But my world of writing began in the 1970s with academic publications and proceeded over more than 30 years to publisher of a Texas travel magazine.

Now in retirement, I’m tackling the problems associated with ‘selling my written work’ as opposed to ‘selling my skill as a writer to an employer.’

As for ideas? I am overwhelmed with story ideas all day long — they just come out of the ozone and into the front of my brain. So, I have an antiwar historical novel series in progress [the research fun is more or less finished, the PLOTS outlined, key characters named and placed in the world, theme well documented, reams of text drafted, a daily work plan in place, and all the electronic tools I could possibly need pearched on my desk].

So, friends, by the end of the year, if the Gods are good and the creek don’t rise, I will have a good draft flying out of the printer. Of course, here in Texas,creeks rise all the time, fires sweep away houses, tornados tear up trees, and nevertheless God is almost always good to us.

I find ideas everywhere. A lot of times an idea for the backbone of a story will come from a question or concern I have about the world and build from there. For example, my most recently finished story includes (aside from the romance aspect) a battle between the supernatural creatures who want to eliminate humans in order to save the world, and those who want to protect humans, even if it means their own destruction. There is a debate in the story regarding whether or not it is just to eliminate everything, both the good and the bad, to end atrocities and suffering. This is me processing what I see on the news every day, and that age old question of the worth of mankind, when all we seem to do is murder and destroy.

I also dream scenes, which give me ideas for stories. I’ve written three novels that were in some part due to dreams.

My current WIP revolves around a disabled woman and her vampire lover- a mash-up of my love of the supernatural and my experiences working in the medical profession. I love to try on other perspectives in my writing- like that of an unusual heroine, or a kind villain- maybe because I spend my working life trying to put myself in my clients’ shoes.

In the late 70s and 80s I wrote ten unpublished (unpublishable!) novels over about fifteen years, probably a million words, until someone quietly suggested I might save myself some angst and try my hand at short stories… and improve the time in which I received a little feedback.

About a year later an editor at a publishing company invited me in to her office and showed me two piles of manuscripts on her desk, one very high, one very low.

“Veny, this big pile contains all your short stories that don’t work. This very tiny pile contains the ones that do work. Take them home, read them, then come back next week and tell me what’s the main difference between the two.”

Two years later, first book published by her, a collection of short stories… now twenty years further on, with nine novels published and two more on the way, a number of awards and a bit of a reputation, I’ve never been able to thank her enough.

All the best,

Veny