I had the pleasure of reading Come the Shadows by Wendy L. Young. I must admit to enjoying the story very much. In fact, if you click the aforementioned link - which opens in another window - you will see the review I did of her book.

 

However, I decided to go a step above and beyond and introduce you to Wendy L. Young, the author. I'm sure you will enjoy catching up with her as much as I have so, at this time, allow me to answer a few of your questions about this wonderful author whose writing I've come to admire.

 

Norma: What does being an author mean to you?

Wendy: It means that I get to do something meaningful beyond my little corner of the world. Books touch people and to reach out like this is an opportunity most people don't get. While there's a lot of work that goes into moving from 'writer' to 'author' it's almost a relief to have that creative outlet and know it has meaning to someone, somewhere.

 

Norma: When did you first realize that you wanted to write and publish a book? How old/young were you at the time?

Wendy: I've been writing in various forms for many years. It has come and gone as life moved on. I think the first time I thought about a novel was in college but I didn't take it seriously until my late 20s and I didn't make a concerted effort to write the novel until my thirtieth birthday when it became a resolution of sorts.

 

The novel I started that day has been shelved, unfinished, unfortunately. But just after my thirty-first birthday I started with a fresh idea and haven't stopped since - through the completion of that book, a short story, and the near-completion (currently in editing) of another novel.

 

Norma: From its inception, how long did it take you to write and publish your first book? Was the experience mostly rewarding or filled with varying levels of frustration?

Wendy: Come the Shadows was written in ten weeks. I then took another two months to edit, rewrite, and polish it into the final version. I found it a very rewarding experience. The idea was pretty solidly inspired and I wrote organically from start to finish. Editing is not my favorite part but the entire process is necessary and vital to putting out a good work that readers will enjoy.

 

Norma: If you have published multiple titles, which book is your favourite and why? If you can't decide on one favourite, that's OK; break the rules and give us two or three.

Wendy: Right now, I have two books and a short story, One Final Night. They are in different genres and unique stories with almost opposite bents but I love them. I wrote the short story in two days and had it published just one week after I put pen to paper.

 

It was a rewarding experience and while I make no money off that story (it's free everywhere) it has touched so many people. The novels, on the other hand, focus on mystery and suspense and reach people in completely different ways. I love my different works like children - I couldn't pick a favorite.

 

Norma: Tell us a little about your life. What does an average day look like?

Wendy: I am a full-time work-at-home-mom. I get up by 5 AM and most days don't stop until 8 PM when I can finally focus on writing and know I won't be interrupted. It's a busy life!

 

Norma: What are three of your favourite hobbies?

Wendy: I have gone though many hobbies in my time. Right now, I have to admit I don't have any. I spend almost all my free time on my writing and building my profile. Goodies from the past include knitting, crochet, quilting, and photography.

 

Norma's closing thoughts:

Wendy, you are absolutely amazing! After going non-stop for 15 hours, I couldn't imagine having the energy to write, no matter how badly I wanted to have a date with a book. I must admit that most of my dates, lately, involve Ace Townsend. I do wish you every success in your current, and future, writing endeavours and I will be sure to read Red Sky Warning in the future.

 

I asked Wendy to provide me a list of where she can be found online and I'm proud to say that you can catch up with her in a few popular places such as Twitter, Goodreads, her blog and Facebook. You can also find her books on Amazon.