic, not like the movies. But it works for me, and that’s all that matters. 🙂
5. Do you like writing?
   • No. I LOVE it. And you must too if you want to see it through to the end. It’s the love that keeps you coming back when no one else cares—or worse, when the world seems to be telling you your writing isn’t good enough. Love pulls you through the next story. And the next.
6. What do they do to get your book published?
   • Interesting question. There is a they, and there is a me. For many years I wanted them to publish my books. I tried with my first three books to get them to publish my work, but door after door was closed (I’m talking hundreds of doors). After doing lots of research, I decided to publish my fourth book. I found people in the publishing industry to help me bring my book into the world. More on that in part 2.
7. Is it hard to get a published book?
   • Short answer: yes. No one gives you anything when you’re trying to be an author. You must fight for every win. It IS hard to get an agent (who will help you publish your book), and it IS hard to publish your own book because everything, every detail, falls to you. There is both freedom and burden in that. One of the reasons I self-published was so that I had complete control over every aspect of the process. But wow, was it stressful at times.
8. What led you to write Spiked?
   • I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of revenge and accidentally overdoing it. When I was a kid, I “overdid it” with your mother. Ask her about the shoe to the face. Not intentional, I swear. And I overdid it with my little brother more than once in my idea of an eye for an eye. Stitches were involved at least once. My family has a hammer story they like to bandy about… Anyway, I’m so glad I didn’t accidentally kill him because he’s an amazing person, and so is your mom. You can find more on my inspiration here, but I do have a specific memory in regard to Spiked. Uncle Bob and I were talking about what sort of man would try to get anonymous revenge and accidentally kill someone, and what would he do in the wake of that disastrous action? I remember your Uncle Bob felt so strongly that Rory NOT be a bad guy in the end. Did I take your Uncle Bob’s advice? You’ll have to read Spiked to find out.

Stay tuned for Ezra’s 20 Questions Part 2!