By 
Linda’s Book Obsession Interviews Donna Everhart for @Suzy Approved Book Tours
- What did you do before you were a writer?
I worked in Information Technology for 35 years. First at ITT, (which became
Alcatel) and then at Nortel until 2012. Coincidentally, I signed on with my
agent the same month of 2012 that I exited my job.
- What motivated or inspired you to write?
Believe it or not – well, readers would believe this – reading! That was at
the root of any initial thoughts I had, but it particularly sunk in when I
landed on Southern fiction. This was after my decades’ long passion over
Stephen King. I know, talk about a 180 in genres!
- How did you go about researching for your book?
I have mostly Googled, but I only read what I would call reputable
information – for example, I’ve used theses. I love them because many times
they include tidbits about real life. I have also used blogs. In THE
FORGIVING KIND, I referenced back to a blog written by someone in Texas who
was growing cotton.
- What are your goals for readers to take away after reading?
A connection to the story, the situations, the settings, and more
importantly, the characters. I hope they’ll have a sense of “that could have
been me/my family/my friends.” I also want to write page-turners, I want
readers to not be able to put the books down, but, once they’re done, I want
the story to stick with them.
- What is a typical day in your life?
I’m an early riser – I love the mornings. I always go out and feed the birds
– even before I get my coffee. Sometimes they’re waiting on me anyway. I
spend time answering emails, plotting/writing the next book, tending to my
“little guy,” a.k.a. Mister, or The Bundle. 🙂 I try to get off the computer
in the latter half of the day, but that doesn’t always happen. It doesn’t
sound like much but I’m always busy.
- What are your hobbies or things you do in your downtime?
First, I read – no surprises there! I love to run but I’ve had to stop that
(temporarily, I hope) due to health reasons. I have a bike, and like doing
that, or walking. I like to work out in the yard – we have a small garden.
We have a camper we like to take to the Blue Ridge mountains. We spent ten
days there last year partly as vacation, partly b/c I had book events. It
was GREAT.
- What can you tell us of any new writing projects that you might
have?
My next novel, THE MOONSHINER’S DAUGHTER is done, and already through the
copy edit stage. I hope readers will pre-order! They can go here to do so:
http://www.donnaeverhart.com <http://www.donnaeverhart.com> Beyond that, I’m only
in the very early stages of trying to figure out Book #5.
- What are your favorite genres of books that you like to read?
Southern fiction! That’s at the top of the list. But, aside from that, I
read Tara Westover’s EDUCATED recently. And, I don’t mind a good
thriller/mystery sort of read like BABY TEETH, or a coming of age story like
THE FALCONER, which I read and reviewed for the New York Journal of Books.
9 What advice can you give to someone that wants to be a writer?
Read a LOT in the genre you want to write in, especially the books that are
doing well, so you can see how your work compares, and to know what’s
working with regard to the stories. Write in some way every day – even if
it’s only moving words around that you wrote the day before. It’s said,
“practice makes perfect,” and maybe that’s not exactly right for writing
because what is perfect with regard to your own unique talent? It’s too
subjective, but I do know that you can’t get better at writing unless you .
. . write.
- How would you like the readers to connect with you?
Website: http://www.donnaeverhart.com <http://www.donnaeverhart.com>
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wordstogobuy
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donnadaviseverhart/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/donna-everhart
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donnaeve2/
Donna Everhart
THE MOONSHINER’S DAUGHTER (December 31 2019)
THE FORGIVING KIND
THE ROAD TO BITTERSWEET
THE EDUCATION OF DIXIE DUPREE
http://www.donnaeverhart.com <http://www.donnaeverhart.com/>
Kensington Publishing Corporation <http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/>
Linda's Book Obsession: 