Interview with Paige Pendleton
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Can you
give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?</span></b>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Keeper-Stone-Bl...
Keeper and the Rune Stone</a> is the first book in The Black Ledge Series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">An unholy
ritual, a ticking clock. Four children discover there are things that go bump
in the night ...</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Centuries
ago a group of Elves committed an unholy ritual. But the ritual was a
spectacular failure. It transformed the Elves into the Noctivagi - the beings
we know as vampires.</span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Striving
to maintain a fragile peace, the ancient Elves and Dwarves negotiated an
Accord, which they've renewed every year on the Summer Solstice. The ceremony
depends on the magical Rune Stone, but it's missing. If it is not found—and
quickly—the consequences could be dire, and not just for Elves and Dwarves.</span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Four
children, Rob, Jack, Eleanor, and Flora, stumble into a world of magic and
mayhem when they move into Black Ledge, the old estate on the Maine coast, and
discover they aren’t the only ones who live there.</span></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Do you
have a favorite character?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I have quite a few.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Keeper-Stone-Bl...
Keeper and the Rune Stone</a></b>, I’d have to say Ralph, the cellar-dweller
Hafling who lives in the basement of Black Ledge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is grouchy, especially when he is woken from a nap (those
scenes almost write themselves). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Have you
ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the
direction of the novel at all?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Gunnr, the Night Elf, stepped onstage in the last third of
Book One, and he took over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
really struggled to keep him in what I thought was his place, but he was quite
insistent. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, we
compromised, but only if I let him have his way in Book II, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Keeper-Alabaste...
Keeper and the Alabaster Chalice</a></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Did you
try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought
I had a great query letter but apparently I was the only one. I couldn’t really
get anyone to look at the manuscript.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Two agents did, and I received very nice rejections and encouragement. I
realized this would be a challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had great feedback, though, and some other encouraging signs, so I
decided to learn as much as I could, and put them out independently. It was the
right decision. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">If you
used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the
creative process for your cover?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I am so lucky!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Long sordid tale of scheduling mishaps and disappearing team members,
and then, at the last minute, I found a super, super book designer, Brion
Sausser at Book Creatives, and I feel very fortunate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Brion knew just what I wanted, maybe better than I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Do you
belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Oh, gosh, yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am the newest writer in that fold, which is a fabulous place to
be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The members of my writers’
group have taught me so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What is
your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Music helps me a lot. Just the right music — it might take
me 15 minutes to find just the right piece(s) for the mood of the scenes I am
working on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just in the background,
nothing that distracts, but the right music definitely contributes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Do you
outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Both.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a
broad purpose for each chapter, but then I let it happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t wring ink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it isn’t flowing I walk away. I mull
and I ponder, and that always seems to fix it. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Did you
hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
three excellent editors on <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Keeper-Stone-Bl...
Keeper and the Rune Stone</a></b>, and lots of other help, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a lot of very helpful critical
feedback when I placed the book on Authonomy, a website for writers to critique
each other’s work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also belong
to a couple of excellent writers’ groups, locally and on FaceBook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Invaluable information, and laugher. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I also have beta readers, friends, and family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My daughters are ruthless critics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have been invaluable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">There are so many people that have helped me along the
way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s almost impossible to
name them all, but one very special person is Thomas Block, who is doing the
art for The Black Ledge Series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What have
you’ve learned during your self-publishing journey?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">That I need a maid, a chef, a gardener, a laundress, and a
publicist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately, my friends
help with publicity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lot!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What kinds
of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for
promoting your book(s)?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">All of the above.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><a href="http://pwpendleton.blogspot.com/"... style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Blog</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Bl... style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">FB</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null">... style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Twitter</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/... style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">GoodReads</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><a href="http://literaryaddicts.ning.com/profi... style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Literary Addicts</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pwppwp/boards/&q... style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Pinterest</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">And friends! My friends have been huge supporters!</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Besides
writing, do you have any other passions?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I love to sail, ride, garden, read, of course, and
cook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My daughters show cattle,
and we love being on the periphery of that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What’s
next for you?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have a few things I
am juggling. I have the first book of a juvenile mystery series due out later
this year, Unattended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No magic,
just murder. Besides the juvenile mystery series, I am plotting two adult
fiction projects.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I am consumed with the Black Ledge
Series, though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the most fun,
as Thomas Block is doing illustrations for each of the books, and they are
magnificent! I catch myself writing things just for him to illustrate. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank you so much for having me
today!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br /></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7B5G9NKdTRw..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7B5G9NKdTRw..." width="207" /></a></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Can you
give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?</span></b>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Keeper-Stone-Bl...
