Laurie Engle

Genres: Fiction, Non-Fiction

If you could offer one piece of writing advice to a novice author, what would it be?

Writing is personal, and the creative process looks different for everyone. Don’t measure yourself against other authors. Focus on finding the tools that help you grow, and surround yourself with supportive writing partners who encourage your work rather than compete with it.

What have been some of the biggest helps for developing your writing skills?

Joining a writing group has been one of the biggest helps. Hearing directly from other writers has exposed me to resources, craft techniques, and writing tools I might not have found on my own. I also make a point to attend at least one writing conference each year, which consistently sharpens my skills and keeps me connected to the writing community.

How often do you write, and do you have a strict routine and writing plan?

I write consistently each week, and work toward a specific word-count goal. I block out dedicated days and times for writing, which gives me structure while still leaving room to stay flexible when the work takes an unexpected turn.

How do you find your ideas for a book?

Ideas are everywhere. I pay close attention to the world around me, and ideas tend to surface in everyday moments. I also draw heavily from real life and real experiences when shaping my characters and storylines.

What kind of books do you enjoy reading and how often do you read?

I read regularly. I’m drawn to nonfiction focused on personal growth and memoirs, and when it comes to fiction, I gravitate toward suspenseful stories that keep me turning the pages.

Does the idea of writing energize you or exhaust you?

Writing energizes me. It’s something I look forward to, and my writing time is often the highlight of my day.

BIOGRAPHY:

Laurie Engle is a Texas-based novelist, freelance writer, and real estate professional with roots in the Kansas heartland and a heart that beats for stories about strong women, second chances, and the secrets we carry. She grew up surrounded by fields and farmhouses and now lives in Austin, where she soaks up the Southern charm, live music, and sunshine from a picnic table under the pecan trees at her favorite brewery.

Laurie draws inspiration from the quiet clarity of being in unfamiliar places, the emotional complexity of human relationships, and the allure of moody settings. 

When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family. 

Website: laurieengle.com 

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/laurieenglewriter/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093945002498

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Hank Haliasz

Genre: Fiction

What has been your most rewarding moment as an author?

I had my latest book, Flatline – One Man’s Search for the Afterlife, turned into an audiobook by Audiobook Network and narrated by Benjamin Fife. Mr. Fife has narrated over 100 books and did an excellent job. While this audiobook production was very rewarding, it does not exceed in importance my very first book, Martian Year 500 – The Second Beginning. This was truly a “bucket list” item as I didn’t write that book until I was 77 years old. My experience with that first book got me started writing another three books and I am now working on book 5.

What kind of research goes into writing your novels and how much time does it take?

Research is almost as much fun as the writing. I am amazed at how much I learn doing the research. One of my goals in writing is to educate my readers with facts as well as entertain them with a good story, so the research is key to my credibility. I place no time limit on my research, and I only stop when I am confident that my facts are right. My last book, Flatline, had a good amount of medical information, and despite my research, I had two of my doctor review my writing to validate what I was saying.

If you could offer one piece of writing advice to a novice author, what would it be?

Have someone edit your work as you write. I self-edited my first four books, and while each book improved over the previous one, each review still uncovered additional errors. I now have help from a more professional editor on my current book and I am paying very close attention to grammar, punctuation, wording, repetitions, and factual content. It is too expensive to have several editors, and I haven’t found a publisher yet. I do plan on going all out on my current book to see if I can go beyond Amazon/KDP so my books will end up in bookstores, but it isn’t easy.

Written resources, classes or conferences, fellow writers you’ve learned from or have mentored you, other?

I have drawn upon a few more professional writers whom I’ve developed a relationship with. The most prolific writer that has helped me and even provided book-jacket recommendations is Howard Bloom, who is now on book nine or ten. I also communicated with Andy Weir, author of The Martian, as I was preparing to do a lecture series for Senior University (now Lifelong Learners TX). He was quite helpful and gave me permission to use his work as the basis for my class.

How often do you write, and do you have a strict routine and writing plan?

