This interview with Renee Russell, author of Kate’s Pride,
was first published in May 2007.
I was born in Illinois and raised in West Tennessee
What was it that first got you into writing and when did
you start writing?
I began writing short stories and poems with my best
friend in sixth grade. However, I didn’t begin trying my hand at novel writing
until I got to my thirties and realized someday might never come if I
didn’t get started.
Wow. This is a tough one! There are so many. Nora Lofts,
Victoria Holt, Agatha Christie, William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams, Margaret
Mitchell and Eudora Welty were my early influences.
My first novel was published in January 2007. It’s a
Southern Gothic historical. My second novel is due for release in October 2007
and is a Romantic Suspense with a paranormal element.
I’m currently at work on the first book in a cozy mystery
series set in the South and also working on the broad outlines for another Southern
Gothic historical
Since I still have a day job, I put aside one to two
hours each evening to write 3-5 pages. I can’t get out of the chair until I
have at least three pages. Otherwise I could just sit there for an hour or two
stressing about the whole thing. I set aside a total of four to six hours over
the weekend to write and must write no less than fifteen pages. Again, if I
don’t set a specific page goal, I’d never get a manuscript done. Plus doing it
this way makes sure I don’t lose momentum on the story.
The endless possibilities. All you have to do is say
‘What if?’ and the answer can be anything you want it to be.
Hitting a roadblock in a manuscript. I might be going along
like gangbusters on a story and suddenly realize I’m not quite sure how to get
from Point A to Point B.
What’s the best piece of feedback that you’ve had from
your audience?
I’ve had several people tell me Kate’s Pride,
my Southern Gothic historical, made them cry. That was a great because my goal
had been to get people to put themselves in the main characters shoes and I had
succeeded.
Do you write for a particular audience, or is your first
priority to satisfy your own creativity?
I actually try to do both. The publishing market is so
tight right now, that I try to write something I think a particular audience
will love and still satisfy my own creativity needs within that parameter.
Do you have a homepage? Do you have any short stories or
poems published online? (If so, please provide the URLs):
My website is www.reneerussell.com
I also have a MySpace page at
www.myspace.com/reneerussellauthor
and I have some short stories up at my authorsden page www.authorsden.com/reneerussell
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