Where were you when you heard you had won the Lesfic Bard Award? I got on Facebook, in the wee hours of the morning, because I knew the award winners were going to be announced and wanted to see who won.
What was your reaction? I was very happy and extremely gratified to be honored with the award.
Where were you born? San Antonio, Texas
Where did you grow up? In San Antonio mostly, but spent my summers in Marble Falls where my mother’s family was from.
Do you have any siblings? I had two brothers and one sister, but only have a brother that is still living.
What were your parent’s professions? Both my parents were in Accounting, and that was also my primary profession until I retired and started writing.
Why do you write? Because I have stories to tell that I hope will touch people’s lives.
What do you think makes good writing? Authenticity
How do you choose the names for your characters? I sometimes choose them based on their cultural background or the popularity of the name during the year they were born. And sometimes the characters choose their own names and tell me.
What is the first piece you ever wrote? The first creative things I ever wrote were poems.
When you are writing each novel. Are the experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life? Yes, to both. I draw from my own experiences and those shared with me by others. I’ve also find inspiration in cultures that I research.
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book? No. The book took on a life of its own from the very beginning, and the characters shared their story and emotions with me.
What is the hardest part of writing a book? Not to push myself if the story isn’t unfolding in a way that is satisfying to me or finding the words that encompasses what I want to write.
What is the easiest part of writing a book? Coming up with the basic story for the book.
Who do you have fans compare you to (other authors)? I don’t know if my fans compare me to anyone because I am very much a niche genre author.
What are you working on now? I’m actually, working on two books. The third book in the Mystic Meteor series is the one that is the furthest along at this time. The other is a time travel book that I have outlined and partially written, but it is research intensive and would require more focus than I can give it now.
How do you keep your different characters separate in your mind? By the time I start to write my stories my characters already have well established personalities and backgrounds. They are real people in my head and they speak their minds to me so it is easy to keep them separate.
Do you write full-time or part-time? I write as the spirit moves me. So at times it is full tilt and other times just a few hundred words or not at all.
Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured? I am a morning person. So, I have a little coffee while interacting on Facebook, which gives my brain time to come online before I start my writing day.
Do you write every day, 5 days a week or as and when? Again, I write as the spirit moves me. Sometimes if the story is flowing well, I don’t notice the days flying by.
Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages per day? I do set a goal of 500 words a day on Scrivener. But I don’t get upset if I don’t meet that. There are times when I exceed those goals as well.
Do you write on a typewriter, computer, dictate or longhand? I’ve written all my books on small 13” laptops while sitting on my couch. lol
Have you written any other novels in collaboration with other writers? No I haven’t had the pleasure of doing that yet.
Where do your ideas come from? Very simply they come from my overactive imagination.
Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you? All three.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Astronaut
What genres do you normally write in? Romance blended with a mystical twist.
What genres do you typically read? Fantasy and Science Fiction
Is there a genre you haven’t written in that one day you’d like to tackle? I plan to write a Historical Time Travel book that will also have something of a mystical twist to it.
Are there any authors who have influenced your work? Fletcher DeLancey and Caren Werlinger, because they are both superb storytellers.
What was the first book you ever published? Lost & Found
What was the craziest thing you’ve ever done when it came to a storyline in your book? It depends on how you define crazy. But I don’t think I’ve gone down that road with my stories.
Do you have any specific things (or rituals) that help you to write or that inspire you? Not really. I just wait for the inspiration to hit me and spill out onto the page.
Do you recall how your interest in writing originated? After I retired, I spent almost every waking hour reading, and started thinking up stories in my head. One idea really stuck and fired my imagination. I began writing it down just to see if I could craft a story as good as the ones I was reading.
Tell us about your new release. Evermore was really close to my heart because of some of the issues I see in the world today.
What kind of heroine is in your current book? The heroines of my current book Evermore, are the spirits that bring the characters together.
Is there someone famous she resembled when you wrote her? Or is she based off someone you personally know? No, the spirits in both my books and my belief in soulmates come from my spirituality.
What are your favorite character traits that you cannot resist? All my characters are strong, resilient women who are at the same time compassionate and loving.
What part of the female physique captures your attention? Eyes. They truly are the windows of the soul.
As an author and essentially the “creator” of your character, do you find yourself attached to her/him in a personal way? I’m attached in a personal way to all my characters. But I think the question is geared more toward a romantic nature. So yes, I do find the emotional connection of my characters to be quite stimulating.
Tell us what kind of heroines you prefer to write about. Ones that overcome adversity.
Out of all your books, do you have a favorite? They are like children so no I don’t have a favorite.
What is your biggest distraction when you write? When I am really focused on my writing nothing distracts me.
