Meet Keli Gwyn: an epistolary-style interview

I’m thrilled to have Keli Gwyn, my friend and critique partner, as my guest. Keli describes herself as “a writer of inspirational historical romance, wife of her own hero, mother of a first-year college student, a member of Toastmasters, a scrapbooker, and a Taco Bell addict.” She’s also a 2008 double Golden Heart finalist and a newly-agented writer.

Keli and I met almost two years ago and formed a fast friendship. Since we live on opposite coasts, we email each other quite a bit. I thought it might be fun to give you a peek inside my inbox at some of the emails Keli’s shared with me during her journey.

If you leave a question or comment for Keli, you’ll automatically be entered in a random drawing for a $10 Starbucks gift card. The winner will be posted on Friday, February 19th.




06/23/2008 11:45PM

Anne,

I'm delighted that you're willing to make a guest appearance at Romance Writers on the Journey. The blog is designed especially for those, like me, who are unpubbed and admittedly have more to learn about this business of writing.

Keli

Anne: This email was before we ever met in person or chatted on the phone. I was honored to be one of the first guests on your wonderful blog, Romance Writers on the Journey. Can you tell us more about your blog and all the guests you’ve had? I imagine interviewing two guests a week takes a lot of time and effort. How do you manage to keep up with it? Is it a labor of love?

Keli: Meeting you was one of the high points of my writing journey so far, Anne. You did me a huge favor when you agreed to be one of my first guests at RWotJ, and I applaud your courage in putting yourself in a newbie blogger’s care. At that point, I had a great deal more enthusiasm than I did expertise.

I started RWotJ with the idea of encouraging and supporting others, like me, who long to see their names on the covers of published romance novels. At the outset, I chose to interview novelists who have yet to be published and those with one novel published or soon to be published. I’ve been privileged to have as my guests over 110 novelists/debut novelists so far, who represent the wide range of sub-genres under the romance umbrella. While the majority of my guests are women, I’ve interviewed one gentleman and one married couple who co-author their stories. Some of my guests have written articles for the blog as well.

Hosting RWotJ is indeed a labor of love. Getting to know other novelists and hearing about their writing journeys is fascinating. Preparing for the rather, um, thorough interviews visitors have come to expect on my blog does take time, but I feel honored these women (and a few brave men) have allowed me to interview them. Since I’m able to write fulltime, I schedule a portion of my week for my blogging activity. I’ve been given so much by so many other writers and feel RWotJ is one small way I can give something back.




07/13/2008 7:00PM
Anne,

I hope you're having a wonderful vacation. I've never been back east, unless you count a brief stop in JFK International. Maybe someday I'll get to experience the other coast. I've heard it's beautiful.

Not long until Nationals. BTW, did you get your dress on ebay?

Keli

Anne: The time leading up to our first Nationals in San Francisco was so much fun. We got to know all of the Pixies (2008 Golden Heart finalists) online and spent almost as much time talking about dresses as we did about writing. You had the special honor of being a double finalist in the Inspirational Category. What was it like getting that call?

Keli: Surprising! In 2007, I entered one of the two manuscripts I’d written the year before and received scores that ranked me in the bottom half of all the entrants. My goal for 2008 was to see if I could improve my scores. Since I’d completed three more manuscripts, I figured entering four would increase my chances of getting at least one score in the top half. (Yes, I had five manuscripts, but no one—not even, you, my dear Anne—can see the first until I do extensive work on it.)

At that point, I was writing in isolation. My only link with the writing world was my monthly copy of the Romance Writers Report, which was how I learned about the RWA contests. I knew no other writers and had yet to discover the blogosphere, so I didn’t understand the magnitude of a Golden Heart final. Heck, I didn’t even know what day the calls went out.

When the phone rang on March 25, 2008, the caller identified herself as being with RWA. I thought she was calling about a chapter-level contest I’d entered. It wasn’t until I heard the words Golden Heart that I realized what was happening. I grabbed a pen and paper to jot the title, sure that in my excitement I’d forget which of my four stories she said unless I wrote it down. I’d just scribbled Addie’s Choice when Terry Reed said a word I’ll never forget: “And.” Such a small word, but, wow, did it ever send my heart thundering in my chest. “And?” I asked. She told me that, yes, I was a double finalist. Love in Bloom had also finaled. I was incredulous!




Anne,

The conference was pretty much what I expected in most ways. For me, the focus was on the people. Odd for an introvert like me to say, but true. I really looked forward to meeting everyone. Having spent two years in writer's isolation, I was eager to make new friends, which I did.

The Golden Heart events were great. I had Pixie love all around me. That was the best part of Nationals.

Keli

Anne: My first RWA Nationals was overwhelming, but you seemed to take it in stride. I was in awe of how incredibly organized you were . . . you had a color-coded schedule and the details of every event filed in a small notebook. I counted on you to keep me on track then and I still do! How did the experience of Nationals change your perspective, if at all? What were some of the high points?

