The Rest Of The Story
And An Interview With
Cindy FrelandIN THE WORLD: It is supposedly Spring yet the cold and rain continues to keep Istanbul damp and bundled. In the US, I think Hillary is going to make a strong run to the White House. Is this a good thing? That is a different question. In Turkey, politics are always and only a hornet nest. The current administration is dead-set on driving this country back to the Ottoman days and collapsing the entire region. Oh well, did I mention Summer is on the way...
ON THE PLAYLIST LATELY: A little Townes Van Zandt and Roger Waters to keep the mind at ease.How are you doing on this fine day? Busy as ever I am sure.

Self publishing is an ongoing learning curve. Not only do contemporary writers have to be creative and productive on a steady and inspired level, they have to take the time and learn how to market, how to budget and hire some form of creative team that could include a graphic designer or two, formatting specialists and editing professionals. Taking the entrepreneurial aspects of the title "self publisher" seriously is a vital piece of getting yourself seen and read in the over-saturated playground that is modern biblio-existence.

This business sense is something I am working on and continually trying to develop. Since I have begun taking it seriously, getting over the formerly more brash, younger self that once was ignorant enough to proclaim, "I'm talented, I don't need to do or learn any of that crap. They will find me. They will come to me. If I write it they will buy it. I am Mister Natural Best Seller and..." 

You get the picture.

Needless to say, I do not think like that any longer. And it has been paying off. The last two years I have mentally divided my "Creative Time," what I just used to call "writing time," into units. There is Writing Time (just for writing/creating). There is Administrative Time (for editing, business emails, marketing, etc.). There is Research Time (devoted to researching the plentitude of things I need to learn to be a better author/publisher. This includes researching markets, avenues, places, and things).

As much as I can, the actual time I spend weekly on my Career is 60% Writing, 25% Admin and 15% Research. Of course, it varies and those are just the general and/or best case scenarios.

How about you? You writers, painters, musicians, crafters and so forth? How do you find time to create, sell and expand your businesses while keeping up with the rest of life and its obligations and f@#king bills?

It is a challenge but I cannot think of anything better that finding some way to make it work.Now a special exclusive event:Interview With Cindy FrelandHey friends, glad you are here today and please enjoy this little sit down moment with
a fun and interesting writer who creates exciting tales of nature and life for children.
Please meet Cindy Freland from Bowie, Maryland.
DWM: Hey Cindy. First of all, tell us a little about yourself. How long have you been writing? What kind of interests do you have? Anything like that to give us a little picture of you? 

CF: I love children and animals and they are my inspiration. I have two adult daughters, Alyssa and Andrea, to whom I dedicate all of my books. I also enjoy traveling to the many places around the Bay, including Blackwater Wildlife Refuge in Cambridge, Maryland, where I saw my very first bald eagle. I am determined and a survivor of many personal obstacles. I take after my 85 year old mother as she is very determined too. I try to help people along the way in hopes they will help someone too.

DWM: In what genre do you usually write?
CF: I have written and self-published 18 books so far. I have written self-help business books but most of all I enjoy writing for children.

DWM: What is the title of your latest work. What is it about?
CF: My newest children’s story, Oakley the Oyster: A Chesapeake Bay Adventure, is due out in June. It is the story of an oyster who teaches people about the importance of oysters. Oakley gathers people together to build an oyster shell wall to protect a campground before the impending hurricane. My books can be found on www.cbaykidsbooks.com.

DWM: What is the most challenging part of writing this kind of book?
CF:The most challenging part is keeping the story true to life, interesting and educational.

DWM: What about writing in general? What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing and being a writer?
CF:Writing in general is difficult for me as I have a hard time starting the stories. I try not to make the story too long or detailed. But I tend to do just that. Most of my children’s stories are 50 pages, 20 minutes to read and detailed. I also include 20 facts about the Bay creatures.

DWM: What do you find to be the best parts of writing and being a writer?
CF:I love seeing people smile when they see my books. They always comment on what great ideas they are and they love the colorful images, which were created by artist Jon Munson.

DWM: What is the biggest thing that people THINK they know about your subject/genre, that isn't so?
CF: The only thing I remember is when a woman told me that jellyfish and sea nettles are NOT the same thing.

DWM:   What is the most important thing that people DON'T know about your subject/genre, that they need to know?
CF: The most important thing people need to know is that nature can be very dangerous. So they need to be careful. My books are to educate anyone who wants to learn.

DWM:   What inspires you/what interests you/what kind of themes or ideas do you like to explore in your writing?
CF: Children, animals, and nature inspire me. I enjoy visiting places around the Chesapeake Bay, including Blackwater Wildlife Refuge, Annapolis, Maryland, and Patuxent Wildlife Refuge to get ideas. My children’s book series about the Bay includes animals of the Bay and has a human element too. They teach about the animals, environment, conservation, bravery, helpfulness, importance of family and friends, and more.

DWM: What are you working on next?
CF: I have three books written and published in the Chesapeake Bay Adventure series, Curtis the Crab, Jordan the Jellyfish, and Heather the Honey Bee. I have written another three stories, Oakley the Oyster, Olivia the Osprey, and Chester the Chipmunk. I still need to finish Christmas with Marco.

DWM: How do you deal with writer’s block?
CF: I take a walk, eat or drink something, or read something online about my subject. I usually wake up with ideas for my stories.

DWM: If you have any advice to give someone just starting out with their career as a professional writer, what is it?
CF: Just write. I have used Create Space to self-publish my books. You can write about anything and you can be any age. I teach children to write and self-publish books.
Links
Check out Cindy's Amazon Author Page while you're here. CLICK HERE!



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