Today, we have Linda Rondeau visiting The Authors Blog. She started writing after retiring, but is turning out a number of well-received books. 

Jim:  When did you know you wanted to be a writer, and when did you actually start writing?

Linda:  Like most writers, I was born with a yen to create stories. As an elementary student, I told stories to the younger children on the school bus. When I babysat, I entertained the children through my invented stories. In college, my English professor encouraged me to be a writer. I wanted to major in creative writing, but received a lot of negative advice that I should major in regular English. I did major in English and taught for one year before life knocked me off my feet, leaving me a single mom with little support. I left education and took a job as a social worker because at the time, it paid better. Remarried, life took on the bustle of raising a family and like most moms, I put my dreams aside until my children were grown. The call came loud and clear on June 21, 2000. I retired soon after that and devoted myself to writing. But it would be years before significant fruit would be seen.

Jim:  And when and how did you get your first book published?

Linda:  I was fortunate enough to obtain an agent very early in my writing career. She told me I write so far out of the box I’m in the other room. She was patient with me, believing in me that my efforts would pay off, reminding me that it sometimes takes years. I attended workshops and studied the craft, publishing in shorter works and winning a few contests along the way. It seemed the Christian Market just didn’t want me. My rejections often said, great writing but this does not “fit”. I did try to write according to genre protocols, but it just wasn’t me and my writing did not ring true. Then on June 21, 2011 I received the call for a contract with Harborlight for my working title, Dawn’s Hope. The publisher changed the title to The Other Side of Darkness, taken from a line in the book. Later, I realized that line was a line I’d written in a poem I wrote the day God called me to write.

Jim:  Your latest book is It Really Is a Wonderful Life.  Tell us a little about it.

Linda:  This book was actually my third novel and originally was written as women’s fiction, and was titled Tomorrow Will Find Me. It tells the story of an Iraq War widow who relocates to a small Adirondack town where her parents had retired a few years before. To fit into this new community, Dorie, my heroine, joins a community theater group in production for the play, It’s a Wonderful Life. After several revisions, my agent suggested I rewrite it as a Christmas Story and give it a new title to reflect the season. In some respects the book is autobiographical. New to my small town of Malone, New York, I joined a theater group. I met my husband, a Boy Scout leader, doing the play.

Jim:  You seem to be getting a number of books out in a short time.  What is your writing schedule like?

Linda:  Since diagnosed with Cancer in July of this year, life has been a whirlwind of treatments and doctor visits. I am grateful for a great prognosis and look forward to renewed vigor. However, during the interim, I have suffered from foggy mental abilities referred to as “chemo brain” that has seriously impacted the ability to concentrate or create. This I know will dissipate. I have been drawing from my backlist of books that have waited to see daylight. I have continually revised these books as I learned the craft and most are near ready for publication, requiring only minor revision at this time.  I never developed a “schedule” of writing in that sense of the word because from the time I started writing professionally, my life has been in constant metamorphosis.  But I do set weekly and daily goals to include blogs, marketing, web updates, and writing. Often, I’m working on several projects at one time.

Jim:  You have an interesting plot for America the Second.  Tell us a little about it.

Linda:  America the Second is a futuristic political thriller set in the year of 2073. Since its founding, the global government has lost its vision of a democratic society and has gradually turned oppressive. Factions have risen that believe reform is needed. Some favor change within the existing system. Some desire seceding from the government, while others plot for military take over. Meanwhile, the elected president is poised to become the world government’s first dictator.

Jim:  Recently you’ve published on Kindle three short works that form a prequel to your summer release, America the Second.  First, why did you choose to publish in this fashion, that is, in three short works instead of one longer work?  Even put together, the three are not very long.

Linda:  This series was suggested by my publisher. It is sort of like the old serial concept in Flash Gordon, Buck Rodgers, and television’s Batman, where the hero is left in a precarious situation to be resolved in the next episode. Seven to ten volumes are planned. The publisher then wants to compile these into a novel. I’m not certain the readership in general prefers the “cliffhanger” format. However, shorter volumes have become very popular.

Jim:  Your 2011 book, Other Side of Darkness, was winner of the 2012 Selah Award for Best Debut Novel.  I believe this is administered by the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference.  Congratulations.  Tell us when you found out you’d won and how you reacted.

Linda:  You are correct that this contest is administered by the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, but is an industry–wide contest, not necessarily limited to conference attendees. I did happen to attend the conference. The results were announced at the annual awards banquet. When the coordinator asked me earlier how to spell my last name, I wondered if I might have placed. Still, when my name was announced as winner for best new novel, I was still stunned at God’s goodness. This was the eve of my 65^th birthday. I told the audience, “You’re never too old to realize your dreams.” This was the inspiration behind my ministering to senior writers.

Jim:  Tell us a bit about Other Side of Darkness.

Linda:  As a thirty year veteran of human services, I wanted to write a book of overcoming the effects of child abuse and life’s traumatic events. In this book, a promising prosecutor working within New York City’s special victims unit, has recently put away a child killer, the case consuming her life for the past three years. Her boss insists she take a vacation. She reluctantly accepts the paid trip to Stowe Mountain in Vermont, but becomes stranded in a small town when she runs into a moose and totals her car. Through a series of obstacles, life continues to trap Samantha Knowles in the rustic town. The child killer escapes and is vowing revenge for her relentless pursuit against him.

Jim:  Tell us about the Geezer Guys and Gals.

Linda:  In June, I launched a multi-author blog called Geezer Guys and Gals, written by and for seniors. I started with a group of eight authors that has grown now to a field of more than sixty. I am blown away by the quality of writing and the stories these writers have to share. Many are humorous and some take the reader down memory lane. The popularity is growing and many younger readers enjoy the blog as well.

With the success of this blog, I was inspired to start a Linked In group called Geezer Writers. This is international.

Jim:  Your latest release is a devotional book, I Prayed for Patience/God Gave Me Children. Tell us about this.

Linda:  This is a short non-fiction book, somewhere between a self-help and devotional book. Humorous, it is more than a parenting book. Through vignettes, cartoons, quips, and quotes, it demonstrates how the parenting experience mirrors our relationship as God’s child.

Jim:   If you had only two minutes to give a new writer some advice, what would it be?

Linda:  In this technological age, anyone can self-publish a book. However, I would encourage new writers not to be in a hurry to do so. Like a good stew, let your work simmer and improve before you rush to get that book in print. I’m glad my first few works did not publish. I am a much better writer now than I was at the beginning.

Jim:  Thank you, Linda, for sharing your story with us.  Readers, you can find more about Linda Rondeau and her books at her website:   http://www.lindarondeau.com

Or by visiting Amazon at:  http://amzn.to/WrWDO0

And leave her a brief comment.  She’d appreciate it.  So would I.