Women in the arts: Paty Jager

I met Paty Jager during our recent New Year's resolutions blog tour. I was immediately intrigued by Paty's courage and insistence that you eliminate nay-sayers and surround yourself with people who hold you accountable for your best self.

So I asked her to be one of my Women in the Arts interviewees. I was delighted when she said yes!

1. What do you tell other people you do? (such as author, teacher, designer)

I tell other people that I am an author. With fifteen published books I don’t have any qualms telling people what I do if they ask. But I don’t walk up to people and say, I’m an author, here are my bookmarks. It has to come out in conversation. Before I was published I told people I wrote. Which I did write novels and worked as a freelance reporter for local newspapers.  I also let people know that I ranch—cattle and hay are what my husband and I raise and sell.

2.     When did you know it was time to stop treating your art as a hobby and start it as a career?

When my kids were in high school and no longer required as much of my time I began thinking of writing as a career. Granted, it took me nearly ten years to finally have a book in my hand to show it wasn’t a hobby, and then six more years before I was making more than I was spending on ink, paper, computers, conferences, and books. 

3.     What are some of the aspects of your job that people don’t see? For example, most people don’t understand how much marketing is done by the authors themselves instead of a publisher, and most audience members don’t see how costumes and props are designed/chosen.

There are many aspects they don’t see that go into the book. One is the planning. Bringing the character to fruition in my head and then on paper. Sometimes this may require some research for a time period or profession. Using a trivial and sometimes not so trivial thing that sparks a premise and then researching and digging up the info to make the tidbit work for a believable premise. And once the story is written then, in the case that I self publish, there is surrounding myself with people who help me perfect the story and then the hours of formatting (I don’t always pay to have the books formatted) and promotion. Also coming up with the right cover that catches the eye and shows a bit of the story. And after all the writing, editing, formatting, and cover; I spend two thirds of my computer time doing online promotions. Blogs, like this. Forums with other authors to learn industry news and promote. Leaving comments on other blogs, tweeting, and using Facebook to give people a glimpse of the person behind the books. I also love to speak and give presentations at conferences. 

4.     Who inspired/inspires you on those inevitable rough days?

My inspiration for writing came from my love of reading as a child. Books took me to places I could never travel, taught me about people and places I may never see, and showed me there was more out there than a rural life. I began writing as a challenge to myself to see if I could write a story as good as the ones I read. And I found by writing my overactive imagination had a place to vent. When I have a rough day of writing, I think of all the books over the years that made me laugh, cry, and took me to another place and realize what I am doing can do the same for others. Then I shake off whatever is making it a rough day, be it, a bad review, an unkind remark, or just words not flowing and read one of those books that inspired me to read and write.

  

5.     Name a few of your current projects. For example, conferences, publicity, design process, what you have for sale.

Are you sure you really want to know? LOL I have a blog tour coming up for my latest release, Secrets of an Aztec Temple. The tour is an excerpt only tour and will be from March 4^th – 15^th. I’m giving a presentation on writing fiction at a high school career day. April, I’m teaching a workshop on Promotion for an editing business and a critique workshop for my local writing group.   

In June I’ll be at the RomCon in Colorado Springs, CO.  I’m putting together presentations for the talks and making swag to give away at the conference. The swag will be small tins filled with survival items like my heroine in the Isabella Mumphrey books.  I have fifteen books for sale, some strictly ebooks some both print and ebook. The books that I’m most excited about are my Spirit trilogy [ Spirit of the Mountain, Spirit of the Lake, Spirit of the Sky] that is set among the Nez Perce tribe of NE Oregon in the late 1700’s to the late 1800’s. The books have sibling Nez Perce spirits who find love among the mortals and work to keep the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) alive and free. 

