<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><!-- InstanceBegin template="/Templates/template.dwt" codeOutsideHTMLIsLocked="false" --> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /> <!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="doctitle" --> <title>Winnie Griggs - Small Towns, Big Hearts, Amazing Grace</title> <!-- InstanceEndEditable --> <!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="head" --> <meta name="Description" content="Winnie Griggs writes Stories of Small Towns, Big Hearts, Amazing Grace" /> <meta name="Keywords" content="inspirational fiction, chrisitan authors, inspirational authors, christian romance, christian fiction, louisiana authors, historical authors, christian historical, historical romance, love inspired historicals, family romance, small town romance, western romance, texas romance, nineteenth century romance, wild west romance, inspirational romance, christian love stories, inspirational love stories, historical love stories, nineteenth century love stories, texas love stories, texas history, romance writing tips" /> <!-- InstanceEndEditable --> <script type="text/javascript" src="includes/mouse.js"></script> <link href="includes/stylec.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" /> </head> <body> <table width="980" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td colspan="3"><a href="index.html"><img src="images/header.gif" alt="Winnie Griigs - Stories of Small Towns, Big Hearts, Amazing Grace" width="980" height="381" border="0" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22" class="leftside">&nbsp;</td> <td width="933" class="content"><img src="images/menu1a.gif" width="103" height="37" /><a href="books.html" onmouseover="changeImages('link1', 'link1_swap')" onmouseout="changeImages('link1', 'link1_off')"><img src="images/link1.gif" alt="Books Page" name="link1" width="101" height="37" border="0" id="link1" /></a><img src="images/menu1b.gif" width="21" height="37" /><a href="about_winnie.html" onmouseover="changeImages('link2', 'link2_swap')" onmouseout="changeImages('link2', 'link2_off')"><img src="images/link2.gif" alt="About Me" name="link2" width="87" height="37" border="0" id="link2" /></a><img src="images/menu1c.gif" width="21" height="37" /><a href="chit_chat.html" onmouseover="changeImages('link3', 'link3_swap')" onmouseout="changeImages('link3', 'link3_off')"><img src="images/link3.gif" alt="Chit Chat" name="link3" width="83" height="37" border="0" id="link3" /></a><img src="images/menu1d.gif" width="21" height="37" /><a href="author_vip.html" onmouseover="changeImages('link4', 'link4_swap')" onmouseout="changeImages('link4', 'link4_off')"><img src="images/link4.gif" alt="Author VIP" name="link4" width="96" height="37" border="0" id="link4" /></a><img src="images/menu1e.gif" width="24" height="37" /><a href="industry_vip.html" onmouseover="changeImages('link5', 'link5_swap')" onmouseout="changeImages('link5', 'link5_off')"><img src="images/link5.gif" alt="Industry VIP" name="link5" width="108" height="37" border="0" id="link5" /></a><img src="images/menu1f.gif" width="22" height="37" /><a href="photos.html" onmouseover="changeImages('link6', 'link6_swap')" onmouseout="changeImages('link6', 'link6_off')"><img src="images/link6.gif" alt="Photos" name="link6" width="64" height="37" border="0" id="link6" /></a><img src="images/menu1g.gif" width="27" height="37" /><a href="contest.php" onmouseover="changeImages('link7', 'link7_swap')" onmouseout="changeImages('link7', 'link7_off')"><img src="images/link7.gif" alt="Contest" name="link7" width="68" height="37" border="0" id="link7" /></a><img src="images/menu1h.gif" width="87" height="37" /></td> <td width="25" class="rightside">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22" class="leftside">&nbsp;</td> <td width="933" class="content"><img src="images/menu2a.gif" width="104" height="28" /><img src="images/menu2b.gif" width="331" height="28" /><a href="index.html" onmouseover="changeImages('link14', 'link14_swap')" onmouseout="changeImages('link14', 'link14_off')"><img src="images/link14.gif" alt="Home" name="link14" width="57" height="28" border="0" id="link14" /></a><img src="images/menu2b2.gif" alt="Winnie Griggs" width="354" height="28" /><img src="images/menu2c.gif" width="87" height="28" /></td> <td width="25" class="rightside">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22" class="leftside">&nbsp;</td> <td width="933" class="content"><img src="images/menu3a.gif" width="105" height="35" /><a href="events.html" onmouseover="changeImages('link8', 'link8_swap')" onmouseout="changeImages('link8', 'link8_off')"><img src="images/link8.gif" alt="Events" name="link8" width="81" height="35" border="0" id="link8" /></a><img src="images/menu3b.gif" width="26" height="35" /><a href="workshops.html" onmouseover="changeImages('link9', 'link9_swap')" onmouseout="changeImages('link9', 'link9_off')"><img src="images/link9.gif" alt="Workshops" name="link9" width="100" height="35" border="0" id="link9" /></a><img src="images/menu3c.gif" width="21" height="35" /><a href="writers.html" onmouseover="changeImages('link10', 'link10_swap')" onmouseout="changeImages('link10', 'link10_off')"><img src="images/link10.gif" alt="Fun