Spotlight on Shane Bolks/Shana Galen
Our PAN Spotlight for this month is Shane Bolks/Shana Galen..
Q:How long have you been writing?
Shane: I started writing for publication in January 2000. Growing up, I always enjoyed writing. I think the first story I wrote was when I was eight. It was in My Book About Me, and it was Star Wars fan fiction. I wrote my sister’s story in her book, too!
Q:How long did it take you to publish?
Shane: I sold my first book a little over 4 years after I began writing for publication.
Q:How many manuscripts do you have hidden away/under the bed/in storage?:
Shane: I have 2 full-length manuscripts that have never been published and probably half a dozen proposals.
Q: Do you have a writing schedule and if so, what is it?:
Shane: I used to, but my life is in transition right now. I try to write after work and on weekends. I’m a fast writer, so it works.
Q: Do you have a critique group? If yes, how many are in the group?
Shane: Yes, there are 3 of us.
Q: If this is not the only critique group you’ve participated in, how many others did you have before finding the one that worked?:
Shane: I was in one before this.
Q: When developing an idea for a new story, which comes first – the plot or the title or the characters?
Shane: I think it’s a mix of plot and character. The plot kind of informs the character and vice -versa. Once, I did come up with the title first: Jedis, Wookies, and Other Men I’ve Dated. That became The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Men I’ve Dated.
Q: How do you handle new story ideas that pop up when you’re in the middle of a project? (ex: notebook by the bed/separate word file/ etc?)
Shane: I have a separate word file labeled Ideas. I write a brief description of the idea and file it away.
Q: Have you ever gotten to the middle of a project and got bored or lost your momentum? If so, how did you handle it?
Shane: Not really because I write pretty fast, and I’m driven. I don’t allow myself to get bored or lose momentum. Usually when I lose momentum it’s because the story idea isn’t good. I don’t usually get more than 10-15 pages into one of those books before I have trouble. Then I shelve the book. I haven’t yet gone back to one of those.
Q: Finish this sentence: If I could write anything I wanted and knew it would sell, it would be….
Shane: A love story between a Jew in a concentration camp and a non-Jew set in WWII. You know how romantic concentration camps can be.
Q: What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received in regards to your writing career?
Shane: Don’t take it personally.
Q: What is the worst?
Shane: Write what you know.
Q: What is your favorite part of the writing process?
Shane: Beginning a new book.
Q: What is you least favorite?
Shane: Chapters 6-9 and revisions
Q: Which came first for you – the editor or the agent?
Shane: The agent.
Q: How many contests did you enter before you sold? How many did you final in?
Shane: I probably entered 10. I think I finaled in 3 or 4. I finaled in the Golden Heart. That was the big one.
Q: How do your promote your books?
Shane: Website, e -newsletter, bookmarks, Romance Sells, promo to booksellers, reader contests, my blog www.jauntyquills.com.
Q: Free form – your chance to tell us anything you’d like – tidbits, advice, funny stories, pet peeves, hopes, dreams, etc:
Shane: Well, my pet peeve is when people find out I’m an author because they always want to tell me about the idea they have for a book. Usually they want advice on how to get this yet-to-be-written book published, but invariably they dream of writing a (write more continued from page 11) cookbook or a book that falls in some other market I know nothing about.
My advice is not to get too wrapped up in this industry. I think writers are obsessive-types. At least I am. Prioritize writing, but don’t forget about family and friends and relaxing. Life is too short to devote yourself to a business that won’t ever devote itself to you.
