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Today, Norm Goldman Publisher & Editor of Bookpleasures.com is pleased to have as our guest Wendy L. Courchaine. Wendy is a native of Rhode Island and has been writing for forty years. She has her doctorate in Metaphysical Counseling and has published three novels, Emerald Eyes, The Mind Benders and her most recent, Asylum Road.

Good day Wendy and thanks for participating in our interview

Norm:

How did you get started in writing? What keeps you going?

Wendy: 

Good day Norm,

To answer your question about my start in writing, we would have to go back to my childhood. I have always been interested in writing.  One of my favorite authors as a child was Agatha Christie.  I loved the ease of her writing, the plots, the heroes and heroines.  I began my own journey in the written word by  writing short stories and small plays for my family.  I literally forced my sisters and brother to act in my little plays.  I found I enjoyed the escapism it provided and the thrill I received making characters come to life.  It was how I played as a child....creating characters and leading them on different adventures.

What keeps me going is the fact that I have so many ideas in my head that I NEED to put down on paper.  There are so many stories to tell.  There is so much that I would like to express in my writing that I'm not sure I will have enough time in this life to write them all down.

Norm:

What challenges or obstacles did you encounter while writing your books? How did you overcome these challenges? 

Wendy:

I think the major obstacle in my pursuit of writing was the negative opinions of others. By that I mean family, friends, etc., especially of those who didn't write, couldn't understand why I felt compelled to write or what the worth was in writing. They didn't take me seriously.  I had to have belief in myself that it WAS worth my time and effort if for no one else than myself.  Having the belief that I was "good enough" was all I needed.  Sometimes it was like stepping over the edge of a cliff and telling myself that I would fly and not fall. Every time I challenged myself to do it, I flew.  I never fell. 

As far as the actual writing itself, I have had my share of writer's block or not knowing what to write next, but I cut myself some slack knowing that if I just relaxed and let the words or ideas come to me, then I would be back on track more excited than ever about my work.

Norm:

Did you learn anything from writing your books and what was it?

Wendy: 

I learned that great joy comes from writing.  I learned that tenacity, and never giving up will get the book written.  Book writing is a life experience where I am constantly learning about myself and how I think.  I really didn't know who was inside of me until I started to take my writing seriously.  When you write, you expose your inner most thoughts, dreams and ideas. 

It's like giving birth to a child and letting the world see it for good or bad.  It builds your confidence as well as makes you vulnerable at the same time.  It's an exhilarating experience not unlike a roller coaster ride.  You never know what is going to happen next.  One moment you are screaming with delight and the next you are about to lose your lunch, but when you're through you say......"What a ride. I want to go again."

Norm:

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books? As a follow up, what do you believe makes a good mystery novel?

Wendy: 

My ideas come from everyone and everything.  To be a writer, you must be an observer of life.  You have to look at things that most can or won't see.  I have lived a lot of life, which I won't go into here, but life experiences whether it be yours or someone else's can be the inspiration for your next novel.  A certain event, a newspaper article, a time period in history, a particular subject I find interesting,  or a criminal investigation on a television program can be an inspiration in my work.

I believe a good mystery novel has to grip you from the very beginning.  It needs to make you think and wonder what happened.  It has to have spins and twists to keep the reader interested.  It has to be intense and real.  Anything that seems unreal or farfetched will make the reader drop the book on the coffee table and never pick it up again.

Norm:

In fiction as well as in non-fiction, writers very often take liberties with their material to tell a good story or make a point. But how much do you feel is too much?

Wendy: 

If the liberties are taken out of context, or not appropriate to the story that you are trying tell, it is too much.  Embellishment of certain events are sometimes necessary to get your point across.  That's a given. But creative license has a very fine line which a writer must never cross.  I believe that good writing doesn't need to take such liberties.  The believability of your characters and subject matter is more important than how you decorate the details surrounding it. You want your work to be an honest representation of your integrity.

Norm:

Asylum Road is your latest novel. Could you briefly tell our readers a little about this book and was the process easier or more difficult to write this book as compared to your other two books? 

