Best of...

I'm celebrating four years here at LindaMercury.com! And as part of the good times, I'm re-posting some of my earlier posts.

Today's post is, "Hands On Research" from April 15, 2009.

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By training and preference, I love research through the writer's traditional resources - print, photographs, online ready-reference.

This week, though, I got down and dirty with first hand experience. There are some things a girl just can not learn through other people's words.

Like how to shoot a firearm.

My good friend, a former Marine, graciously took me to a pistol range on Monday. There he patiently explained the handling of the four different pistols I ended up renting and shooting.

I learned what single action and double action meant, what the hammer did, how to hold the weapon, how to aim it, and finally, how to shoot it.

First came a revolver, the .38 Special. Next came two 9mm, a Sig and a Glock. Lastly, .45 Smith and Wesson.

The .38

The 9mm Sig

Whenever I learn something new, the oddest things stick out at me. I didn't expect to be tossed around as much as I was. I'm not small, nor am I weak. But my thumbs and wrist still feel like they've been gnawed on!

The 9mm Glock

Second, I was struck by the difference between the slow, accurate firing of the revolver and the faster, "throw a lot of bullets at it" feeling of the semi-automatics.

This one felt like it ripped my arms off.

Handling something that has the sole purpose of killing something is an interesting mixture of fear and power. It's not unlike getting behind the wheel of a car, but with a less ambiguous reasoning. After all, a car is also transportation.

Will I ever own one? Unlikely.

Will I fire them again? Most likely.

Will I try other firearms, such as rifles? Again, most likely.

This is information I need to make my writing vigorous, strong, and real. Lots of times, writers put in characters who are not affected by their ability to kill, who almost seem to seek it out.

I've already learned this is not truthful. Those who understand the kind of power and responsibility that come with holding life and death in their hands are more likely to never want to use it.

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!