Annette Synder, Brings Family Stories
to Life
Annette Snyder calls small town Nebraska
in the heart of the Midwest, habitat of cornfields and combines, her home. In an old house, with husband and dog,
Annette sits and write.
Four grown children visit often and the
grandkids cause beautiful havoc.
All her life, Annette paid attention to
things around her, stories from her parents, friends, grandparents and great-grandparents,
and one day she compiled those stories and wrote a book. It was that one book that started a wave of
ideas and the story characters just keep pestering her so Annette continued to
write all the time, work when necessary and vacation as much as possible.
Visit Annette Snyder
http://annettesnyder.atspace.com
There you’ll find contact information, events, purchasing details and a link to
her popular blog, Fifty Authors from Fifty States or visit here: http://annettesnyder.blogspot.com Face Book: Search Annette
Snyder-Novelist.
Available Now: Respectable Affair-http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com
2011 EPIC Award Finalist-Contemporary Romance
Please tell us your latest news!
From my real job, I work at a landfill and everyday is
different, to my real life, where my husband and I expect to have grandbaby
number five shortly, my life changes every day. Some would say I’m fortunate
because I essentially avoid a rutted life.
Since I gave up my part-time temporary job that lasted eighteen years, I
occasionally enjoy those quite Sunday afternoons with much appreciation. I use that time to write and am in the
process of completing the third novel in my contemporary series, Going Twice.
What main genre do you write in?
I’m a romance author.
I love the happy ever after. I do
have one mystery building in my brain but I’ll have to read more of that to
understand how it’s written.
How does your family feel about having a
writer in the family? Do they read your books?
My daughters and daughters-in-law have read all my
books. My mom encourages me as did both
my grandmothers. Each has their
favorites. My hubby isn’t a reader and my oldest boy, though he does read,
likes biographies—and I couldn’t get him to read anything in high school. I remember the first published novel I gave
my oldest daughter. She hadn’t ever read
an entire book all the way through and she texted me from work so excited. “I finished Sally Murphy! It was awesome!” Now she reads all the time
so that’s a good thing.
Do you recall how your interest in
writing originated?
I always wrote.
Bad poems and poorly written stories began in high school. Creative writing classes in college showed me
that I could actually put a beginning, middle and end to something. Life got in the way sometime between college
and a visit with a friend years later who told me the story of how her family
landed in the Midwest. Leaving that
discussion, I thought what a terrific story it would make so I combined pieces
of what she told me with pieces of my life and wrote Travis Pass, my first complete novel. Travis
Pass was my third novel published and I dedicated it to my friend—who cried
when I gave it to her.
Do you have a website recommendation for
other writers?
There’s
always my site: http://annettesnyder.atspace.com. There you’ll find contact information, events, purchasing details and a
link to my popular blog, Fifty Authors
from Fifty States. My blog is a fun
project I thought of three years ago. It
involves writing professionals from all fifty states. If you’re a reader, there’s interesting
articles each week about one author from one state, sometimes prizes! If you’re someone involved in the writing
world, there’s info about getting involved in my project.
When you have writer's block how do you
break free?
Writers block plagues everyone, even people who don’t
write more than letters and emails. I
usually get a block during the middle of a story or when I’m not quite sure
what line a character might take. On the
days that words avoid me, I force myself to write just a few sentences and
eventually I get over the hump. Other
I’ve talked to say that they attend a workshop or work on another piece to get
through.
Do you belong to a critique group? If
so, how does this help or hinder you?
I’m not a good joiner so attending a group doesn’t
usually work for me. I also hold a full
time job that I love so that cuts into scheduling time to physically
attend. It’s hard to get off work at
5:30 and get home, cook supper and be out the door. Face it, I chase around all day at work, I
don’t want to come home and do the same. However, I was fortunate enough to be invited
to join a small online group. I believe there’s five or six people
involved. The rule is: honestly critique two and post one. Sometimes the comments tear my work apart and
sometimes they point out the good points.
I’ve learned so much about structure, flow and word usage that I find it
invaluable. The fact that it’s online
means I don’t have to schedule more than computer time.
What's your favorite genre to read?
I am a historical reader but I read all sorts of
stuff. I also like stories that don’t
take too much brain power to figure out and books that I can read in a few
days. I suppose that’s why I write books 65,000 to 80,000 words...there’s
probably a little ADHD in me.
What was your first published work and
when was it published?
My first published novel came out in 2005, Sally Murphy. It was actually the third story I ever wrote
but the first one I sold. That’s a novel
based in 1800’s and its part of a series but it’s also readable as a standalone
like the other six in that series. You
can find out all about all those plus the rest of my work on my website.
Is there anyone who really mentored or
inspired you to keep writing until you were finally published?
And
I just have to answer this question because I believe everyone is guided over
their lifetimes to do just that ‘something.’
In my case, when I was a kid, six sets of grandparents and
great-grandparents lived within a twelve mile radius of me. They were all part of my parents support
system so they’d take turns caring for me and my siblings. I listened to the
stories they told of tackling horse and buggy drive to towns’ miles away for
supplies and battling sickness on ocean voyages while traveling to start new
lives. I knew I was being told those
stories for a purpose. Even as a kid,
something told me to remember. I did and one day I started writing. All my work has bits and pieces of those
stories, told to me by family who actually lived through the making of America,
The Great Depression, World Wars and all that and, though I write fiction
because I enjoy it, the ideas come from real life tales.
Here’s
my Website: http://annettesnyder.atspace.com
My
Blog: http://annettesnyder.blogspot.com
My
Publisher: www.whiskeycreekpress.com
A
Nebraska Co-Op organization I’m involved in: www.growne.com
Thanks so much Romancing the Heart for having me today and please stop here often—it’s a great place to get the latest on all your favorite authors plus ones you haven’t read.
Rock
Creek, third novel in the Travis Pass Series and the story of Lindsay
Hopkins-Pass, her struggle happiness and finding her place in life.
When
her mother is murdered during a barroom brawl, Lindsay’s only chance for
survival is to live with her father, Travis Pass.
Under
his care, she learns love and security until Ernie Atkins destroys it all.
Ernie’s evil act forces Lindsay to make choices that affect her life, the life
of her fiancé, Luc Fricke, and the life of her unborn child.
With
the help of people who live on the shores of Rock Creek, Lindsay may learn that
love and commitment can turn even the worst of circumstance around.
Contest: Annette is
offering one autographed copy of any of her released novels, winners choice, to
one person who comments during my blog post.
5 comments:
Thanks for having me.
Good interview, Annette. Enjoyed getting your take on writing and life.
Wonderful getting to know you better, Annette!
You lucky girl having so many elder relatives around you growing up. Their stories had to be fascinating.
I lived in Nebraska for a year and couldn't take the winter weather. I ran down to Texas to warm up. LOL
I certainly enjoyed your post.
How funny Sarah--I lived in Houston for 3 years and couldn't take the summers...I do miss the beach though
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