Wendy:

Asylum Road is a murder mystery filled with suspenseful twists and turns that will keep you guessing to the very end.  The two main characters Lindsey Porter and Charlie Two Claws are amateur sleuths who become entangled in the pursuit of a killer at the Lakeside Sanitarium.  In their naivete, they discover dark secrets that have been buried there for years.  Unearthing these secrets take them on a journey of discovery and danger that could ultimately be their demise. 

As with anything else, the more you write the better and easier it gets.  With the two previous books, I worked out the dynamics, the stumbling blocks, and any other issues I had in writing a book.  This allowed Asylum Road easier to write.  The creative juices were flowing like water as i wrote it.  Like anything else, the more you practice, the better you get.  Even though I thoroughly enjoyed writing am very proud of Emerald Eyes and The Mindbenders,  I believe Asylum Road is my best work to date

Norm:

How has your environment/upbringing colored your writing?

Wendy:

I grew up in the country during the late fifties and early sixties.  We had little money.  Our expectations on life were more about survival than anything else.  If we wanted something, we had to work for it and work hard.  In those days, country life meant you were isolated.  Your best friend was your imagination and a good book.  You created your own entertainment.  To compensate for the isolation, I wrote stories.  I still think that it's important today for young people to create their lives.  I think that not having everything given to me, stimulated my senses and observation techniques to write with clarity and realness.

Norm:

Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

Wendy:

I have been approached with questions like "Where do you come up with these ideas?  I couldn't put the book down.  I really enjoyed it.  It flowed beautifully.  I never met an author before."  These comments and questions truly give you an understanding of how much people enjoy reading your work.  It's an accomplishment to write a book and I don't think any author should think otherwise.  It's a lot of work and not many people can do it.  Am I patting myself on the back?  Certainly I am.  I gave birth to this creation and it's wonderful to have people appreciate it like any proud parent would be of their child.

Norm:

How do you approach the work of writing?

Wendy: 

My approach to writing is setting aside an hour each day to put words to paper.  I may not use all the material I have written, but the discipline is good for me.  Without discipline, the book would never be written.  I am committed to my work.  It's my passion.  I have to write.  My current book is always on my mind so technically I'm working on it all the time.  Whether I am thinking of the next scene while driving in my car or jotting notes on napkins in restaurants, I'm always working on the book.  It's the first thing I think of in the morning and the last thing i think of before I go to sleep.

Norm:

Can you tell us how you found representation for your books? Did you pitch it to an agent, or query publishers who would most likely publish this type of book? Any rejections? Did you self-publish?

Wendy:

With so much difficulty finding a publisher these days, whether it's due to an overload of book submissions or the economy forcing the publisher to stick with established authors who are guaranteed to make them money,  I decided to self publish.  I think it is a good route to takes especially for new authors.  If you truly believe in yourself and your work, then self publishing can be very profitable and give you the exposure you need to be a successful writer.  It can also lead to gaining a contract with a main stream publisher in the future with the right marketing approach.

Norm:

Are you working on any new books/projects that you would like to share with us? (We would love to hear all about them!)

Wendy:

My new book is a sequel to Asylum Road.  It has Lindsey Porter and Charlie Two Claws back on the trail again hunting the killer of a news reporter who may have discovered the secret of the lost villages of Moon Lake.  The locals won't talk about it and someone is killing those who do.  Lindsey and Charlie want the truth, but are they willing to pay the price for it?  That's the adventure and mystery of "The Ghosts of Moon Lake".

Norm:

How can our readers find out more about you and your books?

Wendy:

You can find out about me and my books on Amazon.com, Barnes & Nobles.com and Borders Books.com.  Just search me by name and you will find other distributors. 

Norm:

Is there anything else you wish to add that we have not covered?

Wendy:

I would love to hear from those who have read my books or any aspiring authors who like to ask me questions about my writing and my journey through self publishing.  I can be emailed directly at wc9755@yahoo.com.

Thanks once again and good luck with all of your future endeavors

Click Here To Purchase Asylum Road