I have the great pleasure of introducing you to Gail Martin, whom I recently met at the Romance Writers of America convention in New York City.  We struck up a conversation while waiting in line for lunch, and I learned that she writes historical romances in addition to inspirational novels and novellas.  Of course, I just had to interview her.  

Gail has a large repertory of published works, many of which have won awards.  A LOVE FOR SAFEKEEPING (Love Inspired) won the ACRW 2002 Book of the Year Award, was a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice, and was the Best Love Inspired of 2002; her LOVING TREASURES was a 2003 winner of the Holt Medallion.  In addition to writing novels, Gail is also a freelance writer and conference speaker.  Youll also want to stop by her website (www.gailmartin.com ) where you can sign up for her newsletter, enter her latest drawing for a free novel, or find tips for writers (a character worksheet, a sample synopsis, and Frequently Asked Questions).  

Now, on the interview…

Linda: Please tell us something about yourself.

Gail: I grew up in Madison Heights, Michigan and now live in Lathrup Village, MI, with my husband.  I have two adult step-children and one granddaughter, Nicole, who lives near Tulsa, Oklahoma. When I completed my bachelor's degree, I was employed as a high school teacher of English and public speaking. After receiving my master's degree in guidance and counseling, I moved into a counseling position at the same high school until 1995. When I left full-time teaching, I was asked to teach English and public speaking at Davenport University. It wasn't until this time that I even thought about writing for publication. The first thing I sold was a complication of Christmas programs I'd written for my church. I submitted it in September of 1994 and received a contract in January of 1995. I also sold parenting and how to articles for parents, teens, and children on various issues in their lives.  I sold hundreds of articles and short stories, even some poetry and devotionals before I thought about "my dream" - writing fiction. At the end of 1996 and in 1997, I began dabbling in fiction. A year and a half later, in June 1998, I sold my first novel, SEASONS, to Heartsong Presents.

Linda: Why did you decide to write inspirational romance novels and novellas? Did any authors influence you and, if so, why?

Gail: Interesting question. I have no idea. <g> I did not read romance or inspirational novels. My reading preference has always been suspense, mysteries, and women's fiction. I've always enjoyed contemporary single titles, usually more mainstream. I never read a category romance until I realized that's what I was trying to write. In my attempt to learn writing, I connected with a group of women who were writing Christian fiction, mostly romance, and they were forming a group called Christian Writers Loop. I had no idea that some of them were the top female fiction writers and editors of inspirational romance. I learned so much from them and found myself writing inspirational romance. My faith has always been an important part of my life.  I was born into a Christian family and became church active early in my life, so writing inspirational fiction seemed natural and reflected my faith and life values.

Linda: Did you have an agent to send out your first book?

Gail:  Agents are harder to get than selling a novel. I sold three books before I obtained an agent. If I'd had one earlier, I wouldn't have sent in so many horrible, not-quite-ready books that I submitted, but they were a great learning experience for me. I received so many helpful tips and encouragement from these earlier rejections.

Linda:  How long have you been writing?

Gail:  I began writing early in my life. It just came so natural to me. I loved books and loved to read and write. I wrote poetry as early as the second grade and moved to Nancy-Drew type stories in the preteen years. I had my own series with Kathy Lake as the heroine. In my teens, I wrote boy meets girl stories - with tragic endings.  I had no idea romance had to end happily.<<g>> In later years, I did a great deal of writing for my church-programs and services for special occasion, but I never thought of writing to be published. As I mentioned earlier I submitted my first manuscript for publication in 1994.  After selling SEASONS, I sold my second novel to Heartsong Presents shortly thereafter. In June 1999 I sold my first Steeple Hill Love Inspired, UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR, and saw it in print in October 2000. Since then I've signed contracts for thirty-one novels or novellas.

Linda:  How do you go about developing your characters and plots, and do your characters ever surprise you?

Gail:  Characters and plots come to me in small snippets.  Ideas begin to collect in my mind for a story or an interesting character and, over time, the idea develops into a story.  By the time the idea hits paper, it's become a movie running through my head.  Not every scene is clear. I usually know my storys beginning, major conflict moment, and the ending, but the middle is sometimes an adventure. Once the story idea goes to paper, it becomes a well-developed synopsis, except for the middle.  I use lines like: as time passes, they learn more about each other and begin to fall in love - or something like that. This gives me room to be creative and find out things that my characters want to do, not necessarily events or scenes that I've planned. These people do come to life and move the story by their own needs. When I begin my synopsis, I've already done a character sketch, including a well-developed backstory which I believe is the backbone of a good book. The backstory helps me create believable, flawed characters with compelling motivation, goals driven by need, and defined issues that can create real conflicts. I often see the surprise events in my story coming from God's hand on my heart. He knows what needs to be told so that the story can touch people's lives and hearts. I'm awed at what happens in a story that's been unplanned by me.

