Please welcome D. L. Fletcher to my blog. Welcome. Shall we have a cup of coffee and a chat?
1. Please introduce yourself to those reading this blog post.
My name is D. L. Fletcher. I am an indie author with two published works – A Creation of Tomorrow and The Dying Butterfly. I am 47 years old living in Ontario. I am a full-time project admin, mother of two, and grandmother of four married to a very supportive man who writes in her spare time.
2. Has writing always been part of your life and when did you “know” that it was time to start writing your first book? (If you are here as an invite to promo your small business, then please write your own questions and provide relevant photos and links, thank you.)
Yes, writing has always been a part of my life. I have had an infatuation with pens and paper my whole life. At least as far back as I can remember. I had so many notebooks and pens. I still have so many notebooks and pens. When I was a young girl I would write poetry and short stories. It was when my nest emptied that I decided it was time. I had stories that needed to be told and the time to now tell them, and so my writing journey began.
3. How difficult was it writing your first book?
I didn’t find it difficult to write my first book. The challenge was the confidence to put myself out there. I wrote my first book followed immediately by my second. I simply published them putting them out to the world to maybe stumble upon them. A few people did, and I received good reviews, yet I couldn’t promote myself. I thought “What if it was just dumb luck that these people liked them? What if everyone else hates them?” I eventually was brave enough to let friends know that I wrote, and it was their encouragement that pushed me to finally put myself out there. I now have a webpage and a blog.
4. Have you ever wanted to give up and what stopped you?
Yes, I have wanted to give up. I think writing would always be a part of me, but I was close to tossing in the towel with publishing and debated maybe just keeping my stories mine. A reader wants to meet new people, visit another world. They want to experience something beautiful, dramatic, and emotional. If I can’t give them that then why am I doing it? When a reader reaches out to me telling me they loved my book it solidifies that I am bringing them what they were seeking when they picked up my book. I am sparked with every positive review, by every reader that reaches out to me asking me when the next book is coming. It is my readers that keep me from giving up.
5. Who is the most supportive of you and your dream to be a writer?
My mother is the most supportive. She has read both my books many many times. She provides me feedback, I make the changes, and she reads it from beginning to end again. She has bought my books in every format. She is the best kind of crazy when it comes to my writing. She shares every post I make on Facebook, and every blog I write. What makes her amazing is I know she wouldn’t allow me to embarrass myself, so if she didn’t think I was good she would tell me. Next up would be my husband. He has listened to me go on and on about my writing, and all that I have learned about building my webpage, promoting, and more. I know he understands little of what I say but he still listens. He has read my work and listened to them when they came out on audio. If I need something for my writing or promoting he makes sure I have it.
6. Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
I know I have a lot to learn. I know this because I am learning every day, but I want to thank my readers for taking a chance on me. Your words of encouragement, your positive reviews, your taking to the time to connect with me have been all the encouragement I need. I hope to continue to provide you with more worlds for you to escape into.
7. What is the best advice given to you (book or otherwise), and by whom?
The best advice I have been given was at 16 by my mother ‘Start your RRSP now” If I had taken that advice then and continued with it, I would be retired now and writing full-time. I did not, and so I am still working when I would love nothing more than to be writing all day, every day.
The other was to choose a career where waking up to go to work wasn’t going to feel like work. I wish I had taken that advice years ago. Maybe I would have a lot more books out there and would be spending my days writing.
I can go on and on with great advice given to me but I took none of it. I was young, life seemed long, and choices seemed endless. One thing I did learn, and only while writing is this:
The future ahead is paved by actions and choices made today. Hindsight is 20/20. Make wise choices today and you will be able to predict your future rather than look back into the past and see where you went wrong.
8. What is your target audience and what aspect of your writing do you feel targets that audience?
I honestly am not sure I can answer this question. I don’t have a target audience. I mean, I guess I target adults, but man, woman, age group, genre… I don’t really have one. I simply write what comes to me. One book – The Dying Butterfly – is post-apocalyptic/romance and all about hope. It can be read by almost anyone. I think 16yrs and older, and has been read by people from 16 to 65. My readers are both genders. My other book – A Creation of Tomorrow – has had a few men reading it, but mainly women. It doesn’t really fall into a genre. I stuck it in crime/ thriller as it is the best fit, but it still doesn’t belong there. I should probably have a target audience, but I don’t. I just write. Maybe in time, after a number of books have been published I will find I have a target audience or understand mine better, but at this time I don’t have one or understand mine if I do.
9. Did the cover evolve the same way, or did you work with someone to make it come together for you?
I created my covers as I wrote, meaning they kept evolving. I like to have a cover from the beginning, but as I got to know my characters and the feel of the story I would change my cover until eventually, I had one that I felt provided the best feel.
10. What are you working on now? Can we get a peek, an excerpt?
Currently, I am working on completing the sequel to my book – A Creation of Tomorrow, titled – A Creation of Yesterday. Following that I will be working on two books, the sequel to – The Dying Butterfly, titled- Flight of The Butterfly, and another I have not decided on the title. I am leaning toward – The Guardian of Dreams – or -Where our Souls go to Play.
11. Any last words before we wrap things up?
Yes, more than anything I want to thank all of those that have taken a chance in reading my books or listening to my audiobooks. I want to thank all of my readers that have taken the time to connect with me either by leaving me such great reviews or by messaging me personally. I am so very grateful for all of you as you have helped provide me the courage to put myself out there. It has been a journey, on that that I am proud of, but I wouldn’t be on it if it wasn’t for all the support and encouragement from you. I know I am not perfect at what I do, but I am learning more and more every day.
I also want to thank those that will give me a look and maybe take a chance on me in the future. I hope my writing can provide you with the escape you are looking for when you pick up a book.
Lastly, I would love for you to visit my website at Dlfletcher.com and subscribe to my newsletter. I promise I will not spam you.
Website: https://www.Dlfletcher.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dlfletcher01
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/d.lfletcher/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100075297892427
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deanna.fletcher.357
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17765351.D_L_Fletcher
Tumblr: chocolateandoompaloompas.tumblr.com
Book links:
Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Creati…/dp/B06ZZNFRCR.
Amazon.ca: https://www.amazon.ca/Creatio…/dp/B09DMTR1RR
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/…/B06Z…/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0…
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/719300
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/…/a-creati…/1126255820…
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/a-creation-of-tomorrow
Audiobook links:
Audible.com:
Audible.ca:
Audible UK:
When Angels Fly 