Unlike authors who write as a profession, I do not have a routine that I religiously follow. I only sit down at the computer after I’ve reached decisions on where my characters might go. Actually, I almost let my characters develop the story, and sometimes they box me in, so to speak, and I have to give them time to figure out where they want to go next. As an example, in Flatline, I had a chimpanzee show up early in the story, with no intention of it having more than a minor role. Foolish me! Lulu (the chimp) wound up almost taking things over, and my readers and listeners were ecstatic at how vital she became to the story. So vital, I might add, that she also has a role in my follow-up book, What Comes Next, currently in work.

Have you ever based characters on real people? Give us a couple of examples.

Definitely. I’ve used several of my own personal experiences along with those of my wife. In Flatline, the major character had prostate cancer early in the story, and as I had the same issue, my experiences were quite helpful to the storyline, both early on and later in the book. In the first two books, both about going to and living on Mars, my background in America’s military and civilian space programs were invaluable to the story lines, and as I was intent on presenting good space-related learning material for my readers, my expertise in manned space travel was very helpful.

Biography: I am a retired United States Air Force officer. Much of that 20-year career was spent in the both the military and NASA space programs. I was the Mission Director for both a National Reconnaissance Office satellite program and later the Mission Director for Air Force support the early Space Transportation System (Shuttle) flights. During my Shuttle efforts, I worked closely with Gene Kranz, the NASA Operations Manager of Apollo fame. I then joined IBM for a follow-on career as a Project Manager and retired 17 years later as an Executive Project Manager. Upon this second retirement, I opened an S-Corp and spent another 17 years traveling the country teaching Project Management to many of the country’s largest corporations. When I finally concluded that effort, I began teaching classes for Senior University in Williamson County, and finally, after an aorta valve replacement, I slowed down and began writing books.

C. C. Hawk

Richard D. Thielmann

GENRES: Fiction, poetry, and essays

What kind of research goes into writing your novels, and how much time does it take?

Obviously, the amount of research has varied for each of my eight novels, but the development of these stories, including significant research took no less than five years for each. Research alone for five of these stories lasted over three years. The research effort included travel, interviews, library time (pre-Internet), personal contacts, Internet time, and copious note taking.

What is the best piece of writing-related advice that you’ve received?

The best advice came from Elmore Leonard. It was when you feel stumped, get some words down on paper and then play with them, edit them, and rework until the string of words sounds right.

What kind of books do you enjoy reading and how often to you read?

I read every day. Currently, I am engaged in a variety of non-fiction books on a range of subjects from politics to history. I have read voraciously in the past, but I find contemporary fiction generally unappealing.

Do you have your books edited, critiqued, and or Beta-reviewed? If so, what is your usual procedure?

Each of my novels has been read and critiqued by one or more friends who are heavy-duty readers whose opinions I respect. This review is only after the manuscript has been completed. As a result of this process, I had to completely rewrite the second half of one of my stories. Critique is a must, I believe.

What made you consider writing in the first place?

I began to create stories when I was quite young, and by the sixth grade I was reading my stories in class. I always knew I wanted to write, and it became my livelihood for forty-five years.

Did your formal education or upbringing/background prepare you in any way to write?

By the time I got around to knocking out my first novel, I had spent thirty-five years as a successful commercial writer. My communications degree also gave me a solid framework for all kinds of writing, non-fiction and fiction.

AWARDS:

National Reviewers Choice First Place Award for fiction from Reader Views for my novel The Price of Redemption.
National Clio Award-Radio commercial.
Industrial Advertising Award for two-page, black & white magazine ad.

BIOGRAPHY:

A native Ohioan, I lived in the Detroit and Los Angeles areas before settling in Georgetown. I spent 45 years as a writer in the business world with assignments in advertising, sales promotion, public relations, training, and corporate communications. I graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit and began post-college career as a public relations writer for a Detroit area corporation. During my working career, I began to accumulate stories which would provide the material for my eight novels. I developed story outline notebooks, character studies, personality profiles, and potential dialog sketches. Folks ask about so-called “writer’s block,” an issue I did not have the luxury of succumbing to in the advertising business. I could not allow myself to be “blocked” when there were critical deadlines to meet. Those deadlines helped create a discipline for getting the writing done.

