Today I am interviewing bestselling and award-winning author, artist, and playwright, Tracy Krauss. She has published twenty-one titles, including Christian romantic suspense, science fiction, stage plays, nonfiction, and children’s books, plus contributions to several collections, anthologies, and magazines. Tracy’s won multiple writing awards and been on Amazon’s bestsellers’ lists. Tracy’s fiction strikes a chord with those looking for thought provoking faith-based contemporary fiction laced with romance, suspense, and humor. She holds a B.Ed from the University of Saskatchewan and taught secondary school English, drama, and art in five different provinces and territories, including many remote and interesting places in Canada’s far north. She and her husband raised four children and are now enjoying their growing number of grandchildren as she continues to pursue all of her creative interests in beautiful Tumbler Ridge, BC. She is currently serving as the president of InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship, a Canada-wide organization whose mandate is to minister and encourage Canadian writers of faith. Visit her website at: http://tracykrauss.com “Fiction on the edge – without crossing the line” Nina Faye Morey: Thank you, Tracy, for this opportunity to interview you about your writing. Your author tag line is “Fiction on the edge – without crossing the line.” Could you please explain how this tag line defines you as a writer? Tracy Krauss: The phrase “on the edge” describes a couple of different elements. First, it implies intrigue and suspense as in “on the edge of one’s seat,” something I try hard to incorporate in my work. Beyond that, it refers to what has been coined “edgy” in so far as Christian fiction goes. In my view, my work is all quite mild, especially in comparison to what has become mainstream in the culture at large. However, I appreciate that some Christians are not used to having certain, shall we say, “gritty” topics included in a story. I’m talking about things like prostitution, sexual and physical abuse, drug and alcohol addiction, promiscuity and pre-marital sex, racism and prejudice … you know, stuff that actually goes on all the time around us, but which is often covered up or glossed over, especially in mainstream Christian fiction, and especially if a character who is supposed to be saved is involved. I like to show the frailty and humanity of my characters. People aren’t perfect, even if they’re saved. Christ’s redemptive power and the importance of His ongoing grace are themes that underlie my work. Having said that, I don’t believe in “crossing any lines” just for shock value. There is no gratuitous profanity or graphic sex scenes or anything like that. If people do things, it is usually “off camera,” so to speak. I’ve taken some criticism for my style of writing, but I’ve also had much reader appreciation for my honesty. NFM: I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading some of your romance novels. How and when did you start writing in this genre? TK: Believe it or not, I’m really not that romantic! I grew up reading science fiction, and quite honestly, sci-fi and dystopian are still my favourite things to read (or watch). So, why write romance? It might sound cheesy, but I feel called to it, like a ministry. There are people who are encouraged—even relieved—because of the “authentic” (read “edgy”) elements I talked about in the last question. Not everyone comes from a Christian background and some mainstream fiction can be a bit saccharine in that everyone seems too perfect. These are the stories that God put in my head (and heart) to write, so I try to be obedient. Even if only one person is touched, then I’ve done my job. As far as when, I started writing my first novel back in 1985, soon after having my first child. It gave me a creative outlet and I haven’t stopped. It took me 16 years to complete that first novel, although I did work on three others during those years, and it took several more years to revise each one as they all got rejected multiple times. In all, it was a twenty-four-year journey of writing, revision, and rejection before I signed my first contract in 2008. It hasn’t been an easy road, but it has been very fulfilling. NFM: Why do you prefer to write romantic suspense and science-fiction novels? What other genres and subgenres do you or would you like to write? TK: Like I said above, I write the stories that are in my head. Nothing deep there, by any means! I do think I’d like to write more science fiction, though, because it is my first love in terms of fiction. I was a huge Trekkie when I was a kid. (Still am!) As for other genres, I wrote a lot of stage plays during my twenty years as a drama teacher, and I’ve been privileged to see a few of them get picked up by various play publishers. (Side note: I make the majority of my writing income from my plays and performance royalties across North America… Go figure.) I’ve also done some short nonfiction work and illustrated a children’s book, but that’s not really where my head is at. I love fiction and think it is such a powerful medium, so most of my writing energy goes into that. NFM: Could you describe for us your artistic process when you’re writing? For instance, are you a plotter or a pantser, and what is the most difficult part of this process for you? TK: I’m a hybrid. I usually start with just a “big idea” and jot it all down willy-nilly in a Word document. Then I might work on some character profiles and/or write random scenes and/or dialogue. At some point, I go into Scrivener and start