 My latest books, Secrets of a Mayan Moon and Secrets of an Aztec Temple, are about Isabella Mumphrey, a brilliant anthropologist who specializes in Native American cultures. She has a “survival” vest she goes nowhere without. It has items in it that will get her out of nearly any situation. The hero is Augustino Constantine a Venezuelan who fled his homeland as a child with his family because of their opposition to the government. After Tino’s family died when their plane was shot down by a drug lord, he became a DEA agent and made it his mission to take out the drug lord. Their attraction is as hot as the steamy Guatemalan jungle where the meet.  I also have eight historical western romance books. The five book Halsey series is my favorite of the historical books. And I have two contemporary westerns, Perfectly Good Nanny and Bridled Heart, that were fun to write.

6.     This question is a chance to meander or talk in greater depth if you’d like. Here you can talk about what hobbies you pursue, how you refresh your well of ideas, what you would recommend to other women interested in a career in the arts.

I like to ride my horse and be outdoors as much as possible. I grew up on 200 acres at the base of the Wallowa Mountains. I spent nearly every summer day exploring the mountain side on my horse, Junebug. So replenishing my well comes from being outside and doing tasks that require little brain activity. 

My husband has learned to not worry when the tractor stops in the middle of the field. I’m not broke down. An idea or scene came to me and I’m writing it down. I always carry a pad and pen with me when I’m harrowing, raking, baling, or swathing. The monotonous back and forth lets my mind wander and I come up with some of the best scenes and ideas that way. I’ve also been known to get a good idea while painting. Not artistic painting, painting the outside of the house or rooms. I’ve always been a cup half full person and one who never backs down from a challenge so I say to anyone who has a penchant for any kind of art; painting, pottery, writing, drama, jewelry, whatever, start out learning the craft of the medium, gather supportive people who make you work to be your best not pat you on the back all the time and tell you you’re great, and then reach for the stars! You can’t succeed if you don’t try.

Places you can connect with Paty:

Website               Blog        Goodreads         Facebook        Twitter         Pinterest   

Thank you so much Paty!

Working for a living: Women in the Arts, V

   What is the name of your business and what do you tell other people you do?

  My name is Linda Mercury, and I am a writer. 

   When did you know it was time to stop treating your art as a hobby and start it as a career?

On September 11, 2011, I went to work in the Children's section of the Hillsboro Public Library. My fellow librarians and I were talking about the attacks when I said something intelligent (hey, it happens now and again) about Islam. When she asked how I knew that, I replied that my first Master's degree was in Middle Eastern History. In the year following, I contributed to a book she was editing. During this process, I realized that my childhood dream of writing was not silly, was possible, and that I had things to contribute to making the world a better place.

It felt like coming home.

   What are some of the aspects of your job that people don’t see? For example, most people don’t understand how much marketing is done by the authors themselves instead of a publisher, and most audience members don’t see how costumes and props are designed/chosen.

I enjoy having a flexible schedule. Sometimes, people will see that I'm going to a museum or taking a nap and think that writing is easy. It's not. I'm constantly at work, no matter what I'm doing.

 

   Who inspired/inspires you on those inevitable rough days?'

My Beloved, the Charming Man. The women I've interviewed for this series. Michael Baxter, the brilliant photographer. All the writers out there getting their words down. And, of course, Cherry Adair, who tells you to Finish the Damn Book!

   Name a few of your current projects. For example, conferences, publicity, design process, what you have for sale. This question is a chance to meander or talk in greater depth if you’d like. Here you can talk about what hobbies you pursue, how you refresh your well of ideas, what you would recommend to other women interested in a career in the arts.

Dracula Unleashed, the third book in my Blood Wings series, comes out on March  21, 2013. 

I'm currently writing a synopsis for a fourth book in the series I'm going to submit to my editor at Kensington. Also, I'm participating in the nine-part New Year Resolutions blog tour that starts on the 1st.

As for advice? If you want to write a book, do it! Don't worry about making it Perfect or The Kind of Book People Will Study in School. Just get the damn thing out of your head and on paper. Let it suck!

Then, you get in there and edit, edit, edit.

Working for a Living: Women in the Arts IV

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the multi-talented Jessa Slade, author of the Marked Souls series.

