Interview with Myrtis Smith
Published 2014-06-09.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
The greatest joy is knowing that something I write could have a major impact on another person's life.
What are you working on next?
I am working a book about being 40....it looks at all the little things that are going in your life when you turn 40 that you didn't have to think about when you were younger.
Who are your favorite authors?
I don't have one. I read a lot of stuff in many different genres. I generally trust recommendations when I'm trying to decide what to read.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
Serving other people inspires me. Right now I teach high school full-time. Everyday for me is a critical day because you can't predict the affect you'll have a on student's life on any given day. I'm always upbeat in my classroom and some kids respond really well to a hearty "Hey! It's great to see you today." You can tell some of them needed that warm welcome.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
I spend a lot of time with my family. My son, husband and I are like the 3 musketeers...we hang out together a lot. Family time is really important because I realize in the blink of an eye my boy will be a man and ready to leave the nest.
How do you discover the ebooks you read?
I really heavily on the suggestions/recommendations that are often provided. Once I pick a book I'll then read through the reviews. I like to read all of the bad reviews to really understand why people didn't like the book and decide if those reasons matter to me or not.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
I'm not sure if this was my first "story" but it was my first "book." I was in the 3rd grade and I wrote a story about what life would be like as a grocery bag. I made a cover and hand bound the book.
What is your writing process?
I keep a list of ideas on my kindle. When I want to work on one I create an outline highlighting how I think the book should flow. Then I do a brain dump to see how much information I actually know about the topic. I go research/interview to fill in the blanks then start working on drafts.
How do you approach cover design?
As I'm writing a book I keep a list of ideas for covers...I am trying to track what images and thoughts come to my mind as I'm working on the book. Once I get the 2nd draft done I look through the ideas and pick out a few to work with.
What are your five favorite books, and why?
I'm a tech-geek. I love science fiction and I love murder mysteries. I like sci-fi because it reveals a new world of possibilities. Its amazing what people can come up with when they're not bound by the laws of reality. I like murder mysteries because its fun to watch a story come together and try to figure out whodunit.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
I read everything on a kindle. That was my first eReader. I was pleased with experience and even when I upgraded I didn't see a reason to change.
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