Keli: Being surrounded by some 2,000 other writers who love the romance genre as much as I do was thrilling. I’m sure the dropped-jaw, glazed-eyes look I wore when the BIG names in romance walked by revealed the fact that I was a first-timer attendee even more so than the orange ribbon on my nametag.

Meeting writers in person whom I’d first encountered online made my week. I had a blast attending the Literacy autographing and talking with leading authors in my category. Deeanne Gist spent over fifteen minutes with me and imparted advice I took to heart. Another author offered to show my work to her editor. I was blown away by the generous spirit exhibited by these women and many others.

I spent five fun-filled days that thrilled me more than a trip to Disneyland as RWA treated my fellow Pixies and me like royalty. Attending Nationals for the first time is exciting. Attending the first time wearing those special pink ribbons we Pixies did that year was incredible. I returned home rejoicing in my newly formed friendships and eager to resume my writing.




4/8/2009 6:24PM
Hi Anne,

I smiled when I got home last night and found your welcome home message among the 150+ that flooded my inbox after six days away.

I did have a great time at Mount Hermon. I was well fed on all levels—physically, intellectually, relationally and spiritually. I'd love to chat by phone—I have ideas for you that I'd love to share.

Keli

Anne: In the months after Nationals, you and I became critique partners, and while we honed our writing skills we also became close friends. When you got back from the Mount Hermon conference in April, I sensed a change in your outlook. Was that conference a sort of turning point for you?

Keli: Definitely. Even though I’d returned from RWA Nationals in San Francisco floating on a conference-induced Cloud 9, I crashed not long after. I’d finaled in the Golden Heart, but in my heart, I knew my stories needed a great deal of work before they’d be ready to submit. Deeanne had told me she determined at one point not to be rejected again and to learn how to write a story worthy of a contract before she submitted again.

Heeding Deeanne’s advice, I shifted my focus to improving my craft and building a Web presence. Why wasn’t I writing? Because I suffered a Confidence Crisis after my Golden Heart experience. I’d ridden a wave of euphoria for months, but soon after Nationals, I hit the beach—hard. The tiny bit of belief I’d had in my ability washed away, leaving behind a writer with a brittle shell, one who wasn’t sure she had what it took to make it.

During that year, doubt and discouragement were my constant companions. I tried my hand at writing a contemporary romance. My initial burst of excitement soon fizzled when I realized I didn’t have a young voice. My characters sounded old. (OK. In all honesty, they sounded a lot like teens did in the 70s when I was in high school.) I stored that manuscript deep in my computer’s memory banks and stopped writing for nearly six months.

Then came my trip to the Mount Hermon Christian Writers’ Conference in April 2009. I went with no manuscript to pitch, no elevator speech to deliver, and no expectations. I went to learn. And learn I did. I learned to listen to my heart, which was telling me to return to my first love, historical romance.


4/14/2009 6:57PM
Anne,

I'm writing again. Better yet, I'm having fun writing. I began the revision of V&V last night. I had to write an entire new opening scene. I like the new one far better. Today I've been reworking the second scene. Now [my hero and heroine are] ticked when they meet and have much bigger issues to work through, which will make their story a much better read and their HEA far more satisfying.

Yay on the new jeans. It's way cool that they don't have to be hemmed. I detest sewing of any kind.

Keli

Anne: There’s nothing better than the excitement of a new project! (Well, maybe a pair of perfect-fitting jeans.) Why did you choose to rewrite Violets and Violins? Can you tell us about that process and what you learned?

Keli: I’d been home one week when I opened the file housing one of the five historicals I’d written, read it, and realized I could make it better. I embarked on a major rewrite, which involved deleting some 70K words in the process, nearly a third of my story. I had written a ho-hum story, which I was determined to take to a new level. My dear Gwynly, who has become my plotting partner extraordinaire, gave me an idea for a new beginning, and a generous contest judge gave me just what I needed to nail the ending.

The joy of writing returned. Three years into my writing journey, I’d found my Voice. My confidence and my excitement grew. I felt I was moving closer to the point of having a story worthy of attention, one I wouldn’t be ashamed to send out into the world.




8/3/2009 11:12PM
Anne,

Thanks for letting me squee [about my Maggie final] with you. I'm still in a state of disbelief. [Gwynly is] so sweet. He keeps looking at me and saying, "You did it!" or "I knew you'd final." For a non-writer, he comes closer to "getting it" than anyone I know.

I'm excited about my writing in a way I haven't been in a long while. OK, since the GH final.

Well, I'd better get my feet back on the ground. I was writing an interview when my Maggies call came. Need to get back to it.

Thanks for the fireworks! How fun.

