Reading Time: 5 minutes

Welcome to my writer friend, Linda Yezak!

When did you decide that you would be an author? Was it something you fell into, felt called to…?

Like most authors, I’ve been writing since I gained dexterity with a crayon. When I was in college, one of my professors tried to talk me into pursuing it as a career, and considering how much the industry has changed just since I’ve joined in, I wish I had. But I didn’t take up writing seriously until I was in my fifties. Frankly, I don’t see how anyone younger would have the time, but apparently, they do. Anyway, after a long series of events that kept me from working outside the home, I needed something to do, and writing turned out to be it.

What’s your pet peeve?

Depends on what we’re talking about. As an author, my biggest peeve is robo-calls that draw me away from my work.

As a reader/editor, it’s characters who cry all the time, as if tears are the only way to react to emotion.

As a human being with a driver’s license, it’s the idiots on the road who don’t respect other drivers. The ones who wait until they can see your eye color before pulling out in front of you, or the ones who ride your bumper as if pushing you is gonna make the guy in front of you go faster.

Well, oops. I think we hit a nerve. Moving on . . .

What was your most embarrassing moment as a writer?

There are so many. So very many. But I think one of the worst was at an ACFW conference. I was sitting in a continuing ed class held by Susan May Warren and someone else—just me, the instructors, and 40 or 50 other people, and my new cell phone that I thought I’d muted.

This was the first year that we’d met in Indianapolis, and my husband and a friend’s husband were checking out the city.

Just as the class started, my phone rang. Loud. I fumbled with that stupid thing I wasn’t yet familiar with, trying to figure out how to answer it or turn it down or something. My face got so hot, the folks around me were slipping off their sweaters because of the radiated heat.

Eventually, I turned it off, or thought I did because it quit ringing, and the class resumed. An instant later, here we go again—and I still couldn’t figure out what to do. I was about to lower it to the floor and drive my heel through it when it finally stopped.

The third time, I gave up. I grabbed all my stuff and the stupid phone and left the classroom. I finally figured out how to answer the call. It was my sweet Billy (aka MSB) asking if I wanted to go to a Colts game.

He’s so cute.

What has been your most difficult challenge as an author?

At this point, marketing, promo, and sales. I have a social media presence, but I’m not organized enough to do all of it and do it well. I need a secretary.

How do you process rejections and/or negative reviews?

I do what everyone else does—I slam a few cabinets, then curl up in a fetal position with my blankie and suck my thumb. For a while. Then I look to see if the review or rejection explanation (when they bother to explain) has merit, learn from it and move on.

But negative reviews don’t really bother me. I don’t get that many. Most are from people who didn’t realize they were getting a Christian novel and felt obligated to bash me and/or my work. That’s fine. The ones that get me are written by those who do read Christian fiction. Some remarks were mean-spirited. I expect this from the world, but I’d hoped Christians would try harder not to be hurtful.

What do you feel is the best success so far in your writing career?

So far, gaining an honorable mention in Saturday Evening Post’s Great American Fiction contest in 2016. They published my “Slider” in their anthology that year.

What would be your top three pieces of advice to newer, up-and-coming authors?

Study the craft.

Treat this as a business.

Build your platform—even if you haven’t written your first word.

What is your current work in process?

Loving a Harvey Girl, a novella for Smitten’s Cowboys Collection to release inAugust  2019. The Harvey Girls worked in a hotel/restaurant chain started by Fred Harvey back in the late 19^th century. These ladies were educated and refined and, thanks to their jobs at the Harvey House Restaurants all across the nation, were independent in an era when most women weren’t allowed to be. I’ve had a blast writing it. Can’t wait for the release!

 

Ride to the Altar, a Circle Bar Ranch novel (book 3)—Patricia Talbert and Talon Carlson must conquer their pasts individually before they can face their future together.

Linda is offering a giveaway prize to one lucky entrant! As pictured, the prize includes a signed print version of the series, a 16-ounce Christian cowboy mug, a horseshoe picture frame, a Ph. 4:13 stretch bracelet, a cute set of magnetic page markers, and a Texas Rubiks cube just for fun. All you have to do to enter is to leave a comment.

The more posts you comment on during my tour, the better the chance you have of winning the drawing! If you’d like to play along, the next blog to check is author Cathy Rueter’s Up in the Attic.

The winner will be announced Monday, August 6, on Linda’s blog, 777 Peppermint Place.

Bio:

Linda W. Yezak lives with her husband and their funky feline, PB, in a forest in deep East Texas, where tall tales abound and exaggeration is an art form. She has a deep and abiding love for her Lord, her family, and salted caramel. And coffee—with a caramel creamer. Author of award-winning books and short stories, she didn’t begin writing professionally until she turned fifty. Taking on a new career every half century is a good thing.

Website: http://lindawyezak.com

Newsletter: http://dld.bz/CoffeewithLinda

Facebook: Author Page

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lyezak/

Twitter: @LindaYezak

Amazon Page: http://dld.bz/LWYAmazonPage

Goodreads: Linda W Yezak

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