INTERVIEW WITH PAMELA S. THIBODEAUX
Welcome Pamela! I'm so glad you agreed to this interview.
I have no idea, LOL! Half the time I feel like I'm just fumbling
through life doing what I can and what I have to and the rest
just falls into place. Seriously though, it is all in setting
goals, prioritizing and knowing when to walk away.
January 2008 Interview
Thank you, Kim for having me!
Tell us about your life, where you grew up, your interests and
hobbies.
Well, I am born and bred Cajun and hail from Iowa, Louisiana
(about 15 miles East of Lake Charles). I've always been an
avid reader and about the only hobby I have outside of reading
is horseback riding-although I don't do this near as much as
I'd love to!
That sounds like a full and busy life. I'd love to hear how you
balance the writing life with family, work and a busy schedule.
You have 2 books and 2 short stories releasing this year.
Tell us about your writing journey.
I began writing over 25 yrs ago in 5-subject notebooks.
For years I was a closet writer, no one knew I had this dream.
I'll never forget the day I realized that maybe, just maybe my
writing was good: My mom (a sports fanatic) MISSED the Super Bowl
to read my manuscript! You have to understand, my mom NEVER misses
the Super Bowl LOL! She's been my greatest fan and proofreader ever
since.
When do you feel like it all began to come together for you as
a writer—was there a particular moment?
When I purchased my first, USED word processor and started typing
in all those handwritten manuscripts I really began to feel like a
writer.
Who has influenced you most as a writer and why?
There is really no one person to whom I can attribute this to,
so many have helped me along the way. I'd have to say that my
love of reading has influenced me the most. Reading opens doors
to the imagination, takes you places you'd never be able to go
otherwise and improves your visualization and vocabulary skills.
Now, I'm able to implement all those things into my own writing.
What is your favorite movie?
If I had to pick one favorite it would be A Few Good Men...I don't know
what it is that grips me but IMHO, this is Tom Cruise's
BEST performance ever!
Tell us about the writing process for you?
Does it begin with a character, setting, or plot?
Each of my books has begun differently. For instance, my `Tempered'
series started with a setting (Bandera, TX). The characters came next.
When I initially wrote Tempered Hearts, (2005 Com Star Media, LLC
http://comstar-media.com ) I had no clue to GMC, ARC or any other
"rules" of writing. I just wrote what the characters showed me
happened in their lives.
Tempered Dreams (2005 Com Star Media, LLC http://comstar-media.com )
came as a complete surprise and though second in the series,
was actually written last. I had a vision of a battered wife
involved in an auto accident with her husband. As a result,
she miscarries and that leads to her getting out of the situation.
I jotted down a few notes and forgot about it. Then, when Dr. Scott
Hensley came on the scene in Tempered Hearts, I somehow just knew
he would be the one man to change that woman's life and that book
evolved. Then what began as simply an interesting concept (that Craig
Harris & Scott Hensley look enough alike to pass as twins
but are not related) actually became a thread through the books.
Because this was not "planned" as an intricate plot point, I
never knew the answer to that question until book four, Tempered
Joy (2008 Com Star Media, LLC http://comstar-media.com )
Tempered Fire (2006 Com Star Media, LLC http://comstar-media.com )
was supposed to be book two in the series and began as a simple
thought-how would rough and tough rancher Craig Harris feel when
his little girl grew up and found love of her own?
The Inheritance (2007 The Wild Rose Press http://thewildrosepress.com
) began with a thought. They say life begins at forty, but for Rebecca
Sinclair that's far from the truth. Of course I had to find out why
she felt this way.
In terms of genres, you've written several. How do you approach these
different genres?
I only write one genre, Romance. The "Inspirational" part came
after I recommitted my life to God and prayed that I never write
"just another romance" but something that would glorify Him.
I'd love to write a historical novel one day but it would still
be a romance.
Tell us about your soon to be released book The Visionary.
What inspired you to write this particular story?
How did you come up with the concept?
Characters came first then setting for The Visionary
(2008 Enspiren Press http://enspirenpress.com ).
I wanted to do a book around a set of M/F twins, don't know why,
just thought the concept would be interesting and I hadn't read
anything similar so I thought it would be something different.
My family history goes back to the early settlers of Lake Charles,
and I'd visited the old `LeBleu' homestead so the idea that these
twins would be hired to restore/remodel this home back into its
previous grandeur and was supposed to be a light-hearted story
until the twins revealed to me the horrific abuse they suffered
as children. This has been my most difficult yet most rewarding
books to write.