What are your major sources for research? Do you use books or google? Even movies? Everything is a resource for me but mostly online search engines take me to sites that will answer most of my questions.
Which grammar rule is your favorite to break? Which one do you never break? Comma placement is my nemesis and using passive voice at times. I rarely write fragmented sentences, and I’m very careful with pronouns.
If you could do a DREAM job (other than writing) what would it be and why? Have you used it in any of your stories? I would love to learn to be a computer programmer and create games like Raven did in Evermore.
What kind of jobs have you have in the ‘real’ world? Food service, Navy Electronics Technician, Accounting and Business Management.
If you could rewrite a CLASSIC novel as a lesbian fiction novel, which would you choose and why? Bid Time Return––a 1975 science fiction novel by Richard Matheson. It was made into a movie Somewhere in Time as well. I love the concept of two soulmates being kept apart by no living at the same time. I’m currently working on a story time travel story that will use that concept.
Some quickies (pardon the pun—pick twelve):
Satin or Lace? Both
Hot or Cold? Cold
Camera or Canvas? Canvas
Denim or Leather? Denim
Talking or Texting? Talking
Irish or Italian? Irish
Thunder or Lightning? Both
The sound of a heartbeat or a crackling fire? Heartbeat
Holding hands or Holding her attention? Holding her attention
Crayons or Paint? Paints
Mountains or Beach? Mountains
Rain or Sunshine? Rain
Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members that ‘surprised’ you? Other Lesfic authors have been a tremendous help. They’ve encouraged me to keep writing as served as beta readers for my books
If you could meet anyone famous, PAST or PRESENT who would it be, and why? I would love to meet Katherine Hepburn. I think she was phenomenal in every respect and I would love to ask her if she was gay or bi.
What were you like at school? A jock so I hung out with teammates.
Were you good at English? Not especially I was good at mathematics. lol
What are your ambitions for your writing career? To continue to improve my writing and tell stories that readers will enjoy.
If you could have anyone play the main character of one of your books, any actress/actor, who would you choose and why? When I was writing Lost & Found I used Megan Fox as my model for the character Selina. She’s mixed race with some Native American in her background and her blue eyes were the clincher.
How long on average does it take you to write a book? At least a year and then another six months for beta readings and editing.
Do you ever get writer’s block? Not really writer’s block, but there are times when the characters stop speaking to me.
Any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block? Spend time exploring new stories or working on another WIP will be enough to jump start the process again.
How do you think you’ve evolved creatively? I think I gained confidence after I wrote Lost & Found and it was well received. That helped me relax into my writing more which made the way I told the story flow better.
Do you read much and if so who are your favorite authors? I do read as much as possible, but when I’m writing I mostly reread favorite books so that I don’t get distracted. As to favorite authors I can’t answer that because there are so many I enjoy.
For your own reading, do you prefer eBooks or traditional paper/hard back books? Ebooks because my eyes get so tired by the evening and I set the print to the largest setting.
Do you proofread/edit all your own books or do you get someone to do that for you? I hire an editor, and I have some very good people that will proofread them for me after the editing phase.
Do you let the book stew – leave it for a month and then come back to it to edit? No I didn’t because I was trying to get it published before the GCLS Conference so that I could take print books with me for anyone that might want an autographed one.
Tell us about the cover’s and how it they came about. I have a very talented cover designer May Dawney. She did my first cover for the Mystic Meteor series and used some of the same elements for Evermore with the spectral Raven. As far as the rest of the design she asked for an overview of the story and brought all those elements together.
Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process? Absolutely. If the cover is eye catching a reader is more likely to stop and read the synopsis or download a sample.
How do you market your books? Facebook groups mostly. I also advertised the release in a few of the Lesfic marketing sites like the Lesbian Review and I Heart Lesfic.
Why did you choose this route? They are both sites that promote Lesfic books and make it easy for readers to find something to read.
What part of your writing time do you devote to marketing your book? Not a lot. Mostly just post in Facebook groups.
What do you do to get book reviews? I have done give-a-ways and always ask if they enjoy the books to leave a review. That only works about 10% of the time from what I can tell.
How successful has your quest for reviews been so far? Not as many written reviews as I would like but at least I get rating in Amazon so it makes the books more visible.
What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews? I try to learn from both what the readers like and what they didn’t, then just try and keep improving.
What’s your views on social media for marketing? I think using Facebook groups are good for marketing as long as you don’t overshare because that tends to tick off the readers.
Did you get interviewed by local press/radio for your book launch? No
Is there any marketing technique you used that had an immediate impact on your sales figures? Well not a marketing technique, but when The Lesbian Review showcased Evermore, I noticed an uptick in both it and Lost & Found. That got both books some really good publicity.
Did you make any marketing mistakes or is there anything you would avoid in future? Not that I know of.
