Linda Lucretia Shuler wrote her first story
when she was around six or so, Koko the
Monkey, which is still tucked into a
drawer somewhere. Her first published work was a poem she wrote in the third
grade about a dappled pony; she’d never seen one, but conjured up something
fanciful in her imagination. Since then poems and stories have appeared in
anthologies and literary journals, and a handful of plays have been produced in
schools and community theatres.
Ms. Shuler planned to begin a novel
“someday soon.” But after receiving a BFA and MA in theatre, her career veered
into teaching Theatre Arts, directing dozens of shows, and acting in community
theaters. When she couldn’t resist the desire to write any longer, she retired
early and focused on that “someday soon” novel – just a good deal later than
originally intended. Hidden Shadows is the result.
She enjoys participating in writer critique
groups and community theatres, and is an award-winning member of Toastmasters
International. She’s also an enthusiastic fan of the San Antonio basketball
team, the Spurs.
Questionnaire:
Thanks
for letting us interrogate you! Can you
give us a go-for-the-gut answer as to why you wanted to be an author?
I’ve never asked myself why I wanted to
write. It was, and is, simply a natural part of me, something that’s always
been there. I can’t imagine not
writing. I even write in my sleep – well, sort of. I dream stories at night and
daydream during the day, scribbling down ideas before they desert me on
whatever is handy at the moment: a restaurant menu, an envelope, the back of a
bill, a tattered notebook.
I write because I want to write, for
whatever reason. It makes me happy. It also drives men nuts, but that’s part
and parcel of creativity. The yin and yang.
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?
Well, what is it cracked up to be? An author, dressed to the nines, dashing
about for book signings, television appearances, mingling with wine glass in
hand among awe-struck crowds? If so, I’m laughing. Picture instead a frazzled
creature slouched in front of a computer, alone, eyes dazed. Piles of pages are
scattered about or crumpled in an overflowing trash basket. A cup of coffee
sits nearby, cold and forgotten.
However, if you looked closely, you’d
likely see a smile – especially if that face were mine.
The perks: The
satisfaction of seeing the story and characters born in my imagination come to
life in print. The sense that readers are touched by this invented world, that
it lingers in their thoughts, becomes a part of them. The ego-boosting “Yea!”
when reading a favorable critique. The feeling that I’ve accomplished something
good, and perhaps made a difference in someone’s life – if only for a moment.
The demands: It takes
work. A lot of it. Patience. Fortitude. Non-creative, non-fun necessary stuff. I’m like a kid wanting to kick her
heels and howl in a temper tantrum because she can’t have her dessert now, immediately! So much work, in fact,
that it’s sometimes difficult to shift mental gears from a finished novel to
the beginning of a new one. It can be frustrating.
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’m fortunate to have a traditional small
publisher with a stellar reputation, Twilight Times. An author friend had
published several books with them, led me in that direction, and so here I am.
I’ve found it a pleasure, to be honest. The “low down” doesn’t include nasty
stuff, only what would be expected from
any worthwhile endeavor – work, and lots of it. Satisfaction and
disappointment. Exaltation and exasperation. More yin and yang.
My experience may not be the same for other
authors. Each of us has our own story, our own fortune or lack thereof. I try
to count my blessings and not gnash my teeth with envy when I glimpse a
full-page advertisement for a novel splashed in a glossy magazine, or read
about the zillion-dollar advance to some lucky other author, and so on so
forth.
The publishing
world has changed drastically over the last few years, and continues to morph.
It would be easy to feel lost among the throngs of writers, of the multitudes
of books released. Oh, to be listed among the top ten! That’s the dream of all
writers, isn’t it? But satisfaction must lie in the present moment, and what we
hold in our hands.
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 live alone. My family consists of
siblings, their kids and grandkids, and of course my close friends. All of them
think I’m wonderful – a bit eccentric, perhaps, but understandably so. They
forgive me the time it takes to hide away in the study and write, to become a
hermit or a grouch or a crazed ninny in the throes of creativity and what that
demands.
Any difficulties that may arise from
spending time doing what needs to be done come from yours truly. I can be my
own worst enemy. I’m the one who grouches about how long it takes me to hide
away and write. I’m the one who fusses at the necessary editing I have to do.
I’m the one who groans in frustration at the demanding publishing process and
all it entails.
I try to approach my angst-self with
patience, as if I were dealing with a temperamental twin: the two of us
identical, except one is level-headed and the other far too emotional. So I
attempt to talk myself out of the grumps caused by publishing demands, and
focus on the simple, creative joy of writing.
