Wendi Starusnak - The Fleischer Series

THEY WROTE WHAT?!

Today I have a special treat, at least for me! Yes, I'm having a fangirl moment. One of the first authors that I was able to explore in the Indie World was Wendi Starusnak. Wendy has an amazing talent and I literally could not put down her first book of The Fleischer Series, Detached. I carried my phone everywhere with me. From changing my newborns diapers - to cooking - and going to sleep, I had that book open until I finally finished it. My heart grew with the characters, I constantly thought about them. about what was going to happen, about what I could do to help them. I don't know about you, but when I'm reading a book, these things are important.

I was blessed with the awesomeness of being able to interview Wendi Starusnak and I'm grateful! Grateful doesn't even begin to describe what is in my mind, actually. So, without further ado, please tap your fingers on your keyboards as I give you the ONE AND ONLY
Wendi Starusnak!

What is the first book that made you cry?  The Diary of Anne Frank

Does writing energize or exhaust you?  It definitely energizes me.

What is your writing Kryptonite?  Lack of time and also self-doubt… sometimes it creeps in there and puts a pause on productivity.

Do you try to be more original or to deliver to readers what they want?  I don’t think about any of that when I’m writing.  I normally just get a book in my head… it plays like a movie and I write it down.

How do other authors help you become a better writer?  Encouraging, competing, advise, trading services, and so much more… the ability to take someone from where they’re at and bring them into a world completely made up by someone else is amazing.

Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book? My first set of books is a series (The Fleischer Series), so I definitely wanted connections between each book there.  The book I’m currently working on is a standalone called The Seed.  I love books that can stand completely on their own but I also love when a story carries on, so either is fine with me.  Either way, if a book is good, it will carry itself, just as one book can ruin an entire series.

What authors did you dislike at first but grew into?  I’m not sure that I’ve ever disliked an author or their writing. There’s something to be learned from everything, even the most boring stuff or stuff that’s poorly written.

What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?  I’ve read many books recently by indie authors that deserve to be seen by the masses. There is a ton of undiscovered talent out there.

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?  A fairy… I love fairies.

What does literary success look like to you?  I love hearing so many people say they love my books and couldn’t put them down… that’s a huge success right there. Also, unfortunately, it also is a financial thing. If I could support my family with my books, that would be…. Well, it would be a
dream come true.

What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?  I don’t really have a problem with it. I can write from a child’s point of view, man, or woman’s.  I just have to put myself in that character’s position and think about who they are, what kinds of things they love, hate, and what they would be thinking about, etc.

How many hours a day do you write?  It all depends.  Sometimes I write on and off as I can all through the day and sometimes I only think about writing.  I’m working on becoming more disciplined with that though… from the beginning of actually writing for publication I have always set a daily word count goal and I’ve picked back up with that.

What did you edit out of your most recent book?  Nothing yet.  I’m the opposite of a lot of writer’s I know. I may ramble on for things like interviews and when I’m speaking in person, but in my books I’m pretty tight and concise and have to add when I edit rather
than take out.

How do you select the names of your characters?  It varies.  For the Fleischer Series I researched popular names for the time period, I also asked if anyone wanted me to use their name in the book, etc.  One thing nobody has ever mentioned to me and I’m not sure if anyone ever realized it or not… for their last name Fleischer, I actually looked up what the German word for butcher was and used that.  For The Seed, my youngest daughter suggested names for the mother and daughter and I went with those.

To find Wendi on Facebook, click here. You can also click on any of the book covers to be taken straight to Amazon where you can purchase that particular book. 

They Wrote What Book Blogging by Jessy B gives The Fleischer Series 2 thumbs up!👍👍