When did you consider yourself a writer?
I wanted to be a writer from about the age of 14 when my dad gave me Iceberg by Clive Cussler to read; however, it wasn’t until age 22 when I sat down and wrote my first novel, Dreamer of Destiny. That novel sprung from a repetitive dream I was having. One night, when the dream started, again, I jumped up and just started typing until the ‘dream’ played itself out. The next morning, I started filling in the details, and Dreamer of Destiny was born.
Are you a full-time or part-time writer and how does that affect your writing?
I wish I could be a full-time writer, but even though I prolifically crank out story after story, I simply do not earn sufficient income to make it anything but a part-time enjoyment. Being a part-time writer doesn’t really affect my writing because I still have ideas and I still write those ideas…as time affords.
What are some day jobs you have held?
Typical teenaged employment: fast food, gas station attendant. Then I went into the Air Force. After that, I worked in accounting for a while until I returned to school to earn my degree with which I now operate my own daycare business.
Do you have a special time to write, or how is your day structured to accommodate your writing?
Running a daycare doesn’t afford too much time to write, so I tend to do so in the mornings, evenings, and weekends, when not doing things with my family. Some weekends, if an idea is strong, my family allows me the time needed to write for which I’m exceptionally grateful. Because COVID limited our outings for quite some time, I was able to accomplish a great deal and started a juvenile series entitled I Am Proud of Who I Am.
What have your written so far?
I’ve written everything from Romance to Crime Thrillers, from Juvenile books to Suspense. Here are the titles: * Dreamer of Destiny (Historical Drama) * Desires of a Deceiver (Romantic Suspense) * 36 Hours (Crime Thriller) * Edge of Insanity (Paranormal Thriller) * Ehtaria (Juvenile Adventure) * Fate’s Intervention (Dramedy) * Killing Faith (Crime Thriller) * Love Through Time (Historical Romance) * Only One (Romantic Suspense) * Parenting in the 21st Century (Parenting book) * Victim of Love (Romantic Thriller) * Whispers of the Heart (Romantic Suspense) * I Am Proud of Who I Am (Juvenile Educational series)
Do you work to an outline or plot sketch, or do your prefer to let a general idea guide your writing?
I’ve never written an outline for a novel. Many times, I get an idea and just start writing until the idea exhausts. When I revisit it to start writing it, I close my eyes and try to imagine how it would be if real people were portraying the characters. If I can’t envision this, I set it aside again. Sometimes, the idea never becomes anything, and other times my next book is written.
Can you share with readers a little bit about your latest book?
I’m currently working on book twelve of fifteen in the I Am Proud series. In each book, which contains 19 countries or U.S. states, a character writes a letter to the reader introducing something unique about where they live and their aspirations for the future. I started this as a way to break down barriers and eliminate stereotypes, to show that we are all part of humanity even if we have different skin tones, celebrate different religions and holidays, and have varying cultural beliefs.
Do you listen to or talk to your characters?
Absolutely listen to them. After all, if I can’t hear them speaking to one another, I can’t write realistic dialogue. Along with this, I close my eyes and envision the character interactions, and type what I’m seeing/hearing in my mind. The only time I’ve spoke to my characters is when I was having difficulty seeing them. This happens rarely, but when it does, I step into one of the character’s parts and am then able to type out what each is saying.
What role does research play in your writing?
At this stage of my career as an author, I’m a research master. Since I love writing historical work, research is essential to prevent anachronisms. Research also comes in handy when writing crime novels, military novels…almost any type of work could benefit from proper research.
Who is your favorite fictional character and why?
I have quite a few, but my first love is Dirk Pitt. This is because the first book given me by my father was a Dirk Pitt novel. To me, he’s the quintessential adventurer. When I write my novels, I endeavor to write characters that are just as memorable to my readers. It’s an ever-evolving process.
Want to learn more about Barbara and buy the book?
Waking Writer 