Natalie: I won’t start a book until I know the main
plot and the ending. I’m flexible about chucking the original plan, but I must
have a plan. These rules are to protect myself from aimless writing that ends
up deleted. Besides, I'm more excited about a project when I can see the end of
it before I even begin.
Paul: If someone had the
power to step into your creative mind what would they see?
Natalie: Inside my mind are many floating images.
Inside those images are even more images, that may or may not connect with any
of the others. Sometimes the images collide and a creative project is born. The
ideas that never make it float around endlessly until they either fade away or
turn up again as part of something new. The only time these ideas stop spinning
is when I’m asleep, assuming I’m not dreaming.
Paul: Do you have a
favorite character in each of your series, aside from the lead? If so, which
one and why?
Natalie: I like President Ann Kinji. When I write her
speeches I am a speech writer for the President of the United States. Pure
awesome! I also enjoy imagining her as a real person. I’ll never be president
but it is fun to pretend I am.
Paul: How do you find the time to write?
Natalie: How do I find time to brush my teeth or cook dinner? I have to
do it or it won't get done. There’s always time for something I consider
important, but maybe not every day. Do I cook dinner every day? No, sometimes I
eat out, eat leftovers, or eat something easy like a sandwich. I do brush my
teeth every day, so that was a poor example.
Paul: What is one thing you hope I do not tell the
readers?
Natalie: You’re going to tell them, so I’m not going to spill anything
really juicy, but I’ll give you an honest answer. I prefer that readers think
of me as confident. The truth is that no matter how much experience I have with
theater and public speaking, I always get nervous before I have to speak in
public. Every time, without fail. I wish I’d had my teeth fixed way back when.
I worry about what I should wear. I make myself nearly sick when I have to attend
an author event or give a radio interview. I’m more relaxed while delivering a
speech in person, or even while performing on stage, than I am during radio
interviews. I prefer to make eye contact with my audience. Something about
speaking to someone “blind” terrifies me, and I hate not knowing the questions
ahead of time. I feel like I’m on a horrible game show in which all the
questions are about me and I might actually not know the answer.
Paul: If you are self-published, what led to you
going your own way?
Natalie: I
tried to negotiate a publishing contract that was more flexible with travel but
I was told that the requirement to attend 50 author events/signings a year was
not negotiable. 50! I did the math and realized I’d be gone nearly every week! As
much as it pained me to do it, I turned the offer down. With a different book
and a different publisher, I was accepted but put “on hold.” I was excited, so
excited! When weeks turned into months my excitement waned. I contacted the
publisher to get an update. Weeks later, I called again. Weeks later, I called
again. Months later, I called again. I was always told the same: you are in the
accepted, waiting to be published pile. Finally, two years after acceptance I
asked if I should be looking for another publishing house. The answer? I was
free to do what I wanted. I could go on with this, but I think I’ve made my
case. I found the whole process frustrating and I hated the lack of control. On
the other hand, I love being an entrepreneur and it fits my lifestyle. I also
realize now that I would have missed out on some of my favorite things, like
creating book covers. By now I have put my marketing business minor into
practice for so long that I’m not willing to give up being self-employed, having
full creative freedom, and keeping all the royalties for myself!
Paul: Do you plot your stories or do you just get
an idea and run with it?
Natalie: I
get an idea and run with it. I do keep a journal for jotting down things I need
to remember to do, such as closing gaps in the plot or tying up loose ends of a
character’s back-story. I don’t make outlines or any other detailed notes. When
I start a book I know the basic beginning, middle and end in my head. I
research things as I go and usually make notes directly in my Word document so
that I can work directly with those notes to fictionalize the material. My hard-copy
journal, with real paper, contains words or phrases that are often written with
such emphasis that my heavy pen creates an imprint on the following page.
Apparently I don’t trust myself to discern the value of an idea unless I circle
it with great flourish.
Natalie: My most recent book in the Serena Wilcox
Mysteries is Covert Coffee (2012):- Dystopian, eerie, and intense, Covert
Coffee is a fast-paced hard-hitting thriller that casts a
gloom over futuristic America. Is there hope for this divided nation riddled
with conspiracies, power-hungry government and criminal politicians? Can Serena
save the day with her unlikely cast of vigilante and rogue agent heroes?