Is any part of The Visionary factual?
Yes, the research Taylor uncovers about the LeBleu estate is
factual as I actually did the research into the family history
myself. However, that homestead no longer exists. The family sold
the property to a pipe manufacturing company.
Do you have a favorite character and why?
Actually I have 2 favorite characters. Scott Hensley (Tempered Dreams)
and Terry Broussard (The Visionary), both remind me of my husband
in numerous ways.
How much research did The Visionary take?
Other than the research into the LeBleu estate which I enjoyed
immensely- actually very little, after all, the book is set in the
area where I grew up so the setting was very easy to incorporate.
What is the message you hope to get across in this story?
That regardless of where you've been or what you've done the awesome
love of God has the power to heal the most wounded of souls
and to forgive the ugliest of sinners.
How long did The Visionary take you to complete?
I wrote the first draft of The Visionary between Jan and April of 2003
while working two part-time jobs as a bookkeeper and tax preparer.
I can only attest to the hand of God and the anointing of the Holy
Spirit on my life because I've never written anything so quickly
before or since and although the edits are very in-depth, the story
is virtually flawless.
Of your books, which is your favorite and why?
Each of my books is special to me in its own way, so it is hard for
me to pick a favorite, but for the sake of argument I'll say
The Inheritance (2007 The Wild Rose Press http://thewildrosepress.com
) because it has the lightest subject matter as faith and salvation
go than any of my other books as does Tempered Fire (2006 ComStar
Media http://comstar-media.com).
What are your future writing plans?
Keep writing. I still have one un-contracted novel and a gift
book to sell, and numerous ideas for short stories, novels,
articles and essays to develop. I've also been dabbling in the
idea of writing my novels into scripts/screenplays for TV movies.
What does your typical writing day look like?
Currently I am working full-time as a sales producer in the insurance
industry, so my writing time is divided between mornings, evenings
and weekends. Then, depending on what I'm working on at any given
time, it is further divided between editing and promoting.
What are some of the challenges you face as an author?
The biggest challenge I face is not having my work accepted by the
"Christian" publishers. As one reviewer said, "though undeniably
Christian, it is never dogmatic or insular; offering faith rather
than religion." (Review of Tempered Dreams by Elizabeth Burton for
Blue Iris Journal) My books deal with issues in a way that is
unacceptable in the traditional CBA market. Now that is not saying
that my books are better than those published through traditional
CBA publishers, only different. As I've said many times, everything
that gives God glory deserves to be praised!
What are a few writing tips you could share with aspiring writers?
The bible exhorts us to "study and show yourself approved." Keep
studying, keep writing, keep learning, stay open to constructive
critique and NEVER GIVE UP! Writing is both gift and talent given
to you by God. Don't hide your gift or bury your talent.
Any marketing tips?
Marketing is an intricate part of the publishing business and
publishers today expect authors to do their fair share. However,
marketing/promotion can be overwhelming as the more you learn,
the more there is to learn. For every thing you accomplish, there
are hundreds more you can do. My motto is: Do your best and let
God do the rest and remember, it takes time to build a career.
What is your goal or mission as a writer?
A committed Christian, I firmly believe in God and His promises.
God is very real to me. I believe that people today need and want
to hear more of His truths wherever they can glean them and I do
my best to encourage readers to develop a personal relationship
with Him. The deepest desire of my heart is to glorify God and
to get His message of faith, trust, and forgiveness to a hurting
world. My hope is that all of my stories will touch the lives of
everyone who reads them and - in some way - bring them a truer
knowledge of God and urge them into a closer walk with Him.
Do you have a website? (sell your book(s) on a website?)
Yes I have a website, http://pamelathibodeaux.com, but all of my
books are sold through the publisher's site(s), or online sources
such as amazon.com http://amazon.com
When will The Visionary be released?
Sometime in mid-late 2008.
Closing thoughts you'd like to share?
Whatever you write, write well. Strive for excellence. Stay
teachable, pliable, and flexible. Never believe that you know
it all because knowledge is power and the more you know the
more valuable you become. Above all share what you learn with
others and make someone's load lighter to bear.
Thank you so much for your time Pamela,
and best wishes on your new release. It was a pleasure hearing
about your writing experience.
Once again, Thank you Kim, for having me, rest assured
that the pleasure was all mine.