Up Close And Personal With Author ~ Gale Minchew

Where do you call home?

I live in the piney woods of East Texas, not far from Jefferson, the setting for my book.

Do you have plans for a new book?

I am about four chapters into book 2, although, I admit it has been difficult finding time to write in the midst of promoting Shadows of Destiny and staying active with the book clubs and blogs (not to mention work!).

What inspired you to write your first book?

I started writing about 14 years ago but never went much further than a half dozen chapters for each story. This book was different. I suppose I was inspired by the angels…they led me to the story…I just saw it to fruition.

How did you come up with the title and cover design?

I dwelled on the title for quite some time. I wanted something haunting, but I also wanted it to figure prominently into the story. As with the title, I wanted my cover to imply haunting, or foreboding, perhaps. My mind’s eye conceived of one of the characters in the story dressed in an old-fashioned nightdress, beckoning to the reader from the cover of the book. So, I spent about thirty minutes photographing my daughter at various locations near our house and another few days cropping photos and deciding which one would best represent what I was trying to convey. I thought grayscale would add to the haunted feel of the cover and I found a great, eerie font style to tie it all together.

Have you based any of your characters on someone you know?

I get that question a lot! A couple of the characters are definitely based on people I know. Rose, for example, is a cross between my mother and my mother-in-law. Another character, Candice, is named after a friend, and the character’s personality is very similar to my friend’s personality. Several other characters were named after my ancestors. Zadock Bonner, one of the main characters in the book, was named for a distant uncle (1769-1848). In book 2, I hope to incorporate the name of Zadock’s brother, Jordan, my great-great-great-great grandfather!

What book are you reading now?

Right now, I am in the middle of a beta read for a fellow author. It is a fantastic experience, and I am thrilled she allowed me the opportunity. The only drawback is the pace of the story. I typically read rather fast, but with a beta read, there is so much more involved. So, I force myself to slow down and drink in the plot. I am really enjoying the story and hope to share it with everyone one day soon!


Is there anything you would change in your last book and why?

I dwelled on Shadows of Destiny for quite a long while. I brainstormed, wrote, and edited repeatedly. I am so pleased with the final product and wouldn’t change a thing.

What is your biggest challenge when it comes to your writing?

I think the biggest challenge to my writing is finding the time. That sounds so cliché, but life happens. And when it does, time for certain activities is limited. The delay can be frustrating, but when I finally put the proverbial pen to paper, the interruption is all but forgotten and my imaginary world welcomes me into the fold.

Do you have a book trailer?

Yes! I produced a book trailer not long after I published Shadows of Destiny. I had such a great time conceptualizing and creating the various components I wanted to include. I admit though, I spent hours surfing the web for audio and photographs that would fit perfectly with the story. (I’m a bit of a perfectionist…lol!) I used a combination of my own photos and those found online and created the trailer with Microsoft Movie Maker.



Do you have any advice for other writers?

My only advice is keep writing…you can do it! The face of publication is changing. The playing field is leveling out, which gives authors a better chance at publishing their work in a non-traditional manner, if they so choose. There are so many resources available both online and in print that will help navigate the traditional and non-traditional routes. A lot of writing and a little research can go a long way in helping achieve long-held dreams!

Where can your readers follow you?

Since publishing this novel, I have learned to navigate a variety of social networking sites I never knew existed and some I never even thought about using! I was overwhelmed to say the least. Here is a list of my web footprint:
http://www.galeminchew.com
http://galeminchew.bravejournal.com
http://youtu.be/OC8mV7dQ4lg
http://www.twitter.com/galeminchew
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shadows-of...
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/462...
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?u...
http://www.lulu.com/browse/search.php?fL...

Patti, I want to thank you for asking such thought provoking questions! It has been a pleasure “talking” with you!

~Gale Minchew

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Biography

Gale Minchew is a licensed psychologist who resides in East Texas with her husband and two children. In her professional practice, Dr. Minchew specializes in issues related to children and families. However, over the past couple of years, she has consulted with adults and children who have experienced a broad range of paranormal phenomena, as well.

Supporting New Authors.

Thank you for dropping by, please leave a comment and say Hi. Patti Roberts
Paradox - The Angels Are Here.

Book trailer Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IovcxyZTFuU

Amazon US - http://t.co/GkEnR05

Amazon UK http://amzn.to/eVQP0V

Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/27156

facebook - http://tinyurl.com/3woe84l

twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/PattiRoberts7

blog - http://theangelsarehere.wordpress.com/