First could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Well, to paraphrase Anne Shirley, it would probably be a lot more interesting if I made it up! I live in western Nebraska, just shy of the Wyoming border, on an acreage with probably the densest tree population in the state—which really isn’t saying all that much. I work spend my days obsessing over imaginary worlds and characters and the finer points of plot, grammar, and marketing. I have a black Lab named Crazy Bob and a fluctuating number of cats (six at the moment).
What inspired you to write Behold the Dawn?
I happened to pick up a children’s picture book about William Marshall, the “greatest knight who ever lived.” He was a second-born son who had to make his fortune by competing in the tourneys—the huge mock battles which were the predecessors of the slightly more civilized jousting tournaments. Despite being repeatedly banned by the popes, tourneys remained wildly popular until high mortality rates forced the sport to evolve into the more familiar (and much safer) jousting tournaments. After a long career as one of the most renowned tourneyers of the age, Marshall finally hung up his spurs and headed for the Holy Land to seek absolution. I’ve always been drawn to the Middle Ages, and I was instantly intrigued by these gladiatorial battles and their juxtaposition with the Crusades. From there, my imagination just took off!
Between writing, blogging, home life how do you find time for God?
I rely on schedules to make time for everything that needs doing. My relationship with God takes priority, so it’s always the first thing on my schedule. I wake up in the morning and spend at least half an hour reading my Bible and praying before I do anything else. I try to keep my mind close to Him throughout the day, and I always make a point to pray before every writing session, asking Him to bless my work and give me the words He wants to me to write.
What is the most important thing for a writer to remember?
First, write. Then, rewrite. Those are the two single most important keys. If you don’t finish your first draft, nobody is going to read it. And if you don’t polish your first draft (and second and third), no agent is going to read it. I see a lot of young writers who dash off their first drafts, read them over once, have their mothers read it, then stuff them in manila envelopes and send them off, convinced their work is over. But as someone famously said, “Novels aren’t written. They’re rewritten.” Agents are looking for quality. And the only way to produce quality is to first finish your manuscript, then polish the heck out of it.
If you could tell one thing to young women, what would it be?
Be content. Contentment is difficult for all of us to find, no matter who we are, what we do, or where we are in our lives. We have to realize that life is a journey and every moment is precious, because every moment passes and every part of our lives will eventually change. Coming to peace with the present, trusting in God’s plans for our futures, and rejoicing in what we have instead of what we don’t is the key to both happiness and success.
To find out more about K. M. Weiland go to http://www.kmweiland.com/
