Tess Quinn

This week on Writers on Writing, we have author Kathy Coddington! Let’s see what Kathy has to say about her writing life.



What is your brainstorming process for a new book?



Initially most of my planning starts in my head. After a few days of mulling over the story concept and characters, I grab a notepad and start jotting things down. I make a page of possible names, other pages for character sketches, and plot ideas. I set up a 3-ring binder for each of my books, as well as a file on my computer. The note book is reserved for my research—maps, setting information and photographs, a collage of my characters, clothing, architecture, mores and manners of the time if it’s a historical. I keep a list of characters and a working synopsis on the computer. For my current work in progress, a futuristic novel, I also have a page of all the alien cities, planets, flora and fauna I’ve developed for my world. While I’m doing all of this, I’m also brainstorming with my critique partners, and just about anyone else who will listen. If the timing is right, I attend my local chapter’s writer’s retreat or annual plot party to help me fill in any holes or find ways to strengthen motivation and conflict. It’s pretty much an ongoing process. Even with all this preparation I try to remain flexible. Everything is open to change.



Can you explain your typical work week day?



I try to write each day. That doesn’t always happen, but I try to keep to my schedule whenever I can. I keep a calendar on my desk and jot down the times I wrote everyday and what I worked on—new scene, revision of older scene, number of pages, etc. Usually I do my email and promotion stuff (like answering questions for this interview) in the morning, along with any revisions I’m working on. I spend two hours each afternoon working on my current book. Now I’ve added a blog to the mix. I work on that in short spurts once I decide what to write. At the moment I’m also working on an article on motifs in Victorian jewelry for a Civil War magazine and have just completed the first issue of my new newsletter which I’m planning to coincide with the release of my third book, Threads of Love, which is coming out in print in October.



Tell us about when you made the decision to write.



Like many authors, I’ve been writing on and off since I was in elementary school. I still have the notebooks with some of my poetry, plays, short stories and the opening of my first novel. Marriage, a child and working full time as a school librarian side-tracked me for many years. I’d like to say that I experienced some deep meaningful epiphany that finally spurred me into action. Actually, my first book was done as a lark. One summer day about 15 years ago, after reading a romance that had been given to me by a friend who worked with the author I announced that I could do as well. As a voracious reader and middle school librarian I knew about books, so I reasoned how hard could it be to write a romance and get it published? The next day, fortified with a few glasses of wine and with input from several good friends as we floated around my pool, the outline of my book took shape.



What suggestions do you have for aspiring writers?



I teach a novel writing course at our local community college. The one thing I always try to impress on my students is persistence. Keep plugging away. Never give up. Attend conferences, read and write everyday, continue to learn the craft and the business. There are many talented authors out there most of them far more talented than I am, but I succeeded because I persisted where as most of them threw up their hands after the first rejection or the realization that becoming a serious writer is hard work. Writing takes time so something else has to give. If you’re not willing to make the sacrifices, then a writing career probably isn’t for you.



Tell us about what you’re working on right now and what we can expect from you in the near future.



As I write this I just finished the first draft of my erotic futuristic romance, Palace of Dreams. It’s set in a dream palace in Gemmax City on Cereus Prime, a planet renowned for its pleasure domes. Inari Rau, my main character is about to retire after 27 years as the most sought after guide at the Celestial Crystal. She is looking forward to retiring to a house by the sea and to embarking on her new career as a dream designer for other dream domes. Her replacement, thirty year old Kastel Fane’s first task is to give Inari a special dream on her last night. Both of them discover that dreams aren’t nearly as satisfying as reality. Their lives are complicated when their ability to link without the usual means, leads to the possibility of forced psi testing. This is my first attempt at writing erotic romance. Being a Cerridwen Press author (the mainstream line for JasmineJade) I’ve met many authors who write for the Elloras Cave line and read their books. When my dream palace story popped into my head, I realized it was perfect for that line, so decided to give it a try. Fortunately I have an experienced erotic romance author in my critique group to guide me.



Great answers, Kathy! Can’t wait to read more! For those of you who want to read more about Kathleen Coddington’s books, check out her website and blog below. Stay tuned until next week’s Writers on Writing!

Kathleen Coddington writes paranormal and historical romance for Cerridwen Press. She is a member of the Pocono Lehigh Romance Writers and Greater Lehigh Valley Writer’s Group. She teaches a novel writing course at Northampton Area Community College. In addition to writing, she is also a Civil War Living Historian. To find out more about her please visit her website at www.kathleencoddington.com or visit her blog at www.kathleencoddington.wordpress.com

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