Ask the Author: Bonnie Leon
Answered Questions (6)
Bonnie Leon
Advice ... hmm. I've been writing for over twenty years and in that time I've had a lot of ups and downs. The up times are easy. It's the down times that have made it hard and there have been moments when I thought maybe I ought to throw in the towel. What kept me going?
I love to write. And can't imagine my life without having a book idea simmering in my mind or being crafted on the page. So my advice to any aspiring writer is you have write because you love it. And know that really tough days are going to part of your life - accept that and keep writing because you love it.
I love to write. And can't imagine my life without having a book idea simmering in my mind or being crafted on the page. So my advice to any aspiring writer is you have write because you love it. And know that really tough days are going to part of your life - accept that and keep writing because you love it.
Bonnie Leon
After I have a story in mind the background and characters inspire me. Especially the characters - they have a story to tell. And after I've waded in, the story carries me along. It is a mystery to me, just how all that works in my mind, but stories almost magically reveal themselves. It's oh so much fun!
Bonnie Leon
Writing takes me away to new times and places, even if I'm sitting at my computer in my office. It provides a place for me to jump into adventures I'd never do in real life. And to connect with the human spirit, even if that person is only one I've created in my mind.
Now on to reality.
I get to meet the most interesting people - other writers who I find to generally be fun and fascinating. It's wonderful to connect with others who think like me.
I also love the people I meet in my travels and those who are experts on topics that I need to explore if I want to create a story that is meaningful and accurate.
There is a lot more to love, but just not enough space here to share it all. I'll talk about this more another time.
Now on to reality.
I get to meet the most interesting people - other writers who I find to generally be fun and fascinating. It's wonderful to connect with others who think like me.
I also love the people I meet in my travels and those who are experts on topics that I need to explore if I want to create a story that is meaningful and accurate.
There is a lot more to love, but just not enough space here to share it all. I'll talk about this more another time.
Bonnie Leon
I've never had writer's block. I always outline a story before I begin writing so I have a good idea where I'm going. And I begin creating each chapter using a "speed" write, which means I take a few minutes and imagine what is going to be in the scene and then I write like mad. I throw everything down on the page, including stuff that makes no sense. I do not stop to correct misspelled words, sentences that do not belong, or stupid thoughts. Everything goes down and I write until the chapter is completed. It's always a terrible mess but I go back and rework it. I love the second step so much better.
Bonnie Leon
I have a new book out, Where Eagles Soar, so I am working hard on marketing, but I'm also working on a new novel - my first contemporary.
The title is To Dance With Dolphins and is a story about five disabled friends who journey across the U.S. in search of lost hopes and dreams. They discover true friendship and learn to embrace the unfamiliar and to trust God's leadership in their lives.
The title is To Dance With Dolphins and is a story about five disabled friends who journey across the U.S. in search of lost hopes and dreams. They discover true friendship and learn to embrace the unfamiliar and to trust God's leadership in their lives.
Bonnie Leon
My most recent book, Where Eagles Soar, is a true story. A woman contacted me and asked if I'd write her life story. At the time I was in the middle of another series - The Alaskan Skies - and so I had to decline. She contacted me the following year and I was still unable. But she came to a book-signing I was doing and we got to chatting. She told me a little about her life and I couldn't hold back the tears. I knew I had to write her story. And so we set out on the journey, putting in hundreds of hours. And finally, Where Eagles Soar was completed. It is an incredible story and an honor to be the one chosen to write it.
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