A. I am an author,
freelance writer, blogger, and history enthusiast. I have been writing since childhood and have
a degree in English. I write both fiction and nonfiction. I’m married with a daughter. When I’m not writing, you can generally find
me doing yoga or keeping up with current events.
Q.2
Are we going to read more from you in
the near future? Any new project you’re working on?
A. Angel of Mercy, my historical
fiction novel set during World War I will be available for purchase on June
28. Heinous: Forgotten Murders From the 1910s, my nonfiction true crime book, will
be available on July 9. Both are available
exclusively on Amazon.
Q.3
Where do you get your ideas?
A. I don’t really get them from anywhere. They simply come to
me. I have never once come up with an
idea while brainstorming. The ideas that
stick around in my head and refuse to leave are the ones that I pursue.
Q.4
What advice do you have for writers?
A. Write as much as
possible to practice your craft. Don’t
listen to the naysayers. Connect with
others who share your interests.
Q.5
Do you try more to be original or to
deliver to readers what they want?
A. I try to be more
original. I write about what I know instead of trying to fit a mold.
Q.6
If you could tell your younger writing self anything,
what would it be?
A. That’s a tough one
because the writing industry has changed a great deal since my youth. There was no such thing as social media,
eBooks or self-publishing and most people didn’t have home computers. So I suppose I would tell myself, “It gets
better.”
Q.7
What are the most important magazines or
websites for writers to subscribe to?
A.
I don’t really have
any suggestions. This would vary
depending on an author’s genre and what she needs help with.
Q.8
What is the most difficult thing about
writing characters from the opposite sex?
A. Writing emotions that
realistic. Also, not writing
stereotypes.
Q.9
How do you select the names of your
characters?
A. I have a baby names
book, but because I write historical fiction I tend to select names based on
what were common names during the decades of my characters’ births.
Q.10
Do you read your book reviews? How do
you deal with bad or good ones?
A.
No, I don’t read
reviews, but I do understand their importance in selling books.
Q.11
Does your family support your career as
a writer?
A. Yes, my husband is
very supportive and wants to see me fulfill my career dreams. My parents have always encouraged me to do
what I want instead of taking a job simply to pay the bills. I also am blessed to have friends who
encourage me on rough days.
Q.12
What do your fans mean to you?
A. Fans, of course, are
essential to any writer. After all, we
authors want nothing more than to share our work with the world. Without fans, the plot of a novel is simply
an abstract concept.
Q.13
How many books have you written? Which
is your favorite?
A. If you exclude the
ones I wrote in my youth, seven. My
favorite so far is Angel of Mercy
because it took me several years to complete. But I’m also a fan of the next two books in the series. They aren’t yet available for sale but they
are written.
Q.14
Do you have any unique and quirky
writing habits?
A. I write my fiction
rough drafts by hand then type them, editing along the way so that the typed
version becomes the second draft. I
write fiction at night, and nonfiction during the day.
Q.15
What do you consider to be your best
accomplishment?
A. My greatest
accomplishment has yet to come.
Q.16
What is the most unethical practice in
the publishing industry?
A. Vanity presses.
Q.17
Who edited your book and how did you
select him/her?
A. My husband, John. He’s a professional editor with more than 30
years of experience.
Q.18
Which famous person, living or dead
would you like to meet and why?
A. I would like to meet
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. He was a
very fascinating person whom I admire. He spoke nearly a dozen languages, was a professor of rhetoric, a
politician, and a military general who was brilliant at strategy.
Q.19
What is your favorite book and why?
A. The Custom of the Country by Edith
Wharton. The novel examines the double
standards that were in place during America’s Gilded Age, a favorite time
period of mine.
Q.20
Share the experience of your journey so
far?
A.
It’s been very much a
learning experience. I’m still learning,
but each day I’m getting closer and closer to my ultimate goal.
Share your social account links -
LinkedIn
- www.linkedin.com/in/mdruga
Twitter
- www.twitter.com/MelinaDruga
Website - www.melinadruga.com
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