Author Spotlight:
Vicky Burkholder

    

New Book Releases:

About Danger on Xy-One:

Aleksia Matthews is an asteroid assayer who would like nothing better than to be left alone. Her life is soon turned upside down when a band of ruthless pirates attack her ship. She manages to escape, but fears the worst for her brother. Ali swears revenge. Although well-trained by Fleet Security, she knows she can't do the job alone. When she literally runs into Jason Cole, a blue-eyed, raven-haired stranger, she knows she has met the perfect partner -- in more ways than one.

Special agent and Bounty Hunter, Jason Cole has spent the past year tracking the pirates that killed his brother Zack and Zack's family. He's always one step behind; too late to help the victims. There are never any survivors -- until now. It is up to him to keep the golden-eyed, auburn-haired beauty alive and out of trouble until the gang can be captured, and maybe longer.


Questions We Asked Vicky...


What is your favorite place to write? My living room. I've got a really nice office and lots of places to go, but I always seem to write better sitting in my glider rocker in my living room -- a nice cup of tea by my side.

Are you a typewriter, Mac, or PC person? Well, mostly PC, but I also use an Alpha Dana and a FlyPen, and I write a lot by long hand (which is where the FlyPen comes in handy)!

How many full-length novel manuscripts did you complete before selling? You mean I have to count? This is embarrassing. Okay, around ten.

Can you give us a quote from one of your best (or worst) rejection letters? Nothing that stands out in my mind -- how about an experience instead? I had an agent's assistant who really liked my book to the point where she spent a lot of time doing a line edit. I made all the corrections and she passed it on to her boss who rejected it with a standard form letter. That one hurt.

What would you say is the most valuable writers' training course you've taken? Margie Lawson's Deep Editing course. Wow.

What is your reason for writing? I have these stories in my head that need to be told. That sounds lame -- or strange. But writing is something I've done all my life. I've always wanted to tell stories. Books were my natural outlet for everything, though it is just now, later in my life, that I have the time to devote to this pursuit. Along the way, I've picked up all sorts of ideas -- and kept them in notebooks that I've hauled around on various moves. And now I can work on them.

What would the hero of your latest book say if he met you on the street? What would he DO? Interesting question -- does he know who I am? That I'm the person who gave him life? Or am I just some anonymous stranger on the street? If the latter, he'd probably nod his head in respect, bow, and go on his way. He's a man of few words. If the former... he'd probably take me to task for letting Ali get hurt and for not giving him more clues as to where the villains were.

What advice would you give to other aspiring writers? Learn the craft. A lot of people have a good story to tell, but if you can't string two sentences together in a coherent way, you're never going to get anywhere. Editors don't have the time to teach you grammar or spelling. Knowing "how" to write is as important as knowing "what" to write. Also, learn about patience and grow a thick skin. This is not a business for someone who wants everything immediately or who will quit with the first rejection. It's a difficult journey, but when you get that first call -- and see that first contract with your name on it, the excitement is worth the difficulty.


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Still have questions?
If you want to know more about Vicky, visit her website at: www.VickyBurkholder.com.

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