Interview with Valerie Comer

 Today we welcome back Valerie Comer.  Glad to have you, Valerie.

Hi, Laura! Thanks so much for inviting me back to your blog! I’m delighted to be here today, talking about writing in general and about Memories of Mist in particular.

1)  What does your writing process look like?

When I’m in the middle of a series, as I am now, I already have many of the characters clearly in mind as well as the setting. I tend to interview my characters, mind-map their GMCs (goals, motivations, and conflicts), and generally try to get to know what drives them before I start writing. I also like to have a good idea of what keeps this couple apart! Then I jump into the first draft and see where it takes me — usually into some unexpected places.

In the past few months, I’ve begun dictating my first drafts. Memories of Mist was still written the old-fashioned way, though, sitting in front of my computer. Now I do most of my writing as I walk up and down my quiet country road, talking into a voice recorder!

Once the first draft is complete, I’ll do 2-3 rounds of self-edits before sending to several beta readers. When I get those results back, I go through the manuscript another time or two, analyzing and implementing the advice. From there it’s off to my editor, and upon its return, another round of analyzing and implementing. One final listen-through, and advance reader copies go out. My advance readers usually catch any typos that are still clinging at this stage! I’ll often do a short pre-order period and then release the novel.

By then, I usually have another first draft in the bag and ready for my beta readers! The life of an indie author/publisher means I keep several stories in various stages in the air at any given time.

2) Do you have a specific writing style?

Do you mean writing voice? Because, yes, I do. My readers expect my voice to shine through every story I write. They expect to find a sweet contemporary romance story with engaging characters, strong communities, deep faith, and some foodie issues.

3) How did you decide upon the title of Memories of Mist?

The Urban Farm Fresh Romance series is expected to go to twelve books, and Memories of Mist is only book 3! I’ve got lists with ideas for many letters of the alphabet in that pattern. Secrets of Sunbeams and Butterflies on Breezes are the first two titles. The title is set before I start writing the book and often helps to drive the plot.

4) What was the most fun part of writing your book?

Several times during the writing, I popped a question to my Facebook page for input. I had some entertaining answers to questions like: What problems could come up if a teacher and the parent of one of his students began dating? What are some team-building exercises you’ve done that were good, or not so good? What chapter books would a seven-year-old girl be likely to read on her own?

The answers to the first question helped drive the plot of the story, while the others informed specific scenes. It was a lot of fun getting input and hearing stories!

5) What was it like coming back to the characters for the third novel in the Urban Farm Fresh Romance series? Do you foresee any more stories for this family of characters?

Adriana, along with her children Sam and Violet, had been minor characters in the earlier two novels as well as the prequel novella. All along, I’ve been eager to give her a happy ending of her own. It was simply a matter of finding a hero worthy of her, one who wouldn’t be easy to nail down.

Myles Sheridan is a conflict-avoiding man who is sure he could never measure up to Adriana’s late husband, who died as a firefighter hero. He may hate conflict, but he had opinions of his own, and he was awfully difficult to budge out of them!

Adriana, Myles, Sam, and Violet are part of the Bridgeview community where this series is set, so they’ll definitely be in and out of forthcoming novels in the series, some more than others.

6) What are you working on now? What is your next project?

I’m in the midst of writing/dictating the first draft of Better Than a Crown, the third and final story in my Christmas in Montana Romance series, expected to release in September. When that’s complete, I’ll be returning to Rooted in Love, my second Arcadia Valley Romance, due to release in November. I’ve got a draft of that one already written, so it’s a matter of going through it and preparing it for beta readers. So my next new project will be Wishes on Wildflowers, the next Urban Farm Fresh Romance. I’m already deep into thinking on how both wishes and flowers can play a part in the story!

http://valeriecomer.com/memories

Memories of Mist:

As memories linger in the past,
so dreams stretch toward the future.

Single mom Adriana Diaz isn’t about to let the new teacher derail the PTA’s hard work in securing a greenhouse and garden area for Bridgeview Elementary School, but taking matters into her own hands turns awkward when she realizes her attraction to the teacher.

Pro-level conflict-avoider Myles Sheridan finds himself against an entire community with his reluctance to incorporate gardening into his classes. The only thing that could make his situation worse is falling in love with the ringleader, whose child is his most difficult student and whose husband had died a hero.

How can Myles compete with the man from Adriana’s memories? He’s not the material champions are made of. Or is he?

Bio:

Valerie Comer’s life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary Christian romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie grows much of her own food and is active in the local foods movement as well as her church. She only hopes her imaginary friends enjoy their happily-ever-afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.

Valerie is a USA Today bestselling author and a two-time Word Award winner. She writes engaging characters, strong communities, and deep faith into her green clean romances.

 

Valerie Comer
Engaging Characters. Strong Communities. Deep Faith. Sweet Romance. 
All from a USA Today Bestselling Author.
http://valeriecomer.com
http://ArcadiaValleyRomance.com

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