Ask the Author: Michele Pariza Wacek
Answered Questions (9)
Michele Pariza Wacek
Thank you and great question! It's pronounced like "while."
Michele Pariza Wacek
I always wanted to try turning a kidnapping plot on its head, and with "The Girl Who Wasn't There," I saw an opportunity. As it's Book 6 in the Secrets of Redemption series, I knew it was time to start answering some of the questions that were still lingering from the first 5 books, and when I started playing around with plot ideas, I realized this book would be perfect time to explore that idea.
Michele Pariza Wacek
Absolutely! I've always thought it would be an awesome movie or TV show. I'm also considering a fiction podcast or audio drama podcast that takes place in Redemption. I have an idea of how I can marry the two, but I'm guessing that's going to be a 2023 or 2024 project. Stay tuned.
Michele Pariza Wacek
Hi Kymm, thank you! And I appreciate you trying to get it on Amazon for me. (I know Amazon can be fussy at times.) Bookbub would be the other place I would love a review, here's the link to my book and thanks again! https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-mur...
Michele Pariza Wacek
She glanced in her rearview mirror, expecting to see the headlights of the car behind her. Instead, she saw the face of her former lover, the man she was sure she had left for dead, grinning at her.
Michele Pariza Wacek
Excellent question. I WAS working on a new series, but it just wasn't coming together. At all. Then the zombie apocalypse hit, and in the middle of everything I realized the book I really needed to work on is the 4th book in the Secrets of Redemption series. That book is coming along great and my hope is to have it out by Fall 2020!
Michele Pariza Wacek
Lots of twisty psychological thrillers such as "Watching You" by Lisa Jewell, "Missing Molly" by Natalie Barrelli and "The Death of Mrs. Westaway" by Ruth Ware. I also just started reading "The Boy" by Tami Hoag. I haven't read Tami Hoag in years. Back in the day I read all of her books, so it's been really fun to reconnect with her.
Michele Pariza Wacek
It depends on what sort of aspiring writer you are. If you're an aspiring writer who loves to talk about writing (or even join writer's groups and hang out with other writers and talk about writing and their "big project") but you don't actually sit down and do any writing, my advice is to have an honest come to Jesus conversation with yourself. In fact, I would take it one step further and ask yourself this: If you couldn't answer the question "why aren't I writing" by saying "because I don't have time" what would be your answer?
Alas, "I don't have time" is not an acceptable answer. (Did you realize Mary Higgens Clark was a single mom with 5 kids and a full time job when she wrote her first book? She got up at 4 am to write every morning. And she's not the only successful writer to somehow carve out time to write with insanely busy schedules.) I have a friend who wrote the book "Get it Done" where she talks about working on your project for 15 minutes a day. (I've tried it and it actually does work.) If you're serious about writing, you'll find the time, even if it's only 15 minutes a day.
Now, if you're an aspiring writer who has completed some books and is looking to get published, my advice would be to not only continue writing and perfecting your craft, but also learn about marketing and platform building and start focusing on that. Even if a traditional publisher ends up taking you on, if you don't have a platform or know how to market yourself, you still aren't going to sell many books.
Alas, "I don't have time" is not an acceptable answer. (Did you realize Mary Higgens Clark was a single mom with 5 kids and a full time job when she wrote her first book? She got up at 4 am to write every morning. And she's not the only successful writer to somehow carve out time to write with insanely busy schedules.) I have a friend who wrote the book "Get it Done" where she talks about working on your project for 15 minutes a day. (I've tried it and it actually does work.) If you're serious about writing, you'll find the time, even if it's only 15 minutes a day.
Now, if you're an aspiring writer who has completed some books and is looking to get published, my advice would be to not only continue writing and perfecting your craft, but also learn about marketing and platform building and start focusing on that. Even if a traditional publisher ends up taking you on, if you don't have a platform or know how to market yourself, you still aren't going to sell many books.
Michele Pariza Wacek
Over the years, I've changed my view of writer's block. I now view it as more friend than foe. I feel like if I have a bad case of writer's block, that's actually a sign of something bigger going on -- maybe the idea isn't quite ready to be birthed or I need more information or maybe I've been ignoring my self care (i.e. working too much) and I really need to go take my dog for a walk or take a day off.
Now writer's procrastination is a different animal -- to me, writer's procrastination is when I know what I want to be writing and I instead find myself messing around on Facebook or reading ESPN. That's when I know I need to close everything down, open up Word and start typing. Typically when I do that, after a few minutes I start to get into the writing.
Now writer's procrastination is a different animal -- to me, writer's procrastination is when I know what I want to be writing and I instead find myself messing around on Facebook or reading ESPN. That's when I know I need to close everything down, open up Word and start typing. Typically when I do that, after a few minutes I start to get into the writing.
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