1. What was I before I became an author, and did this influence my choices as a writer:
Well, first of all, I guess I really became an author when I was ten years old. I was training a blind horse for a horse show, and when it was over ( she won!) I wrote a short story about it, and it was published in our local paper. From there, writing short stories and poems became a part of my life, but nothing was ever published again until I was in college. I wrote a book of Haiku poetry for a class, and the college published it for use in their poetry classes.
I obtained a Master's and Ph.D in Sociology, but the classes I taught at the university were not very conducive to novel writing...until I started teaching the Sociology of the Criminal Mind, and the Sociology of Criminal Behavior. These classes did pique my interest in writing again, but somehow a mystery never materialized.
When I remarried, my husband and I built a ranch and began raising and training horses for the show ring, and I began writing short stories about horses. But never submitted them for publication. When we finally retired to the Central Coast of California, my daughter sent me a Christmas box of books on "how to write for kids" , with a rather terse note about getting off my, ahem, butt and start writing for real.So being a dutiful mother, I promptly enrolled in the Institute of Children's Literature, published my first non-fiction article in a national children's magazine, and I was off and running...er...writing.
2. Am I genre specific or general?
I am more general than anything else. My first two books are about the same young man, before and during the Civil War. I don't really write for "kids", I write for Young Adults, and adults who are young at heart. My third book was about a teen girl, friendships lost and won, and the bullying that so often goes along with them. The fourth book was more for younger teens, as the protagonist is 11 years old, has an IQ of 160, is in high school, and Trouble is her middle name. But when she finds a book of Ancient Indian Magic, her trouble just begins. My fifth book was a real change for me, as it was a paranormal book. Now, I don't read paranormal books. I don't watch paranormal TV or movies. But, you see, this 16 year old girl woke me up in the middle of the night and demanded I write her story. My husband woke up, asked me who I was talking to, I told him, he groaned, kissed me, said "All you writers are crazy", and promptly went back to sleep. The next day I began my research into paranormal behavior, etc., and a year later wrote the first of a trilogy, "Night Cries: Beneath the Possum Belly, book one."
3. What is my latest release:
I am sorry to say that the first Possum Belly was my latest release, and that was almost 3 years ago. My son had died the year before, and my husband died two years ago this month. I have not had the mental or emotional resources since that time, until just recently, to even begin to think about writing. But I am writing now, and hopefully will have the second Possum Belly of the trilogy read for publication soon.( by BooksWeLove Publisher, of course) .
4. What am I working on now:
As I said above, I am now working on Night Spells, the second of the Possum Belly trilogy. More magic, more paranormal activity, more surprises, including one that will end the book, but still leave the way open for number three. I also am seriously thinking about a 3rd Civil War novel, with the same characters. This would be about the Reconstruction Era, which not many people know about. It was a terrible time, and an evil time. It is a period that really fascinates me.
5. Do my reading choices influence my choice of a writing career?
Um, well, no, absolutely not! I only read novels by James Patterson, John Kellerman and wife Faye Kellerman, Tami Hoag, etc. I have yet to write a "real" mystery, although that is a second book I am considering after the Reconstruction one. However, I am definitely not in the James Patterson league!
6. Where can you find me?
I am sorry to say, not very many places. I do have a blog:
http:/bwlpublishing.ca/authors/sadil-mikki-ya-historical-suspense this is my page at my publisher's website.
http://facebook.com/mikki.sadil and on Facebook
Since my husband's death two years ago, I very frankly have not had the mental and emotional resources to even think about writing, until very recently. My blog has suffered tremendously, but as soon as I get my book finished, I will try to remedy that. I did enjoy it when I was keeping it up.
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