Monday, August 4, 2014

Dawn Crandall Interview

The Hesitant Heiress is your debut novel. Tell us about your publishing journey.  "Actually, I never wrote a thing until January of 2010. I'd been thinking up my plot and figuring out what kinds of scenes I wanted, but I could not decide whether to write the story in first person POV or third person. I'd heard it was difficult to write first person well—and that kept me from doing it, although it was always how the words seemed to come to mind. Finally, I decided I just needed to do it--and because I was ultimately writing it for myself more than anyone else--I just dove into writing it from first person, because that was how it needed to be told. However, about a year later I was stuck on trying to figure out exactly how to get to the ending I had planned! Considering I'd basically figured out how to write a book from studying how my favorite books were constructed, I realized I needed to find a critique partner and join some kind of writing organization. So I joined ACFW, met my beloved friend/crit-partner Susan Tuttle, figured out my ending and went to the 2011 conference (upon my husband's urging). I met with two agents there, had two partial proposal requests... and then a month later, I had two agent contracts in my email box! Pretty crazy for not even knowing what a proposal was until after they'd been requested. After I chose my wonderful agent, Joyce Hart, I still had to finish revising the ending of my book! So my one and only proposal went out into the hands of editors during the summer of 2012... and then I waited, and waited and waited. Basically two years to the day that I'd been offered my agent contract, I received official word that Whitaker House wanted to publish my series (which I'd been working on finishing while waiting), first as eBooks, and then later, hopefully as paperbacks. 

Are you a plotter or a pantser when it comes to writing? I do outline pretty extensively concerning chapters, character development, motivations and goals and especially the ending, but there are ALWAYS surprises along the way!! Sometimes I'm totally surprised by some of the things the characters end up doing!!  

How do you find time to write with a newborn baby? Um, before I got pregnant last year I used to start writing at 8-10am on my writing days, and I would get lost in my story world until my husband came home, most times forgetting to even eat lunch. On those days, I could sit there for up to ten hours, a few days a week. I'm not a very fast writer because it takes so long for me to get back into the story after days away—I would usually pre-write, write and edit one chapter per week... My baby is only a few months old right now, so I'm still trying to figure out how exactly I'm going to keep writing as efficiently as I had before I was pregnant. Prayers appreciated!!! 

When is your next book due out and what can you tell us about it? The second book in the series, The Bound Heart, comes out this November. It's about one of the minor characters, Meredyth Summercourt as she deals with her own issues a few months after the first book concludes. The prologue to this second book is previewed at the end of The Hesitant Heiress. 
 (www.goodreads.com/book/show/21490844-the-bound-heart). 

Comment below for a chance at weekly and grand prizes!

 Where can readers find out more about you and your writing?
 twitter - @dawnwritesfirst



22 comments:

  1. Just released a couple of days ago and already highly rated and recommended! Congrats, Dawn!

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    1. Thanks for stopping, Bree! I'm glad you looked at the reviews! I wondered if anyone payed any attention to them! :) I hope you enjoy The Hesitant Heiress when you have a chance to read it! :D

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    2. Bree, thanks for stopping by Love Colored Glasses. Pleasure to have you hear supporting Dawn.:)

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  2. A wonderful read! Loved this book...looking forward to the next one! Ewe_r_merritt(at)yahoo.com. I hope you figure out a schedule that works well for you! Best wishes!

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    1. Thanks for stopping!! I'm still working on it! It's really quite over-whelming when I think about everything I need to do! Having ADD is not fun when there are a million things to do!!!

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    2. R Merr:) Thanks for visiting Love Colored Glasses and showing some support for Dawn:)

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  3. So interesting to read how your writing developed. I look forward to reading your books!

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  4. I enjoy reading books set in England in this time period. I am looking forward to reading this one and always am glad to hear of new authors getting published!

    nina4sm/at/gmail/dot/com

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    1. Oh, I just realized that this book is set in Boston not England. I still would like to read it though! :)

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    2. Thanks for stopping, Sylvia! I hope you enjoy The Hesitant Heiress when you have a chance to read it! :D It's set in The Gilded Age of New England--late Victorian 1800s. :)

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    3. Glad you stopped by Love Colored Glasses:)

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  5. Thanks for sharing the interview! I'm looking forward to reading the book, and it's nice to know there will be more coming too :)

    colorvibrant at gmail dot com

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    1. Thanks for stopping and entering the contests, Heidi! Yes, I was shocked when Whitaker House said they wanted to release them all three months apart! But I had them all mostly finished (although I'm still working on the third) when I was offered the book contract. And I had my first baby in March! It's a crazy year for sure--but I'm glad readers won't have to wait 6-9 months between books! :D

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    2. Heidi, it was nice having you visit Love Colored Glasses. Thanks for stopping by:)

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  6. Thanks for sharing, I always wonder how authors can be a wife and mommy and still find time to write.

    Thanks for the giveaway
    Blessings

    Janella

    arieljo12 (at) hotmail (dot) com

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    1. Hi Janella! Yes, I'm still wondering that myself! It's too crazy. Especially when I have ADD and can really only think about one thing at a time! Before the baby came along, it was super easy to get lost in my story world... now I'm like, "What was going on the last time I sat down to look at this??? I don't remember!!" I'm going to take a weekend away though--that should help me wrap up all my loose ends for book 3. :) Thanks for stopping and entering the contests! :D

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    2. Janella, so nice to have you stop by Love Colored Glasses!

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  7. These covers are gorgeous & I get so excited about first person narration - thank you for the chance to win!

    Beth
    bharbin07[at]gmail[dot]com

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    1. Thanks for stopping by again, Beth! :D

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    2. I agree, Beth, the covers are stunning. So glad you stopped by Love Colored Glasses!

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  8. "Sometimes I'm totally surprised by some of the things the characters end up doing!!" That would be my question you have answered! If your characters take off with you madly typing to keep up with them! Thank you for these interviews. So interesting into your writing. How did you pick the name Amaryllis? That is what first drew me to your novel. Thank you. Kathleen ~ Lane Hill House lanehillhouse[at]centurylink[dot]net

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  9. I was actually working in the admissions office at Taylor University about 16 years ago, stuffing envelopes for prospective students--and there was Amaryllis Something-or-other from--from Chillicothe, I believe---and I just knew that was her name.... the heroine I would someday write a book about. :)

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