Schemin' Kate George,

Welcome Kate George.

Guess who stopped by again? Kate George found her way back and I wouldn't let her go without an interview. Good morning Kate, and welcome back! So, Kate, how do you find time to write with family and job obligations?

This is the hardest part for me, squeezing writing into my everyday life. I have all the usual stuff; four kids, a job, a house to keep up, sports and extracurricular activities, meals, shopping.

As I’m writing this one of the dogs is looking at me with big golden eyes, begging for attention and the boys are chasing each other up and down the stairs and wrestling on any flat spot they come to.

So I have to be creative. I set up my computer wherever I am and when I have a few minutes I write. It’s not the ideal way to work, but if I want to continue writing I have to make it work. It’s not just that I’m committed to my writing; it has become a part of who I am and how I communicate with the world.

Some of us have been around for a while and have dozens of manuscripts., How many books did you write before selling one?

Mine is not the typical story. I wrote one really bad novella in my early twenties and I gave it up as a lost cause. Really. I quit writing anything but journal entries and work stuff for a very long time. I did continue to write poetry, but that was the only creative writing I did.

I was in my forties before I started writing again. But I’d gotten smarter. I joined a writers’ group. I took workshops. I learned to accept criticism. I became a better writer. The book I worked on during this time was Moonlighting in Vermont. So the first novel I wrote was published, that’s pretty atypical.

How many books have you published?

I have two books out now, both Bree MacGowan Mysteries; Moonlighting in Vermont is the first, and California Schemin’, out March first, is the second. I have a third Bree novel coming along, and a paranormal romance that I’m shopping at the moment.

Who’s your favorite author to read? Favorite book?

Jennifer Crusie. She’s the queen of snark. Her stories are full of quirky characters you can’t help but like. Welcome to Temptation is my favorite book of hers.

For shear fun I read Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. She can make me laugh even on the darkest days. I really respect her ability to take me away from my troubles.

How do you cope with rejection?

I give myself five minutes to feel disappointed and then I try to move on. I have a dream agent I’ve been trying to impress for ages. So far nothing I’ve written has floated her boat. I really like and respect this woman, so it’s frustrating not to be able to write something that excites her.

But you know it may be that I’m just not a good fit with her, even though we seem to fit conversationally. So I continue to like her, and I keep her on my dream list but I don’t take the rejection personally.

What would you like to tell readers?

It’s an exciting but tough time for authors right now. If you want to see your favorite authors keep writing then tell your friends about the books you enjoy. Word of mouth is the biggest source of new readers for an author. That means it’s up to you to spread the word.

What themes go through your books?

Mud. Dogs. Handcuffs. Abductions.

Oh Wait, you probably mean literary themes, like redemption, claiming your life, love lost and found. Hmmm. Nope.

Mostly mud, dogs, handcuffs and abductions.

Which other jobs have you had?

I have a list of jobs that would take up two pages. Here’s a few, just to give you an idea; Motorcycle Safety Instructor. Yes. I rode a Kawasaki. Travel Agent, I went to Mexico and Hawaii. Foreclosure Officer – don’t ask. It was awful. Actress. Answering Service Operator. Turn down maid in a swank hotel.

Yes, I have a short attention span. And no, none of those things are as glamorous as they sound!

Award winning writer, Kate George, is the author of Moonlighting in Vermont and California Schemin’ (due out March 1, 2011). She lives in Vermont with Dogs, kids, and currently, snow. You can reach her at www.kategeorge.com. Her books are available at www.mainlymurderpress.com, amazon.com or can be ordered from any bookstore.