How did you get started writing?

While I’ve always created stories in my mind, I didn’t try to write them down until after having my second son.  I was a stay-at-home-mom and needed the escape of writing stories.  Boys are weird creatures and think the strangest things are entertaining or funny.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I write fantasy and paranormal romance. I love creating new worlds and playing with creatures from myths and legends.

What is your favorite part of writing?

Creating a new world and deciding on the rules of magic and what creatures inhabit it. I’m afraid I have Bright-Shiny-Syndrome. New ideas always come along right when you’re supposed to be working on a specific story. It’s hard to resist the call of a brand new world.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Characters.  I don’t understand people in real life, how can I create realistic characters for my stories.  There are techniques, but it is a struggle for me.  I naturally come up with plot events easier than characters that readers would embrace.

What is your typical day like?

I’ll wake up while my husband and oldest son are getting ready to leave.  After they are gone for the day, I will either read or watch one tv show for an hour.  Then I’ll shower, walk the dog and make breakfast.  If I’m lucky the youngest will still be asleep and I’ll get to write for a half hour or an hour.  If I’m not lucky, then he is awake and ready for the day so we start school.

While he works, I maybe able to slip in fifteen or twenty minutes of writing but usually I have to either help or keep him on task. About three thirty in the afternoon we’ll stop school for the day and drive to pick up the oldest.  Sometime around 8 or 9 pm, I’ll be able to get back to writing.  I’m not usually very creative at night, so I’ll do some editing or other work.

What is your favorite dessert/food?    

Ice Cream.  I love ice cream – vanilla, strawberry, cherry vanilla, or ice cream with candy in it.  I may visit Dairy Queen each week…as a treat for my kids of course.

Do you have a view in your writing space?  What does your space look like?

My writing space is a corner of my upstairs bonus room.  I can see out of the window at an angle.  It’s nice to have indirect sunlight in the mornings when I’m trying to write.  This is a picture right after clearing the desk of paper to start the New Year.

 

 

Tell us a little about yourself and your latest book.

I’m a really slow writer. It takes me about a year to complete a novella.  Mainly because I’ve been busy homeschooling my special needs sons who have different conditions on the Autism Spectrum. Also there is a lot of stress which interferes with my creative ability.

My latest releases are actually a series of Mini Story Bibles I created as a way to kick start my writing. This fall when we enrolled my oldest son in a private school, I had a bit more time to write in the mornings.  Except my creativity had fled and my old writing processes weren’t working.

I wanted something on paper that had space for notes and areas for drawing or pasting in pictures. Something tactile that I would be more involved with than my digital story bible provided. Initially, I thought it would be about 10 pages but I ended up with over 50 pages.  Talking with some friends, I expanded the designs into different genres.

What do you have planned for the future?

My current manuscript is the third novella in my Paranormals of Arilase series.  I hope to publish it by the fall and then I’ll release a box set of all three stories.

Next I’ll work on my Tales of Ellemarlene fantasy series and begin a contemporary fantasy series.  I have a bunch of partially started stories so there are many more ideas in the queue.

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A few screen captures from the Historical Writer’s Mini Story Bible for Bedside and Travel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Bio

Although Beth grew up in West Virginia, she currently resides in North Carolina with her husband, two sons and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who makes an excellent lap warmer. Blending the analytical and creative sides of her brain, she delights in creating fantasy worlds for others. Catch her online most days except when NCIS and Once Upon a Time air.

Website – http://BethCaudill.net/

 

 

Book Blurb:

Dream. Explore. Write.

The Historical Writer’s Mini Story Bible for Bedside and Travel is your first stop along the path to writing. You set the pace for discovering your imaginary worlds and conflicts within your stories.

Each book section includes an area for you to brainstorm words associated with your idea, detail pages for up to five characters including picture and attire frames, diagram and notes for cataloging your plot points, space to identify historical landmarks and events, frames to sketch settings and scenes, lines for recording your research and more.

Keep your story details in one convenient journal that easily travels or resides next to your bed. Ideas come at all hours of the day, don’t lose your thoughts because you couldn’t find paper.

Paperback Book Buy Link – http://www.amazon.com/Historical-Writers-Story-Bedside-Travel/dp/0985378182/