Stuff" name="link10" width="215" height="35" border="0" id="link10" /></a><img src="images/menu3e.gif" width="20" height="35" /><a href="lists/?p=subscribe" onmouseover="changeImages('link11', 'link11_swap')" onmouseout="changeImages('link11', 'link11_off')"><img src="images/link11.gif" alt="For Readers" name="link11" width="105" height="35" border="0" id="link11" /></a><img src="images/menu3f.gif" width="25" height="35" /><a href="contact.php" onmouseover="changeImages('link13', 'link13_swap')" onmouseout="changeImages('link13', 'link13_off')"><img src="images/link13.gif" alt="Contact Me" name="link13" width="110" height="35" border="0" id="link13" /></a><img src="images/menu3g.gif" width="36" height="35" /><img src="images/menu3h.gif" alt="" width="89" height="35" /></td> <td width="25" class="rightside">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22" class="leftside">&nbsp;</td> <td width="933" class="content"><img src="images/menubtm.gif" width="933" height="64" alt="Winnie Griggs" /></td> <td width="25" class="rightside">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22" class="leftside">&nbsp;</td> <td width="933" class="content"><!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="content" --> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="25"> <tr> <td><h1><img src="images/authorvip.gif" width="114" height="26" /></h1> <p align="center"><img src="images/spotlight.gif" width="200" height="30" /></p> <h2 align="center">VONNIE HUGHES</h2> <p align="left">&nbsp;</p> <p align="center">January 2011</p> <p><img src="images/VIP-V.Hughes.jpg" hspace="5" vspace="5" align="left" /> <br> WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Welcome and thanks for stepping into my spotlight this month. To start off, please tell us about yourself. </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Born in New Zealand, now living in Australia. My background is on my site. I was a legal executive then a human resource recruiter. Both jobs figure in my contemporary books. No experience is ever wasted! <p> As a family we are all animal crazy. Our present pets are one brown cat named Coco and one pale golden Labrador named Brandy. No reason for her to be named Brandy; it's just that we've already had a Sandy and a Candy... I run and walk a lot; it's like a bug. You can see why I have a big dog. Jogging with a chihuahua is just not the same, somehow. (Mind you, at least I would be able to keep up). We have two adult sons, both married who have also shifted from New Zealand to Australia and who live with their wives in the suburb next-door to ours. </p></strong><br /> <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Let's talk about your own personal road to publication: <br /> Is there some individual, group or event that you can point to as the catalyst/impetus that set you on the road to becoming a writer? Explain. </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Like many writers, when I heard Donald Maass say: "What is his worst nightmare? Give it to him. Now take away the one thing he loves most" I clicked. He came to the New Zealand Romance Writers' Conference one year and blew me away. </strong></p> <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Tell us about your journey. </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; I'm the queen of the late bloomers. I've usually held down jobs with long hours so writing was not a priority for many years. I toyed with a Mills & Boon when I was first married and not working full-time. It was accepted because in those days, there was very little competition. Looking back now, I know that book was terrible. Fortunately it seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth. Over the years I've had a lot of poetry published and also several short stories. <p> Then in about 2002 I got really serious about writing Regencies. The first one I wrote still languishes in a cupboard. It was accepted by an e-publisher but I pulled it at the last moment because I wasn't happy with the publisher. Since 2002 I've written four Regencies, four Regency novellas and about umm...four contemporaries (two of them romantic suspense). Another Regency is out doing the marketing rounds. A romantic suspense which is set in New Zealand (not, for some reason, a popular choice with agents and editors), is also doing the rounds. In the words of most mothers, "We shall see." At present I'm writing a Regency novella and planning out another romantic suspense. </strong></p> <!-- <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; How many books did you complete before you sold your first? Have all/any of them sold since? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; I was lucky enough to sell my first book - a big, historical epic, when those books were popular. Since then I've had plenty of unsold proposals, but never an entire book that didn't end up in print. <br /> </strong></p> --> <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Can you tell us something about your experience in getting 'the call'? