Colleen Houck Book Club discussion

Welcome to the group! Mindy will be answering questions in May in this thread only. In the meantime, if you have a question for the author or just want to introduce yourself feel free to do so in this thread.

How did you get started writing?

Have you ever set a book in your hometown?

What's your typical writing schedule?

What genre would you never consider writing?

Colleen wrote: "How did you get started writing?"

I've been writing since I was a little kid... but I didn't realize that was what I was doing. If a book I liked or a show I watched had an episode I didn't agree with, or an ending I didn't like, I made up my own. It was fan fiction, to a degree, before we had a word for it.

Colleen wrote: "Have you ever set a book in your hometown?"

Not in my hometown specifically, but all of my books are set in very small towns in Ohio, and that general culture is an "every place."

Colleen wrote: "What's your typical writing schedule?"

I actually don't follow any specific schedule. What I do is set a word count goal for when I'm drafting - typically 1000 words a day - and I have to hit that. It doesn't matter when I do it, just that I do it. Although I prefer to get the writing out of the way earlier in the day. It's just easier to relax and do other things if I know I've got that in the bag.

Trudy wrote: "What has been your favorite book of the year?"

I'm behind in my reading, but I just ran through ONE OF US IS LYING by Karen McManus - wow!!!

Like I said in an above post, I try to hit 1000 words a day, and I can usually hit that in about an hour and a half, on a good day. On a bad day, it can be an entire day and multiple sittings in front of the laptop, followed by a thought process elsewhere, then returning to the computer.

Trudy wrote: "How do you deal with criticism, whether it be on your books, or your writing style, etc?"

Honestly? I don't read my reviews. Good reviews make you rest on your laurels. Bad reviews just upset you, and there's nothing you can do about it.

Trudy wrote: "What is the impact you want your books to have on people?"

I want them to remember them. There are books I read when I was a kid that I still ponder scenes from. That's powerful.

Ashley wrote: "What genre would you never consider writing?"

Romance!! I just... can't.

Thanks, Mindy for an awesome chat! Our winner this month is Trudy! I appreciate everyone for participating. Don't forget to join us next month.