Melinda's Writing Pages: Pen to Paper

I am so happy today to have Carol Ann Didier here on my blog.  Her books are wonderful.  So, Carol lets get started:

1. Tell us something about you and your books

I'm a late bloomer.  I retired from a career in the secretarial/business administration field in 2005, and had never planned on becoming a writer. I never took journalism in school, or special writing classes but I have always been an avid reader. I loved anything that had to do with our American expansion of the west and particularly about our Native Americans, and had always felt our government did not do right by them as they were here first.. I used to say when people would ask me about my interest in Native Americans, that at 12 years old I fell in love with a dead Jewish actor who played a dead Indian. Jeff Chandler captured my young, and imaginative, heart in the movie BROKEN ARROW. After that every term paper and book report I did was on the west. When I grew up, I had the pleasure of visiting some of the places I had written about because I had a friend who was a missionary to the Apaches and Navajos, and I spent many summer vacations with her on the reservation. So, naturally, when I did decide to write, I knew the subject matter would be about the taboo love between a Native American Indian and a white woman as the underlying love story, but it would also contain the historical events happening at that time, the culture and belief of the tribe I wrote about, and the prejudices of that day concerning such a mixed relationship.

2. Are there any new authors who have grasped your attention?

I'm looking forward to reading more your books. But I'm still partial to Karen Kay, Lucia St. Clair Robson, Constance O'Banyon and a few more. I have to think some more on this because I dont think I've picked up many new authors who write in this particular field.

3. Do you have any advice for other writers?

Read. Read. Read. Especially in the genre you hope to write in. See what is being sold in the market place. . .research the publishing houses to see what they are looking for.

4. What's your latest book about?

A Navajo Holy Man who loses his young wife while performing a healing sing for her and is devastated when he cannot save her. Forever haunted by his failure, he determines he will never lose another patient. He plans to devote himself entirely to his tribe and his twins and become the best Holy Man they have ever had. He vows never to love that deeply again either, until he meets the gentle white preachers daughter, and his vow flies away on her lilting laughter and sweet smile. The white girl is captivated by the Holy Man's devotion to his tribe but she has been born with a crippled foot. That turns inward and feels that someone as perfect as he, will never look at someone as imperfect as she. However, when they are thrown tog ether during The Long Walk, they find themselves in need of each other if they are going to survive and have a normal life again.

5. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

Well, my APACHE WARRIOR book came out of my love for Cochise in the movie. I knew I would write a story about Apaches, and I guess you could call that the book of my heart. My next tribe was Navajo because I had met so many of them over the years and respected them as a people. While I was doing some background study on them and discovered the tragic period in their history known as the Long Walk (if you aren't familiar with that piece of history, you'll have to get my book) I knew I had to include that in any story I did about them. I can't tell you exactly what triggers it, I may hear of an incident that happened to a particular tribe, or a scene in a movie or something I've read will trigger a new idea. I'm not one that can sit in front of a blank computer screen and start writing. It comes to me, then I go write it down in long hand, then I take it to the computer. I have bits of conversations, a scene, a quote from something or somebody, and then I put them in a new folder entitled whatever he new work is, and then I combine them into a story.

6. What promotional ideas can you give to other beginning authors?

As far as promotional ideas, I use bookmarks with the story on one side, and a blurb and picture of me on the other. I've ordered pencils engraved with my title and my name on them. I make up a flyer to include with any query letters I send out to local libraries, bookstores, ladies groups, the newspaper, etc. Anyone you think might be interested in doing a book signing for you. Then on the day I do a signing, I take along a Indian woven basket and put a bag of chocolates in there for the people to take along with the book marks, and the pencils.

7. What advice would you give to somebody trying to get a literary agent?

There is a book in the library that lists all the literary agents and tells you what they are looking for. You can also go on line and google Literary Agents. If you have a friend who has an agent, ask her if she would ask her agent if she would be willing to read something from you. Finding an agent is almost as hard as finding a publisher. Its just keep at it, and the Guide in the Library will usually tell what the agent is looking for and what they like to represent.

