Author Spotlight - Stephenia McGee has advice for new/aspiring authors

When I first started writing I had no idea what I was doing. I thought I could just sit down at the computer and write a story. How hard could that be? As it turns out, much harder than I thought. I thought that as long as I had a great story, the rest didn’t matter. I mean, that’s what editors were for, right? Wrong.

I remember going to my first writers’ conference. I’d never joined a writers group, taken a class or really done any research on how to write fiction. I’d sat down, typed out 78,000 words and thought I was ready to pitch it to publishers. I’d printed out several proposals and copies of my manuscript (yes, the whole thing!) and packed it for Colorado. Imagine going through security at the airport and explaining why the x-ray shows an entire suitcase full of large, dense rectangular items. For some reason, I thought editors were going to want to read my book on their way home. But in case they didn’t, I also had several copies saved on CD.

I signed up to meet with every editor I could. I made a sad attempt at pitching, and they politely told me that while my idea was interesting, my writing still needed “polishing”. One editor smiled sweetly and asked if this was my first conference. When I nodded, she said, “I could tell. You look like a deer in the headlights.”

The moral of this little story? Writing a book is a lot more than just typing out a plot. Learn the craft. That doesn’t mean don’t find your own style and voice, but it does mean that you have to do more than read a lot of books to be able to write them. Take the time to learn how to shine up your writing. I promise it’s worth it!
*********
"A Legacy of Lies is a compelling read to the very end! The chemistry between the characters is electrifying. I praise Stephenia McGee in her ability to draw you in and keep you wanting more!"

Jezika Stevens -- Reader

"An absolute page-turner. A Legacy of Lies is a book you won't want to put down. The reader is shown how we are all on a path chosen for us as each characters life intersects with the other. In her debut, Stephenia H. McGee truly delivers a heart-felt story of spiritual turmoil and redemption."

Jessica Lewis -- Reader

"A Legacy of Lies is a heart-warming tale of a man's search for forgiveness. A blend of Western Romance and Big City Intrigue, Stephenia H. McGee takes the parable of the prodigal son and creates a modern twist readers won't see coming until the final page."

Jennifer Lindsay, Editor and Writer

And here are some links to the book online:

Desert Breeze
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-273/A-Legacy-of-Lies/Detail.bok

Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/A-Legacy-of-Lies-ebook/dp/B007K1LS58/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332042156&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-legacy-of-lies-stephenia-mcgee/1107713261?ean=2940014338950&itm=1&usri=stephenia+mcgee

All Romance eBooks
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-alegacyoflies-751693-149.html