plotting. I love its corkboard feature where I can outline basic chapters and scenes, although I have been known to use recipe cards in a similar way. However, I have yet to have a story follow the plan! Once I actually get to the writing, the story always changes, often quite dramatically. I always think of more details that need to be added, and since I know that’s going to happen, my outlines are pretty flexible. I just can’t think of everything in the beginning! Having a skeleton plan does allow me to skip ahead to a different scene if I am getting bored or don’t quite know how things are going to play out. So, I use both plotting and ‘pantsing’ in equal measure, kind of back and forth. NFM: When, where, and for how long each day do you write when you’re immersed in the process of writing a novel? TK: My general goal is one hour of creative writing per day. I usually do this right after lunch. Does it always happen? No, but if it doesn’t, I try again the next day. Much of the time, I find that if I force myself to sit down with the minimum in mind, the time stretches far beyond that. I used to stay in my office, but these days I sit on the couch with my feet up *smile*. (Keeping my feet elevated for medical reasons—for real!) I spend a lot of time each day on my writing career (2 to 6 hours depending on the day), but a lot of that time is online marketing, website maintenance, and other things that really aren’t writing creatively. That’s why I try for the above minimum of one hour of creative writing per day as some days I don’t feel like writing, especially if I’ve been on the computer a lot that day already. (I also work from home as a distance teacher.) NFM: Who is your favourite romance author and why? What other genres and authors do you enjoy reading? TK: I think my all-time favourite Christian romance author is Francine Rivers. She often includes some potentially edgy topics, which is why I think I’ve always admired her. Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker are also long-time favourites. As far as current authors go, I read a lot of emerging authors’ work, probably because I get sent free books from people asking for reviews or endorsements. Through that, I have become a fan of a couple of people in particular, namely April Gardner and Dana Pratola, again probably because of the edgy elements. Beyond that, I enjoy some of the classics and like to re-read books I’ve already read, sometimes more than once. The Narnia Series, Jane Austin, and at least one Shakespearean play make it onto my reading list each year. NFM: Do your characters tend to mirror yourself or resemble people in your life in any way? How do you manage to get into the heads of your male characters? TK: This is a tough question. I don’t think my characters mirror me, per se, but then again, I think it would be difficult to NOT put some of myself into my characters. I have modelled some of my characters from people I’ve met over the years, and since I’ve moved a lot in my lifetime—more than thirty times—I’ve met a lot of people from all walks of life. I am an observer of human nature, often taking stock of the way people act and react, so I think that comes into play as well. I probably make assumptions about how my male characters feel. While I do believe that women and men think differently in many ways, I also think that human beings have some universal needs and emotions that fit both genders. My main target audience is women, so in that regard, the men probably act the way my women readers want them to act. Having said that, none of the male readers I’ve heard from complain that men don’t actually “think” that way, so … I just do the best I can! NFM: Have some of your real-life experiences made their way into your novels, or do you rely mainly on your imagination, reading, or research when writing your scenes? TK: I’m just going to come right out and say it. I hate doing research! So, while I have to do it because it is necessary, I prefer relying on my imagination and my own life experiences! Most definitely, some real experiences, places, and people have made it into my work, usually in a modified form so as to protect identities. NFM: How do you incorporate faith into your novels so that it doesn’t overpower your story or sound preachy to readers? TK: I think I’ve grown in this regard since my first books came out a decade ago. The biggest thing is to keep it sounding authentic. Would this particular scene happen in real life? Faith elements usually appear in two main ways in my books: through deep POV (when someone is thinking) or through dialogue. Both need to sound like real conversations. Deep POV is a conversation between the character and him or herself, often laced with questions that don’t necessarily get an answer. Then there is dialogue. The biggest faux pas I see in Christian fiction is dialogue that doesn’t sound like a real conversation. Very few people can quote scripture verbatim, and if they do, they don’t always include the reference. There are exceptions, like John 3:16, but for the most part, when people talk about God, they only quote bits of scripture or explain concepts in their own words. Unless a preacher is preaching or someone is reading a passage from the Bible, leave out all the references and all the long-winded proselytizing! It’s a pet peeve and often the thing that makes me roll my eyes and want to quite reading. Here is the truth of the matter. Most people reading Christian fiction are saved already, so they don’t need the entire gospel message in the novel. Reading Christian fiction is not a substitute for