Interview JoEllen Conger

by

Rosie Sneyd

1) I was interested to note that JoEllen Conger is a writing partnership of twin sisters. At what stage in your writing career did you begin to write together?

Joan: We’ve always done things together. But we got into writing seriously when Joyce was very ill and we spent our time together to distract our worries. That was somewhere in 1990, and then we joined RWA in 1992. We’ve come a long way since then. I think that belonging to some sort of writing group is very helpful. For me it keeps me in touch with what is happening in the market.

Joyce: I think twins have the advantage over single-birthed people, because mind-linking is the norm. Even in play we didn’t have to say, “Let’s pretend this-or that.” We already knew what the other one was thinking. So sharing stories was no different. Especially when you come to realize writing is only “let’s pretend” on paper.

2) Writing with someone else, even a twin sister, must be difficult. Can you tell us how you avoid wrecking a beautiful friendship? Your writing style is so seamless, that there’s got to be an advantage in writing with a twin sister--although I can see complications if one of you is a careful planner and the other a seat of the pants writer.

Joan: In the beginning we tried writing the same story but soon discovered that we had different voices. So, we both write from the heart on our pet project, and the other one becomes the critique partner, editor, and the one who helps bounce the ideas around. So, we may wind up with each of us working on something very different from what the other is working on. However, whoever started the wip is the key writer, and the other one supports.

Joyce: Half the fun of writing together is melding our ideas. I can’t imagine writing a meaty tale without my sister’s input. Somehow it’s reassuring to have someone you love suggesting plot ideas and changes that you can take or leave. It makes the story so much more interesting.

3) How do you manage your writing career? Are you strict routine writers? Or binge writers? And are you some of those nauseatingly efficient writers who hardly have to revise and sweat over it like the rest of us? How long does it take you to complete a book? (I’m ready to be depressed about this.)

Joan: No we aren’t afraid to rewrite. My first book Return Of The Goddess took six years to write. The problem was myself. I couldn’t believe I was a bona fide writer and kept waiting for someone to pat me on the head. It took me a couple of years to believe in myself. The fastest written book was Queen Of Candelore written in six months.

Joyce: When I was suffering with Cancer, I wrote everyday,like going to the office. Now that I’m retired from “employee duty”, when the inspiration hits me, I announce to my husband, that “I’m in writer’s mode.” Which lets him know I’m headed for the cyber-room and not to be disturbed until I reappear. Rewrites? Heavenly days! Rite Of Passage was rewritten 8 times, and each time it was better for the renewed attention to story detail. When Cinderella And The Stripper was accepted by Wings, we not only rewrote and edited the manuscript, but in 3 days added two more chapters to give the story a more satisfying ending, and added new sections throughout the manuscript to bridge gaps in the story line. A sincere writer won’t fall so in love with their own words that they can’t envision how to make the storyline better.

4) I note that one of you lives in the same house as grandchildren. Do you, perhaps, retire to a shed at the bottom of the garden to write?

Joan: Very funny! No, my writing space is right square in the middle of the living room. If I’m facing a deadline, I just say so and the grand daughters tiptoe around me, or go somewhere else to play. I bless their distraction. It helps me really focus to tune them out.

Joyce: I don’t have grandchildren running about, but I do have two snow white cats, two small dogs, a small bunny, a back yard full of wild birds, as well as a husband who demand my immediate attention. When necessary, I point them out of my cyberspace and shut the door. Only my husband calls me on my cell phone to ask if I’d like to ride to town with him, or join him for lunch.

5) I don’t think I’m telling any secrets by saying the latest book is about twins. You are uniquely equipped to write on this subject, so do twins occur in any of your other books?

Joan: Not yet.

Joyce: Give us time--or a story idea.

6) I know this is probably the question the neighbors ask you, but where do your ideas come from? Did those magnificent twin hunks in ‘Cinderella’ come first, or the story?

Joan: This is Joyce’s story, so we’ll have to ask her.

Joyce: Every experience you have can be used in a story. All one has to do is attend a high school football game or take a walk on the beach to find Hunks, Twins?--that idea came from the minds of mind-linking writers.

7) You write so totally convincingly in Cinderella and the Stripper about grooming a model and putting on a catwalk show, that somehow you must have had some experience of it, either as a model or a backroom person. Is this right?

Joan: I have two daughters who were both sent to modeling school. So, yes, we did have some experience to draw from.

Joyce: Amazing what you can dredge up when you do a little research. Just as we got to that part of the story, I found an article in our local Sunday paper describing who, what and how a fashion show is put together. Using that and our personal knowledge gave the ring of truth to our imagined reality.

8) Writing has plainly been an integral part of your lives for a long time. Did you find it hard to get published, or did success come early? And how many books have you had published? Did you start with romance or graduate to it from fantasy and adventure?

Joan: Interesting question. I’ve always loved fantasy. It is my first love. Whereas, Joyce began as an avid Romance reader. Getting published is rarely easy. We got stung a couple of times from various publishers who wanted us to change things, and then didn’t like how we had re-written it. We learned the hard way to have a signed contract before changing a whole bunch of things. Plus, to stand firm for things we deemed important to remain in the work.