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Actually, the call for my Regency, Coming Home, which is in hardback from Robert Hale Ltd, got complicated. The call was in the form of an e-mail as so many are nowadays. John Hale offered me a contract, but Hale's computer was playing up at the time and I never received the original e-mail. Because they had been very quick - INCREDIBLY quick when you take into account the usual horrendous delays of most publishers and editors - I was puzzled not to have heard back from them after I'd sent through the two measly little revisions they had requested. Then three weeks later I finally got an e-mail from John Hale saying it occurred to him that I might not have got his offer of a contract because of their computer problems. Holding my breath I said no, I hadn't received anything. So he re-sent it, the dear man. <br /> </strong></p> <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; How has being a published author impacted your life? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Holy cow! It makes you so busy you barely have time to breathe. As with most writers nowadays, I've been doing my own marketing and that is very time-consuming. (My dream is a publisher who does a lot of marketing for their authors. Hah! Well, I said it was a dream). I hate marketing. It's like putting yourself on a block in a market and saying "Hi. I'm Vonnie. Come buy me." And of course it's essential to keep up with trends via writing and reading loops and by belonging to various critique groups and going to conferences. And you must put back into the industry too, in the form of judging contests or helping out with your chapter events. </strong></p> <br> <img src="images/Cvr-Hughes01.jpg" hspace="3" vspace="3" align="left" > <!-- <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; What aspect of life as a published author surprised you the most - either in a good or bad way? </p> <p><strong> VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Holy cow! It makes you so busy you barely have time to breathe. As with most writers nowadays, I've been doing my own marketing and that is very time-consuming. (My dream is a publisher who does a lot of marketing for their authors. Hah! Well, I said it was a dream). I hate marketing. It's like putting yourself on a block in a market and saying "Hi. I'm Vonnie. Come buy me." And of course it's essential to keep up with trends via writing and reading loops and by belonging to various critique groups and going to conferences. And you must put back into the industry too, in the form of judging contests or helping out with your chapter events. </strong></p> <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; What about your writing process: <br />Do you maintain a set schedule? Is there such a thing as a typical day for you? </p> <p><strong> VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; For years, when I was working full time and raising a family, I'd get up at 4:00 in the morning to write. Now that I'm living alone and writing full time, I just weave the writing in with the rest of my day, whatever it brings. I've reached the point where I refuse to let writing rule my life. Other things, family, friends, my physical and mental health, etc., have become more important. Even so, I manage to do at least two novels a year, plus proposals and promotion. </strong></p> --> <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Do you set writing goals for yourself? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Not exactly. I'm anal retentive, so setting goals and stressing about them is no good for me. I have plans whizzing around my head all the time and I jot the main ideas on a whiteboard next to my desk. Each year I do a business plan that involves SWOT analysis, so that's enough for me. Although my plans involve goals, they allow for plenty of leeway. Okay, it's true I work best under pressure, but I think it's better to just get on with the writing, rather than spend a lot of time setting and adjusting goals and getting anxious about the process. </strong></p> <!-- <p> <br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Do you have a 'mood setter', something (music, ritual, environment, etc) you use to get you going when you sit down to write? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Music helps - I have plenty of movie sound tracks and classical cd's. And I have a big, beautiful painting above my desk. Painted by an Australian Aboriginal woman, it's just clusters of tiny dots, thousands of them, on a black background, like gazing into space. Looking at it helps me think. Also, I keep a really good book handy. When I get stuck, reading a few wonderful pages helps jump start my own creativity. </strong></p> --> <p> <br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Do you do a lot of up front plotting before you start or do you just dive in? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Look Winnie, I'm mainly a pantster. I find that too much plotting takes the joy out of writing. If I let my characters take me where they want, I end up with a much better book than if I sat down and meticulously planned out stuff. It took me a while to figure that out. By the same token I always do character arcs i.e. I plan the development of the main players' character journeys. That way I can introduce lots of inner conflict. But before I sit down in front of my computer, I admit that I have often undergone months of day-dreaming about my book, so much of the plot is right there and just needs to be brought out. </strong></p> <p> <br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Do you normally start with storyline or with character or with some combination of the two? