Author Interview with Awesome Gang

       Recently, I stumbled across an author interview I did a few years back with an administrator from Awesome Gang―"Where awesome book readers meet awesome writers." It was fun to read through the questions/answers again and realize that most of the goals I mentioned during the interview have now been accomplished. It has taken its share of time.      

       Unfortunately, when goals eat up a lengthy amount of work days, any substantial forward progress seems less evident. But while reading over this interview and looking back, I realized how much I have actually accomplished since then. It was a positive boost for me. 

       I am including the interview below for your enjoyment. Go ahead and read it while I continue chipping away at my writing goals. There is still a lot I plan to do!

(You can find the original interview on awesomegang.com)

Richelle E. Goodrich


Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.

I was born in Utah and grew up in Washington State where I presently reside with my husband and three teenage boys. I began writing my first novel around Christmastime, December 2007. The goal was to see if I could complete one novel-length book, believing it would be an impressive accomplishment. Little did I know I would fall in love with the writing process and continue writing at every given opportunity! One book turned into a six-book fantasy-sci-fi-romance-adventure series known as the Harrowbethian Saga. I also write poetry and short stories, but I am most known for my quotes that circulate the internet. You can find many of my quotes on Goodreads linked to my author page. I have two books presently published that include quotes, poetry, and short stories for every day of the year, but my favorite book–the one that challenged me–is a fictional human interest account about a young girl who struggles to endure a life of hard circumstances. I write to entertain myself, and this keeps me happily writing as often as time permits.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?

My latest published book is the third in the Harrowbethian Saga titled, Eena, The Curse of Wanyaka Cave. This series was inspired by my tendency to daydream in high school when I was a teenager. What else was there to do with all that extra time in class? This story of Queen Eena was one of my favorite daydreams to visit and revisit when I was bored. I think this series proves I have always possessed an active and creative imagination.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?

I use a lot of sticky notes when I write a book, and these sticky notes tend to end up plastered around the screen of my laptop as I type out chapters. The theory is that I keep better track of ideas, character personalities, plot twists, etc. if these reminders stare me in the face. Once a sticky note is no longer needed, I get an odd thrill out of peeling it off my screen and putting it into a big envelope where it is saved as project notes.

What authors, or books have influenced you?

I have probably been influenced most by authors of classic literature. They are my favorite writers and include Victor Hugo, J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Dickens, C.S. Lewis, Robert Louis Stevenson, Mark Twain, Mary Shelley, and Homer. My favorite book of all time is Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. I enjoy the old children’s fairy tales too, like those written by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Lewis Carroll, Rudyard Kipling, and George MacDonald.

What are you working on now?

I am presently working on another book of quotes, poetry, and short stories for every day of the year. It will be titled, Slaying Dragons, and dedicated to my son for his graduation this year. He loves dragons.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?

I have grown fond of Goodreads for promoting my books. I have book giveaways posted there all the time.

Do you have any advice for new authors?

First, if you want to be a writer, then WRITE! Spend less time thinking, studying, researching, learning, worrying about the art and just write. Write a sentence, a paragraph, a page every day of your life—about anything and everything. Scribble out a poem, a quote, a set of instructions, a portion of a developing novel, a letter to a friend, and so on. Read your work over and edit it. Then set it aside for a while before reading and editing it again. The point is, writing and re-writing are the exercises for authors that lead to excellence.

Secondly, READ everything. Read books, articles, recipes, blogs, letters, cereal boxes, and so on. Pay attention to the details that draw you in. Note what causes you to lose interest. Keep a journal of what you learn, and refer to it now and then.

Thirdly, pick up a basic GRAMMAR book and memorize it; put that knowledge to use.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?

The best writing advice I have ever heard was a quote by Toni Morrison: “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”

What are you reading now?

My son is performing in “Narnia” at the local high school, which got me thinking about those wonderful books. I just started reading The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis. I plan to read through all of the Chronicles of Narnia.

What’s next for you as a writer?

Slowly but surely, I am writing more books and developing a following of readers. I plan to get the last three books of the Harrowbethian Saga published as soon as possible, and then I will work on putting my best poetry together in one book.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?

Only 4 books? This is a tough choice. I would probably bring the biggest and best books I have read.
1.) Les Miserables
2.) The Odyssey
3.) Does The Lord of the Rings count as one book?
4.) The Scriptures

Author Websites and Profiles:

Richelle E. Goodrich Website
Richelle E. Goodrich Amazon Profile
Richelle E. Goodrich Author Profile on Smashwords

Richelle E. Goodrich’s Social Media Links:
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account

10 Helps for Achieving Your Goals

We all desire to become more than we are.  
We dream of reaching higher pinnacles, achieving greater success, experiencing the thrill of accomplishment.  And so we set goals, having perfect intentions of sacrificing whatever it takes to reach them.  The truth is, setting goals is the easy part; however, paying the day to day tolls necessary to see them realized can prove trying and discouraging.  To help make the journey less daunting, I've outlined ten points of advice combined with a few original quotes―motivation for anyone up to the challenge of chasing their dreams.

#1.  Take on less.
          In the case of accomplishing any task, less is best.  If you're serious about reaching a goal, a single objective needs to be your focus.  Pick only one (maybe two) and keep it at the forefront of your mind.  Once you attain your goal, then start another!