WEBSITE:  www.richarddthielmann.com

Richard Witte

Genres: Memoir

What has been your most rewarding moment as an author?

My most rewarding moment was when my committee chair put the final signature on my PhD dissertation, Community Development Through Industry and Education Partnerships. My wife, Jerrie Witte, typed the first draft of the dissertation proposal five years before that approval signature—on a Commodore 64 computer!

While the Commodore 64 is history, formal alliances between industry and public education are now commonplace, as I wrote about in the dissertation. Also, I got a very nice pay raise!

If you could offer one piece of writing advice to a novice author, what would it be?

This is really advice to myself as well, as I consider myself a novice writer: write every day, no excuses. Set either a minimum time or a minimum word count. I am going to set a one-hour daily minimum on my next project, which will be memoir stories of my time as a submarine sailor. This time will not be planning or outlining; this will be flow writing of the stories that are already in my mind.

What have been some of the biggest helps for developing your writing skills?

Almost twenty years ago, a friend who was a newspaper sportswriter convinced me to skip playing golf and take a memoir writing class. That class, and many other classes in memoir writing and storytelling, as well as the people who shared those classes, have become important in helping me discover what a wonderful life I’ve lived. One of the best parts of this process has been that I have convinced several other people to discover and write their stories.

Have you ever based characters on real people?

In my memoir Windmills to Submarines, all my characters were real, or at least, real to me. Hopefully the folks from my childhood would approve of my perceptions and memories of them, and their influences on me.

Some characters were a synthesis of a group of people, like typical blue-collar workers or the military veterans who went to college. A single character might have been given a name to represent a group of many important people. Sister Agnes, for example, a nun during my time in Catholic school, represents many of the valued educators from that special time.

What’s the best piece of writing advice that you’ve received?

I’ve taken advice from Stephen King and Ernest Hemmingway: Read every day! Read fiction, non-fiction, memoir. Reading is how I learn. I don’t copy the styles and content of other writers, but read to study the writing styles, characters, and genres that give me joy.

What kind of books do you enjoy reading, and how often do you read?

I read every day. I love action and adventure, how to do almost anything, and books that celebrate my life in faith and family.

For many years of my life, my personal reading needed to fit in the back pocket of my blue jeans or khaki work pants. I would re-read how Buck answered the call of the wild—in fact, I’m re-reading The Call of the Wild now! Or I would read how to refinish wood floors. I just pulled out a pocket-book and became a life-long reader.

Biography:

Richard (Dick) Witte is the author of Windmills to Submarines, a memoir of a Texas kid during WWII and during the 1950s.

Dick Witte served in submarines from the late 1950s through the 1970s. He was a sonarman and a Command Master Chief. He also served as Combat Systems Officer for Sonar for a squadron of fast attack submarines. 

After his military service, Dick joined the staff of Tidewater Community College in the Counseling Department. Dick had been awarded a college scholarship by the Navy and received his PhD from Old Dominion University. Dick served in multiple roles in higher education, including counseling, undergrad and graduate teaching, and as Dean of Students for the community college system.

Christie Wallace Noring

T.G. Gilliam

Linda A. Thornton

Genre: Non-fiction

What has been your most rewarding moment as an author?

When I wrote my first two books, which were resource guides that provided insights for tackling the highly competitive process of acceptance into Chicago high schools, families would wait in line after my presentations to ask me questions. They would tell me how much they appreciated having one source of information and how it helped their families. That made me realize that all my intensive research was important and of real value to others.

If you could offer one piece of writing advice to a novice author, what would it be?

As the famous Nike ad stated “Just do it!” Stop procrastinating, create a plan for yourself, put it in writing and share your intentions, so you’re accountable. I decided to start by blogging. It gave me the discipline and confidence I needed to go forward. My goals were to be a columnist and a journalist and little by little move up to writing for publications with larger circulations. One by one, I achieved them. Now, I have to work on my next set of goals!

