Where Were You When the Muse Broke Free?

Tree HouseHave you ever wondered where an author was when she made the leap from reader to writer?

Would you believe my very first novel began in a tree house on the slopes of Mt Rainier? It’s true. I kid you not.

Dear Husband’s sister and her hubby were visiting the Pacific Northwest from their home in Colorado and had arranged for a stay in a tree house. They kindly invited DH and me along for the experience.

DLM-Tree HouseThere must have been something magical in that mountain air. My muse broke free and gifted me with dreams of druids and dragons.

I snuggled in a hammock and dreamed up characters and plot. Mind you, I didn’t have a clue about story or craft, but ignorance is indeed bliss. If I’d known just how clueless I really was, I’d never have had the courage to begin this journey!

Six years later I’ve published two novels, two novellas, and had my short fiction included in several anthologies. I’ve also been blessed with representation from a well-respected literary agency. Not a bad track record.

Of course, the story I dreamed that day in the tree house has never seen the light of day—totally clueless writing rarely does. However, my muse and I have developed an awesome relationship and I’m delighted she decided to come out and play.

So what about you? Where were you when your muse broke free?

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Puzzler Friday – The Silver Casket

In honor of my new release, here’s my fabulous cover art in puzzle form!

Click to Mix and Solve

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Dragons and Faeries and Time-Travelers, Oh My!

Come chat with me! I’ll be at Coffee Time Romance & More Chatters today from 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm EDT (4:00 pm – 7:00 pm Pacific time)

Ask me about my recurring themes (dragons and faeries *lol*) and new additions (time-travelers *ahh*) or anything else that crosses your mind!

I’ll be giving away a copy of Glass Magic, as well as one of my latest release…The Silver Casket.

Can’t wait to chat with you!!

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It's Release Day! THE SILVER CASKET is Now Available!

Silver Casket-c

The Silver Casket
by
Debbie Mumford

Cat Logan, a young American with a recent degree in medieval literature, travels to Scotland to discover her Celtic roots. She finds more than she bargained for when a mysterious silver casket (rumored to hold the desiccated heart of a long dead Scottish laird) transports her back in time to the 1400s and the man whose heart she holds in her hands.

Publisher: Freya’s Bower
Genre:
Time Travel/Historical
Rating: Tangy
Book Length: Novella

Available Tuesday, August 18, 2009

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Do "Serious" Writers Write for the Web?

Here’s another question from the interview I completed last week. This one touches on a bias I run across far too frequently…that e-pubbed writers aren’t *really* published.

The Question:

How would you respond to the “prevailing wisdom” that “serious” writers don’t write for the web?

My Answer:

Serious writers learn their craft. Sometimes that education comes from academia, sometimes from spendy writers’ workshops, sometimes from hiring a freelance editor. None of those avenues was available to me. I had earned my Masters Degree years earlier and had no desire to return to college. Costly avenues like Gotham or freelance editing were beyond my means. My critique workshop, Wordos,  gave me a great start, but they only critiqued short fiction. I wanted to write novels.

I found my education in e-publishing.

My publisher saw promise in my writing and was willing to work with me—as long as I was willing to sweat blood and learn. I was blessed with an amazing editor. Her skill coupled with my willingness to revise produced two novellas and two novels that I’m quite pleased with. They’re not my best work—that’s still to come, but they’re the best I was capable of at the time.

Because of the great foundation my e-pub gave me, I’m now represented by a fabulous agent with a well-respected NYC agency. I’ll admit, I’m hoping for a print publishing contract, but I’m also proud to be part of the e-publishing world. I’d like my career to span all available avenues of readership.

Serious writers follow the best path they can find. Most importantly, serious writers write.

Discussion:

What are your thoughts on the subject? Do you think e-published writers are second-class citizens in the literary world, or do you agree that e-publishing represents a different but legitimate business model?

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