Linda: Who has been your favorite hero so far, and why? Favorite heroine? Favorite couple?

Gail:  Favorites are difficult for me. In my own book, I love each character as I write the story or they touch me in a unique way. As far as reading, I enjoy them as I read them and then another book takes its place.  As far as fictional couples, I think Rhett and Scarlett would leap out in many people's minds.  I love Meara Hayden and Jordan Baird in my new single title, THE CHRISTMAS KITE. They are people who need so much and are struggling with life, while still providing joy for others.  They both touch my heart. Real life is Jesus, a man who gave his life for the salvation of the world. My next hero is my husband, who's also given his life so that I can be a published author. He has taken over the house-cooking, shopping, laundry, running errands, proofreading, brainstorming, and so much more. Our cleaning lady cleans. I write, speak, and travel to conferences.  Somewhere in there I do have a few personal moments to do things for others and for me.

Linda:  What is your writing schedule like and, on average, how long does it take to complete a book?

Gail:  I write very quickly.  As I mentioned, a story often lives in my head for a long time, so putting it on paper isn't as difficult as it probably is for seat-of-the-pants writers.  I have many plots in my mind, maybe twenty story ideas perking along while I work on something else. My day begins with email and, about 10 a.m., I move to my writing computer. After lunch, I often exercise on my recumbent bike and read a novel while pedaling away. When I'm finished, it's back to the computer with an occasional email or research break until dinner.  If I don't have an evening activity, I'm often doing edits or even writing into the evening. This time also includes promotion, like: setting up book signings, working on my newsletter or updating my web site (husband is my webmaster), doing interviews, making bookmarks or postcards, answering reader mail (both snail and email)-all of these activities take time out of my writing schedule.  I can complete a short novel in a couple of months usually, a novella in a month.

Linda:  Have you ever suffered from Writer's Block and, if so, what do you do?

Gail:  I have never had writer's block.  When my mother died two years ago and, after 9/11, I found writing difficult, not because I couldn't think of the story but because it seemed so unimportant. I'm very blessed with a mind full of ideas.

Linda: Do you find critique groups helpful?

Gail:  I belonged to a critique group when I first began writing. It was helpful in many ways.  I still have a group of writers with whom I can brainstorm and an author friend who's very willing to read a scene or chapter, etc., but I don't do much of that.  Writing at the clip that I do means they can't get stuff back to me fast enough and it means that I have to cut into my writing time to reciprocate.  My husband is about as close to a real critique partner I have, but I think for a new author, it's a wonderful opportunity to learn and grow as an author.

Linda:  How much time do you spend on research before you begin writing the story, and how do you conduct your research?

Gail:  Research time depends on the story. I'm part of a Steeple Hill Love Inspired high suspense continuity which will be released in July 2004.  My book, ADAM'S PROMISE, is the continuity launch, and the story opens in Venezuela and is a medical thriller. I did much research before on my hero's wounds from a gun shot and also other attempts to kill him.  I did research on Venezuela.  I'd visited Caracas once, but that was a limited look.  I had to learn a little about the flora and fauna so my setting became real.  I'm writing a story now that has a multiple sclerosis patient, so I did a lot of research on that. My CHRISTMAS KITE novel is about a Down Syndrome child.  I interviewed families with these wonderful children and also did a great deal of research into the disability and personal stories found online about these children.  I do as much research as I can and then always have to do more once I begin writing. Historical novels take much more time, naturally.

Linda:  What type of promotion do you do for your books?

Gail:  Although Steeple Hill does a tremendous amount of promotion and Barbour does some too, I am the promotion queen. <g> I have a web site that promotes my books and provides help for new authors. I run a new contest every two months on my web site, www.gailmartin.com I do book signings and personal appearances, including speaking engagements. I teach at conferences across the U.S. I answer all reader mail, whether snail mail or email.  I send out a newsletter, electronic and snail mail, twice a year with an address list of about 1,000. I send out ARCs of my manuscripts for review online and for magazines. I send out promotion copies of my books to booksellers. I send postcard reminders about book signings and I always have brochures, bookmarks, and postcards to hand to people I meet. I have free gifts at all my signings and often send a little gift to readers when they write to me.  I've put ads in Romance Sells,  sponsored by RWA, and I participate in posters sent to book sellers from two of my local RWA chapters. I'm sure I've forgotten some.

Linda:  Wow, you have all the bases covered.  What do you like most and/or least about writing?

Gail:  What I love most about writing is completing a story that I think will make a difference in someone's life. I enjoy hearing from readers and getting great reviews. That makes my day. The worst part about writing is the time I spend doing it.  I'm very driven and I can't approach writing as many people do with a laid-back attitude. I want to sell books, not for the money, but for the joy of writing books that people can enjoy. I've found my social life more limited, and I've given up most hobbies other than singing, which is another talent the Lord has given to me.

