Welcome, Annette Snyder

Welcome, Annette, to From the Pages. I'm so glad you could stop by and visit today. I've got lots of questions to ask so if you don't mind we'll get right to them.

How long does it typically take you to finish a writing project?

I usually finish a book from idea to saleable state in about a year. Once I get the last draft finished, I put the project aside and let it rest while I write a synopsis and put a query together. With luck, the novel finds a home at a publisher and then editing and re-editing, cover art work-up and printing—total two to three years. The hardest time for me to stay motivated in my writing is November thru January, who knows why. I do write every day even if it’s just a little bit.

Did you always know you wanted to be an author?

When I was in college taking creative writing classes, I’d get so involved with my projects that the rest of the world would disappear. I lost track of time. I enveloped myself in my work so much that the projects seemed real. After I’d write something, I’d reread it and wonder what part of my brain that came from. I wanted to write but knew the chances of earning a living doing something I loved was a far fetch. Only a handful of writers make money with their work. Instead, I went into business school and started a family. When my kids got old enough, my father in law gave me his old computer and I started to write again. Travis Pass was the first novel I ever finished and my third sale. After I wrote Travis Pass, I got more and more ideas and I learned to hone my craft using more description and depth of character. Now, if I go for a day without writing, its unusual.

Can you tell us anything about what you’re working on now?

2009 is proving to be a busy year for me. I thought I’d have two releases and recently discovered I’ll have four. The New Year starts with the release of Viveka’s War, one of my favorite stories. July marks the release of Intimate Flames, a novel about putting the past behind and learning to love a second time. It’s a read beginning and ending on Independence Day. In October and December, my Travis Pass Series releases in MegaBook I and MegaBook II. Readers will be able to purchase three of my Travis Pass stories in one volume for a great low price. I’m also involved in a cooperative band of Nebraska producers called Grow Nebraska, www.growneb.com and I host book club at WRDF. The information is available in this post and at my website http://annettesnyder.atspace.com Add all that to my writing, I’m working on a project involving a fast food worker and a limousine driver. Plus, I work full-time, part-time and I do the regular stuff taking care of my family. Who says the life of a writer is a solitary one?

It does sound like you're very busy!

The question most readers want to know but never get the chance to ask, do you ever write in your pajamas?

I’d go to work at my real job if my pajama’s were presentable enough but they aren’t. I used to attend church in my PJ’s if you really want to know a secret.

Oh my gosh, that's funny. PJ's in church! I haven't tried that one...yet!

In the house—shoes or bare feet?

I’m known for bare feet. When it gets warm enough to go without shoes, I shed them. Once I went to work and forgot my shoes--worked all day without them. If it wasn’t for snow, I’d go barefoot in the winter.


How many books have you written? Do you have a favorite?

I’ve written about fifty books. I have eight released, three more releasing soon and a couple contracted. Not all the books I’ve written are to the publishable stage because I wrote them way before I knew what a publishable book consisted of so, when I have time, I go back and revamp the old ones with my new skills—That’s between edits and new ideas. It’s good that I keep a file for new ideas and go back to my older stories when I think of things pertinent to them. I think my favorite book, so far, is Viveka’s War based on the struggles one woman learns to overcome during her life and the novel afterward, Eureka Springs about a woman who learns to put the mistakes of the past behind her. I try and make sure all my characters learn and grow with each story.

You’re in an Italian restaurant. What do you order?

I went to Naples, Florida with my girlfriends last November and we went to an Italian restaurant. There was a sign outside that read, “Two for the price of one from 4-6.” I ordered Bloody Mary’s. Cost me fifteen dollars but by the time I left, I was speaking Italian.

Sounds like you had an interesting language lesson! *G*

Do you need silence to write or can you write through anything?

I can write through anything. In fact, I think when a person is going through a bad spell in life, if they write it helps work through that spell. I also can sleep through anything. Noise and distraction don’t bother me through writing or sleeping.

Do you collect anything?

Dust. I collect giant, fuzzy dust bunnies. I’m thinking in 2009, my friends will get them as gifts! I also collect rocks. When someone tells me they’re going on a trip, I tell them to bring me a rock. I have them from many states, cities and places of interest in the USA, Bolivia, Canada, Iraq, The Baltic Sea, Guatemala, and several ruins overseas. My rocks come from castle walls in Germany and haunted hotels in South Dakota. My aunt, a Catholic nun, even stole a rock from the Pope during her visit to the Vatican.

Do you believe in extraterrestrial beings?

I saw a UFO once. I used to commute an hour to and from work and I crested a hill with my rust bucket 1969 AMC Ambassador—this was in 1985 so that tells you how old my car was. Through the windshield of my car, I saw a neon blue orb skate across the sky in a straight line. It came in the east side of the horizon and exited the west side half way between the ground and the atmospheric ceiling. I followed the light with my eyes and the whole trip took about four seconds. At first, I thought it might be a shooting star or space trash, but it was bright blue, had no tail and entered and exited in a perfectly straight line. I researched all over the internet and newspapers but couldn’t find anything about a mysterious light in the sky. Had to be an alien craft.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us today?

I’d like to let everyone know about a great group I’m involved in. I host the Writers and Readers of Distinctive Fiction’s book club blog. Each month, Lynda Cook and I hand-select some great reads to discuss on Lost in a Good Book. It’s free to join the WRDF community, If you’re a reader and interested on getting the latest information on your favorite authors and reads, it is the place to be. If you’re an author and would like your novel considered for our book club, all the information is one the WRDF site. Check us out through these links: Writers and Readers of Distinctive Fiction http://romancewriterandreader.ning.com and Lost in a Good Book http://blog.elceepublishing.com It’s a great opportunity for readers and authors alike. You can also check my website for that information plus more on my career http://annettesnyder.atspace.com

Thanks for visiting, Annette. I've enjoyed getting to know you.

Readers, Annette is offering a lovely prize package to one lucky commenter so comment away and check back later in the week to see if your name has been chosen to win!