Keli

Anne: The Maggie was V&V’s first final and win, but it would not be the last! So far, your story has finaled eight times and placed first every time. I know first-hand what a fabulous story it is. Did you ever imagine it would touch so many people? What do you think it is about V&V that strikes a chord with so many?

Keli: Thanks for the kinds words about V&V, Anne, and your part in polishing it. I love reading it and seeing your fingerprints throughout.

When I decided the story was ready, or at least the first chapters were, anyhow, I decided the time had come to see how it would fare on the contest circuit. When I’d entered contests back in 2007, I sent in 33 entries and placed six times. You’re the math teacher, so you know my ratio was roughly one final for every six entries. I figured if I entered ten contests, I might final at least twice.

Well, I was in for a surprise. V&V began to final in one contest after another. And then it began to win. I squealed so often our poor cats may never be the same.

As far as why the story seems to strike a chord, based upon the judges’ comments, I’d say it’s my well-developed characters, my distinctive dialogue, and my ability to transport the reader to another time and place through my vivid description and historical detail. I don’t mean to come off sounding boastful. As you know from our frequent emails, Anne, the wonderful things being said about V&V have left me stunned—and immensely grateful.


10/3/2009 8:21PM
Anne,

I got to listen to the announcements as they happened at the GRW conference.

I recovered enough to give my speech via speaker phone. If memory serves me, it went like this. "I thank my husband, Carl, who's been so supportive of me. Thank you to everyone who helped with The Maggies. ”

I'm likely to be several shades of blue and purple from pinching myself. Thanks for letting me gush.

Keli

Anne: I loved that you got to listen to your name being announced at the Moonlight and Magnolias conference. Then you delivered your Maggie acceptance speech via a cell phone. Very cool! I think this was also your first request stemming from a contest win. What did this win mean to you?

Keli: The day The Maggies finalists were to be announced, Gwynly asked me if I was expecting to hear from “that big contest.” I honestly thought I hadn’t entered because I didn’t feel ready for such a prestigious contest and told him I wasn’t expecting a call. But then I got your email that evening asking if I heard from The Maggies. The two of you had encouraged me to enter, which I had—and then promptly put it out of my mind.

Minutes after reading your email, the phone rang. I had finaled. That happy dance was wild, and I’m sure our cats lost a life over it. But the fun didn’t end there. Our writer pal, Walt Mussell, a member of the GRW who attended the M&M conference, agreed to accept on my behalf in the unlikely event my name was called.

It was, and I’m sure the cats lost at least two lives that evening as I listened to the announcements via Walt’s cell. I was in such a state of shock he had to prompt me to give my acceptance speech, which included thanks to YOU. (You snipped it above, but I did extend my gratitude to you, my awesome CP, along with the others.)

The Maggies win catapulted me so far into space I didn’t put wear on the soles of my shoes for weeks. All my hard work was beginning to pay off, and I began to believe in my story. After my previous Confidence Crisis, that felt mighty good.

12/19/09 11:40PM
Anne,

Are you still up? I have BIG news I'd like to share with you.

Keli

Anne: Reading this still gives me chills! Do you want to tell everyone what the big news was?

Keli: One of the contests I entered was The Launching a Star, and one of the final round judges in my category was my Dream Agent, Rachelle Gardner. I wanted so much to final in this contest so she’d see my story. I did, she did, and I received a request for the full.

You helped me put the finishing touches on V&V, Anne, reading and editing for me in record time, bless your generous heart. On the evening of December 18th, I typed my query letter, attached the file, and pressed “send.” On the 19th, Gwynly took me out to dinner to celebrate our 22nd anniversary.

When we returned home that night, I opened my email and saw Rachelle’s name in my inbox. I figured she was telling me she’d received my full and would get to it after the holidays. I was wrong! Her first words were, “I’d like to discuss the possibility of representation . . .”

I didn’t even read the rest of the short message. I screamed, “Oh, my gosh!” I rushed from room to room repeating those three words at the top of my lungs, clutching the walls, doorjambs, and backs of chairs to hold me up while Gwynly and our daughter raced to my computer to read the message. I’m surprised the cats have any lives left after my way-beyond-happy dance.

On the eve of Christmas Eve, Rachelle called to make the official offer, which I eagerly accepted. This was by far the most amazing Christmas present I’ve ever received.

Anne: Keli, thanks for sharing your inspiring story. I know it’s only the beginning of great things for you. Do you have a question you’d like to ask our readers?

Keli: Thanks so much for having me as your guest, Anne. I interview others all the time, but this is the first time I’ve been interviewed. What an honor! And what fun.

My question: Who or what has encouraged you to continue to pursue your dreams when you’ve encountered the inevitable doubts, discouragement, and disappointments we all face at times?

Be sure to visit Joy on the Journey where Keli shares snippets from her writing life. You’ll also want to check out Romance Writers on the Journey, where Keli offers support, encouragement and resources for romance writers traveling the path to publication. Learn more about her on her website.