Wings ePress Interview Christine Poe Whisper Of A Tryst

Interview of Christine Poe

Diana Kirk

1. Tell me something about your newest release, how did you get the idea for this book, and how long did it take to write?

Whisper Of A Tryst combines several of my favorite elements. I love the Old West, Victorian homes, the beautiful ocean, ghost stories, and the very thought of time travel. I've loved Scotland since I was a teenager and visited there with my mother. When I read Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, the story perked my interest and it was all I could do not to spend every waking moment writing. My hero came to life in my head and his story simply had to be told. It took nearly a year to write Whisper with all the research I had to do.

2. Where do you live and how long have you been writing?

I grew up in California, but I now reside in Virginia. I started writing when I was a young girl. It always soothed me to express myself with words and I entertained most of my friends through high school with my romantic girlish romps, much to my teachers' chagrin! :)

3. Is this your first published novel? If not, tell us something about your other books.

Whisper is my first published book, though I have quite a few manuscripts completed. I write in several genres, whatever strikes my fancy at the time. I love to read and writing is my favorite pastime.

4. Why did you decide to submit to Wings ePress?

I admire Wings' incredible staff of editors. BJ, Lorraine, and Pat have been wonderful to work with, and I have to admit I did know them a short while before the creation of Wings ePress. :)

5. Do you have any other books in the works, yet? If so, please tell us something about them?

Wings has also purchased a romantic comedy, Heroes and Hunks to be released September 2002. My heroine is a spunky, hard-working newspaper woman trying to save her father's newspaper. Her idea for a magazine featuring unattached men requires the need of a professional photographer. In walks the hero, an ex-rodeo rider who now works for the PRCA newsletter. He is everything she wants for her magazine, but not what she wants for her heart. Dumped at the altar by a cowboy, she knows it is a mistake to hire him, but hire him she must because time is running out...

6. Have you run into any negatives going the epublished route vs. traditional publishing?

So far my experience with ePublishing has been great. I have submitted to the New York editors in the past with great responses, but never an offer to buy my books. Only one NY editor ever took the time that this great staff of editors takes with each one of us, and she left NY several years ago.

7. Do you write a synopsis or are you a seat of the pants writer? Tell us how you prepare for a novel?

I love the first question! I get ideas that just pop into my head and sometimes the whole story will rush out before I can stop it. Other times, I jot down the idea for later reference. I don't write a synopsis in the true form until my tale is told, because it changes so much. My characters do take on a life of their own and they become so real I find myself talking about them to my family and friends as though they exist.

To prepare for a novel I would love to have peace and quiet and a room all to myself, but that is rare is my large and very active household. I grab time when I can, and I sometimes like to listen to classical music (with Whisper I listened to Celtic music and bagpipes!). If research is required I order and check out a ton of books for research and write down/or copy relevant info as needed.

8. Do your characters tend to take control of your writing and do their own thing or do they mind you as you are writing the story?

All three of the above! As mentioned before, James was as real to me as a family member. Anna was sometimes a carbon copy of myself. My characters breathe life into my stories and the magic happens because they are so real.

9. Tell me what is the most exciting thing that has happened to you in your life to date?

Keeping with the writing theme, getting published has to be the most exciting thing to happen to date. Writing a book is like being pregnant. A writer nourishes their work from the day of conception, and each passing moment until completion is a tiny miracle in creation. When the big day comes, and the book is released to millions of readers, it's like holding that newborn in your arms for the very first time. You can't believe you did it.

10. What are your long-term goals as a writer?

To continue to write and entertain as long as I can. I feel God gave me a gift, the talent to create, and if I can make someone smile by reading my work, then I've done something special that I can be proud of accomplishing.