Do you think that giving books away free works and why? I’ve done several book give-a-ways, but I really don’t think that it garnered reviews or made the books standout more.
Did you format your own book? Yes, I use the Vellum software for that and love it.
In what formats is your book available? Both ebook and print.
How do you relax? Read and listen to music.
What is your favorite positive saying? This too shall pass.
What is your favorite book and why? I have more than one and for different reasons.
What is your favorite quote? Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get – only with what you are expecting to give – which is everything. Katharine Hepburn
Where can you see yourself in 5 years time? I will be living the best life possible with my partner and traveling. Hopefully I’ll still be writing books that will lift people up and look for the positive in life.
What is your favorite movie and why? Fried Green Tomatoes because of Idgie Threadgood and I love Tawanda.
What advice would you give to your younger self? Figure out sooner who and what you are, then go for it.
If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why? The Chronicles of Alsea by Fletcher DeLancey because I would love to be that good an author.
‘Borrowed’ permanently from James Lipton on The Actor’s Studio:
What is your favorite word? Türklingel (doorbell in German)
What is your least favorite word? Cunt
What turns you on? Tenderness
What turns you off? Intolerance
What sound or noise do you love? Thunderstorms
What sound or noise do you hate? Screeching sounds
What is your favorite curse word? Shit
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Computer programming
What profession would you not like to do? Sales and marketing
If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? You did good.
If you had to use THREE words to DESCRIBE yourself and you were looking from the outside, how would you describe yourself? Loving, compassionate, and joyful.
If you could have one and only one super-power, what would it be and why? Seer. If I could tell the future I could play the big lotto jackpots and become rich enough to spread that wealth out to those who really need it.
Have you ever Googled yourself? If you did, what did you find out about yourself? I do for time to time just to see what new things might have been added.
Pen name vs no pen name? What was your rationale? I decided to use a pen name because at the time I wrote my first book I wasn’t out yet with any in my family. But it also adds a layer of protection against those pesky copy cats on Facebook cloning accounts.
Besides writing THE END, how do you KNOW a story is over and you should conclude it? It depends on if you are writing a one-off book. Even though Evermore can be read as a standalone it really is the continuing story of Lily (the lead spirit) bringing new couples together with the power of fate and the mystic meteor.
What do you think of the ‘explosion’ of available titles for the Lesbian Fiction Reader that have come onto the market vs say 5-10-20 years ago? Is this a good thing or bad? It’s great but harder for an author to get noticed at first.
Are you a quiet person or verbose in person? Depends on the situation. Quiet at first until I get to know someone then I get chatty.
If you were stuck on an island with only three books, which three would you like them to be? The Stand by Stephen King, The Chronicles of Alsea by Fletcher DeLancey, and the Anne of Green Gables book series by L.M. Montgomery.
If you were stuck in an elevator with three people, who would you like them to be? My lady love, our cat Lexie, and Little Debbie because she will have treats with her.
20 years from now your books are assigned to a women’s studies class. What would you want them to say about your body of work? “I really connected with the diversity of the characters in Elle Hyden’s books.”
Do you consider yourself successful at this thing called writing? What makes you think that? Yes. After several of my short stories being included in anthologies, along with two full length novels (both of which were recognized with Lesfic Bard Awards) being published, I feel I can considered myself a success at this writing thing.
Were there any teachers that stood out through school? Anyone that made it bearable and that you remember fondly? Yes, my 4th Grade teacher Mrs. Orson who taught me to love reading which opened my mind the world around me. Also, my Government teacher Mrs. VerSteeg. She made me want to use the system to make things better for all. Too bad politics don’t work that way.
If you had a time machine, would you go forward or back in time and why? I wouldn’t go backward or forward. I am very happy with the way my life is now.
Do you believe in astrological signs and what they mean? Do you think you follow your own and are stereotypical of what it says about your birth day/year? I think it is fascinating but not sure I believe in them. I was born on the cusp between Cancer and Leo and share traits of both. I once had a natal horoscope done and it was pretty accurate, so who knows.
What is the scariest thing you have ever attempted in your life? Writing. You really put yourself out there when you do that.
If you could make out with one character from a movie, who would it be and why? Catherine Bell from The Good Witch, because I find her oh so sexy.
Is there one scene from your book Evermore that is the most memorable? The scene where Raven is feverish and begs for love. At that point Lynn has to decide if she can open her heart and give Raven what she needs.
What is the one thing that surprised you about becoming a published author? That both books have done well in the ratings. Lost & Found made the 100 Club a few weeks ago and Evermore is close to the 50 ratings mark.
E-Book: https://bit.ly/40rDFO1
Paperback: https://bit.ly/3oyCLSJ
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