SPINNING FORWARD

Today's guest is Terri DuLong, a fellow member of RWA-WF, and the Author of Spinning Forward, a book I really want to read. Even though the only thing I've ever been able to knit is a long, lumpy rectangle.

Welcome, Terri. Why don't we begin with you telling us about your book?

A New Englander born and bred, the last place Sydney Webster expects to find herself starting over is on an island off the west coast of Florida. Yet here she is in Cedar Key, trying to pull herself together after her husband's untimely deathand the even more untimely revelation of his gambling addiction. Syd takes shelter at a bed and breakfast, leading her to discover her true identity and feminine soul. Her passion for spinning and knitting draws attention due to the unique composition of her wool and a door is opened. She finds herself in the embrace of a community rich with love, laughter, friendship . . . and secrets. A tale of new beginnings, old friends and lives forever bound.

I love stories that revolve around community relationships. And secrets are always fun. What pulled you into the story and made you think 'I have to write this'?

The actual people of Cedar Key, the small town where I now reside, made me feel I wanted to write about the closeness and caring of a small community. As far as my main character, not all women have the final say-so when it comes to decisions or financial matters in their marriage and although it may seem fine and easy at the time, my story deals with the fact that women owe it to themselves to be aware of these issues. For Sydney, her uninvolved attitude came back to bite her.

When did you first begin writing?

I've been writing all my life. As an only child, I had an imaginary playmate and looking back now, I feel that's when my creative process began. I've kept diaries and journals and I began writing professionally for Bonjour Paris about eleven years ago. I did over forty travel articles based on my travel to France through the eyes of a fictional canine character.

What's your writing process and where do you write?

When I'm on deadline, I begin around ten in the morning and generally work six to eight hours a day. When we moved to Cedar Key, we had a writer's studio built for me, detached from our house but connected by a screened lanai. So this is where I work.

What's your favorite thing about writing? What is your least favorite thing?

I'd have to say my favorite thing about writing is all the feedback I get from my readers. Their comments on my characters, plot, how my story affected them, etc. Least favorite? Call me Pollyanna, but I really don't have one. I love writing and the feeling of accomplishment when I finish a story.

How do you fight writer's block?

I've never really had writer's block. I've had episodes where I momentarily get stuck about where to go and what will work to take my plot forward, but when that happens I get away from the manuscript for a few days. Give it time to percolate a little. However, I'm constantly thinking about it the entire time and somehow I find my way back to where I want to go.

Movie time. Who do you envision playing your main character? The love interest? A bad guy? And you can be in the movie too--what part would you play? And why?

For Sydney, my main character, I envision a few actresses. Sally Field is the major one but I could also see Michelle Pfeiffer or Rachel Ward being my Sydney. For the love interest, Noah, I envision Richard Gere or Kevin Costner. I honestly can't see myself as any of the characters. Ah, I know! Maybe Miss Polly, the hairdresser in town because she gets all the gossip and as a writer, I love gossip and details!

Okay, let's imagine you're stranded on a desert island. What five movies and the five books you want with you?

Five books would be: A Woman of Substance, To Kill a Mockingbird, The House at Riverton, The Shellseekers and The Thornbirds.
Five movies would be: Casablanca, Pretty Woman, Saving Private Ryan, Ghost and Steel Magnolias

Do you have any advice to aspiring writers?

Don't ever give up. If writing is your passion, then keep writing. Believe in yourself and make great things happen.

So, true! What's next for you?

My Christmas novella that I'm doing in the anthology with Fern Michaels headlining will be released November 2010 at the same time that my second book in the Cedar Key series will be out.

Thanks for visiting, Terri, and good luck with Spinning Forward!