Welcome to what will hopefully be the first of the Annual Authoress’s Success Story blog tours! Those of us who have owed our publishing successes, at least in part, to the Miss Snark’s First Victim contests and blog have decided to come together and help cross promote each other’s work. Every day in the first two weeks of August, a different author will be posting an interview of one of our fellow Success Stories, so make sure to tune in to everyone’s blogs.
Yesterday, the lovely Kristi Helvig, @KristiHelvig interviewed me on her blog, head on over there and leave a comment for your chance to win a copy of Fighting Gravity!
And now, I’ve got the great pleasure of interviewing Monica Bustamante Wagner, @Monica_BW!
Our lovely Monica has offered a PRIZE, a query critique, to one randomly chosen person who leaves a comment on this post. So what do you have to say?
But first, let’s learn a little bit about our guest. Who is she? Well, here’s what she’s got to say:
After earning a bachelor’s degree in business and a master’s degree in HR, I settled with my husband in a very small town in Chile, near the Pacific Ocean.
How did participating with MSFV blog get you where you are now?
I was the first Baker’s Dozen’s success story—back in 2010. And even though I’m with another agent now, Authoress and her blog have always inspired me. I’m so grateful and I’m sure that if it weren’t for Authoress, I wouldn’t be where I am now.
You clearly love Young Adult fiction, what subgenre(s) do you read most?
The YA books I love the most are the ones with a nice blend between literary and commercial, like the Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. But that’s if you really ask me to narrow down the types of YA/MG books I love to read—because as long as it’s kidlit and well written, I will probably like it! 🙂
What subgenres have you written in so far/do you plan to write in?
The manuscript that my agent, Lauren Macleod, signed me with is a YA fantasy. I have also written a YA paranormal thriller. And now I’m looking at the possibility of writing upper MG, too. It’s exciting!
Since landing your agent and starting this whole crazy process, what have you learned that you would pass on to aspiring writers?
I think I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again. When I started writing, I thought it would be easier. But then, after a couple of years, I realized that writing is like a profession. Doctors take years studying to be able to work. Lawyers and architects take years, too. So why on earth did I expect my writing would be good enough the year I started? I think that for the writing skills to flow naturally on the paper, it takes time and a lot of dedication. And I wish I would have known that when I started!
I know you’re still in the early stages, but can you give us a sneak peek at what you’re working on, or what we might see from you in the future?
Sure! I’m working on a prehistorical YA manuscript now, set in the Andes Mountains, and it’s a story about revenge and acceptance. It’s going slow, I can tell you that, haha!
Thanks so much, Leah, for having me here, on your blog today!! <3
Thanks, Monica!
Don’t miss it, tomorrow on her blog, Monica is interviewing Emily Kokie, @emkokie!
And the rest of the tour:
| Posting Date | ||
| David Kazzie | @davidkazzie | 1-Aug |
| Leigh Talbert Moore | @leightmoore | 2-Aug |
| J.Anderson Coats | @jandersoncoats | 3-Aug |
| J.M. Frey | @scifrey | 4-Aug |
| Elissa Cruz | @elissacruz | 5-Aug |
| Amanda Sun | @Amanda_Sun | 6-Aug |
| Kristi Helvig | @KristiHelvig | 7-Aug |
| Leah Petersen | @Leahpetersen | 8-Aug |
| Monica Bustamante Wagner | @Monica_BW | 9-Aug |
| Emily Kokie | @emkokie | 10-Aug |
| Monica Goulet | @MonicaGoulet | 11-Aug |
| Peter Salomon | @petersalomon | 12-Aug |
| Sarah Brand | @sarahbbrand | 13-Aug |
| Angela Ackerman | @angelaackerman & @writerthesaurus | 14-Aug |
| Tara Dairman | @TaraDairman | 15-Aug |
Thanks again for having me, Leah!! <3
Holy World Traveler, Batman!
I think it’s great that your kids are getting such a wide view of their world. We were fortunate enough to take our kids to Africa a few years ago, and it changes you to see something so different from where you live.
Great advice for aspiring authors, too!
Angela
What a great interview :). I love reading about the lives of fellow writers!
I also love query critiques 🙂
I love love reading all the success stories! I am blown away everyday at how supportive the writing community is, if only the whole world worked this way!! Seriously, how many careers have people helping others achieve success? I love writers!!
Wow! Great interview! I knew much of this info from following Monica’s blog and keeping up with each other, but I didn’t know about the prehistoric MS! Interesting…
That’s great advice about the Profession of Writing. You’re so right. And I’m afraid I was also one of the ones who didn’t expect it to be so hard–LOL! Sillies.
Best of luck w/the new books and agent! <3
Another fantastic interview in this series! Monica, I love what you said about writing being a profession, and it taking years of practice to really understand how it works. So true.
I love that you’ve traveled so much and that your experiences find their way into your writing. Amd I didn’t realize that your dad was in Ethiopia–one of my favorite countries! See, I learn something new with every interview. =)
Monica, I’d like to know a little more about how writing from Chile works. You mentioned that you moved there with your husband, so supongo que you’re still living there now. Have you ever met your agent in person, or is all your correspondence online? Has time and distance ever been an issue, or is all that moot in the world of the interwebs? (I ask partly out of selfish motives–I would like to live in my heart’s home, Paraguay, but still remain connected with the publishing industry in the US.)
Jen, thanks for stopping by!
And yes! I’ve been living in Chile for like 20 years now. And no, I’ve never met my agent…except via Skype and we make it work via email, or for the contract via snail mail. And the distance hasn’t been an issue for me, except for the times I’ve wanted to go to conferences and things like that!
So I say, Sure, you can write in Paraguay!
Suerte!! 😀
Monica, how wonderful that you and your family get to travel so much! (And I’ve often wondered if travel early in life makes children more likely to travel as adults, and to be open to new places and things). I’m also intrigued by the idea of a “prehistorical YA manuscript…set in the Andes…” Sounds very ciool. Great interview Leah and Monica!
Monica–thanks! Good to know!
I learn a lot of new thing about your interview…I am happy that you had a great vacation with your family..