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; A combination. Sometimes watching people or reading a book by another author gives me a quirky character trait I become interested in. Then I think of a plot line that suits that character trait - or, preferably, a plot line that DOESN'T suit that character in order to give them lots of conflict and challenges and discomfort. </strong></p> <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Do you find certain themes or character archetypes making recurring appearances in your stories? <br /></p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Well, my tagline is 'wounded heroes and the women who rescue them.' I think that pretty much says it all. </strong></p> <!-- <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; What do you see as your own personal strengths as a writer? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Hmmm. Probably a feel for the flow of language. Also the ability to keep a lot of things in my head. I remember most of my research, and the plotting I do is mostly mental. No charts or files or stickies. Very few notes. </strong></p> --> <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Are there any obstacles/conflicts, specific to your particular lifestyle, that get in the way of your writing? If so, how do you try and overcome them? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Wasting time reading e-mails every morning is a huge obstruction. It's not just the actual e-mails, it's what they lead to. I click on urls and get sidetracked. Somehow I just can't begin writing till I've cleared those e-mails. I just don't feel comfortable. So I've given up trying to overcome my sin. I just roll with it. </strong></p> <!-- <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about your process? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; I pretty much free write for the first half of the book. Then, because I have to write to a specific length, I do a sketchy chapter outline, covering what has to happen before the end of the book. As I finish each chapter I revise the outline to fit the number of pages I have left. I tend to write at a snail's pace, thinking out every detail as I go. It can be maddeningly slow, but by the time I get to the end the text is pretty much finished. I've tried batting things out to revise later - it just doesn't work for me. </strong></p> --> <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Do you have a favorite sub-genre as a writer? as a reader? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; My favorite sub-genre as a reader is definitely crime, police procedurals and romantic suspense. The meatier the better. My favorite authors are Lee Child, Lisa Gardner, Tami Hoag, J D Robb, Karen Rose. But I'm also very fond of Dick Francis and Jayne Ann Krentz. Just love JAK in all her guises. As far as writing goes, I prefer to write...actually, I'm no longer sure. I'm finding Regencies a bit restrictive lately. I feel more at home writing light romantic suspense. </strong></p> <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Is there a genre you haven't been published in yet that you'd like to try your hand at someday? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Yes. Straight contemporary romance. I've written a couple that need revising. And I'd love to write a series of detective fiction with very little romance. Could be a female detective or a Victorian detective. </strong></p> <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Do you have any advice to offer writers still striving toward publication? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Well, everyone seems to hand out advice, and I don't feel qualified to do so. I can only suggest as I say on my website to write the book of your heart - and that doesn't necessarily mean romance. Just write what you love and read, read, read. Most of all, keep up with who is doing what. Otherwise you'll waste time re-inventing the wheel. Join a couple of writing loops or chapters and that will help you immensely. But as for giving advice on writing techniques: no. Everyone is different, and everyone comes to success from different angles. There are a zillion on-line courses out there and they are very valuable. I do two a year to keep me sane. </strong></p> <!-- <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Is there a specific 'ah-ha' moment you've had as a writer that you would like to share with us? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Probably when I started getting my first reviews for Fire Eyes. They were great reviews and the reviewers and other readers seemed to really like it. It let me know that I wasn't the only one who enjoyed the story - and that's really why I write. It's all about entertainment and making the characters and the story come to life. </strong></p> <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Rejections, notes from unhappy readers and less than stellar reviews are all part of this business. What is your own method for dealing with these and moving on? