Tell us about you and your books.
Have you ever cried while writing a book?
Absolutely! When I have an emotional scene dealing with
sadness or momentary despair, it usually brings tears to my eyes. When the same
scene, during revisions and/or edits, brings tears to my eyes again even though
I know what's coming, I consider that I've successfully gotten across the
emotion I'm trying to convey.
When did you decide to become an author?
I've lived most of my life in California—specifically the
greater Los Angeles area. For over twenty years, I worked in television
production. I was very interested in photography but found that I had a much
better chance at marketing my photographs if they were attached to magazine articles.
So I started writing magazine articles, primarily destination pieces about
travel. After having several of my articles and photographs published, people I
worked with told me I should write scripts since my job as a production manager
gave me access to producers and directors. I enrolled in a screen writing class
at UCLA. The first thing the instructor said on day one of class was if
you're in love with words, you don't want to write screen plays. By the end
of the class, I knew exactly what he meant and agreed with him—I didn't want to
write scripts. However, I did want to try fiction, specifically novels. My
third completed manuscript was contracted by Harlequin and published in print
(in the days before ebooks). Harlequin then contracted my second completed
manuscript and over the years a total of 21 books.
What tips would you give a new writer?
First and foremost is persistence. If you really want to
write (especially if you want to be published rather than writing for
yourself), you have to stick with it. Unlike what you see in movies and on
television, you don't labor over your manuscript, send it cold/unsolicited to a
publisher, then a week later you have a contract. It's time consuming. While
you're waiting to hear back from a publisher, use that time to start on a new
manuscript. It's imperative that you learn the craft of writing, not just the
basics of the English language like how to construct a grammatically correct
sentence. Active vs. passive, point-of-view, narrative vs. dialogue, action vs.
introspection, and characterization are just some of the aspects of fiction
writing. And finally, realize that every word you write is not golden.
Sometimes it's difficult to see something you've labored over be changed by an
editor. But remember, the writer and the editor are looking at the material
differently. As the writer, you're creating this incredible masterpiece. The
editor is making it commercially viable and publishable.
And remember—the acceptance/appreciation of any creative
endeavor (writing, art, music, etc.) is a subjective thing. Just because someone
enjoys country music doesn't mean that same person will like jazz. A rejection
is one person's subjective opinion on that given day—assuming the
writer/artist/composer knows their craft and has constructed a viable product.
Sometimes the rejection, those non-descript words "does not meet our
editorial needs at this time," is nothing more than the fact that your
manuscript was too similar to something they had just contracted or they have
too many submissions with a story centering around a pandemic. I've had
manuscripts rejected by an editor, then the same manuscript with no changes was
contracted by that same editor two years later. Or sometimes you have a great
premise, you just need to re-think how you're presenting it in story form.
Does working to deadline inspire or annoy you?
Probably both. 😊
I suppose you could say inspire in that it keeps me on track and allows me to
prioritize everything so I don't spend too much time working on something new
that doesn't have any type of deadline while getting behind on something that has
a higher priority. And on the other hand, you could say it annoys me to have to
set aside something that's really flowing and working so that I can return to
something with a deadline that isn't flowing as well.
What are your current projects?
I'm currently working on edits for another contemporary
romance novella also for The Wild Rose Press, this one for their Deerbourne Inn
series.
I also have two mystery/romantic suspense novels that I'm
working on as time permits. I'm particularly fond of mysteries, love creating
the twists and turns of the plot and characters who may or may not be who and
what they seem to be.
and for something a little personal...
Are you jealous of other writers?
No. There are certainly many other writers who have achieved
much greater success than I have, but they've earned it. Writing a novel
doesn't just happen where you sit down to the keyboard one day and whip out a
great manuscript. There's a lot of work that goes into writing a novel. Other
writers have put in the time and work required. They've earned their success.
Are you fun to go on vacation with?
I think so. I love to travel, both returning to favorite
places and seeing new places. I enjoy a variety of things. I love museums of
all kinds (natural history, history, art, etc.). As an avid photographer, I
want to see anything and everything where I can take pictures. I like learning
about local culture and customs. If in a foreign country, going to the local
pub and talking with the people who live in that area.
Do you have any hobbies?
As I mentioned earlier, my primary hobby and outside area of
interest is photography. At one time, I wanted to be a National Geographic type
photographer. I even took a photography workshop taught by a freelance photographer
who worked for National Geographic. Back in the days of film, before digital, I
even had my own darkroom. Now, of course, the darkroom is whatever computer
programs you use.
If you could have three wishes granted, what would you
wish for?
World peace, health, and happiness. I don't think I need to
elaborate on that.
What is your favorite comfort food?
I'm embarrassed to say, but it's mac and cheese. Lots of
pasta carbs, lots of cholesterol choking cheese, and lots of calories. It's
definitely comfort food. And then there's gelato—not just ice cream, that extra
creamy calorie-laden gelato which is definitely my dessert weakness. I don't
buy desserts very often, not really a sugar person. But when I do, it's usually
gelato which doesn't last long. I think creatures sneak into my kitchen and
steal it from my freezer in the middle of the night.
Where can we find you online?
https://shawnadelacorte.blogspot.com a new post almost every Saturday.
Download The Rocky Road to Romance on Amazon and other online retailers. It's part of the summer romance series One Scoop or Two
