Two for the price of one--Christmas Peril

by

Margaret Daley

and

Debby Giusti

It’s my pleasure and honor to bring award-winning author Margaret Daley to Seekerville today. Many of you know her through ACFW where she served as volunteer coordinator this year. A mentor at heart, Margaret is always ready to answer questions or give encouragement or advice. When I published, Margaret opened her arms and welcomed me into the Steeple Hill family of authors. Now I'm thrilled to welcome her to this blog.

Until she recently retired, Margaret taught special education full time and wrote each evening when she came home from school. Despite her busy schedule, she has 66 books in print. Many of her stories have won awards, including the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Book of the Year, the Holt Medallion, Golden Quill, the Inspirational Readers’ Choice, Winter Rose, and the Barclay Gold.

Last year, Steeple Hill inquired if I wanted to do a two-in-one Love Inspired Suspense with Margaret. Naturally, I jumped at the chance. CHRISTMAS PERIL is in stores now, featuring Margaret’s exciting novella, Merry Mayhem, and my story, Yule Die. Today we’re doing a joint interview, asking each other five writing questions. We’ll be online to talk about writing so leave a comment. Include your email address to be placed in a drawing for a copy of CHRISTMAS PERIL.

Now, let’s learn more about Margaret...

Debby asked : Margaret, you write for both the Love Inspired and Love Inspired Suspense lines and publish many books each year. How do you keep up the pace? What’s your writing schedule, and do you set a daily page count in order to meet your many deadlines?

Margaret: I usually write every day and I do have a weekly word count that I need to reach. I don’t like to set a daily count because I would get stressed when something came up and I couldn’t make it. Over a week’s time I usually can make my word count. One day I might not write much, but the next one I’ll make it up by writing more.

Debby: Did you find writing Merry Mayhem challenging and, if so, why? What about the word count? Did you change the story because of the shorter length?
Margaret: I had to strip the story down because the word count was half of what a normal Love Inspired Suspense story is. I found it harder to write because you have to weave in romance, suspense and faith. That can be hard in a normal Love Inspired Suspense, let alone try to do it in a LIS novella.

Debby: The end of the year is often a time of reflection. What did you learn in 2009 that helped improve your craft? Have you set writing goals for 2010 that you could share with the Seekers?

Margaret: I have two books that are due in the first part of 2010. After that, who knows? I’ll be coming up with some proposals and see what happens. The life of a writer is precarious. You never know when and where your next book will come from. I leave it in the Lord’s hands. He’s so much more capable of running my writing life than me.

Debby: How much time do you spend on marketing and what do you find most beneficial in terms of getting your name and book in front of readers? What marketing advice would you give newly published authors?
Margaret: The most important thing is having a web site. I also think being on some of the social networks can help. But I think you need to be careful and not spread yourself too thin or take too much time away from writing your book. I have bookmarks that list my next year’s books coming out, and I always send them out to my mailing list at Christmas. I also have a newsletter I send out four times a year through a yahoo group. Anyone interested can go to my web site (http://www.margaretdaley.com/) and sign up for it. I have a blog where I feature Christian writers each week. I also write about various things during the week on my blog. In addition to my personal blog, I belong to several group ones.

Debby: Tell us about when you got The Call. How long had you been writing? Did you ever get discouraged? What advice would you give writers seeking publication?
Margaret: All I can remember is the shock and thrill when I received the call from my agent. This was back in 1981 so I have been writing a long time. I had an eight-year dry spell after selling twenty books. I didn’t give up. I kept writing (although I tried to quit and couldn’t). Then I sold a book to Kensington and that started my “return.” Since then I’ve sold forty-six books, but the best part is that I discovered the inspirational romance market. It’s a perfect fit for me.


Now it’s Debby’s turn to answer Margaret’s questions…

Margaret asked: Why do you like to write romantic suspense?
Debby: As an Army brat and Army wife, I traveled to many foreign countries and have met wonderful people from a variety of different cultures and backgrounds. Now that hubby’s retired from the military, I satisfy my wanderlust and need for adventure through my writing. With each book, I become totally enmeshed in my characters’ struggles and see myself actually battling the bad guys--all from the safety and security of my home, of course. Creating characters and helping them solve their problems – both internal and external – allows me to become that medical researcher or undercover cop. I’m confronting evil and winning, which makes for a good day in my way of thinking.

Margaret: What is the most difficult thing about writing romantic suspense?

Debby: My stories usually take place in a short time frame, often no more than a few days. Having a romantic relationship develop quickly is a challenge. The hero and heroine need to be attracted to each other almost immediately, and those feelings have to deepen into something long lasting throughout the course of the story. The pronouncement of love and commitment occurs at the very end of the story, and often I’ll add an epilogue to show them living happily ever after.

Margaret: What advice would you give another writer who is interested in writing romantic suspense stories?
Debby: Read extensively in the line you’re targeting, but also read best-selling suspense authors. Don’t shortchange the category or trade readers who want the same action-packed stories as the big name writers deliver in their single title hardbacks. Strive to be the best suspense writer you can possibly be and keep learning new ways to improve your work.

Margaret: What is the easiest thing for you to write in your story – romance, faith or the suspense element and why?
Debby: I started writing straight suspense and find that part comes naturally. Developing a satisfying love story takes more effort, and I’ll often expand the romantic elements later during the rewrites. The faith thread is woven lightly throughout the story and doesn’t demand as much effort, perhaps because I try to understand my characters before I begin to write. Since I have a deep love for the Lord, that Christian worldview transfers easily to the written page.

Margaret: What do you do to promote your books?
Debby: I love meeting readers so I do a number of events each year that bring me face-to-face with the public, whether at writers conferences, book signings, readers luncheons or community events. I have a big signing in my hometown to launch each book and always donate the proceeds to charity. The newspaper publishes information about the event, which increases interest in my local area. I have a group of faithful readers—many from my church community—who send books to family and friends across the country, which spreads the word about my work. That word of mouth means so much. I also take out an ad in Romance Writers Report for each new book. The magazine goes to 20,000 writers who are also readers. Maintaining an online presence is equally important. I’m blessed to be a member of the Seekers and have gotten to know so many wonderful people who stop by the blog. The Craftie Ladies of Suspense is another site where I can interact with readers and writers alike. I hope to start my own blog in the not-too-distant future. The focus will be on books, writing and the power of prayer. God keeps nudging me to move forward on that blog, and I hope to have it up and running in the early part of the New Year.

Margaret and I want to hear from you today. Ask questions, mention your writing goals for 2010 or tell us what you like about books in general.

Wishing you a joyous Christmas and much love in the New Year,
Debby Giusti and Margaret Daley
http://www.debbygiusti.com/
http://www.margaretdaley.com/

Need a stocking stuffer for friends and family? CHRISTMAS PERIL is on sale now, featuring two great suspense stories:

Merry Mayhem

by Margaret Daley
When single mom Annie Coleman unexpectedly arrives in Christmas, Oklahoma, police chief Caleb Jackson suspects she's hiding secrets. He'll be watching her closely. And his protection is just what Annie and her daughter need, as danger has followed them to their new home.

Yule Die

by Debby Giusti
It's hardly a happy holiday for medical researcher Callie Evans…until she discovers her ailing patient is her long-lost brother. And he's being watched by undercover police officer Joe Petrecelli. When the trio is abducted by a cadre of bad guys, Joe and Callie will have to fight to keep her brother—and themselves—alive.