Journeys Thru Books: Author Interview

Friday, August 9, 2013

Author Interview – Colleen Connally

Where do you get support from? Do you have friends in the industry? That’s a hard question to answer. I’m an Indie writer for most of my books. I have learned a lot through trial and error. I have to admit that the Indie world is quite supportive. There are many writers groups. I also read writers’ blogs, Publisher’s Weekly, Writer’s Digest… I have acquaintances, but not really any friends in the industry.

How much sleep do you get to be at your best? Sleep? What’s that? To be honest, I don’t need a lot of sleep. I think that’s why I can work overnights. If I can get four good hours straight, I’m good to go.

Every writer has their ideas of what a successful writing career is, what does success in writing look like to you? My view on success has changed over the last year. I believe if you are doing what you enjoy, then you are successful. When I first started writing, I didn’t even know if I would ever get published, but I remember those days fondly. My Daddy always said ‘Do what you love, love what you do.’ If you can say that, then you have everything you need.

Tell us about your family. I am the daughter of a high school basketball coach and a teacher. I am one of four children, but I’m the only one that left our home, a small community in northeast Mississippi. I moved up North when I married my husband, whose a native New Englander. We now live in a coastal town on the South Shore outside of Boston. My three children are older now. We have two dogs, a cat and goldfish. I enjoy sports, watching movies, reading a good book, going for long walks and spending time with my family.

Why do you write? I never thought why I write. It is always something I wanted to do. I didn’t start writing until my children were older, but once I started it has become an obsession of sorts. I have all these stories running rampant in my head. My husband calls my office a cave, which may give you an idea of how much time I spend at my craft. Mainly, I write because I love the challenge of creating.

Have you always enjoyed writing? I have always enjoyed writing. When I’m into a book, there is nothing more satisfying than the whole process of creating. I wish that was all I had to do was write. In today’s publishing world, I have to come out of my cave. One needs to promote and network which can be time consuming and pulls me away from writing. I enjoy networking, but it’s the only part of writing that I find frustrating at times. There are not enough hours in the day for everything I want to do.

What’s your greatest character trait? I believe my greatest character trait would be my stubbornness. I never accept anything at face value. If I believe in something, I never let go. Every rejection letter I have received on a manuscript served only as motivation to do better. I learned from each rejection and never gave up on my dream to be published.