What have been some of the biggest helps for developing your writing skills? Written resources, classes or conferences, fellow writers you’ve learned from or have mentored you, other?

I take a class or do research in order to learn something new. When I moved to Georgetown and joined the San Gabriel Writers’ League, a couple of members took me under their wing and gave me that little push I needed. Sometimes I’m not sure if the monthly League speakers’ topics will be of interest to me, but I have to admit I always learn something new. Having a positive attitude goes a long way in steering you towards your objectives. When I look back, it’s uncanny how opportunities just seem to have appeared out of the blue.

How often do you write, and do you have a strict routine and writing plan?

Most days I try to set some time aside. I’m either writing, researching, interviewing or reviewing stories. Before I interview someone, I consider every angle that the piece could take and always try to think of a few questions that will add something humorous or out of the ordinary to the story. I delight in the instant gratification that being a journalist gives me. I thoroughly enjoy the writing process and the time alone, just me and my musings.

What’s the best piece of writing-related advice that you’ve received?

An old friend of mine, an English professor, and my first muse, told me years ago that I had a gift for telling stories. She encouraged me to utilize that natural ability by taking the time to keep writing things down and in time I would see my talent develop. I remember, shyly, leaving her some of my writing to critique by her front door and her returning it to me, always with positive constructive comments. That really spurred me on.

What kind of books do you enjoy reading and how often do you read?

I am a very slow reader and need absolute silence in order to concentrate. I am trying to read more and have started to set aside some time every day. I find myself getting involved with one author or one genre- lately, it’s been historical fiction- and will stick with it until something else strikes my fancy. I am always in awe of the power of words and sometimes will stop to write down a phrase that just captures me.

BIOGRAPHY:

Winning the laptop that she required to start her writing career was just the sign that
Linda Thornton needed to retire early from corporate life. In her lifestyle blog,
amoxiegirl.com, she uses positive thinking and a sense of humor to inspire others to
“Use what you have to get what you want.” A wife, mother and author, Thornton is
currently a journalist for the Georgetown View and their magazine group.

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/linda_a_thornton/
Blog: https://amoxiegirl.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amoxiegirl

Janice Airhart

Genre: Nonfiction

What has been your most rewarding moment as an author?

There have been many rewarding moments! Realizing through the writing of my memoir how lucky I am to be where I am today. Feeling the peace that comes with telling my story and knowing it was as honest as I could make it. Recognizing that breaking my silence about the traumatic effects of having a mentally ill parent gives others with similarly difficult experiences permission to tell their stories. At book events, I feel honored to hear the stories they tell, because of the connections it forms between us. This is the greatest reward of writing for me.

What kind of research goes into writing your novels and how much time does it take?

I don’t write fiction (not for lack of trying!), but narrative nonfiction shares many of the same elements of fiction, including a good story arc and realistic characters and setting. There’s a misconception that a memoir writer doesn’t need to research, that she just pulls memories out of a hypothetical memory bank and spills them on paper. In fact, memoir requires a great deal of research into the life the writer has lived (photos, journals, interviews) and into the historical context of the world in which the events took place. Much of my memoir and personal essay writing depends on relevant research, which I estimate takes about twenty percent of my writing time.

If you could offer one piece of writing advice to a novice author, what would it be?

Find a good writing group. I’ve had a couple of wonderful long-time writing groups where members have encouraged me, shared my frustrations, and helped me grow as a writer. Group members expose me to a variety of perspectives and help me to think about my writing in new ways. Seeking out other writers via classes or professional writing organizations is a great way to form a group.

How often do you write, and do you have a strict routine and writing plan?

I try to write a couple of hours every weekday, but that “writing” time often includes research, revision, outlining, sorting relevant photos, etc. Between drafts, though, I take a bit of time off to clear my head so I can edit what I’ve written with fresh eyes. And sometimes life just gets complicated. I give myself permission to tend to other priorities from time to time, like family visits, household emergencies or illness. As long as I’m making good progress each week, I’m satisfied.

Do you have your books edited, critiqued, and/or beta-reviewed? If so, what is your usual procedure?