An asset to President Ann Kinji
in the past, Serena is snatched in Germany and brought back to the United
States for a covert mission run by former government agents. Realizing that her
participation is not entirely voluntary, she is desperate to complete the
mission so that she can be reunited with her family. As the case draws her ever
closer to the conspiracy to kill the president, she reaches out to the
criminally insane for help, sinking deeper and deeper into a rabbit hole where
the bodies are piling up and nothing is as it seems.
Paul: Do you also write any poetry, non-fiction or
short stories?
Natalie: Yes.
I have two non-fiction titles: The
Miracle Dulcimer: 27 Easy-to-play Songs for the Mountain Dulcimer & So Much
More! and Fred Born Gifted. I’m
in the planning stages for a book about the creative process behind oil
painting. I also have one juvenile fiction book The Magic Camera.
Paul: Do you have any pieces of work that will
never see the light of day?
Natalie: I
wish. I published an amateur short novel when I was in my twenties. It is
Serena Wilcox Mystery #1 Gene Play. I
literally burned hundreds of copies of that book in my backyard
give-up-on-the-fool’s-dream bonfire, but Gene
Play lives on forever in e-book form as part of a three book set of the
first three Serena Wilcox Mysteries. Now I have just one Gene Play paperback left, wine-stained (with my typical social
grace I knocked over a full glass of wine at a book signing and earned a
“Caution Wet Floor” sign for my table). I regret burning all those copies
because that wretched book will never die and one day it will be worth
something, potentially.
Wouldn’t that be a hideous kick if that original
500-print-run book sells for big money on eBay one day and I have to live with
knowing that I burned about 400 copies?
Paul: What’s
your favorite / least favorite aspect of your writing life? Has anything
surprised you?
Natalie: These
days I’ve been having a ball with promotional work for the series. I spent an
entire day creating a Serena Wilcox Choose Your Own Mystery interactive game. I
completely lost track of time. I’ll be adding more segments and stories for the
game, free to play on my website. I’m thrilled to have the excuse to make
games. I also run contests like “Who’s Gonna Die?” Readers vote for one
character to receive immunity from getting bumped off in the next book Bluebird Flown. I enjoy these lively,
fun, interactive side jobs. I’m doing BlogTalk radio, which is a bit
nerve-wracking, but since I’m hosting my own show I have freedom to do what I
want with it. It’s been a successful adventure and the surprise is how
enjoyable it is to connect with guests of the show, many of whom are old
friends who I didn’t know as well as I thought I did. My least favorite part of
writing is formatting documents for publication, worrying about the sales
performance of the books, and the ugly side of desperate authors. I don’t want
to join the club of Self-Promoters who never turn off, and yet self-promotion
is a big part of being an author.
Paul: What do you do when you’re not writing? Do
you have any hobbies or party tricks?
Natalie: I’m
an oil painter. I’ve had several paintings on exhibit in public galleries and
juried shows. I also tap dance, play instruments, write songs, and sing. Most
of these things don’t have anything to do with writing, but I did paint the Covert Coffee book cover. The
entertainment things that I do are usually with my family. We sometimes perform
at nursing homes or community events. I started doing these things to support
my kids when they caught the music bug. We had our own family band for a while.
With our oldest in college, the band has lost a member. We hope to get the band
together for the holidays. I’m the drummer and I love my cowbell!
Paul: Thanks Natalie for that fascinating interview. I wish you every success for the future.
The Serena Wilcox Mysteries is a series Natalie Buske Thomas first published when she was in her 20's. The early books are sold as a three volume set in "The Serena Wilcox Mysteries: Books 1, 2 & 3". Natalie returned to the Serena Wilcox mystery series over a decade after book #3 "Camp Conviction" was published. Her return to the publishing scene was with the debut of "Angels Mark", which hit the bestselling lists on Amazon. The newest Serena Wilcox mystery is "Covert Coffee", book #5 in the series, and will be continued with "Bluebird Flown", book #6 in progress.
Natalie is also the author of the juvenile fantasy book "The Magic Camera" and the nonfiction book "Fred: Born Gifted". Natalie's oil paintings have been in juried exhibits. Her current paintings are displayed on Pinterest. To learn more about Natalie Buske Thomas, please visit her website: www.nataliebuskethomas.com
Natalie's Blog: Natalie Buske Thomas
Natalie on Twitter: @writernbt
Natalie on Facebook: Natalie Buske Thomas
Natalie's latest book: Serena Wilcox Mysteries: Angels Mark and Covert Coffee (Amazon)
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