Do your pets actually get their food on time or do
they have to wait until you type just one more word?
I had a beautiful, much beloved Papillion.
Although he’s not with me now except in memory, he was with me during the
inception of Hidden Shadows. And yes, Harlie got his food
right on time, and his daily brushing, and walks, and cuddling. He was my
four-legged, furry baby.
He did have his tricks, however. He would
plop down at the doorway to my office, and sigh. He was a small little fellow,
but that sigh drifted in the air, lingering, as if he felt utterly abandoned by
his human mama. And of course I always succumbed – after finishing a sentence
or two.
Are they actually still alive?
I adore plants. Gorgeous ones, with bright
flowers and lush leaves. I buy dozens and dangle them in hanging pots from just
about everywhere on my two small patios. Each available space is covered with
pots in all shapes and sizes, including one of my favorite – a Talavera frog –
all filled with some sort of plant.
Right now most of them are breathing their
last, partly due to the hot Texas sun. When I glance up from my computer I can
almost hear their desperate gasps. I’ll water them – later. After I finish
writing.
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?
The phone ringing is a siren call, luring
me away from what I should be writing. To combat the temptation, I leave it
unanswered, letting the caller hear my recorded voice asking for a message. My friends usually know what’s going
on and say, “It’s me! Answer already!” So of course I do – unless Muse has me
in its grip. Then I’m oblivious to just about everything.
As for the rest – a family needing dinner
or the boss calling – I’m in luck. Unmarried, retired, and free to follow any
inclination I so desire. There is a problem, however: I have no excuse for not
doing what needs to be done. If I’m not waxing creative, there’s nothing and no
one I can blame except myself.
What
was the craziest or insane thing that happened to you in the book publishing
process?
The craziest thing that happened to me in
the publishing process is when it screeched to a sudden stop. I faced
unexpected surgery and chemo, and came out fine months later. It’s a long,
crazy story with a happy ending. The publication dates for Hidden Shadows were
delayed – but not halted. So all is well.
Other than that, I can’t think of a thing.
How
about the social networks? Which ones do
you believe help and which ones do you wish you could avoid?
I’m the perfect example techno-phobia. Just
working with a computer fills me with
awe. I feel as if I should genuflect and offer sacrifices to it.
So don’t ask me about social networking.
I’m still dragging my feet in the last decade. However, I’m learning! For
example, Facebook is a fascinating resource. I’ve communicated with friends
gathered through the years, have met interesting strangers from all over the
world, and joined dozens of intriguing sites. I especially appreciate the
online camaraderie of professional writer organizations, which are supportive
and informative. Every single individual I connect to in this fashion has
something unique to offer, and is also a potential reader – so yes, I highly
recommend Facebook.
Twitter? It doesn’t appeal to me since I’m
not the quick-chat sort, but I’m willing to give it a try. As for LinkedIn, I’d
avoid it. Run from it, in fact. When I made the mistake of joining, it grabbed
every single contact in my address book and sent them unwanted messages –
theoretically from me. “Linda Shuler wants you to join …” Blah blah blah. Some
of those contacts were important business associates in the publishing world.
Talk about embarrassing! I sent each a letter, apologizing.
Book
sales. Don’t you just love them (or lack
of?)? How are you making the sales
happen for you?
Hidden
Shadows is a debut novel, fresh from release as an
E-book and scheduled for soft cover publication in December 2015. I don’t yet
know how sales will “happen,” since I’ve barely started. But I do have a long
list of marketing ideas. Now all I need is to get started!
What
is one thing you’d like to jump on the rooftop and scream about?
I’m tap dancing on the roof in my
imagination, champagne glass in hand (careful not to spill), shouting to one
and all: I did it! Mission accomplished! Hidden
Shadows is done, fini, complete! I
have a terrific publisher, a book I’m proud of, a cover I love, and so on so
forth. Halleluja!
Then reality kicks in: Marketing. Lots of
work ahead. Ah, well. I’ll finish his glass of champagne –maybe the bottle, too
– climb off the roof (or slide, as the case may be), settle down in front of the computer, and get
to work.
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?
When I first held Hidden Shadows in my
hands, I found myself whispering, “I did it! This is me – these characters,
this setting, this story – they came from within me, they are me.” It was a wondrous feeling, almost as if I were holding a
newborn child. In that moment, all the labor that went into the book’s
creation, the months of struggles and doubts and frustrations and exultations,
vanished from memory. I had – and have – only the pure joy.
