Answer Valerie's question to be entered for a giveaway. Include contact information.
Welcome! Glad to have you join my blog today, Valerie!
Why do you write the kind of books you do?
Every author writes from who they are, from what they've experienced. That's not to say that we write only what we know, but that we explore outward from the sum of our being.
Every author writes from who they are, from what they've experienced. That's not to say that we write only what we know, but that we explore outward from the sum of our being.
I've spent over half of my life living on a farm. My mom
and my mother-in-law both gardened, canned, baked bread, and cooked from
scratch, so real food and local food have been part of my husband's and my life
since we were young. The older we get, the more important it's become to know
the quality of our food and where it comes from, for us, our adult kids, and
our grandchildren.
Thus, it only seems natural for me to write farm lit
http://farmlit.com to share the mindset with others, especially now that
there's a renewed interest in heirloom tomatoes, farmers' markets, and
grass-fed meats. I add romance to the mix, because I think everyone's life is
better with the right person beside them! And I can't not write from a
Christian worldview and stay true to myself and my Savior.
What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?
What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?
As you may
have gathered, the outdoors is important to me. Keeping up with my garden and
yard is a big job but provides a great change of pace from sitting at the
computer.
My husband
and I live in one of the most beautiful places on earth, the southeastern
corner of British Columbia, Canada, and we love to pull our little holiday
trailer up beside a mountain creek and recharge for a few days.
Day to day, my
favorite moments are those spent with one of my three small granddaughters, who
love to be tickled, read to, and played with. Sometimes we all bounce on the
trampoline together, and Grandma gets her workout!
What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
I've written
ten complete novels thus far, and I still struggle with plotting. I've figured
out that I can't outline and I can't just "wing it," but exactly what
level of fore-knowledge works for me is still a mystery. I'm getting a little
closer to figuring out a method that works for me with each story, though.
What advice would you give to a beginning author?
Relax. Take
your time. Learn. Writing well is not a sprint, but a marathon. Don't type
"the end" on your first novel and then upload it to Amazon ten
minutes later. Let the story rest, then fix it, then send it to a critique
group, then fix it again—maybe a few more times. Don't be in an all-fired
hurry!
I'd also
suggest they swing by my writing website To Write a Story
http://towriteastory.com and sign up for the free fiction writing course via
email. It takes new-to-intermediate writers through planning, plotting,
writing, editing, publishing, and marketing. I also blog once a week on one of
those topics.
Tell us about Raspberries and Vinegar – a brief blurb:
Josephine
Shaw: complex, yet singleminded. A tiny woman with big ideas and, some would
say, a mouth to match. But what does she really know about sustainable living
as it relates to the real world? After all, she and her two friends are new to
farming.
Zachary
Nemesek is back only until his dad recovers enough to work his own land again. When
Zach discovers three helpless females have taken up residence at the old farm
next door, he expects trouble. But a mouse invasion proves Jo has everything under
control. Is there anything she can't handle? And surely there's something sweet
beneath all that tart.
What one question would you like us to ask your
readers? giveaway must be digital. Open worldwide.
What's one
food that you think is worth growing yourself or buying/foraging locally?
For me, one
is raspberries, because they have such a short shelf life and thus are
expensive, and another is tomatoes, because there's nothing in the world like a
sun-ripened tomato. Yum!
Very much so! First, because it's a book about farming and gardening, it needed to be set in a place where I understood the climate and growing conditions. I chose northern Idaho, as it's similar to where I live across the border. But
Will we know what happens to your character after the end of the book?
Yes! Raspberries and Vinegar is the first in a three-book series. You'll meet Jo and Zach again in the other volumes, which continue with Jo and her friends' makeover of a rundown farm and include the romances of the other two participants. Wild Mint Tea will release in March 2014, and the final book, Sweetened with Honey, is scheduled for December 2014.
When you’re working on a project, how do you keep the immensity of it from getting you down?
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! It's the same with writing a novel. I set daily and weekly goals to keep the bites a manageable size.
Where can readers find you online?
Connect at:
·
Website:
http://valeriecomer.com
·
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/valeriecomer.author
·
Twitter: http://twitter.com/valeriecomer
http://twitter.com/towritestory
·
Pinterest:
http://pinterest.com/valeriecomer
·
Blog:
http://valeriecomer.com/blog
·
Writing Blog
& Free eCourse: http://towriteastory.com
Valerie Comer’s life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the local foods movement as well as their creation-care-centric church. She only hopes her characters enjoy their happily ever afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.
Valerie writes Farm Lit with the voice of experience laced with humor. Raspberries and Vinegar, first in her series A Farm Fresh Romance, released August 1, 2013. Visit her at http://valeriecomer.com.
4 comments:
Great interview. Thanks!
Nice interview! It's always fun to meet someone else into home grown goodness. I'll answer your question but please don't enter me in the drawing as I don't read e-books. We raise sheep and there isn't much better than home grown lamb. That store bought stuff? Meh. Doesn't work for me. Home grown, pasture raised lamb is the only way to go. We also have a garden and a small orchard. I like adding things as the years go by. This year it's blueberry bushes. :)
Thanks for coming by Rikki!
I agree on grass-raised lamb, Pegg. We have raised our own but are currently buying it locally. So delicious!
I once had a grass fed hamburger. Man could you take the difference. I'm wanting to read this book. I have a very brown thumb, but I love gardens and fresh produce. It's so wonderful to go a farmer's market.
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