Keeper and the Rune Stone</a> is the first book in The Black Ledge Series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">An unholy
ritual, a ticking clock. Four children discover there are things that go bump
in the night ...</span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Centuries
ago a group of Elves committed an unholy ritual. But the ritual was a
spectacular failure. It transformed the Elves into the Noctivagi - the beings
we know as vampires.</span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Striving
to maintain a fragile peace, the ancient Elves and Dwarves negotiated an
Accord, which they've renewed every year on the Summer Solstice. The ceremony
depends on the magical Rune Stone, but it's missing. If it is not found—and
quickly—the consequences could be dire, and not just for Elves and Dwarves.</span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Four
children, Rob, Jack, Eleanor, and Flora, stumble into a world of magic and
mayhem when they move into Black Ledge, the old estate on the Maine coast, and
discover they aren’t the only ones who live there.</span></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Do you
have a favorite character?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I have quite a few.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Keeper-Stone-Bl...
Keeper and the Rune Stone</a></b>, I’d have to say Ralph, the cellar-dweller
Hafling who lives in the basement of Black Ledge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is grouchy, especially when he is woken from a nap (those
scenes almost write themselves). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Have you
ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the
direction of the novel at all?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Gunnr, the Night Elf, stepped onstage in the last third of
Book One, and he took over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
really struggled to keep him in what I thought was his place, but he was quite
insistent. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, we
compromised, but only if I let him have his way in Book II, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Keeper-Alabaste...
Keeper and the Alabaster Chalice</a></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Did you
try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought
I had a great query letter but apparently I was the only one. I couldn’t really
get anyone to look at the manuscript.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Two agents did, and I received very nice rejections and encouragement. I
realized this would be a challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had great feedback, though, and some other encouraging signs, so I
decided to learn as much as I could, and put them out independently. It was the
right decision. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">If you
used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the
creative process for your cover?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I am so lucky!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Long sordid tale of scheduling mishaps and disappearing team members,
and then, at the last minute, I found a super, super book designer, Brion
Sausser at Book Creatives, and I feel very fortunate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Brion knew just what I wanted, maybe better than I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Do you
belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Oh, gosh, yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am the newest writer in that fold, which is a fabulous place to
be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The members of my writers’
group have taught me so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What is
your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Music helps me a lot. Just the right music — it might take
me 15 minutes to find just the right piece(s) for the mood of the scenes I am
working on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just in the background,
nothing that distracts, but the right music definitely contributes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Do you
outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Both.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a
broad purpose for each chapter, but then I let it happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t wring ink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it isn’t flowing I walk away. I mull
and I ponder, and that always seems to fix it. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Did you
hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
three excellent editors on <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Keeper-Stone-Bl...
Keeper and the Rune Stone</a></b>, and lots of other help, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a lot of very helpful critical
feedback when I placed the book on Authonomy, a website for writers to critique
each other’s work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also belong
to a couple of excellent writers’ groups, locally and on FaceBook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Invaluable information, and laugher. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I also have beta readers, friends, and family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My daughters are ruthless critics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have been invaluable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">There are so many people that have helped me along the
way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s almost impossible to
name them all, but one very special person is Thomas Block, who is doing the
art for The Black Ledge Series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What have
you’ve learned during your self-publishing journey?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">That I need a maid, a chef, a gardener, a laundress, and a
publicist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately, my friends
help with publicity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lot!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What kinds
of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for
promoting your book(s)?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">All of the above.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><a href="http://pwpendleton.blogspot.com/"... style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Blog</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Bl... style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">FB</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null">... style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Twitter</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/... style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">GoodReads</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><a href="http://literaryaddicts.ning.com/profi... style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Literary Addicts</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pwppwp/boards/&q... style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Pinterest</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">And friends! My friends have been huge supporters!</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Besides
writing, do you have any other passions?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I love to sail, ride, garden, read, of course, and
cook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My daughters show cattle,
and we love being on the periphery of that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What’s
next for you?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have a few things I
am juggling. I have the first book of a juvenile mystery series due out later
this year, Unattended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No magic,
just murder. Besides the juvenile mystery series, I am plotting two adult
fiction projects.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I am consumed with the Black Ledge
Series, though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the most fun,
as Thomas Block is doing illustrations for each of the books, and they are
magnificent! I catch myself writing things just for him to illustrate. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank you so much for having me
today!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br /></div>
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