IndieView with Melissa Bowersock, author of Burning Through

 

I write the stories that grab me and just know that there will be readers out there who will like them as well as I do. Ages ago I tried writing “commercially,” i.e. writing for the market, and it ended up being terribly uninspired; I threw it all away and never worked that way again.

Melissa Bowersock – 2 March 2014

The Back Flap

When Jennifer and Robert Stinson buy a beautifully restored Victorian house, the last thing they expect is to share their home with a ghost―especially one with a penchant for setting fires. Unfortunately the ghostly arson only creates more tension in their already strained marriage. Jen launches her own investigation into the history of her house and discovers a surprising ally in a sympathetic fire captain. But can she unravel the mystery of the fires before they consume her home, her marriage … and her life?

About the book

What is the book about?

Burning Through is a paranormal (not scary) ghost story that is a mix of suspense and romance. Without revealing too much, the story hinges on fire as a catalyst for both the ghosts and the living people, burning away the extraneous to get down to the core of what’s really important.

When did you start writing the book?

I started writing this book on the first day of August, 2013. My husband and I were slated to move halfway across the state at the end of the year and I was keenly aware that I would lose the better part of two months between packing, moving and unpacking, so I was really hoping I could get the bulk of the book done before that.

How long did it take you to write it?

Amazingly (at least for me), 39 days. I’ve never written a book that fast before. Prior to that, the shortest time I’d taken to finish a book was 3 months. This one just flowed. Every evening I’d get new ideas for the next chapter and the next day I’d race to get it all down.

Where did you get the idea from?

This was pure serendipity. I had just finished my first paranormal, a ghost story called Stone’s Ghost, about a 19th century ghost that came with the London Bridge when it was brought over and rebuilt in Lake Havasu, Arizona. A friend was also writing a ghost story and we had traded a few e-mails about it. She explained that she would not read my new book until she was done with hers so none of my story bled into hers, which was perfectly understandable. She told me her story had two ghosts, one good and one evil, but no other details. As happens so often with writers, I just began to play a bit with that concept in my mind: if I were writing it, I’d do … Before I knew it, I had a full-fledged story going. I had the main story of the living characters, the back story of the ghosts, the interactions, the reactions and the mystery behind it all. The pieces just began falling into place, clicking together to the point that I could not ignore it. After several days of this, I knew I had to start writing it down.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

On this one, not too much. Only thing I might consider a struggle was going back in after I’d gotten feedback from my beta-readers and changing a bit of the timing. Having other eyes on it, other minds with different experiences, is invaluable.

What came easily?

Almost everything. As I said above, this one just came together with almost no effort at all. Definitely not typical!

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

Purely fiction. I did use some names of real people (and there’s an explanation in the book), but the people themselves are completely made up.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

John Irving amazes me. My favorite book on the planet is A Prayer for Owen Meany. Irving writes in a way that seems so haphazard, so meandering, yet at some point you realize that he is moving you inexorably toward the astounding conclusion. I honestly don’t know how he does it. I read this book at least once a year, and every time I do, it just catapults me back to the computer to work on my own projects, hoping that one of them just might, sometime, come close to this amazing book.

Do you have a target reader?

No. I write the stories that grab me and just know that there will be readers out there who will like them as well as I do. Ages ago I tried writing “commercially,” i.e. writing for the market, and it ended up being terribly uninspired; I threw it all away and never worked that way again.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

Once I get the kernel of an idea, I start jotting down notes about the main plot line and the characters. I like to let the ideas ferment in my brain a while before I actually start writing. Once I do start writing, it’s a very convoluted, undisciplined process. I’ve never been any good at forcing myself to sit down for x number of hours a day or writing x number of words. I might write for an hour or two, take a break, work on my blog or a guest blog, do some research, weigh in on some writers’ forums online, search for cover images. It might not look like a linear writing process, but it all goes into the mix. If I get stuck on a section of a book, this kind of breaking off to do other things seems to help break up the logjam and when I go back to it, it feels fresh and I can charge ahead again. I guess my process is not so much from Point A to Point B but more like Point A to Point M to Point D to Point Q, etc. At any rate, it works for me.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

