Straight From the Mouth of 'Mr. Virile and the Girl Next Door' author Gwen Hayes

Gwen Hayes lives in the Pacific Northwest with her real life hero, their children, and the pets that own them. She writes stories for teen and adult readers about love, angst, and saving the world.

Gwen’s first novel, Falling Under, was released in March of 2011 by NAL/Penguin and followed up by the sequel, Dreaming Awake, in January of 2012. In addition to writing, Gwen is a freelance editor at www.fresheyescritique.com and is Editorial Director of Scandalous Books, an imprint of Entangled Publishing www.entangledpublishing.com.

She is represented by Jessica Sinsheimer of the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency.

Thanks for letting us interrogate interview you!  Can you give us a go-for-the-gut answer as to why you wanted to be an author?

I wanted to be a writer because it seems to be the only way to effectively silence the voices in my head without medication.

Tell us (we won’t tell promise!) is it all it’s cracked up to be?  I mean what are the perks and what are the demands?

I think being a writer causes me to crave carbs more than I would in another profession. But it’s fun to interact with readers and to hear how something you wrote touched someone or meant something to them. I also enjoy the publishing community.

Which route did you take – traditional or self-published – and can you give us the nitty gritty low down on what’s that like?

I am a hybrid author! I went small press first, and I recommend that to anyone just starting. I think it helped me with both traditional and self-publishing. Small press gives you the gift of experience, and I think too many authors are missing that tool when they go indie first. Working with and editor, cover people, marketing…it is so beneficial.  That said, each career is different and there is no “one way to rule them all.” As a hybrid author, I now choose the avenue I take based on the project. I will often choose boutique presses because I want to collaborate with certain people.

Tell us for real what your family feels about you spending so much time getting your book written, polished, edited, formatted, published, what have you?

I’m sure there is some resentment, at times…but they are proud of me.

Do your pets actually get their food on time or do they have to wait until you type just one more word?

My husband does all the caretaking at our house. Or no one would eat and I would never have clean yoga pants.

In writing your book, how did you deal with the phone ringing, your family needing dinner or your boss calling you saying you’re late?

Again—my husband does all that. I am not a full time writer, either. I am also an editor. My writing is actually my break time.

What was the craziest or insane thing that happened to you in the book publishing process?

I went into publishing thinking I would write and somehow became an editorial director.

How about the social networks?  Which ones do you believe help and which ones do you wish you could avoid?

Avoid the ones you don’t like. I use Twitter mostly, because I like Twitter. I don’t understand Tumblr or Pinterest, so I don’t use them. Facebook is weird…but I use it. Just not very well.

What is one thing you’d like to jump on the rooftop and scream about?

There is no wrong way—indie, traditional, hybrid—they all have their strengths and weaknesses. So don’t believe the “experts” who say you have to do it like they do or you are stupid. Also, make sure the experts and gurus you pay attention to have some success to back them up. I see a lot of soapboxing by people I’ve never heard of.

Okay, too much sugar for you today!  Here’s a nice cup of Chamomile tea and come on over and sit under the cabana and watch the waves roll in.  Now…can you tell us what you love about being a published author and how all those things above doesn’t matter because it’s all part of the whole scheme of things and you wouldn’t have it any other way?

It’s the voices. It’s the only way to shut them up.