Thanks for being here, Ricki. So, give us a more in depth look at Maggie. What makes her so special?
Maggie is a single mom who is fighting the daily battle to take care of her family and her home. Maggie’s home happens to be a struggling ranch in west Texas, but she could easily represent anyone who is weighed down with the everyday struggles of getting by. What makes Maggie special is her perseverance and her positive determination. She’s very inspiring.
It sounds awesome! I always love an inspiring story. I have this loaded on my Kindle, waiting it's turn on my TBR pile. Can't wait to get to it!
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
The most important things are often right next to us: a little boy’s happiness, the grateful eyes of a stray dog, the soft breath of a trusting horse, the unconditional love of family and friends—these are the riches that will carry us through the storms.
Nice. These things are easiest to take for granted, and often the best gifts we have.
Let's talk about you now. What made you want to be a writer?
I am inspired by the magic of words, allusions that sweep us up in memory, similes and metaphors that paint backdrops and panoramas, words that twinkle and boom and shush through summer grasses. Master wordsmiths select the perfect handful of nouns, just the right shade of adjectives, and the boldest of verbs, bundle them up with a comma, a dash, and a period and present us with bouquets of literature and rhetoric. To realize that we all have access to words, that with perseverance and practice, we too can aspire to create something beautiful, or tragic, or inspiring, is an overwhelming notion. Words are boundless and non-discriminate magic at our fingertips.
I would agree with that--magic that can transport us anywhere. What do you love about writing?
There is a moment in writing that occurs without notice, a vacuum that shuts out everything except the story. This is a perfect moment of pure focus. Hours can fall away unnoticed. This is what I love about writing.
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?
I do not suffer from writer’s block; I do, however, suffer from writer’s procrastination and writing-on-hold. I am currently teaching 5 days a week and 4 nights a week. This overwhelming schedule leaves me little time to write. Even though I know what I want to write, I hesitate to begin. I know that my writing time is limited, and it’s very difficult to shake the nagging voice that reminds me of papers to grade and lessons to plan. What I wouldn’t give for 60 uninterrupted days to do nothing but write. Of course, that would be a luxury that all writers would cherish. I know other authors struggle with schedules and obligations. I need to do a better job of working within mine.
Ah - the dream of uninterrupted writing time. Sounds lovely. But, wow, you are busy! Good thing you don't have writer's block, cause you need every second of writing time you can spare with that busy schedule. Besides teaching, what do you like to do when you're not writing?
I love to crawl into a good story and read the day away, like the day I read Always and Forever cover-to-cover, non-stop. Thank you for that, Chantel!
Oh - what a lovely way to hear you enjoyed my book, though I think I'm blushing. Thank you so much. I also love reading. I get much less time to do it than I'd like now that I'm also writing, but books are the best form of entertainment!
What’s next for you?
The sequel to Maggie’s Fall is in the works—for the second time. Around late summer, when I was nearing the end of the first draft of Maggie’s Stand, I realized that I was not happy with what I had written. I trashed nearly 120 pages of that draft, saved about 40,000 words, and started over. I am much happier with what is transpiring now. Even though my rash decision has delayed the publication of my next novel, I feel an obligation to my readers and to myself to make my writing the best it can be.
I'm glad you are on track now, but I can understand how that must've hurt to have to get rid of so many words. I wish you quick writing on the remainder of Maggie's Stand! Thanks for visiting with me today, Ricki!
ABOUT RICKI:
Ricki Wilson is an independent author and professional educator from Oklahoma. Growing up among genuine cowboys, Ricki learned at an early age to appreciate the true value of a good horse and a faithful dog. Maggie's Fall, Wilson's first novel, is a tribute to both.
Want to connect with Ricki? Here are all the social media connections so you can stay up to date with what Ricki has going on and keep up to date with the progress on Maggie's Stand any any other projects:
