Author Interview ~ Lois Richer

Lois Richer likes variety. From human resources manager to salon work to entrepreneurship, life has held plenty of surprises.

"Having given up on fairy tales, I was happily involved in building a restaurant when a handsome prince walked into my life and upset all my career plans with a wedding ring. Motherhood quickly followed. I guess the seeds of my storytelling took root because of two small boys who kept demanding "Then what, Mom?”

The miracle of God's love for His children, the blessing of true love, the joy of sharing Him with others--that is a story that can be told a thousand ways and still be brand new. Lois Richer intends to go on telling it.

What new book or project do you have coming out?

I actually have a new series out now called Serenity Bay. Three school friends return to the pretty little tourist town they grew up in and find that before they can move on with their lives, they have to deal with the past.

The first book in the series is called HIS WINTER ROSE, available February from Love Inspired. APPLE BLOSSOM BRIDE is out in March, and SPRING FLOWERS, SUMMER LOVE in April.

How did you come up with this story? Was there a specific 'what if' moment?

HIS WINTER ROSE began after I read an article about an economic development officer. I thought, “What if she was already very successful but not happy? What if she returned home and found things were not as she’d always believed?” Three stories flowed from there; an economic development officer, a gallery owner and a landscape architect, each returning to Serenity Bay, each finding love and a whole new life.

Tell us about your publishing journey. How long had you been writing before you got a contract? How did you find out and what went through your mind?

I’d been writing full time about a year before my first contract which was a sweet romance for Silhouette Romance. Shortly after I sold there, I also sold to Love Inspired and I’ve been writing for them since. Both contract calls were offered by an editor within a month of each other, both were left on my answering machine, both on a Friday, both while we were away for the weekend. When I got home and heard the news I was excited, of course, a little scared but very eager to plunge into the publishing world. In the past twelve years I’ve contracted/published over thirty books.

Do you ever struggle with writer's block? If so, how do you overcome it?

I struggle with writer’s block for various reasons. Sometimes I’m not happy with the story and I need to go back and find out where I went off track. Sometimes I’m just plain tired and need to give myself a break, sometimes I need to rejuvenate by reading something totally different, sitting on the shore and listening to the waves or going for a drive. For me it’s really an inner sense of peace that I have to get back to before I can move on.

Where do you write? Do you have a dedicated office or a corner or nook in a room?

I write in our family room. It’s a big room with a fire place, vaulted ceilings, a spiral staircase to a loft above and it overlooks my flower garden and the back patio. In the summer I have a fountain tinkling outside and always there are birds. With our kids gone, the room is pretty much dedicated to my desk, my files and my writing.

Do you have a word or page goal you set for each day?

I began writing when my kids were in school and I continue to follow those hours. My preferred time to write would be from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. or so but that doesn’t make for a very good marriage or family life so I’ve had to adapt. Sometimes I will go back and write when everyone’s asleep if the day hasn’t allowed me to get down what I want or if I’m in the flow of a character or scene but it’s usually about 9-4 Monday to Friday. If I can get a chapter done, I’ve very happy. If I’m doing a proposal then my productivity goes way down because I have to let the ideas ‘stew’ until they’re ripe enough to pick.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I can never sleep in so I generally start my day with a cup of coffee, later in winter, earlier in summer. If my husand’s up we’ll have breakfast, if not I’ll start to work and eat later. In summer I go to the local pool around 8. Then it’s time to knuckle down. In winter when the pool’s closed, I’ll break around 10:30 to go walking for a while then back to my desk. Lunch is usually between 1 and 2 then I’ll work till four or keep going if I’m into something. Dinner is around 7 and then the evening is spent reading, seeing friends, going out, playing with my pottery—unless I’m on deadline. Then there are no rules! If I goofed off during the week then I’ll usually try to make up some time on Saturday. Most Sundays are free days and not even email gets answered.

What’s the best writing advice you’ve heard?

Put your bum in the chair and write. You can’t edit what’s not there. At least if there’s something on the page you have something to work with.

What do you wish you’d known early in your career that might have saved you some time and/or frustration in writing? In publishing?

I wish I hadn’t felt so constricted by the rules everyone told me were part and parcel of the writing business. I wish I’d ignored most of what I heard and pushed ahead because ultimately I think you must find that inner spring of creativity within yourself and that is too easily quashed by other people.

How much marketing do you do? What have you found that particularly works well for you?

I’m in a rather isolated location so marketing isn’t easy for me. I do mailings a couple of time a year, I have a website, I spread a lot of books around to libraries and other groups where I speak. I feel it works as well as it can for me. If I spend too much time on publicity I don’t have the energy or the time to write and if I don’t write, there’s nothing to market!

Do you have any parting words of advice?

If you want to write, do it. Ignore the naysayers. Ignore the trends. Write your story, your way. Write until you’re happy with it. Write only what feeds your soul or what comes from there because that is what makes your story sing. And then when you’ve finished that, write some more.