1.      What is the name of your business and what do you tell other people you do? (such as author, teacher, designer)

Hello, I’m Jessa Slade, and I’m an author. (This sounds like a 12-step program intro, except I use my last name because I’m dying for people to know how word-addicted I am.) When people ask what I do, I say I am a writer. I say writer instead of author because I like to emphasize the verb part. I’m a writer when I write. That’s the part I control. Technically, I suppose you could say I control the author part too, now that I am self published, but personally, I consider the author part of myself subject to the whims of being read. And that part I can’t control. Sadly!

2.      When did you know it was time to stop treating your art as a hobby and start it as a career?

When I got paid! That sounds a little mercenary, doesn’t it? I guess I’m going by the IRS’s definition :) I’ve always written with the intent of being read, and until that happened, I wasn’t ready to call myself an author, which is the career part. But to be honest, I didn’t make that many changes moving from writer to author. The deadlines are more deadly :) but the work is pretty much the same: words on the page, one after the other.

3.      What are some of the aspects of your job that people don’t see? For example, most people don’t understand how much marketing is done by the authors themselves instead of a publisher, and most audience members don’t see how costumes and props are designed/chosen.

I did a booksigning at the Powell’s Books at the Portland International Airport with a couple other authors, and I was surprised how many people were surprised we were authors! I mean, we were sitting at tables surrounded by our books next to a sign that said Meet The Authors, and yet when we said we were the authors, people invariably said, “You’re the authors?” in simultaneous tones of surprise, pleasure and suspicion. Apparently we did not look like authors! I wonder what would have convinced people.

Most people don’t see the hours that go into writing a book. Nathaniel Hawthorne said “Easy reading is damn hard writing.” I suspect most people think writing is easy because all of us learn our alphabet from our very earliest years, so how hard could it be, stringing those same 26 letters together over a blank page? (Insert maniacal laughter here.)

4.      Who inspired/inspires you on those inevitable rough days?

I belong to a great romance writers’ organization, Romance Writers of America. The women and men in my local chapter are a fabulous source of inspiration and energy. There is always someone querying or getting published, just starting or just finishing a book, touring blogs or going off-line to concentrate. Seeing that constantly ebb and flow of mindful effort, excitement, determination, and passion helps keep me going when the works aren’t going.

5.      Name a few of your current projects. For example, conferences, publicity, design process, what you have for sale.

 

For the holiday season, I published a Christmas novella in my Marked Souls demonic possession series. (What? Christmas and demons go together like children and lots of sugar.) THE DARKEST NIGHT is about two lost souls finding each other at the darkest time of the year. Also, the second book in my Steel Born dark fairy series, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSE, is out in January. I’m currently working on the second book in my science fiction romance anthology series and the third book of the Steel Born. I gotta write faster!

6. (OPTIONAL)   This question is a chance to meander or talk in greater depth if you’d like. Here you can talk about what hobbies you pursue, how you refresh your well of ideas, what you would recommend to other women interested in a career in the arts, or just anything you'd like other people to know.

I truly believe in the power of a creative outlet to change for the better the way we live, think and love. I don’t doubt that entropy is out to get us, and our only way to battle the inevitable chaos is to create. Whether that’s writing, music, painting, sewing, cooking, gardening, or compiling supercuts of cute baby animal videos, find the thing you love and share it with the universe. The universe is waiting for your art!

You can find me online at:

My website, My newsletter, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads 

Working for a Living: Women in the Arts III

Today's Woman in the Arts is Master Dancer, Saqra of Kent, Washington.


Voted "Best Kept Secret of 2005" and "Instructor of the Year 2008" by Zaghareet Magazine, Saqra has over thirty years of experience as a teacher, choreographer, and festival producer. The depth and breadth of her knowledge on Middle Easter dance history and folklore is unmatched.

