TUESDAY TALKS

SPOTLIGHT AUTHOR:   D E B I   I R E N E   W A H L

Before we get started talking about your books, tell us a little about yourself.  Where are you from? 

I am from a little country area in Pennsylvania, but only a two hour drive from NYC and an hour and a half from Philly. 

What is your occupation outside of writing?   

When I am not writing, I am singing.  I sing full time and also own a traveling theater company.  We put murder mysteries on railroads and are booked seasonally on 4 railroads in a tri-state area, as well as a paddleboat ferry.  We also take comedies and Biblical presentations to restaurants and churches.  I am on the road so often I should own my own gas station and managed to put over 303,000 miles on my '99 village mercury van -)  It keeps on going and going!

Would you describe yourself as an introvert or an extrovert?  Extrovert with a capital EX

Do you have any pets?   

Two years ago we had to put down our beloved lab, Doktor.  He had a brain tumor at the young age of 8 years old.  Because I am away so often, I don't want to get another pet.  It wouldn't be fair to a young dog to try and understand why he is left alone so often in the home.  But whenever we want her, we are able to have our grandpuppy Miss Emmie, a mixed lab and poodle.  My husband is her favorite human for kicking soccer balls.

 What are your favorite books to read? 

Anything by Frank Perretti.  I think he is truly a gifted writer.  I also love the historical novels, particularly a set on a family named Winslow written by Gilbert Morris.  But I sitll love to read children's books.  I have a set of books called Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories that I can't wait for my grandson to learn to sit still long enough to read them with him!

Where is the most unique place you have traveled?  

I have had the opportunity to sing overseas and one of those places was Israel.  I would go back in a heartbeat to revisit where we were.  It is too much to take in with only one trip.  I have also been to bonny Scotland and traveled throughout the country singing.  My most memorable was to our own state of Alaska with my husband.  It is truly a gorgeous state to visit and so much to see and do.

Aside from your successes in the writing industry, what in your life has given you the greatest sense of accomplishment?  My children.  My husband and I have been blessed with three healthy, great kids.  There is nothing like the sense of awe you get when you see this adult who is such a neat person and realize they are part of you.

How many books have you written and how many of those are published?  I've written two books.  Jesus I'm coming published by Orr Books, Easton, PA 2007 and The Blendings  published by Outskirts Press 2010.

Do you have one particular genre that all your books fall under (i.e. suspense, romance, etc.)  or do you write in many different genres?  I write in several genres.  I think because I have been writing my own murder mystery, comedy and Biblical scripts for so many years, it has broadened my base of writing.  I had no choice.  If I wanted original works for my company, I either had to find someone and pay them ALOT or learn to do it myself.  Fortunately, I don't need a lot of sleep =)

  

How much character and plot detailing do you plan out before you begin writing a novel, or are you a “pantser” (fly by the seat of your pants) ?    I have an idea and at least one solid character, but then I FLY.  For instance, in Blendings my original character was a German Shepherd and the family grew around him, not the other way around.

 

Prior to becoming a published author, how many rejections did you receive?  How did you handle the rejections?    PLENTY!  Plus, I get the added bonus of having my acting and singing critiqued at times.  That's always tremendous fun!  I don't handle rejections.  I have decided if I weren't working full time, then I could worry but God has opened so many doors that the rejections, while still hurtful, are like annoying flies and I swat and toss them in the trash =)

How and when do you write? Do you keep yourself on a schedule or do you work while the muse is with you?   I write while it is fresh in my head because my brain is a 'hoarder' and if I don't get it on paper, the ideas will get shoved underneath a pile of trash in my brain and lost forever.

If you have a new release coming out, tell us about it. 

Actually, my son Josh who does my marketing, has gotten the company several new venues next year for shows that are titled Beyond Belief.  They are similar to the television show that you see about what is strange fact or made up fiction but will deal with railroad stories, hauntings and strange occurrences.  So, instead of getting to work on my next book, I have to finish three scripts before the end of January and then another one by the end of February for a ghost tour I am booked to put together for a plantation in MD and then rehearsals begin in March for this season's train shows.  I won't get back to a sequel that I began for Blendings until this summer.  Unless, as I said, at three a.m. some morning I wake up with an idea and then I will head to the office and start typing like a crazy person.

If you could give one piece of advice to writers trying to get published, what would that advice be? 

Don't worry about writing to publish, write because you love to write.  Write because you have to write or the stories all begin to give you a headache as they struggle to get out.  Write for your children to read and your grandchildren and if you don't have any, then write for someone else's grandchildren.  Having said all that, join a great site like LinkedIn.  This is a site for professionals and I have had such great advice from different people on this site from being published to great contacts for so many parts of the business.  And make sure you save Preditors & Editors in your favorite's box so you don't get TAKEN FOR AN EXPENSIVE RIDE!

What's up next for you and your writing?

More of the same... scripts, plots, taking time to get another chapter done on that sequel.

Anything else you'd like to share with my blog readers?  

I have learned to be content in whatever I am doing.  What a gift that is.  If I am cleaning toilets, then am cleaning them with gusto.  If I am singing in a concert, then I am happy to be only there.  I enjoy the moment and count my many blessings.  God is good.

Where can we read more about you and your work? 

My company site has everything at some place on it, schedules, blogs, shows, history and you can check it out @ http://act1productions.com/

Thank you, Debi, for stopping by and sharing your work with us.  Best wishes in all your endeavors.