|
Judy McFadden |
|
Judy’s 18Q |
|
The Eighteen Questions |
|
18Q |
|
Life with McDuff: Lessons Learned from a Therapy Dog, Summit Mountain Publishing
“Judy and McDuff: Soul Mates,” Angel Animal Network “The Secret,” Northwest Retirement Magazine |
|
Bibliography |
|
URL |
|
Nominate us as a Writer’s Digest 101 Best Web Site.
Email: writersdig@fwpubs.com with as the subject. |
|
The Eighteen Questions and 18Q are trademarks of Fabulist Flash Publishing.
This website, The Eighteen Questions, and 18Q are part of
The Fabulist Flash Publishing Family |
|
1. Did you choose the writing profession or did it choose you? It definitely chose me. Like a volcano bubbling inside of me, it finally erupted into a book about my Scottish terrier therapy dog, McDuff. I’ve always admired writers, but I never envisioned myself as becoming a writer.
2. What is your background? (education, work, etc.) I’m a coal miner’s daughter from Uniontown, Pennsylvania, and have experienced a special connection with animals, especially dogs, throughout my life. I attended The Ohio State University and found employment as a legal secretary, sales representative, Custodian of Records for The Ohio State University Hospital, and public inquiries assistant on the National Cancer Institute 800-4-CANCER telephone line. I resigned my position as courtroom at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, to pursue a writing career. I am a member of the Henderson Writers’ Group, sponsor of the annual Las Vegas Writer’s Conference, and Toastmasters International. I speak to audiences to promote awareness of therapy dogs and animal assisted reading programs and to encourage seniors and baby boomers to volunteer. McDuff and I appeared on KVBC-TV Channel 3 News in Las Vegas and Anthem View newspaper in Henderson, Nevada, for his outstanding therapy dog work.
3. When did you “know” you were a writer? I didn’t truly consider myself a writer until reader after reader told me that they laughed, cried and felt they were there while reading Life with McDuff.
4. How would you describe your style of writing? I read that the average reader in the United States reads at the 5th grade level. I wrote in a way that everyone, from the young to the very old, could easily understand. Readers of the book comment on how easy it is to read. Also, I attempted to paint pictures in the reader’s mind with my words.
5. What is your writing process? I tacked pages with each chapter outline to my bedroom wall and filled in and moved things around. However, something strange occurred throughout the entire process of writing Life with McDuff. I woke up at 4:20 a.m. every morning with thoughts, passages, or ideas that compelled me to get out of bed and write them down before going back to sleep, sometimes three or four times. When I woke up, I used them to begin writing for the day.
It’s hard enough for an unproven, first-time writer to get published. Add to that the financial disaster that hit the country and publishing industry. After I had finished my manuscript, I learned that large publishing houses were laying off. When I followed a lead to a contact at Hartcourt Publishers, I was told they were not accepting manuscripts. I had no choice but to self-publish and I formed Summit Mountain Publishing.
7. What is your favorite self-marketing idea? Starting casual conversations with strangers while standing in line at the post office, waiting at airports or Amtrak, in casinos or restaurants, and then I give them a flyers about Life with McDuff. I usually ask if they have a dog and then proceed to tell them about my Scottish terrier therapy dog and the book I wrote about him. It also enables me to educate people about therapy dogs and animal assisted reading programs like Therapy Dogs International and Reading with Rover.
8. What are the biggest surprises you’ve encountered as a writer? The biggest surprise and shock to me is that there is more to writing a book than writing a book. Writing the books is just the beginning. Marketing, promotion, and networking is part of the process whether you self-publish or go with a publisher. Starting and running a business wasn’t on my radar either.
9. How do you inspire yourself? What are your sources of creativity? My source of inspiration and creativity are one and the same. Something inside drives me to create. I read a book by Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way, that helped me to understand the creative process.
10. What is your proudest writer moment? When I received a review from Midwest Book Review for Life with McDuff.
11. What’s the best advice you were given about writing? All the advice from members of the Henderson Writers’ Group, and especially from you, Greg. I would advise beginning writers to join a writer’s group. It makes a world of difference.
12. What is your most embarrassing writer moment? Nothing about my experience as a writer has been embarrassing for me. It’s all about learning, growing and touching others through your writing.
13. What business challenges have you faced as a writer? Starting my publishing company, Summit Mountain Publishing, was almost as challenging as writing my book. Setting up a publishing business was challenging as I had to obtain the ISBN number and other necessary registrations, business license, printer, graphic designer, and distributor. A book that you recommended, The Well-Fed Self-Publisher, by Peter Bowerman proved to be a valuable guide.
My writer life philosophy and my personal life philosophy are the same. I believe that everything happens for the best and when one door shuts, another and better one opens.
15. When you’re not writing what do you do for fun? That’s a real problem. My life is so unbalanced now. The book promotion and marketing, public speaking, and attending to Summit Mountain Publishing business consume my life. I try to fit in yoga, movies, dinner with friends and walking in the park.
16. Who do you like to read? It’s more about what I like to read. I’m a people person so I usually read biographies and nonfiction by various authors.
17. What’s your advice for new writers? Realize that there is more to writing a book than writing a book. Marketing and promotion is a large part of the whole package. Also, join a good writer’s group. Be prepared to study and learn about the art of writing. Attend workshops, seminars and conferences like the Las Vegas Writer’s Conference every chance you get.
18. What are you currently working on? Edits with the editor for a story I wrote about McDuff and entered in a contest sponsored by Allen and Linda Anderson’s Angel Animal Network. The story will be published in an anthology entitled, “Dogs and the Women Who Love Them” by New World Library in the fall of 2010. |
