The Firefighters of Station #8
A profession that has made him a confirmed bachelor - A teacher who spends her nights dreaming of Mr. Right. Passions soar and desires burn hot, yet each is afraid to surrender to love. The first book in the saga. 5 Men - 5 full length books. Together, the hero and heroine overcome their inner conflicts to achieve love completely unaware there is a more dangerous peril—one man’s revenge.
Author Interview
Tell me about yourself. Where are you from?
SRW: I grew up in Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley. I love the mountains. When I married, I traveled with my husband during his military career making our home in several of the United States an abroad. He wanted our boys to grow up in the same area as we were raised, so we he retired, we settled in Virginia.
What genre do you read? Who's an author you read? Name your top 5 authors.
SRW: I read historical and contemporary, and write both. Historical authors, Catherine Coulter and Jude Deveroux. Contemporary, J.R. Ward. I love her Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Lately I’ve read Kate Steward, Renee Parker, and Tate James.
What book are you reading right now, and what do you like about it?
SRW: I thought I’d give a Mafia book a try. Renee Parker writes with depth and emotion. You fall in love with the characters, which is my aim in my writing.
Favorite sports.
SRW: Every Sunday my family gathers at my house to was the NASCAR race. I’ve grown fond of Ryan Blaney, and he’s a great driver.
Favorite thing about your state you live in.
SRW: ‘Virginia is for lovers.’ This is printed on T-shirts. Ha. But I truly love the mountains, the valley, and the season changes. I’m well away from large cities. Can’t stand the traffic or congestion of large cities.
How long have you been writing?
SRW: I published my first book in 2014, which took me years to complete. Due to raising a family while holding down a full time job. Hubby worked shift, so in the evening when he worked, I was up all hours of the night pecking away on my ideas.
What is your writing process like? Are you more of a plotter or a pantser?
SRW: Good grief, I’m both. Mostly a punster. Then after I begin a book, I set down and work out the plot. Neither is easy.
How did you come up with the ideas for your series?
SRW: My house burned shortly after we got out of the army. We lost everything. We had to start over again, but the most important thing in my mind was the people who came to our aid. Several fire departments were here that day, the house was completely engulfed. The firefighters charged in, not back down for a second.
I wanted to give recognition to firefighters, and at the same time create a romance. In the front of each book in the ‘The Firefighters of Station #8’ is a dedication to all firefighters. Any man or woman who comes to the rescue of those in need has my highest regard.
How do you celebrate finishing a book?
SRW: With a glass of wine or a Crown Royal cocktail. Sometimes dinner out.
What would you tell a writer who is just starting out? What program do you use for writing? What advice would you give to a writer working on their first book? What’s your writing software of choice?
SRW: I’ve used different manuscript writing programs. But I fall back to old faithful MS Word. I’m used to it and have my own way of dividing up chapters, etc. However, I do have Character Sheets—very important. Especially if you need a quick reference to eye color or friend’s name, etc. I have a Beat Sheet—this helps with out-lineing the story, and helps with the pacing and plotting. My advice to a beginner is to keep writing. Don’t stop. Don’t give up. Take a break if you need one. But keep writing.
How do you organize everything and finding the time to sit down and write?
SRW: That is an absolute chore. With a full time job, the evenings just weren’t long enough. Now that my family has grown, I take more time with my family. My writing has suffered, but we all need to make choices and prioritize what’s important. If I have to stay up late, I’ve done it many times. Giggle.
Who has been the biggest supporter of your writing?
SRW: My husband has been my biggest supporter. Every step of the way, he’s been there for me, encouraging me.
How do you name your characters?
SRW: I make up the names for my characters. Whatever pops into my head. I have done the google thing, looking up names, especially for historical characters.
Can you describe a typical day in your writing life?
SRW: Ha. Every morning when we get up, hubby says, it’s time to get those creative juices flowing. Every. Morning. He’s the best. He brings coffee to me while I’m still in bed. If I have chores and house cleaning, I’ll take care of that first. Then I’ll go to my little room with lots of book shelves filled with books, a fresh cup of coffee, and sit at my computer. I do a lot of freehand writing. Then type what I’ve written. Sometimes I will just type what comes to mind. I never know what time it is unless I’m interrupted, which happens a lot.
I pick up kiddos from school in the afternoon when it’s my turn, have snacks, play until dinner time. Go outside after dinner, sit on the deck and enjoy the fresh air. I make sure I always spend time with hubby in the evenings.
AA: So happy to have you here!
About the Author
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