Bible study! What about readers who aren’t saved? They may feel convicted, enlightened, or curious after reading the book, and hopefully, seek out a person (or other resources) that will meet their need for sound doctrinal teaching. Just make it sound real! NFM: Are you currently planning or working on a novel or another writing project? If so, can you tell us a bit about it? TK: I am! Tempest Tossed is Book 3 in the Three Strand Cord Series. I hope to have it finished and published by this summer. The entire series centres around three childhood friends, Tempest, Stella, and Cherise. In Book 1, Cherise gets entangled in a drug smuggling operation while chasing her boyfriend around the globe and her friends have to help rescue her. They all have their own hang-ups, challenges, and romantic foibles (Stella falls in love with two brothers at the same time) and narrowly escape death by the end of the book. In Book 2, Blood Ties, Stella gets married, and we follow up on Cherise’s disastrous love life along with two other characters from Book 1, her brother Dirk, a rich playboy who gets shot, and Blue Shepherd, the brother Stella rejects. (Sorry for the spoiler.) More intrigue ensues at a Mexican orphanage with more drug smuggling—this time pharmaceuticals—as well as cyber crimes. Which leads into Book 3, Tempest Tossed, which I’m working on now! The focus is on Tempest and two other characters from the series, again with more smuggling, (this time diamonds), mafia mayhem, and of course, romance. NFM: Describe the experiences and challenges you’ve faced in publishing and marketing your books and any changes you’d make in the future. What are the best ways you’ve found to promote your work? TK: I’ve had several books and all my plays traditionally published (no fees, publisher takes all the risk, you get paid a royalty); tried vanity publishing twice (basically you pay a fee and they publish your book); and started my own publishing company so I could do it myself using online technology and ‘Print On Demand’ services. Every one of them has its own challenges. I had an agent at one time, who got me some of my traditional contracts. That is still a very viable way to go, but it does mean you don’t have control and often your work is tied up in the submission process for a very long time. In the end, the royalties vary, but you do have the backing and “prestige,” if I can say that, of an agent and a traditional contract. For some people, it’s what makes them feel “legitimate.” I would never again use a vanity publisher. It can be very expensive, often you still get low royalty rates, and sometimes the quality isn’t there because there aren’t as many checks and balances. With no investment from the publisher, they aren’t as likely to make sure the highest standards are in place, and you can’t make changes without paying some more. It’s pay, pay, pay all the way! I currently love the ‘do it myself’ option because I can make sure the quality is what I want it to be, and it is far less expensive. Yes, I choose to pay for things like independent editors, cover design, etc., but it’s on my terms. If I see an error, I can make changes immediately without paying someone else to do it, and I get the maximum royalty rate. The downside? It is labour intensive. Also, the distribution can be more challenging. Marketing is a whole other topic. Every one of the options requires that authors market their own books. Traditional publishers may have certain systems in place, may offer some support, and usually have their own catalogues where your books can be seen and sold. Vanity Presses may also have some of that. When you’re truly self-publishing, you are totally on your own. As I said, though, no matter the method, authors still need to do to the bulk of their own marketing. It is such a huge topic that I can’t really go into it too much here. My best advice is two-fold: build a mailing list and create a website or other online hub. Then you can speak directly to your readers, and you can send them somewhere online that is not full of other distractions. Of course, there is lots of hype about social media and tons of other ways to market from book launches, to signings, to other online campaigns, but really, start with those two things first and build from there. NFM: When you’re not busy working on a writing project, what do you like to do in your spare time? TK: These days (I’m writing this post COVID-19) I have lots more spare time! I paint/draw (I was an art major in University), sew and quilt, play the piano, listen to music, and read. I also decided to learn a second language, so I am practicing my German. NFM: Do you have some advice or anything further on writing that you would care to share with us? TK: Keep on learning and growing and don’t be afraid of criticism—it makes you stronger and will help you become a better writer. Mostly, just do what you love and follow your heart. I’ve had years to examine my motivation for writing, and I’ve come to the conclusion that I would still be writing even if I never sold another book. Thank you again, Tracy, for taking time to answer my questions and share your writing experience and knowledge with my audience. It’s been a pleasure to get to know more about you and your work. May you continue to be blessed in your writing career.
1 Comment
4/24/2020 03:45:20 pm
Thank you for having me on your blog, Nina! I enjoyed answering your thoughtful questions!
Reply
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Author
Nina Faye Morey is a Canadian freelance writer, editor, and artist. Archives
April 2020
Categories |