This week, we're talking with Jaci Wheeler about her new fiction novel Silent Song.
Tell us something unexpected about yourself!
I'm Deaf. I also can't ride a bike. I have this thing about not being able to sleep unless my sheets are cleaned daily.
How did you get into writing?
I've always written as a form of therapy, but several years ago when my kids were doing ABA therapy and having a hard time I started writing stories to keep my mind busy so I wouldn't worry about them. One thing led to another and before I knew it I had written three books.
What are you currently working on?
I am working on about 4 different books right now. (I can never write one book at a time.) I'm writing a phycological thriller, a novella for my OCS series, a Contemporary novel about a Woman MMA fighter and then a companion novel to Silent Song.
Where did you get the inspiration for your current book?
The Shower is always where I get my inspiration. I had gone to see a performance of Cinderella and they added a twist to it. I found it to be refreshing and empowering to women and the next day I was in the shower and an idea just hit me for a modern reverse Cinderella story where she saves the hero and gives him a better life.
Tell us more about the main characters in your new book.
The book I'm writing at the moment is a Female Fighter who fights in order to support her family. She doesn't want to be rescued from her life, she is the only hero in her story.
Who is your favorite writer and why?
Geez, I have so many! My top three favorites are Jane Austen, Edgar Allan Poe, and Lois Lowry.
What are your top 3 books of all time?
Pride and Prejudice, The Giver and Anne of Green Gables.
Have you got any writing rituals?
I always take a long shower before I write. It's where I always get my best Ideas. Then I lock myself away with loads of junk food and just write until I can no longer move. I'm not a sprint writer, I'm a marathoner.
How important is marketing and social media for you?
I know both are very important, but I have to be honest in saying I'm not very good at either. I really do enjoy connecting with my readers and social media has been a huge way for me to do that.
Do you read your book reviews?
Yes, I do. I appreciate the time every person takes to leave a review. Even the bad ones, I try and find something constructive to take from it. Some reviews don't have anything constructive, but the ones that do I take to heart and try to use them to make me a better writer.
What advice would you have for other writers?
To just write. Write whatever comes to you, whatever inspires you. Don't think too much about it, because that's when you get stumped. If you find yourself blocked, go out and try new things. New foods, new places, and then just allow the story to come to you.
What are you reading now?
I'm a huge reader and always looking for book recommendations. After Reading Silent Song a blogger recommended Dangerous to Know & Love. so that's what I am just starting now.
What's your next step?
I just write whatever book I'm feeling at the moment. It was my MMA fighter book, but now that I'm back marketing Silent Song I'm leaning more in that direction so I think I'm going to take another shot at writing another ASL book, as exhausting as it is to write in two languages I find it so freeing!
Find out more about Jaci Wheeler here.