"Just pick a goal and stick to it―no big complicated secret."
~Richelle E. Goodrich 

#2.  Post your goal(s).
          Write down specifically what it is you want to accomplish and then display it in a spot where you will see and read it everyday―perhaps on the bathroom mirror or on the refrigerator door or above your computer monitor.  This posted note is a visual reminder of where your thoughts and energies should be concentrated.  'Out of sight, out of mind', they say; whereas...

"In constant view keeps mightily true an honest resolve to do."
~Richelle E. Goodrich

#3.  Ask for help.
          You have multiple resources for support, advice, and assistance at your disposal; take advantage of them!  First of all, research the subject.  Use the internet, libraries, chat groups, and forums to hunt down helpful hints as to how to accomplish the set goal.  Secondly, talk to friends and family and request their support and encouragement.  And third, don't forget to pray.  Asking for divine guidance and assistance―believing that there are powers outside your sight and understanding that can and will help you―provides added strength and confidence.

"Prayer, faith, and vision, plus real effort too. Blend them together for one potent brew; the magical spell to your dreams coming true."
~Richelle E. Goodrich

#4.  Step forward daily.
          Vow to do something―anything―everyday to get you closer to reaching your goal.  If time is short, your schedule insanely busy, don't allow it to prevent you from moving forward with your aspirations.  Write at least one sentence in your journal.  Jog in place for sixty seconds.  Make a quick phone call.  Read one page of that book.  Sketch a line on that masterpiece in progress.  Get the picture?  You don't have to make bounds and leaps each and every day, but you do have to move forward, even an inch at a time.  You must do SOMETHING daily because... 

"Doing nothing accomplishes nothing, gains nothing, changes nothing, and wins nothing. You have to make a move."
~Richelle E. Goodrich

 
#5.  Make seconds count.
          Yes, I know, life is busy.  It is.  For all of us.  And yet it seems that the busiest people find ways to accomplish more than those who possess the time to do things.  Therefore, don't be lazy; use rather than waste those precious scraps of time.  It takes only seconds to write an additional sentence in a developing novel.  In just a minute you could fit in a set of push ups.  A phone call could be made while walking to the mailbox and back.  Find ways to use those small chunks of time, and you'll be astounded at how quickly a-bit-here and a-bit-there adds up!

"An accumulation of pennies is a fortune. Day-to-day practice is perfection. A dream realized is nothing more than many steps taken toward the borders of once-impossible."
~Richelle E. Goodrich

#6.  Accept failures as stepping stones.
          The difference between people who succeed and those who don't is largely their understanding of the process.  Success isn't entirely constructed of a bunch of minor successes.  The truth is, success normally includes many little failures.  Learn from those flops and bungles.  Don't allow them to discourage or defeat you.  Stop seeing failed attempts as brick walls barring your progress.  Instead, view them as stepping stones on the road to ultimate success.

"The key to success is having no qualms about failure."
~Richelle E. Goodrich

 
#7.  Focus on the Goal
          One of the greatest enemies of success is distraction.  Life requires your attention, pulling you in diverse directions.  And in order to be a responsible individual you must attend to those various demands.  Often, though, this allows personal goals to be shoved aside, eventually pushed to the rear where ambitions dwindle until entirely snuffed out, forgotten.  The next New Year's Eve then finds you reflecting over past resolutions, regretting lost opportunities.  In order to achieve a desired goal it must remain in your constant focus.  That doesn't mean making it a priority over imperative issues, but it does mean giving it daily thought and attention.   

“Goals are my north star. My compass. The map that guides me along the road I wish to travel. Goals are motivations with wind in their sails—they carry me forward despite the storms.” ~Richelle E. Goodrich

#8.  Don't envy.
          Get out of the destructive habit of comparing yourself to others.  You are you.  You will travel your own road to success, and the journey will be uniquely yours.  The best way to avoid discouragement, disappointment, and loss of confidence is to never compare yourself to anyone else.  Look only at how far you've come from where you started out.  Chart your improvement day-by-day, week-by-week, month-by-month.  So what if so-and-so runs a mile in 5 minutes?  That's none of your concern.  The fact that you performed better today than yesterday is what counts.  The only reason to spend valuable time looking at others' accomplishments is to learn from them.  Learn, then move on. Celebrate when others succeed as you will when you succeed.  Don't succumb to envy!

"The only ship you can steer in this ocean is the one you're sailing."
~Richelle E. Goodrich

 
#9.  Believe in yourself.
          You can do it.  This is true, period.  Don't wait for someone to tell you you're good enough.  Don't wait for outside assurances.  Don't listen to the critics or so-called experts.  This is about you―your goal, your dream.  You can do it.

"What do you mean I have to wait for someone's approval? I'm someone. I approve. So I give myself permission to move forward with my full support!"
~Richelle E. Goodrich

 
#10.  Never, ever, ever give up.
          Understand right here and now that quitting is not an option.
          It's not.
          Don't even think about it.

"Don't ever give up. Don't ever give in. Don't ever stop trying. Don't ever sell out. And if you find yourself succumbing to one of the above for a brief moment, pick yourself up, brush yourself off, whisper a prayer, and start where you left off. But never, ever, ever give up."
~Richelle E. Goodrich

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