1.    What is the name of your business and what do you tell other people you do? (such as author, teacher, designer)

Saqra -- Bellydance Performer & Instructor

2.    When did you know it was time to stop treating your art as a hobby and start it as a career?

I treated it like a career from the beginning, but I found it necessary to run two full-time businesses at the same time to be able to afford to do it.

3. What are some of the aspects of your job that people don’t see? For example, most people don’t understand how much marketing is done by the authors themselves instead of a publisher, and most audience members don’t see how costumes and props are designed/chosen.

The constant networking, glad handing, playing nice, and doing your best to be friendly to absolutely everyone no matter your mood or beliefs ... people definitely don't see that. They can guess at the practice... creating performances from costuming to execution... junk like accounting, but they never realize how important it is to network.

A decent dancer with a great network will stomp the heck out of a magnificent dancer without one, career-wise.

4. Who inspired/inspires you on those inevitable rough days?

Jim Beam. Totally KIDDING!

I really just dig deep.... I know I made this bed so I better get my butt out of it and do something. I CHOSE this. But my family was in business and I've been around small businesses all my life. You can waste a little bit of time whining, but then you have to go do something about what you are complaining about.

It would be nice to have someone to look up to and be inspired, but most of the people I know have eventually given up. My stubbornness makes me get up and look at what other are doing and try and out-think them.

  This question is a chance to meander or talk in greater depth if you’d like. Here you can talk about what hobbies you pursue, how you refresh your well of ideas, what you would recommend to other women interested in a career in the arts, or just anything you'd like other people to know.

If you want a career in the arts you better be ready to not be constantly praised, appreciated, considered the best, or wealthy. You better be ready to be criticized because the value of the arts are subjective. And around the corner is someone with a chip on their shoulder and the belief that only their way is the right one.

A career in the arts is not a place for sissies... or for people who are just feeling compelled to express themselves. A career is a BUSINESS.

Working for a living: Women in the Arts, II

Today's guest is Grace Constantine, dancer, author, landscape architect, and all around amazing person. Please welcome Grace!

1.What is the name of your business and what do you tell other people you do? 
(such as author, teacher, designer)

I'm Grace Constantine, belly dance performer and teacher, and director of 
theatrical fusion troupe Deviant Dance Company.

2.When did you know it was time to stop treating your art as a hobby and start 
it as a career?

I have no idea, I just woke up one day and I was a belly dancer! For me there 
has not been much of a difference between hobby and career. Dance has always 
been more than a hobby to me, it has been a deeply important part of my spirit 
since I was a child, and even as a hobbyist I approached my projects with a 
professional level of care. Early on, I made the conscious decision not to 
pursue a living with this artform. I did not want my creative process to be 
affected by the need to support myself on a daily basis--essentially, I wanted 
my life in dance to be pure joy, to remain unsullied by monetary concern. 
However, my interest and passion has only grown as years have gone by; 
eventually I spent so much time and energy that I suppose a career became 
inevitable, and so here I am.

3.What are some of the aspects of your job that people don’t see? For example, 
most people don’t understand how much marketing is done by the authors 
themselves instead of a publisher, and most audience members don’t see how 
costumes and props are designed/chosen.

Probably most folks have no understanding of how much time in the weeks or 
months before an event goes into working out logistics with event promoters, 
venues, musicians, lighting, staging, etc. to make sure that everything comes 
together for the audience. I spend a good deal of time every day communicating 
about these things. Every event is unique, and many have very different needs. I 
often work with live musicians, and this adds another needed element of 
communication. Many events have a theme, or a specific audience that requires a 
certain type of performance. Behind-the-scenes concerns also include marketing, 
rehearsal scheduling and arrangements, travel plans for out-of-town events, and 
negotiating contracts. This is all before I get to create lesson plans and 
workshop content; train in the studio; teach classes; and finally design 
performances. Phew!

4.Who inspired/inspires you on those inevitable rough days?

My brilliant students: every time they encounter something new and pick it up as 
if they've always known it, it inspires and re-ignites me! My endlessly talented 
troupemates: they always say 'yes' to my crazy schemes, and then build on them! 
My darling husband: he is always ready with a hug, and makes sure that I eat 
good food, even when I am obsessed with a project!