I would not call what I do an outline. I generally plot out about 5-10 bullet points in a rough chronological order. I update that as I go, fill in details as they come to me, or switch around the order if necessary, but it’s nowhere near chapter-by-chapter. I do keep a running list of the characters’ details: name, age, coloring, line of work, a brief sense of personality. That always evolves as I go, as well.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I edit as I go. I consider that every sentence I put down is the foundation for the next one, and every one must build on the one before so getting it right the first time is imperative. I have been known to sit and stew for many minutes/hours looking for the correct word before going on. I hate to rewrite and consider my book about 95-98% done when I finish the first draft. I know many writers who do the opposite, who consider the first draft only a very rough start and then rewrite several times. Obviously it’s a matter of whatever works for each individual writer.

Did you hire a professional editor?

I do not. I recruit as many beta-readers as I can get (about 12 for the last book), both writer friends and reader friends so I get a broad spectrum of feedback. I consider all the feedback carefully, weighing it against the story and the characters to see if it fits, make changes if necessary or ignore if I feel that’s best for the story.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

I do, although while I’m writing I seldom hear it. I’m one of those who just block everything else out when I’m concentrating. Most of the time people have to call my name two or three times before I’ll hear it. My favorite artists are Josh Groban, E. S. Posthumous, Opera Babes. I love movie soundtracks like Last of the Mohicans, Medicine Man, The Island.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

I had an agent waaaay back in the 70s. He sold my first book, but then was too busy scoping out movie scripts to send out my second book, so I sent it to the same publisher and they bought it. After that, I figured what did I need him for? I sold my next three books to small presses by putting excerpts up on a writer’s showcase website (now defunct), and have published independently ever since.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

It was a gradual process. When my first two books went out of print and the publisher reassigned the rights back to me, I sought a way to keep them viable and published with iUniverse, about the only self-publishing game in town at the time. Later I discovered CreateSpace and have published all my books through them since. I did finally cancel my contracts with iUniverse and published those two books as well, and could not be happier.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

I’ve done both, maybe about 50/50. I’m a photographer, as well, so I do have a wealth of photos in my own collection, or have taken specific photos to use for my books. Lately I’ve taken to mocking up my idea in rough fashion, then shipping it to Brenda Remlinger at http://www.coversbydesign.net/ so she can do the high resolution version. She and I work well together, bouncing things off each other until we come up with the perfect combination, as with Burning Through.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I would not call my marketing efforts any kind of plan. I blog, contribute to Indies Unlimited and do as many author interviews and book promos as I can to stay visible. I run sales on Amazon or price pulse for special occasions, but it’s not like I have a 10-step plan. The whole industry seems to change day by day, and I tend to respond to the changes, connect with new blogs or showcases, try things others have reported doing with success. You just never know when you might be in the right place at the right time.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

Don’t give up. Keep writing, keep reading (especially Indies Unlimited) and your efforts will be rewarded. Even the “overnight successes” you hear about are hardly that; most have years or decades behind their breakthrough. Keep chugging.

About You

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Southern California and although I enjoyed it, I could not wait to get away from it. As soon as my husband and I got married, we moved to southern Oregon where we could have a more rural life.

Where do you live now?

Currently I live in Arizona. I’ve just recently retired from my day job and we’ve moved once again to a rural area. I love the peace and quiet of a small community; have never been a fan of traffic or crowds. The “energy” of a large city that many people love just makes me crazy.

What would you like readers to know about you?

I love hearing from readers and love to get feedback. As a matter of fact, I’ve had so many readers ask for sequels to a few of my books that I’m now thinking about doing a series. No telling when that might boil up to the top of the priority list, but it’s percolating.

What are you working on now?

Once I finished Burning Through, I was trying to figure out what the next story was going to be. I tossed around a couple of ideas, one for a time-travel book and one for a non-fiction, but finally settled on a book I’d put aside when Stone’s Ghost was demanding to be finished (I frequently work on 2 or 3 books at one time until one clamors for undivided attention). This is about a woman who discovers she had a past life during the Holocaust, and it was about half done before I set it aside.  I’ve now picked up on it again, fresh from the break, and it’s going well.

End of Interview:

For more, visit Melissa’s website or her blog, like her Facebook page or follow her on twitter.

Get your copy of Burning Through from Amazon US (paper or ebook) or Amazon UK (paper or ebook).