This week, please join me in welcoming children's book author -
MEG WELCH DENDLER!
1 Have
you always had a passion for writing?
Absolutely.
I used to write stories when I was in grade school, and I won a picture book
writing contest when I was in 5th grade. My imagination has often
been a bit too big for my reality so I kept it quiet, but stories are always
flitting around in my head. We will see a big snake on our property, and my
husband will immediately ask what his name is want to hear his story. I’m
always happy to oblige.
2 Does
what you read influence what you write and what are some of your favourite
authors/books?
I
think reading books by good writers helps to make my own writing better. If all
you read is short, choppy sentences on a blog or website, you are probably
going to think in and write in that style. I try to read excellent examples of
whatever genre I’m working on and let it help my own words flow better. My
all-time favourite author is Anne McCaffrey and all of her varied series of books—but
especially the Dragonriders. Right now I’m reading “Noisy Creek” by Pamela
Foster, and it has given me a great idea about reworking a middle grade
manuscript in the first person narrative. That’s the kind of thing good books
do for you. The voice would be totally different from the very specific
Southern woman in Pam’s book, but the feeling of that first person,
from-the-gut style may be just what my own book needs to kick it the right
direction.
3 What
are your biggest inspirations?
Inspirations
come from the strangest places. For my Cats in the Mirror books, my own cats
Kimba and Hiro are clearly the inspirations. But for an adult book I’m talking
with editors about right now the inspiration was as simple as mentioning that a
diner was “at the corner of Magnetic and Main” and a friend saying “that would
make a fantastic book title” and off I went. I had the whole outline by the end
of the day. When something like that comes, grab it. Make notes. You may not be
able to write it all right then, but it’s easy to lose those ideas if you don’t
note them down. I have piles of scraps of paper that I sort through from time
to time.
4 Do
you have a technique in how you choose characters and/or locational settings?
I
routinely just stumble on them. Or I may think through what the main characters
represent and who else they need in their world to make the story move forward.
A visual image usually comes first. Then I work on a back story and a name,
even if none of that comes into the book itself. The author needs to know
everything about the character. The reader only needs to know what matters in
that moment of the story. In my Cats series, I know what will happen four books
down the line. I know where each character comes from. I know where everyone
ends up. That helps to drive what they do in the moment where the story is now.
5 Do
you listen to music while you are creating your masterpieces?
Never.
I am easily distracted. Very easily. Even classical music would make me start
choreographing in my head. I may get ideas and make notes with music or a TV or
something in the background, but if I’m seriously writing it’s with my door
closed and a fan on to block out any household drama.
6 What
do you do to stay motivated and avoid writer’s block?
Writer’s
block is never a problem because I have lists of ideas waiting for my
attention. Getting myself to settle in and find the time to write everything I
want to is a different matter altogether. Sometimes it’s just the demands of
the world and being Mom and having another job that intrudes at random times.
Many times it’s just procrastination. I try to plan writing days and then
schedule a set number of words or hours I have to work before I get to play
again. That’s the only way I get it done. On my second book I knew exactly what
was going to happen, but I had to take three days and hide out to make myself
put it all down. Editing and revising is fun. First drafts are like vacuuming.
I hate to do it, but I’m grateful once it’s done.
7 How
has becoming a published author (independent or traditional) changed your perspective
on life and is it everything you expected it to be? (If you are not published
yet – what changes do you foresee?)
I
don’t know that it has changed my perspective on life at all. I went into this
with my eyes wide open. I’m only two years into this publishing journey, so
that may change, but I hobnob with lots of other authors at all levels of
success. I don’t have any illusions about massive fame and fortune landing in
my lap. I would be happy to be Ozark famous.
8 What
are your biggest challenges as an author?
Finding
time to write and not getting discouraged. At least once a week I have that
“why in the world am I killing myself over this?” moment. There are a million
jobs that pay better and are easier than being a writer. But when I hold my
completed books in my hands all of that fades away. When a stranger picks up a
copy and loves it and wants to buy it, I get fuel for the next month.
9 Do
you have any pets?
I am
unabashedly a cat person, and there are three in our house right now: Kimba,
Hiro, and Samantha (aka Miss Fatty Cat). Another cat that features in my books
is Tabitha (aka Slinky), but she currently is at college with my oldest
daughter. We also have a big, goofy dog, Max—known in my books at The Big Black
Beast.
10 What
hobbies do you have outside of reading and writing?
Watching
movies is my favourite escape. I don’t like anything dark and creepy, but I
love interesting indie films and would rather curl up with a movie no one else
has ever heard of than watch reality television. I also volunteer as a docent
at a local big cat rescue facility: Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. I love
that place so much it became one of the settings for my third Cats in the
Mirror book.
11 Where
is the most exciting/memorable place you have been in the world?
I was
blessed to travel around Europe with a tour group for two weeks when I was in
high school, and Italy was amazing. The art and the people are like nowhere
else. I don’t really enjoy traveling these days, but a trip to Italy where I
could take my time and see everything at my own pace would be very tempting. I
have to admit that my home here at the top of an Ozark mountain is my current
favourite place in the world. It is so beautiful and peaceful. That doesn’t
leave me much incentive to want to wander far.
12 Tell
us about your latest work in progress or most recent published work…
My
newest book is Book 3 in the Cats in the Mirror series: “Miss Fatty Cat’s
Revenge.” It officially releases on September 12, but it’s already available at
amazon.com and at my web site (megdendler.com). By the third book in a series
things are really starting to get fun because all of the background, premise,
and characters are established and the story can just roll. There are several
new characters introduced in this book, and I had a really good time with
dumping Kimba in the middle the real-life Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge
where she has to count on a Liger and a grizzly bear to help her find her way
home.
Links for Meg Welch Dendler:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MegDendlerAuthor
https://www.facebook.com/KimbaBabyCat (Kimba fan page)
https://www.facebook.com/WhyKimbaSavedTheWorld (book page)
https://www.facebook.com/VacationHiro (book page)
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6951290.Meg_Welch_Dendler
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/meg-dendler/64/625/315
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/MegWelchDendler
https://twitter.com/KimbaBaby
"Why Kimba Saved The World"
http://www.amazon.com/Kimba-Saved-World-Cats-Mirror-ebook/dp/B00BB2S7AG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1395166391&sr=1-1&keywords=why+kimba+saved+the+world
"Vacation Hiro"
http://www.amazon.com/Vacation-Hiro-Cats-Mirror-Dender-ebook/dp/B00FGX6C5S/ref=pd_sim_sbs_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1Y4HFPYB7C0M97MHGW8E
“Miss Fatty Cat’s Revenge”
Loved the interview and your books look fabulous
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