Linda:  What advice do you have for new romance and/or inspirational authors?

Gail:  New writers should never think they've learned everything or know everything. When a person stops learning, they die. I continue to hone my craft, and I think that's a must for all writers of any kind of fiction. I do a talk on the 8 keys to success. Each begins with a P - - Persuasion, patience, perseverance, planning, preparation, practice, polish, and prayer.  Each of these words is vital to becoming a successful published author.

Linda:  Is there anything you're working on that you would like your readers to know about?
Gail:  I sold five books in a row and still had 2 books to complete for Barbour, so I was facing seven deadlines. As you can guess, I've been busy. The five new book sales included a 3-book proposal to Love Inspired. It will be the last three books of the Loving series, bringing the total to seven Loving books.  LOVING TREASURES won the Holt Medallion this year and it was the first in the series. LOVING HEARTS was released in February of this year and LOVING WAYS will be released in December, with LOVING CARE in February 2004. I'm now writing LOVING FRIENDS, LOVING KISSES, and LOVING ARMS.  These stories are set in an imaginary Michigan town called Loving which is based on the real resort city of Grand Haven.
THE CHRISTMAS KITE, my first women's fiction single title, is on the stands now as a November release and is receiving rave reviews. I'm thrilled.  I also sold my second women's fiction single title, SECRET PLACES, a contemporary set in a plantation house in Louisiana.
My final recent sale startled me. My Steeple Hill editors selected me to write a hardcover gift book for Christmas 2004 with author Catherine Palmer. The book, entitled THAT CHRISTMAS FEELING, will contain two novellas centered around Christmas. In 2004, I will also have a Barbour anthology released in February 2004, FROM ITALY WITH LOVE.  My story, "An Open Door," is set in Milan and Venice. (You can see pictures of my Italy trip in the section About Me  on my web site.) Another anthology, HIDDEN MOTIVES, will be released later in the year. It's a unique set of four novellas written as contemporary gothic mysteries. I hope readers enjoy it.
Linda: Gail, thank you so much for taking time out of your obviously busy schedule to do this interview for Gotta Write Network.
Gail:  Thanks for inviting me to do this interview. It's always a pleasure to share my story with readers and writers, too.
Linda Morelli
GWN Historical Editor
Author of FIERY SURRENDER and SHADOW OF DOUBT
RomRiter@aol.com
www.lindamoreli.us

Gail Martin
Photo by Studio 16

Kate Dolan is a new historical author on the scene, and a very promising one at that.  Kate moved from Chicago to attend a university in Washington, DC and grew so attached to the area that she never moved back.  She lives in a suburb of Baltimore and loves to drag her husband and children to the local historical sites - and believe me, theres lot of them.  Her premiere novel, Langleys Choice,  is about the adventures of Caroline, the bored daughter of a Maryland planter who masquerades as a boy and ends up being kidnapped by pirates.   But when she meets the captain of the Osprey,  shes not entirely sure she wants to be rescued.

Now, on to the interview…
Linda: Please tell us something about yourself.

Kate: I was embarrassed to prepare for my twentieth high school reunion last year because I realized just how much I ended up like all the moms I knew growing up.  I am 39-years-old, have been married for almost 12 years, have two kids, one dog, two fish and I even drive a minivan.  But I also started taking ballet lessons last year, play in a band at church and spend at least one afternoon a month pretending I live in the 18th century (as a living history interpreter at a local historical site).  And I write historical fiction.  So at least I havent turned into a carbon copy of my mother -- yet.
Linda: Please tell us why you decided you wanted to write romance novels. Did any authors influence you and, if so, why?

Kate: Im not actually sure whether the stories I write can technically be considered romance or not, but I do feel drawn to put a romantic relationship in most things that I write.  The relationship may not be the entire focus of the story because I like to explore the evolution of individual characters.  This then makes them better partners in the relationship, but the stories tend to be more about the maturation of the individuals themselves than the maturation of their relationship.

Linda: How long have you been writing, and did you have an agent to send out your first book?
Kate: I started to write my first novel about 4 1/2 years ago.  Before that, I worked as a writer and editor in the legal field, and wrote some other non-fiction and a few short stories.  I knew I wanted to write something more creative, and tried writing plays for a while.  But I always ended up annoyed by my own characters, so I quit.  I dont think I was really ready yet.  Maybe I simply needed more life experience.  Anyway, not long after my daughter was born, I started flirting with plot ideas for a novel.  About a year later, I started writing -- about something totally different, of course.

Linda: You live in the States.  Why did you decide to go with Zumaya Publications, a Canadian publisher?
Kate: I did not give much thought to where the publisher was located, since all of our contact has been online.  Zumaya has an editorial office in Texas, and I believe most of their authors are based in the U.S., so essentially its the same as working with a small publisher in this country.  I write for a local newspaper whose headquarters are within walking distance of my house, and these days my contact with them is almost entirely online as well.  So the Internet has made it possible to work with people across tremendous distances with little difficulty.

