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Monday, May 26, 2014

Author Interview: Elizabeth Seckman

Today, we have author Elizabeth Seckman with us! Elizabeth is a romance writer and the author of the Coulter Men Series. Be sure to read all the way through the interview because we have an awesome giveaway at the end. (Elizabeth has kindly offered the winner their choice of the three book eBook of the Coulter Men Series set or an autographed copy of the book of their choice!) You don't want to miss it! Here's a little more about Elizabeth...

Author Bio:

Elizabeth is a wife, a mom, and a writer. She has four wonderful boys, one dusty house, and three published books to her credit. Feel free to check them out and buy them HERE! Erm, the books, not the kids or the house...though all things in life are negotiable ;)

You can find her here - Blog // Facebook // Twitter


Mini Blurbs:

Past Due: When Jenna comes nose to well-formed chest with her past, this single mom realizes her happily ever may only come after a painful journey down memory lane. Once love is lost, can it ever be found again?


Healing Summer: The middle child and bad boy of the Coulter line, Craig, swore off women to the live hermit life in Montana. His plan was working until quarter flips at cross roads brought the sweet, suffering, ditched-at-the-altar Mollie to his town and his heart.



Fate Intended: The final Coulter brother, Trip, trades a boring job for a place on a black ops team. He swaps a bitchy girlfriend for a sweet cleaning lady...who may be a Russian mafia princess on the lamb for murder. No matter. Whoever or whatever she is, Jane has Trip's heart in her cross hairs.



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Now, on to the interview...


First of all, Elizabeth, thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview. We are so excited to have you on Unicorn Bell!

Thanks for having me over!!



What books or authors have most influenced your writing?


I wouldn't be writing if it weren't for Dixie Browning. She's a fabulous lady and
prolific author who took the time to offer me a critique and pointers when I was still
head hopping and writing in passive voice. And she gave me the very best advice
ever: READ. Then read some more. Then just tell the story.




What is your writing process like? Pantser or Plotter? (Additional Translation: As a mother of four boys, when do you find the time to write?)

Odd combo of both. I start with an outline...which is open to change. By the time I
get to the last chapter of the first draft, I have several pages of things that will have
to be tweaked in the beginning to make the new ending work.


*I have four boys, but they are all teens+ (one is twenty). Writing with them around
means I accidentally approve a lot of pizza orders and car loans. (Seems they know
I answer yes to almost any question while I am in the zone!)




How do you receive inspiration for your novels?


Honestly, it's simply a “what if” that grows. For my next novel, a historical, I had
to wonder­ what if there was a character who had the heart of Melanie Wilkes and
spunk of Scarlet O'Hara? From that, Bella's Point was born.




What are you currently working on?


I am working on the final chapters of Tanner Coulter's story. Tanner was a teen in
Past Due. His story starts as the now twenty­something party animal gets booted
from college only to return home to find a pretty little over­achiever living next
door. The what if of this story­ is what if Tanner meets a girl who is too smart to fall
for his crap?



What advice would you give to aspiring authors?


Never give up. Read good books. Read bad books. Read books on craft.

Oh, and blog. Interacting with and learning from fellow writers is a sanity saver.




Now, for some fun questions, completely unrelated to writing, but a great way to get to
know you…


What’s your motto in life?


Be someone you'd want your kids to be.



 What is something you cannot live without?


The obvious answer is oxygen, but I'll go a step farther and add my faith and my
family.




If you were a professional wrestler, what would your ring name be and why?


MomDre the Giant. Why? My son thought it was hilarious.



 Most hated chore on the household chore list?


I hate to put away laundry. I don't mind washing, drying, and folding, but trying to
stuff it in drawers is annoying.



If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do?


Oh my goodness...I'd sit on the couch and watch TV interruption free! If they can't
see me, they can't ask me what's to eat.


Thank you, Elizabeth! It was so fun to have you on UB! 

All of you readers out there, don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below!




a Rafflecopter giveaway

12 comments:

mshatch said...

Great interview and love the WWW name, lol.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Faith, family, oxygen - all important!
I think most women are too smart to fall for our crap. Bummer.
Excellent interview!

Elizabeth Seckman said...

Thanks for having me over Kristin!!

Thanks ms :)
Sorry Alex ;)

Charity Bradford said...

Great interview Kristin and Elizabeth. I love the advice--Read, read some more and then just tell the story.

Huntress said...

"Never give up."
And "never surrender" I might add ;)

No words are more true. Those three words say it all.

Suzy, The Grey Brunette said...

MomDre The Giant?!?!! LOL Elizabeth you can always crack me up!! Fabulous interview x

Annalisa Crawford said...

Lol, I completely understand putting the laundry away. Once I start to struggle with that, clothes get taken to the charity shop - whether Hubby wants to get rid of them or not :-)

Kristin Smith said...

Elizabeth always cracks me up too! That's why I knew I needed to interview her for UB!

Thank you again, Elizabeth!! It was great having you here!

Stephanie Faris said...

Great interview! I'm now a member of Elizabeth's fan club, after reading Fate Intended! And she's definitely right about reading. Reading is the best way to strengthen our own writing. (Plus, it's fun!)

M Pax said...

Yup, read the bad and the great. Keep writing, Elizabeth!

Anonymous said...

<3 Elizabeth! "Be the kind of person you want your kids to be." Great wisdom :-)

Leigh Covington said...

Fantastic interview! I eat up all of Elizabeth's words... and her books!!!