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; I've long since accepted the fact that my work isn't for everyone. Usually I ask myself if there's anything I can learn from a rejection or bad review. If so, I make a mental note of it. If not, I forget it and focus on my next project. </strong></p> <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Is there some piece of advice you received or bit of 'conventional wisdom' that you wish you had ignored? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; "Write what you love." No, no, no, you write what somebody else will love, and if you do it right, you'll come to love it, too. <p>The single biggest mistake of my career was waiting too long to make the jump from heavy historical novels to hot romances like the Kathleen Woodiwiss books. The delay has cost me dearly. </strong></p> --> <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; What do you find to be the most rewarding thing about being a writer? What aspect do you struggle with the most? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The most rewarding thing about writing is that I get to stay home and do what I want to do. After working for a few less than stellar employers over a number of years, being able to go straight to the heart of the matter is the most important thing in life for me now. All those pointless political sidetracks are gone. I make all the decisions and if I fail, well, I've failed in my own right, not been dragged along on someone else's failures. </strong></p> <!-- <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; When you're not writing, what do you do for fun or what is your favorite self-indulgence? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; I have a hard time sitting still. When I'm not writing, I like to be up and moving, so I dance, hike, do a killer yoga class, garden, snowshoe, or just walk around my neighborhood. I also love to travel when I can spare the time and money. My most recent trips have been to Tanzania, Peru and Alaska. </strong></p> --> <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; A journalist. </strong></p> <!-- <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; What would your readers be most surprised to learn about you? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; In addition to writing romance, I'm also a nationally published children's author. The little books, which I wrote as part of my day job, are still available on Amazon, some of them under made-up names. </strong></p> --> <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; What are your favorite movies and/or TV shows? Why? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; I love Criminal Minds for its convoluted plots and evil, oddball characters. I have to admit a lot of TV drives me nuts. Vacuous 'reality' shows have me reaching for the on/off switch. As for movies, the Narnia movies are the ones I enjoy. I used to read the Narnia books to my kids and to see C.S. Lewis' ideas brought to life is fantastic. I also enjoyed Pride and Prejudice, both the TV version with Colin Firth and the more recent movie with Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFadyen. I liked the first one for its authenticity and the second for its moody setting and weather and for its youthful exuberance. And I just loved the movie version of Mama Mia with Meryl Streep for a feel-good time. </strong></p> <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; I love to collect quotes, all kinds of quotes - inspirational, quirky, motivational, profound, etc. Do you have a personal favorite you'd like to share. </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 'A real book is not one that we read, but one that reads us.' W.H. Auden </strong></p> <!-- <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Please tell us about your current project. <br /></p> <strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; I'm excited about my new holiday release CHRISTMAS MOON, available in e-book and paperback. Here's the blurb from the back of the book. <p>Anything can happen under a Christmas Moon... <p>Pregnant, unwed and down on her luck, history teacher Emma Carlyle is facing the worst Christmas of her life. Needing some research for her master's thesis on legendary Wyoming lawman J.D. McNulty, she makes a Christmas Eve drive to South Pass City, where J.D. was buried. Heading home, she loses her way in a storm. After her car vanishes, she ends up in 1871, half-frozen, on the doorstep of a remote mountain cabin. When J.D. himself opens the door with a pistol in one hand and a bottle of whiskey in the other...well, let's just say that sparks start flying. These two lost souls are clearly meant for each other. But there's one problem. Emma has studied everything about J.D.--and she knows he has only a few weeks to live. <p>Historical author Elizabeth Lane has penned a sensual time travel romp that will delight the reader from beginning to end. </strong></p> <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; What inspired you to write this particular story? