Writer Interview: Linda Sandifer

This is the first in a three part series highlighting writers at different stages of the process.  The first interview is with Linda Sandifer.  She is the author of thirteen novels, several of which have gone into foreign translation. Her awards include Idaho Writer of the Year, Affaire de Coeur's Readers Choice Award, and Women Writing the West's Laura Award. Her most recent release is The Last Rodeo, a contemporary fiction set in Nevada. A mother and grandmother, she lives with her husband on a ranch in Idaho and enjoys reading and writing stories set in the West.

What made you decide to be a writer?

I don't know if becoming a writer is a conscious decision. I believe the desire to tell stories and delve into the intricacies of the human experience is most likely inherent. I was about twelve years old when the "writer" started coming out in me (hmmm, that sounds like someone who is just discovering they are a werewolf or prefers blood to soda pop!). I've always loved to read and to immerse myself in the everyday struggles and triumphs of fictional characters, because even though the stories are fictional, the human experience is real. 

What was the first thing you remember writing once you decided you wanted to be a writer?

In grade school, I wrote little songs (which I sang when no one was around) and a lot of poetry and short stories during my teenage years. The first book was a Twilight Zone thing, a paranormal. I was probably around twenty. My mother took it to a local teacher who was impressed with the writing. That was my first bit of encouragement, but I didn't try to get it published. 

Describe your journey from unpublished to published. 

From the time I actively embarked on the I Want to be a Writer Road, it was eight years and a number of unpublished books before I signed my first contract. After writing ten western romances, I wrote a historical saga and a western adventure. My most recent release, The Last Rodeo, is a contemporary story. Although it is very much a love story, it isn't genre romance; it's a story that a general audience could enjoy. 

The journey to publication has many peaks and valleys, but to be successful you have to keep your eyes on the peaks. Perseverance is probably the single most important quality you need to get published and stay published. On any given day you might get both a rejection and an acceptance, but if you don't persevere, you'll get neither. 

What have been some of the greatest challenges of being a published author?

It is always a challenge to create bigger and better ideas and keep abreast of constant changes in the industry, the markets, and new technology. Another challenge that isn't mentioned much is how to avoid burnout if you're working under deadlines. Give yourself ample time in a contract to realistically write a book without killing yourself or cutting yourself off from family and friends. You need your own life's experiences to enrich your writing.  

And the rewards?

The reward, of course, is seeing your book in print and holding it in your hand. It's always a plus when you get good reviews and positive feedback from readers. You spend a lot of time, sometimes years, writing a book, so the biggest reward is when your readers connect with the characters and their stories. If someone tells you they won't loan your book to anybody, or that it's "a keeper," then you have your reward. 

You have told me that you have spent your whole career writing The Last Rodeo. Can you describe the evolution of the project?

I should clarify that for most of that time the book was on the shelf and the characters only in my mind, hovering in the background urging me to finish their story before we were all too old to read the small print version. Meanwhile, I was writing the other twelve books that were published (and a few that weren't.) The Last Rodeo was one of my first ideas when I was in my twenties. It started off as a coming-of-age story about two teenage brothers and their alcoholic father. It kept evolving as I got older and the characters got older along with me. Their story changed and matured. A lonely, beautiful woman entered the picture and threw the whole plot into a tizzy. I realize now that it probably took me so long to finish it because I needed to achieve my own level of maturity to write about a family who ranged in age from sixteen to eighty. Occasionally I would take the various versions of the book out of the box, dust them off, and rework the story. But it wasn't quite right, and I went on to write my first western romance that was more likely to sell. After that I had book deadlines, three daughters to raise, a ranch to run, and not enough time to devote to it. Eventually, though, I did tackle it head on. The characters are very close to my heart because I lived with them for so long.

What's next for you, writing-wise?

I have several characters making a strong presence in my mind. The one who screams the loudest will be the one who gets his story told first. You know what they say about the squeaky wheel getting the oil.

You can learn more about Linda and her books at her website:  
http://www.linda-sandifer.com/