Oh yes, published fiction: Cinderella And The Stripper makes four still in print. I have two no longer in print… and a couple of cookbooks, metaphysical help books… and a few years ago I wrote articles for a quarterly magazine that were published. When Goodbye My Darling comes out in March 2007, that will make 5 books published with Wings.

Joyce: Getting ‘novels’ published was like finding hen’s teeth. We cried over many rejections like everybody else. My background in writing started in private church school with parable stories, then branched out with form and understanding when I spent several years working for a publishing organization. Think bylines, reporter news, advertising, shorts, lectures, training manuals and teaching materials, business and legal work, newsletters then came romances. When I was sick my husband carried home boxes of books for me to read. When I didn’t like the cookie cutter style, he suggested I write what “I” would like to read. So I did and still do.

9) This is a personal question, but do your husbands, children, grandchildren read your romances? If you’re brave enough perhaps you can tell us what they think about them!

Joan: Let’s see… my husband never read anything I’ve ever written. My mother thought my ideas were a little strange. My younger daughter doesn’t read my books, but is a person who will help me through a tough spot by talking it through with me. She is more into the fantasy books. One Grandson read the fantasy book when he was eight. And the two grand daughters haven’t shown an interest yet. They are only ten, My son and I are working on a family saga, based on my book written in the 80s--a real family sea voyage taken back in 1969-71.

Joyce: Mother was embarrassed by the intimate scenes, so I had to mark those pages so she could jump over them. My husband gets bored after a page or two. Gal friends hope for a lender copy before the story is published. My three children have shown no interest at all. My grandchildren want an autographed copy. Now my sister; I can always depend on her to read and read and reread every story and dabble in the telling of it. That keeps my ego soaring.

10) I’m intrigued with the twin thing. You obviously both like writing. Do you share any other likes and dislikes?

Joan: Well, I guess our love for our pets. We both love to travel and garden, and our spiritual dabbling. We often find ourselves reading the same book, or purchasing the same item.

Joyce: Whatever you’ve heard about twins sharing likes, dislikes, experiences, opinions, and interests are true. We are cut from the same cloth.

11) Were you childhood scribblers, play actors, fantasy dreamers, or did you come to writing later?

Joan: Oh, we’ve always indulged our runaway imaginations.

Joyce: Yeah verily. All those things and more.

12) A housekeeping question--do you have an agent?

Joan: No. Tried a couple of times and didn’t find anyone interested in representing us.

Joyce: Tried to find one, but no one found (my/our) work commercial enough to be interested. They always seemed to want writers to write their idea for a story. Several times I’ve said,” That sounds great! Let me know when you get it written. But that’s not my story.”

13) Writing will not be your entire life now, I’m sure. Can you fill us in on your leisure activities?

Joan: Reading, of course. I read an average of two or three books a week… review, mentor and judge writing contests. Also, go to church, sit on the deck with the dog beside my chair, or watch TV. I also work out at the gym three days a week. Plus, I’ve been a Rosicrucian over 25 years. I attend a weekly meeting.

Joyce: No, writing isn’t everything, but communication is. I even wake up in the middle of the night with ideas how to say a phrase with more expression, use more exacting words, or how to write a scene with more intensity. I pop out of bed to jot it down. Thank goodness my cyber-room is right next to my bedroom. No note pads for me, I fire up the computer and write for a few hours or even until dawn--or for as long as the inspiration is flowing. Does my husband mind? Sometimes, but he’s learned if I don’t get the idea safely written down, I won’t lie still long enough for either one of us to get any sleep.

14) Every successful endeavor has involved overcoming difficulties. What were the obstacles that you had to overcome to be the successful writers you are? Please could you pass on advice on overcoming writing demons for emerging writers.

Joan: Well, over the years I’ve learned that you can be anything you want to be. You just have to want to bad enough to do what is required to attain your goal. You can’t just wish it. You have to work at it. If you want to be a writer, then you have to learn all the basics that make your creations worthy of your dream. You simply have to have faith in yourself, and keep working at improving your ability.

Difficulties: yes. I broke my neck when I was twelve. I was lucky not to be paralyzed; however, I couldn’t remember how to even write my name. It was a long road to recovery.

Joyce: Success comes only to those who are willing to pay the price. No matter what topic or theme it is. Each type of writing has its own rules and requirements. If you’re not willing to test your skill to learn each genre, you may never get your idea published. If you believe in your talent, write, write, and rewrite.

Be open minded about how to improve your expression. Read, study, be aware how those who are successful express themselves, then see if you can incorporate that into your style. Most of the time when a writer fails, it’s because they weren’t open to changes, or persistent enough. I’ve been as discouraged as anyone, then when I thought I’d ditched the whole drive to write, I’m sparked by a fantastic idea and I’m at the computer day and night until I get it done.

Thank you both very much,