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; GABRIEL'S LAW is one of those stories that just happened. I had had the idea for a while, but had not done anything with it, because I was doing the final edits for SWEET DANGER. When I started writing it, it flowed easily - and that doesn't happen often for me. My inspiration was the idea that I got doing some research for genealogy in my family. It was on the subject of Indian boarding schools and orphanages in the late 1800's - early 1900's. My characters met at this orphanage. The heroine's family was murdered by Indians. This particular orphanage was not exclusively "for Indians." Therefore, the hero was brought there because he was half white. Conditions in boarding schools/orphanages at that time were abominable, whether you were a white or Indian orphan. </strong></p> <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; What sort of research, if any, did you have to do? Did you stumble across any unexpected interesting/fun tidbits along the way? </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Oh, this was not fun research at all, but it was terribly interesting. It was very very sad. The reason I started doing this research in the first place was because my great-great-great grandfather had been stolen from his Indian family and given to a Presbyterian minister to raise. Back then, it was believed that this was a good way of assimilating the Indians into Anglo society. Also, for Anglos who would agree to do this, there was quite a tidy little stipend from the government. The minister took away my ggg grandfather's Indian name, adopted him and called him David Walls. They sent him to medical school in Missouri, and he became a doctor. I have been wanting to do some in-depth research for years - it's just a matter of finding the time to do it. I've hit a lot of brick walls because of them changing his name. I do know that he returned to Ada, which is in the Chickasaw Nation, so that might be a clue as to his tribe affiliation. </strong></p> --> <p> <br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Tell us about your upcoming plans.</p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; I am currently revising a Regency which is actually the prequel to COMING HOME, the one published by Robert Hale Ltd. It is nearly ready to submit. An e-publisher that also publishes trade paperbacks is reading my romantic suspense called TRUST IN TIME. Please keep your fingers crossed for me. And I am editing and revising another Regency called MR. MONFORT'S MARRIAGE. Oh, and I've begun a new romantic suspense and also a Regency novella. As you can see, I have my hands full. </strong></p> <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; And before we close, tell us how your readers can get in touch with you. </p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; My e-mail contact details are on my website (<a href="http://www.vonniehughes.com">www.vonniehughes.com</a>). My main e-mail is vonniehughes@gmail.com. And yes, I love hearing from readers and other writers and just about anyone really! It's all grist to the mill and I just like people generally. </strong></p> <p><br>WG:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Thanks so much for spending time with me and my readers this month. It was fun 'chatting' with you, as always!</p> <p><strong>VH:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Thank you for having me. It's actually very hard to discuss yourself and your writing so deeply. I feel like one of those 'me, me' people! </strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><a href="author_vip.html#prev">CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO PREVIOUS SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEWS</a></strong></p></td> </tr> </table> <!-- InstanceEndEditable --></td> <td width="25" class="rightside">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3" valign="top" class="blue"><img src="images/footer.gif" width="980" height="36" alt="Winnie Griggs" /> <p align="center" class="copyright">COPYRIGHT © 2009 BY WINNIE GRIGGS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. WEBSITE DESIGN &amp; MAINTENANCE BY <a href="http://www.webcraftersdesign.com/" target="_blank" class="copyright">WEB CRAFTERS</a>.<br /> <a href="books.html" class="copyright">BOOKS PAGE</a> | <a href="about_winnie.html" class="copyright">ABOUT ME</a> | <a href="chit_chat.html" class="copyright">CHIT CHAT</a> | <a href="author_vip.html" class="copyright">AUTHOR VIP</a> | <a href="industry_vip.html" class="copyright">INDUSTRY VIP</a> | <a href="photos.html" class="copyright">PHOTOS</a> | <a href="contest.php" class="copyright">CONTEST</a><br /> <a href="events.html" class="copyright">EVENTS</a> | <a href="workshops.html" class="copyright">WORKSHOPS</a> | <a href="writers.html" class="copyright">ARTICLES, LINKS &amp; GOODIES</a> | <a href="lists/?p=subscribe" class="copyright">MAILING LIST</a> | <a href="contact.php" class="copyright">CONTACT ME</a> | <a href="index.html" class="copyright">HOME</a></p> <p align="center" class="copyright">&nbsp;</p></td> </tr> </table> </body> <!-- InstanceEnd --></html>