Today, I’d like to introduce you to Solstice author Virginia Babcock. Virginia grew up in and still lives in Northern Utah with her husband and cat. In college, she started in Engineering and ended up in Art and English, which makes for weird syntax when she writes. The picture of her includes some “yard art” a fellow student made that she bought for her mom. She likes to walk outside while listening to music. She uses that time to meditate on her writings and work out tricky parts. Virginia’s latest book is Hear Me.
Page count: 174
Date published: September 26, 2017 by Solstice Publishing
Ebook: click here
About the book:
Maddy has always been different, but lately she’s been lonely. Even those who love her avoid her because of her “gift” and the strange things it makes her do. Then one night, a ghostly visitor warns her to go with the handsome stranger who shows up at her door before dawn.
Jacob needed a change in his life, so he quit his job. Before he could head out on his next adventure, his brother reached out to him for help. Will he ever know why a haunting dream told him to leave to help his brother now? On his way, he meets the beautiful Maddy.
Together Maddy and Jacob help those they are called to help. Through triumph and tragedy they find their own way and try to blend two varying paths into one.
Why did you decide to write this book?
I wondered whether I could write something supernatural. I found I couldn’t. I just couldn’t come up with an otherworldly feel to the story, so it morphed into a story about a “psychic” heroine. I then ran with it based on some personal experiences and memories of my own “grannies.” I also wanted to keep working on romances highlighting how normal guys can be attractive. The hero doesn’t need to be an immortal, a millionaire, or even a cop or FBI agent. Jacob in this book happens to be ex-army, but I know a lot of guys like him.
What genre is your book?
Romance>Action/Adventure
Do you consider your book character-driven or plot-driven?
Both. I find myself telling stories based on what happened, with information about the characters tying it together.
What makes your book unique?
The idea that someone would actually live following the wishes of dead relatives. It’s also set in Idaho and Utah.
Do you plot ahead of time, or let the plot emerge as you write?
I try to plot out major events and a basic timeline for the book. Then I write the events. If it starts going a different way, I will go with the new flow if it’s better. For instance, I never intended to have the heroine in Hear Me get so hurt; it just came out that way.
How do you develop the names for your characters?
I typically look up baby names online. Madeline Lena got her names from one of my grandmas and one of my great-great grandmas. I used Madeline, because that granny was Madeline Udora (like Eudora) and went by Udora, when I’d thought she’d go by Madeline given a choice.
How do you decide on the setting?
I place my characters in places I know or where I’ve been. The first hospital in Hear Me was in Provo, UT, because I’d visited a sick family member there while writing the book.
Do you have a writing mentor?
No, but I’m thinking of getting one. Other Solstice authors recently read Hear Me and rated it on Amazon and Good Reads. They gave some good constructive feedback that I wish I’d had when writing it. I do have a best friend who’s a real bookhound like me. I usually test my plots on her.
What’s your writing schedule? Do you have a favorite place to write?
I try to write when I feel like it. I try to dedicate time to writing each week, and usually write on my huge iPad Pro while being a couch potato in my husband’s recliner.
Anything else you’d like to add?
I am working on a few stories and hope to get a couple of manuscripts done this year. I’m also going to my first writing conference in a few weeks. There I’m hoping to sharpen my skills and strengthen my plots. I’m also doing #TwitterTales flash fiction and am enjoying crafting these mini plots.
Where can readers find you?
@VirginiaBabcockBooks on Facebook
@VBabcockBooks on Twitter
Nancy Wood 