February 2018 Group Read Author Interview: Denise Baer

[Quantum]

Thank you, Denise, for taking the time to participate in our interview and help people get to know you better.

Members: If you have any follow-up questions for Denise, please feel free to post them.

Tell us about your writing.

When did you decide to become a writer?
I wasn't born with a pen and paper in my hand. It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. While I searched for the answer, I worked many full-time jobs and went to school part-time. During my last semester in college (I was on the 16-year program :D), I wrote a romance novel and gave it to a friend to read. Based off my friend's honest input, I knew I had a lot to learn about the craft of writing. That's when I decided to become a writer. The book didn't have a great hook, but I was hooked on writing.

What books have you written? What genre(s) are your books in?
I'm a multi-genre writer of poetry, short stories, and novels. My published books consist of a dark, psychological suspense, NET SWITCH, and a women's fiction / romantic comedy adventure, FOGGED UP FAIRY TALE. I've also published an eBook poetry book comprised of traditional and free verse.

Are there any correlations between the books you write and your life experiences?
No. The books I've written are completely different from my life. But I believe all writers put in a little bit of themselves in their works, whether it be character traits or things that have happened in life.

Do you adhere to an outline or go wherever your imagination takes you?
I'm a panster, letting my imagination go free. For me, outlines are too constricting, but I do create a fact sheet that contains a small plot, list of characters, and after writing each chapter, a synopsis of important things in the chapter.

How do you withstand critiques of your masterpiece?
LOL! I don't consider any of my books masterpieces. Sure, I worked hard producing them and tried to apply what I've learned about character and plot development, movement, hook, etc. I wouldn't charge for my books if I didn't put in the time and money. The thing is I'm still learning about writing, and I notice it continues to improve. My biggest fear when I published was to read people trashing my writing. Maybe that's where I went wrong and worried more about the writing rather than just 'tell' the story.

I'm finding that more and more readers don't care about the craft as much as they care about the story. Or maybe they don't realize the difference. As the saying goes, "Story trumps great writing." Some readers might not like my stories, and that's okay. One reader trashed my current manuscript, yet loved Fifty Shades of Grey and Beautiful Disaster. I didn't read the first one, but I have read part of the latter. Looking at a reader's likes and dislikes helps me understand which ones are part of my audience. What I consider good writing is very different from what others think, so I don't take it personal. It's preference.

You know sales can be a little tough until you make it big time. If I told you now, that you'd sell up to 1,000 books within the next 30 years, would you still write?
I have no problem continuing to write. It's the publishing part I've decided to quit. Fogged Up Fairy Tale is and will be my last published book. Because I want to produce the most professional book(s) I can, I don't have the money to invest in it, nor the want to promote and market. The whole publishing aspect of it has become frustrating, so I plan to just post my writings on my blog starting in 2019.

Does writing interfere with reading?
Definitely! I miss the days when I read for pleasure. I'm sure many of the earlier books I loved weren't the best writing, but I was able to sit back and enjoy them. Now, I can't help but zoom in on the writerly aspects, such as bland characters, repetition, tell, etc. I didn't notice any of this before I started writing.

If you needed to make a choice in your literary career what would it be: glory and literary recognition or lots of sales and steady income?
Hands down glory and literary recognition. Like I've stated, I am focused on writing itself. To me, literary recognition is much more important. Sales doesn't necessarily mean great writing. It means the masses like the story.

Do you have a WIP and what's exciting about it?
I'm working on a crime mystery novel, Artful Revenge, which will be posted to my blog next year. It's exciting because I think it's some of my best writing to date.

What are your recommendations for reading and why? For example, which book do you consider a must-read (apart from your own, as it's a must-must, of course -:))?
The first book I'd recommend is A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. I love this book, which I read long ago. The characters and emotions are still with me. There are a few controversial subjects in it like the Vietnam pro and anti, America vs. Canada. The way Irving wrote Owen is genius, and I didn't understand it until the end.

The next is The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. This novel made me really want to become a writer, to affect readers like his writing affected me. So far, I'd say it's one of the top books for great dialogue.

Lastly, I'd suggest The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Rich and powerful, I fell for every character. And for Zusak to use Death as the narrator was magnificent.

What non-writing-related things would you like to say about yourself.
Prior to moving to Germany, marrying, and focusing on writing, I had a full-time technology job in Chicago. I started out as an Administrative Assistant, and within 18 months became a LAN Administrator, first tier, supporting 125 plus users. Mentally, it wasn't a job for me, but I learned a lot about myself, the corporate world, and I made great money. It helped bring me to where I am today.

Now, I enjoy cooking, gardening, traveling, and bike riding. My husband is my best friend and we do everything together. In February, we'll be celebrating our 5-year anniversary in Amsterdam. I've been very blessed to have experienced all the places we've traveled to. Just last year, we went to London for my birthday (one of my favorite cities), spent a few weeks in Tuscany in the fall, and traveled to the states to visit family and friends for the holidays (Chicago and Las Vegas). The countries we've been to are Spain, Italy, Lithuania, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Sweden, Canada, Ireland and the UK.

Where can readers connect with you?
Since I've left social media for the sake of sanity, you can find me at the below sites:

Author Website: http://www.authordenisebaer.com/
Publishing Imprint: http://www.baerbookspress.com/
Blog: http://baerbookspress.com/blog/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Denise-Baer/e/B...
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/vi...
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denise-ba...

Thanks much for having me!
Denise Baer

[Graeme]

Great interview.

[Nik]

Excellent interview and an interesting insight into your literary & regular life! -:)

[Jen Pattison]

That's a very interesting interview Denise, thank you.

[Scout]

Thanks for sharing with us, Denise. I envy your ability to travel. Do you do any preparation before visiting a country? Do you and your husband do packaged tours, or do you strike out on your own?

[Scout]

Sounds like my kind of travel. I take my dog everywhere, too. Thanks for your reply :-)

[Holly]

Dogs are great travelling companions. I want to do a "Travels With Charley" kind of thing some day......pack up the car and visit the rural gems of the southeastern US with my hound.

Denise, are dogs welcome in most hotels and inns in Europe?

[Holly]

Interesting and useful information. My dog is an Italian Greyhound, he would love the climate in Italy, and I've always wanted to see San Marino as well. Thanks!