Answers to Reader Questions

Reader Questions

Taking time to answer some more of your questions!

Q: How do you like being an Indy author. What has changed for you and has it been an easy transition?

A: I LOVE IT. Seriously, I had no clue that I was as unhappy as I was writing for a big publisher. Over the years, it just crept up on me. I love the work I put out with Berkley, but now I have so much more control, I can write as many books as I want to (I was limited as to how many per year they let me put out), I can write the genres I want, I can decide what direction I want to take my series, and I make more money per book sold—which is good, since a number of my readers probably have no clue I didn’t just quit writing. But I am attracting new readers who primarily read indie authors/e-format, so my reader base dipped but is growing again.

There are downsides, definitely—it’s a lot more work, I am responsible for every aspect, and I don’t get the distribution that I used to, but honestly? It’s so worth the extra work. This has been a renewal for me. I love the entire process again and I feel hopeful again.

Q: After Otherworld is completed, will we still see the sisters in future novellas?

A: Never fear, I’ll still write the occasional novelette or novella about them, yes, but OW will not be the focus of my writing.

Q: Will you able to do more book tours or convention tours as indie? Or is that even on the radar?

A: No, actually. In fact, I’ve been doing fewer each year because it’s really a strain on time and energy, and with my histamine intolerance, traveling is—at this point—horribly problematic for me. If I see a convention I’m really pulled to do, I’ll definitely think about it, but they’re not one of my priorities. Local events are much more likely to happen than anything out of the Seattle area.

Q: How do you choose what music to listen to while writing?

A: I pick what songs fit the mood of what I’m writing about. There are times when I don’t listen to music, and during those times, if I don’t write in silence, I watch reruns of shows, or watch the old Dark Shadows series (I own the entire series and am on Disk 75 by now).

Q: Will we see D’Artigo sisters in other stories?! Would also like to know if you could add some more hot spicy romance to your stories please

A: Re: the D’Artigo sisters, I’ll still write novellas around them on occasion, but don’t look for any crossover stories, since I’m not writing Fly By Night right now, and I have far more I want to write that has nothing to do with Otherworld.

As to hot spicy romance—I only add sex where it seems appropriate in my series. BUT…having said that, I have a special surprise I’ll be letting my readers know about later this year, in terms of paranormal romance. So…there’s hot and spicy coming, but that’s all you get to know for now. *grins*

Q: Do you really dislike writing the more “cozy mystery” type books? If so that’s a shame because your stories are really good!

A: I had fun with the Chintz ‘n China series (not so much the Bath and Body books), but even back then, I felt really constrained as to what I was able to include. I am not a cozy person and it was a real struggle keeping the violence and sex down to that level—I felt unable to really write what I loved to write most. So…no, I don’t really enjoy writing the genre, even though I do read a few cozy series.