It’s my privilege to introduce to you Ms. Lorna Seilstad. Lorna is a fellow ACFW member, and just one of my many cyber-friends whom I’ve never met. She’s taken a little bit of time out of her busy schedule to be here today to tell us how and why she does.

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Lorna Seilstad received her B.S. in education from Lubbock Christian University. After her first child was born, she quit teaching and became a professional wiper. “I wiped noses, tears, skinned knees, baby’s bottoms, and countertops every day. But at naptime, I wrote.” Today, she writes historical fiction with a generous dash of humor and lives in Iowa with her husband and three children–ages 18, 16, and 11. Making Waves (Revell, 2010) is her first novel.
Thanks for being here! Let’s jump right in. Why did you start writing? How?
As an adult I started writing because I remembered loving to write stories as a kid on through college. I missed it. My fourth grade teacher turned me on to writing with weekly creative writing assignments. We’d show up for school and she’d have some kind of story starter, like footprints taped to the ceiling, and we had to write how they got there. As an adult, I found fan fiction and writing that got me started. I’ve written fan fiction at www.romancefanficiton.net as Oreolover for several years.
How did you select your genre?
While most kids were playing baseball on Sunday afternoons, I was going to antique auctions with my parents. Raised in that environment, I grew to love history and all things historical. I’m also a wedding coordinator, so I think romance is just in my blood. The two felt “right” when I started trying various genres. I also love research, so that’s a big help in my area.
What is your writing day like?
During the school year, I get the kids off to school, throw some laundry in, and answer e-mail. After that, I try to write 1500 words. That’s my goal. I sometimes go back to work some more after supper if the kids are all busy with homework and don’t require my help. My daughter is in calculus. I couldn’t help her if I wanted to.
How do you organize your writing? (outlines/note cards/post-its)

I use Cheryl Wyatt’s Plot Storming Form to originally get a story organized. Then, I write a synopsis. After that, I do a tentative chapter by chapter. That often changes as I go. I keep a running timeline, too.
 
What’s the most surprising thing a character has “told you”?

In book 3, the main character, Lilly, has informed me that she loves rocks. She’s become quite a geologist. To her, rocks represent a solid world she’s never had.
 
Do you have a list of characters that you’re saving for future use? What kind of information do you keep on these characters?

No, I don’t, but what a great idea. The setting often spurs my characters. I try to picture who might have lived in a particular area.
 
What does your work space/office look like?

An appropriate description might be “Nightmare on Grace Street.” I actually live on Grace Street. I like to say I live in grace and on Grace. My office space is in our basement. In the winter I freeze and have to wear gloves with no fingertips and wear layers. Right now, though, it’s cool. The whole basement is badly in need of a good re-organization.
 
What is your go-to snack when writing?

Chocolate anything is at the top of my list. Oreo cookies are my favorite. I also love cottage cheese. That’s often my breakfast.
 
If you could only recommend one NOVEL, what would it be? Why?

Talk about a hard question. I think I’d pick To Kill a Mockingbird. The story is such a classic with a message humanity needs to hear over and over.
 
If you could only recommend one CRAFT book (writing, no crocheting), what would it be? Why?

Honestly, I’ve only read a few craft books, but I can heartily recommend the Seekerville blog and all of the archives from ACFW’s online classes. I’ve learned so much from those places.
 
Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Thank you so much for hosting me today!

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Thanks to you too, Lorna!
If you have any questions or comments for Lorna, please don’t hestiate to post something. If you’re interested in winning a copy of her BRAND NEW novel (releasing on September 1, 2010!), please don’t forget to leave an email address where I can reach you.