How long did it take for you to get published and what was the journey like?

EC  It took me 12 years.  But in that time there was a lot of personal things going on and I was very involved in my local RWA Chapter.  I still am.

Tell us about your call story?
EC The call was actually an email which I got about 8 oclock at night Arizona time. We’d just moved to Arizona about 6months before it happened.    I started screaming and crying and I emailed or called everyone I could.  My family is back east as well as a bunch of writer friends. I had to be mindful of who I called.  It was a weeknight.  I did manage to call my best friend back east as well as my inlaws who have always supported my writing.

For those who aren’t familiar with your work, tell us what you write and who you write for?
EC  I write for Swimming Kangaroo Books out of Texas.  WWW.Swimmingkangaroo.com   They publish all sorts of fiction, not just romance.  I have a romantic suspense trilogy currently with them.  I also write paranormal romance but none of those are available at this time.

How long does it take you complete a book, start to finish?
ECThat depends on a lot of things, It’s been anywhere from 3 months to a year.

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in your career?
EC Other than my rent paying job?  When I finally realized my first publisher and I were not seeing eye to eye on just where I wanted my books to go.  I asked for and received the rights back to all my work.  Eventually I will look them all over, rewrite a few and hopefully place them somewhere else.

Do you believe in muses?
If they are around, mine must be on vacation.  If I waited for her or him to show up I’d still be waiting.

What influences and inspires you? Any authors?
My nana was a big influence.  I lived with her for a while when I was in my early 20’s and she was such a wonderful story teller.   As for authors well I have been blessed to have known and become friends with so many fantastic authors who have given me great advice and kept me motivated.  The main one being my friend Linda Wisdom.  She has cracked the whip when I needed it.  Still does.

What’s your take on self promotion? What have you found to work the best for you?
It’s hard to do as much as I would like.  I try and maintain a good web presence, not always easy to do.  So far that seems to work the best.  If I have promotion goodies I try to send some off with friends who are going to conferences, that sort of thing.

What do you think of social networks? Are you on any of them?
EC  Probably to many of them.  I like them but if I weren’t careful I’d never get any writing done.  I’m on My Space, Facebook, Bebo, Shelfari and GoodReads.

How about blogs? Do you read them? Write your own? Guest blog? What do you think works best? And do you have any favorite blogs or blog posts?
EC I like blogs.  I’d love to do more but don’t always have time.  I post some off my space and do have a blog page. There is a link off my website to it.  It’s more about life in general than anything else  One of my favorite blogs is witchychicks.blogspot.com  It’s a blog for several of my favorite paranormal authors. 

What’s your opinion on having an agent? Do you have one currently?
Ec No I don’t have one at the moment.  I am going to be searching for one.  I think if you are uncomfortable with such things as contracts etc… Then an agent is a good thing to have.  Just be sure to pick one that you can live with.  A bad agent, like a bad critique group can ruin your career faster than you think.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve been given?
ECOne of my favorites is getting published is 50% talent and 50% luck,  The luck comes in finding an editor who loves your writing and your characters as much as you do.  This has gotten me through many rejection letters.

Do you have any advice for new writers?
Ec 1- see above
2- give yourself permission to write garbage remember you can edit garbage but you can’t edit an empty page.  One man’s(or woman’s) garbage is another’s treasure.

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