8. Is there any thing you would like to say to other aspiring writers?

Dont give up your dream. Keep at it, improve your craft, joining writers groups in your area, get a critique partner(s), and stay with it. It took me ten years to finally get my book published, but it was certainly worth it. For some, it happens overnight and thats wonderful, but I could paper a desktop with rejection slips before I got picked up. So, dont be discouraged, just keep writing until you get it right.

9. As a child what did you want to do when you grew up?

Marry Cochise, well, no, I really only wanted to be a wife and a mother, not very ambitious, but that was my dream and when ti died, I raised two little boys alone and went back into the business world.

10. As a writer and published author how do you feel about e-publishing?

I think its great. I'm partial to holding a book in my hand, but many of the ladies in my particular writing group are doing the e-publishing venue and are doing very well at it.

11. What advice would you give to other aspiring authors about getting their work placed with a big publishing company?

Try, try, again. You never know when the right editor will pick it up and say, This is just what Ive been looking for! Keep sending our query letters after you have researched a particular publisher and know what they like, but be sure they accept unsolicited offerings because if they do not, it may just go into a slush pile from which it may never rise again, or they will reject it out of hand.

12. Please give us a list of all of your books currently available.

APACHE WARRIOR, Kensingtons Zebra line, debuted April 2008, NAVAJ NIGHT, out September l, 2009, again for Kensington.

13. How long does it take you to do research on the books you write?

 A couple of months. I usually figure out what I need more information on as I write the story, so then I go look up those particular things, culture, beliefs, dress of the period, speech, etc.

14. How do you give credit to any research you do?

So far I haven't had to do that as I dont use information that is not free to the public or available on line, at libraries, etc. You would certainly have to contact the publisher, or writer, etc., about using something before you use it, and then at the end, or in the acknowledgement somewhere give them the credit.

HAPPY READING EVERYONE AND MY BEST WISHES FOR GREAT SUCCESS WITH YOUR CAREERS.

Carol Ann Didier

Historical Releases

Romance Sells Fall '09 Edition 79                                    

Navajo Night

by Carol Ann Didier

Publisher:

Kensington Books,

Zebra HIstorical Romance

ISBN-10: 1-4201-0377-6

ISBN-13: 978-1-4201-0377-9

Price of Book: $5.99

Release Date:

September 1, 2009

Also Written by Author:

Apache Warrior

Hometown:

Palm Bay, Florida

www.carolanndidier.com

Can a Navajo Holy Man with a crippled heart,

heal the white woman with a crippled foot?

JoAnna Lund and her father are risking everything to

settle safely out west and leave their tragic past behind.

As a lone rider blocks their trail, they are prepared for

trouble.

But from the moment JoAnna locks eyes with the tall,

proud Navajo brave, she feels an instantaneous, dangerous

attraction. But she feels someone as perfect as

he, will never look at someone as imperfect as she.

Notah Begay wonders why the young woman and her

father have ventured so deep into his peoples territory.

They look harmless, but he needs to be sure, for trouble

is coming to Dinétah, Navajoland, in the form of

the United States Army in a desperate move to put the

Navajos on a reservation in southern New Mexico.

Forever haunted by his failure to cure his young wife

during a healing sing for her, Notah has sworn never to

love that deeply again. With all his Holy Man training,

he fights his growing desire for the gentle, spirited

JoAnna. At least, until she is threatened, and then nothing

and no manwill prevent him from claiming the

woman who has made him hers forever.

An outstanding romance novel...pure reading pleasure

and hard to put down.   "Affaire de Coeur"

Didier creates likable characters, a romantic setting

and romantic tension.   " Romantic Times"

Thank you Carol Ann for being here today!  Your book "Navajo Night"  is a must read.  I am so partial to your work. 

Walk in peace and harmony,

Melinda