Yes, I have my work edited, critiqued, and beta reviewed. I frequently take classes that provide helpful feedback from an instructor and peer review from class members. I paid for a manuscript review for the draft of my recently published memoir while I was undergoing revision and got a lot of great suggestions for improving the structure. My publisher’s editors improved the manuscript even more. Writing groups, both in person and virtual, have been instrumental as well. Before asking for feedback, though, I like to know that the reviewer appreciates the category of writing I do and understands what I hope to communicate.  

What genres appeal most to you as a writer?

Most of my life, I’ve read fiction—in particular, mystery and literary fiction. A few years ago, I got an excellent piece of advice from a memoir writing instructor: “If you’re going to write memoir, you need to read memoir.” I’d read some, but then I made a point of reading a wide variety of memoirs by people I would’ve otherwise known nothing about. I was delighted to learn so much about different cultures and perspectives. It has been tremendously enriching. I also read a good bit of nonfiction in researching what I write, but I still enjoy a good murder mystery in between serious reads!

AWARDS:

My memoir, Mother of My Invention: A Motherless Daughter Memoir, won the 2021 Minerva Rising Memoir Contest.

BIOGRAPHY:

Janice Airhart has been a medical technologist, biomedical research tech, freelance writer and editor, science teacher to pregnant teens, bioscience program representative and adjunct English professor. An avid volunteer, Airhart coordinates a literacy program and reads with elementary children at an underperforming school, works with community nonprofits such as Jail to Jobs for youthful offenders, and participates in programs presented by the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Her essays and articles have appeared in The Sun, The Science Teacher, Lutheran Woman Today, Concho River Review, Story Circle Network’s Real Women Write 2019 and 2021 anthologies, and One Woman’s Day blog. Airhart is currently working on a memoir about her years teaching science to teen moms.

WEBSITE: https://janiceairhart.com/

SOCIAL MEDIA:
https://www.facebook.com/jlairhart
https://www.instagram.com/jlairhart

R.G. Allen

Name: Bob Allen
Genre: Christian non-fiction

What has been your most rewarding moment as an author?

I write Christian literature. My first book was about Biblical scripture. One of my fellow church members approached me after having read my first book. He had tears in his eyes and said that this book was exactly what he had been seeking for many years. He said it changed his life. That made all the work worth it.

What have been some of the biggest helps for developing your writing skills? Written resources, classes or conferences, fellow writers you’ve learned from or have mentored you, other?

A number of years ago, I was in a writer’s group at my church. We had about 35 or 40 authors in that group. We would be given writing assignments to complete between meetings. At the meetings, we would break into small groups, read our work and receive critiques about style, etc. That was a valuable experience for me. Later we published an anthology of stories by the authors.

What’s the best piece of writing-related advice that you’ve received?

Know pretty much where you are going before you start. Otherwise, your story/work will have gaps and won’t present a smooth flow. This applies both to fiction and to non-fiction.

How do you find your ideas for a book?

Since my books are Christian non-fiction, ideas have come from Bible Studies, both in groups and on my own. The themes of my books answer questions that many people have about what Scripture means and how to use it.

What kind of books do you enjoy reading and how often do you read?

I don’t read as much as I used to, but when I do, I like to read a novel or something light. This gives me a break from the non-fiction world.

Do you have your books edited, critiqued, and/or beta-reviewed? If so, what is your usual procedure?

My books were published by companies that do all the editing, proofreading, etc. There was no critique or beta review.

BIOGRAPHY: Bob Allen, writing as RG Allen, lives with his wife Barbara in Sun City, Texas. Bob started writing short stories a number of years ago and had several of them published online. He also put out a book about his motorcycle adventures from the 1970’s. His main focus in the last few years has been the church he and Barbara attend in Austin. They have both been very active, working on mission projects as well as singing in the choir. In Sun City, Bob enjoys golf several times a week as well as a number of the many other activities available.

Website: www.rgallenauthor.com

Facebook: rgallenauthor

Instagram: @rgallenauthor

Twitter: @rgallenauthor