5.Name a few of your current projects. For example, conferences, publicity, 
design process, what you have for sale.

This month I taught and performed at Columbia University's Middle Eastern Dance Conference--talk about inspiring! My troupe Deviant Dance Company recently added a new member, and we are creating a new piece called 'Song of the Tentacle' to be released in February. Also in February I will be sharing the stage with the Bellydance Superstars when they come to Seattle. I am writing a regular column on the creative process for the new belly dance magazine 'From the Hip', and I am enjoying writing very much. As always, I am teaching a full complement of one-on-one lessons, and planning workshops for the new year.

6. (OPTIONAL)This question is a chance to meander or talk in greater depth if 
you’d like. Here you can talk about what hobbies you pursue, how you refresh 
your well of ideas, what you would recommend to other women interested in a 
career in the arts, or just anything you'd like other people to know.

Advice to women interested in a career in the arts: don't do what everybody else 
is doing. Play! Experiment to find out what you are good at and what you enjoy, 
and explore those things deeply. This is how you will find your strength.

Grace Constantine
www.graceconstantine.com 
www.facebook.com/constantine.grace 

NEWS:
--Latest performance video--Grace at Salon L'Orient 2012:
http://youtu.be/uORzw7QUi58 


--Grace is a staff writer for the brand new 'From the Hip' Magazine!
www.newsfromthehip.com 

Working for a living: Women in the Arts.

Last month, several of my Muses and inspirations kindly agreed to be interviewed. These women have made names for themselves in their chosen field, as well as actually making a career out of their creations.

Please welcome my first interviewee, Kim Sakkara!

1.       What is the name of your business and what do you tell other people you do? (such as author, teacher, designer)

My name is Kim Sakkara and I am an apparel designer. I’m the owner of Sakkara Clothing & Costume, LLC.

 

2.       When did you know it was time to stop treating your art as a hobby and start it as a career?

I’d always considered the idea but wasn’t quite ready to make that leap. I was still in my 20’s and so my main concern was being free to go wherever my creativity took me. I was doing a lot of custom sewing and alterations back then, which I enjoyed. When the economy took that nosedive in 2008, I took a big break and went back to school. Many months later, I woke up one day and really, really missed having that creative outlet. I realized that it was the strongest source of my passion and that I would feel unfilled working for another company.

3.       What are some of the aspects of your job that people don’t see? For example, most people don’t understand how much marketing is done by the authors themselves instead of a publisher, and most audience members don’t see how costumes and props are designed/chosen.

We are part of a very rich and plentiful society that has become accustomed to paying dirt cheap prices for mass produced goods. A lot of people are unaware of the incredible amount of time and labor that goes into creating a single garment for the marketplace, or why Made in the USA goods are more expensive than goods from overseas. They question why that higher cost is on the price tag.

Then there’s the amount of time one spends feeding the social media outlets. But I suppose that is true for all artists and businesses. :)

4.       Who inspired/inspires you on those inevitable rough days?

Sometimes a good album goes a long way. I’ve got my iPod filled with artists like Goldfrapp, Front 242, Massive Attack, Metric, Hossam Ramzy and Natacha Atlas. You know, so I can pretend I live and create in a sexy, futuristic Goth-y belly dance club. :D

5.       Name a few of your current projects. For example, conferences, publicity, design process, what you have for sale.

I’m excited to be working on the next collection, some of which will be available for Spring/Summer 2013, and some of which will be geared for Fall 2013. I’m also looking forward to festival season starting. The Reigning Down on Oregon event in February is the first for 2013. It’s going to be a ton of fun.

Your author proudly wearing her Kim Sakkara custom skirt and gauntlets!

2006 Copyright/velvet skirt & gauntlets: Kim Sakkara.  Photo: Lenny Gotter. Model: Linda

 

Kim Sakkara can be found on Twitter as well as her blog and shop.