Linda: How do you go about developing your characters and plots? For instance, some writers use index cards, some use an outline, while others just write.

Kate: I would have to say I fall into the just write  category there.  I tend to start with a setting I find interesting and imagine a situation.  And then the characters start to arrive.  Sometimes I dont know whos in a particular scene -- or even in the book--until my lead characters walk in and start to interact.  This has to be one of the most entertaining ways to write a book, because I never quite know whats going to happen, so theres an element of suspense.  It is a tad nerve-wracking, however.

Linda: Have you ever suffered from Writer's Block and, if so, what do you do?

Kate: For me, there are two kinds of writers block.  The most dangerous is the I dont have time to write  syndrome, where I let the demands of real  life (helping the kids make Valentines for school, cleaning muddy paw-prints off the floor, buying the occasional grocery order) totally supplant the life of my books.  I usually need a quiet place to write, and arranging that can be difficult, although its easier now that my daughter is in kindergarten.  As for the second kind of block, the I have no idea what to write next  problem, I either pace the room with a cup of coffee (which doesnt work real well for the story, but does give me a chance to enjoy my coffee) or just write something, anything, on the theory that I can eventually salvage something usable out of it.  

Linda: Did you belong to any critique groups when you started and, if so, did you find them helpful?

Kate: I am a big fan of critique groups because I belong to a wonderful group that has met for almost four years now.  There are six of us, and weve made a few membership changes, but essentially the group has remained the same.  We are comfortable enough with one another to be honest about what does and doesnt work.  We also each have our own strengths and weaknesses so that collectively, we provide a pretty thorough evaluation, from major plot points to fine points of grammar.  

Linda: Your book, Langley's Choice, is a historical romance. How did you conduct the research for your book?  Do you conduct your research first, or do it as you write the story?

Kate: I wrote about the first five pages, and then started major research.  I really wanted to know what the areas (Maryland and South Carolina) looked like in 1713.  I wanted to see how houses were built, what people ate and how they cooked it, how the work was accomplished, etc.  I also spent a lot of time studying ships and boats to get a sense of what it was like to sail on the sloops and other vessels people used for transportation at that time period.  I love to learn about history, particularly social history, so I could very easily spend all my time researching and never get to the writing.  So with my current projects, I force myself to make some educated guesses about how things might have been, then go back and research to see if what I wrote will hold up.  I volunteer as a living history interpreter at Jerusalem Mill in northern Maryland, so thats also a great way to get information and hands-on experience.      

Linda: What type of promotion do you do for your books?

Kate: I hate to answer this one because I really have not done much, yet.  My first book was released in mid-December, and began the process a few weeks later, which is not the ideal way to go.  I have contacted my local historical society and library, and plan to do programs with them in the spring, which I will publicize through local news outlets.  Since I write for the local newspaper, I have included a tag line on my column with information about the new book.  My column deals with religious news, so Im also preparing a flyer to send to all the churches I work with.  And Im also working on putting together a website.  There is, of course, so much more that I should be doing!  

Linda: What advice do you have for new romance authors?

Kate: Well, I still feel that I belong more on the receiving end of advice rather than the giving end, but I will say that I think its important to find a local group of writers to work with, either to share critiques or just to share support and information.  I joined Maryland Romance Writers (my local RWA affiliate) soon after I started writing, and it was the best move I could have made.  I never would have finished a book otherwise, Im sure.  With that said, I must also say that it is really important to spend time with people who dont write.  I get depressed looking at how much other writers have written and accomplished, but non-writers are impressed that Ive written anything, whether published or not.  I think its important to remember that getting even part of a story down on the page is an accomplishment, and one that not many people manage to do, despite their best intentions.

Linda: Is there anything you're working on that you would like your readers to know about?

Kate: I have two fairly advanced projects in the works right now, although neither is quite ready to send off to a publisher just yet.  One is another historical set in colonial Maryland, only this one is set a little later, in 1774.  I started writing it with the intention of exploring how Americans drew together to think of ourselves as independent from England, but pretty soon it became a story of how we almost did not.  My second project is a little lighter in tone.  Set in Regency England, its the story of a young gentleman who decides to pretend hes gone temporarily insane in order to get out of an engagement -- until he meets a young woman who cares for a brother and sister who really are insane, or who at least have a creative view of reality. Of course, we all have a creative view of reality to a certain degree -- dont we? :)  

Linda: We sure do.  Thanks so much, Kate, for sharing your time with Gotta Write Network.

Linda Morelli
GWN Historical Editor
Author of FIERY SURRENDER and SHADOW OF DOUBT
RomRiter@aol.com
www.lindamorelli.us