Veryl Ann Grace interview with David Alan Binder

 Her bio from her website:        Although I was taught to sew, knit, crochet, and tat by my grandmothers, my passion for the fiber arts really took off it when I realized that I could spin my own yarn from the hair my beloved Great Pyrenees were leaving everywhere. Our first Great Pyrenees, Denali, entered our life in 1983 and—except for a short period of time here in Hawaii—we have had a livestock guardian dog ever since.

 She is also author of Murder Spins a Tale and Murder Comes Unraveled

 If you love dogs, like she does, then by all means go to her website to see her dogs and read a bit about them.

 Website:      verylanngrace.com

Blog:           flocknfibermysteries.blogspot.com

Veryl Ann Grace - Author on Facebook

 

1.     How do you pronounce your name? 

         Verl

 

2.     Where are you currently living?

 

Hilo, Hawaii

 

3.     What is the most important thing that you have learned in your writing experience, so far?

 

Persistence - There will be good days and bad days, writing days and non-writing days, but if you hang in there, the book will happen.

 

4.     What would you say is your most interesting writing, publishing, editing or illustrating quirk?

 

I read the books to the dogs. Reading the books help me hear my tone and the dogs are great listeners.

 

5.     Tell us your insights on self-publish or use a publisher?

 

I have only self-published and I have found the experience to be a very positive one. I have a number of friends who have had lengthy experience with publishers and have recently moved to self-publishing in order to have greater control of their books.

 

6.     Any insights eBooks vs. print books and alternative vs. conventional publishing?

 

I am a big fan of both eBooks and books in print. I buy and read both. I am also a huge fan of audio books. If a book I want to read is offered in all three formats, I’m most often going to choose audio.

 

7.     Do you have any secret tips for writers on getting a book published?      

 

I have no secret tip to offer. If you want to go the traditional route, you have to just keep sending out those query letters to both publishers and agents. If you decide to self-publish, talk to your friends about how they go about it. There are a number of services out there and they each have their strong points. I personally use Create Space which is an Amazon company.

 

8.     How did you or would you suggest acquire an agent?  Any tips for new writers on getting one?

         

          I have no experience here.

 

9.     Do you have any suggestions or helps for new writers (please be specific and informational as possible)?

Don’t worry about that first draft. Get the whole story down without too much editing. Once that is done, go back and write and re-write. Find yourself some beta readers. They can be members of a writers group or another author that is willing to help you. And then get an editor and/or professional proofreader to go over it. I know of self-published books that have rocking good stories but the grammatical and spelling errors create huge problems for the reader.

10.                        What was one of the most surprising things you learned about your creative process with your books, editing, publishing or illustrating?

          I talk to my characters.

11.                        How many books have you written?

          Two

 

12.                        Do you have any tricks or tips to help others become a better writer (please be as specific and information as you possibly can)?

 

          Write. You cannot improve stories that aren’t on a page.

 

13.                        Do you have any suggestions for providing twists in a good story?

Use a lot of what if questions. I also find the mind mapping technique where you start with a story line in the center and then go out from there with ideas that may be quirky to be helpful.

14.                        What makes your or any book stand out from the crowd?

 

The characters. If I do not like the characters in a book or at least find them fascinating, I probably won’t finish it and I certainly won’t read a sequel.

 

15.                        What are some ways in which you promote your work?

 

This is my greatest weakness.  I have not done a very good job. I’m now working on remedying that with updating my website and blogs. I also have used fiber conventions as a way to promote my books and I’ve donated them to both fiber and Great Pyrenees organizations for fund raising.

 

16.                         What is the one thing you would do differently now (concerning writing or editing or publishing or illustrating) and why?

 

I would have self-published sooner.  I spent a couple of years trying to get published through agents and editors. I got close but never quite closed the deal. My book would have been available sooner if I had moved into independent publishing sooner

         

17.                        What saying or mantra do you live by?

 

This too shall pass.