Make Note of Heidi Eliason
Greetings, dear Noters!
Happy August! I hope you are finding fun and resourceful ways to beat the heat this summer. I have been quite fortunate in that our porch is in just the right spot; it always seems to be ten degrees cooler than the forecasted temperature. There have been some days this summer where I have been outside, writing in a sweatshirt. I don’t know what’s happened to me — anything below 70 degrees, and I’m cold. I guess I still have some of my Florida roots in me after all this time.
I work best in summer. The long days of sunshine keep me focused on the end goal, and in July, I had a LOT of goals to knock off my list. Not only did I get Too Much to Candle all edited, formatted, and of for early reviews, but I also got Trending Topic Mystery Book Two over to my editor at Level Best Books and Book Blogger Mystery Book Two over to my editor at TouchPoint Press. That’s a lot of editing! I also managed to get some much-needed writing time in with the next Court of Mystery manuscript. It feels like it’s been a while since I created something; most of my projects the past few months have all be focused on revisions and edits, so it was lovely to spend some time just writing out on the porch, under Eevee’s watchful eye.
My guest this week takes goal setting to a whole new level. Wait until you meet her. Without further ado…
A Bit About the Author: Heidi Eliason is a freelance writer and editor. Her past work includes writing for an RV adventure company and producing more than fifty RV travel articles for an online news source. Confessions of a Middle-Aged Runaway is her first book. Heidi lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and very social border collie. Find out more about Heidi’s travel and writing adventures at www.HeidiEliason.com.
Heidi, thank you so much for being here today. I’m really excited for my readers to get to know you because your story is simply amazing. Before we dive into Confessions of a Middle-Aged Runaway and what inspired such a journey, tell us what book made you first fall in love with reading?
I fell in love with reading as a kid and my mom used to read I Can’t Said the Ant by Polly Cameron to me. I loved it because it had silly rhyming and an empowering message. A little later I was enthralled with the imaginative fantasy in Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach. Many, many books followed that made me fall in love with reading all over again.
Books have such an amazing power to do that, don’t they? What made you want to write one? How did you begin your writing journey?
I had a lot of false starts. Although I learned in a high school creative writing class that I loved to write, I didn’t seriously pursue it because I didn’t think I could make a living at it. I dabbled in writing over the years for my own pleasure, but didn’t make publishing anything a priority until a few years ago. Members of my writing group encouraged me to make my stories into a book, which resulted in Confessions of a Middle-Aged Runaway.
That’s so encouraging to hear. Having a support system that believes in your work is so important and can often be the catalyst for writers taking the plunge. If people in your life are telling you to write, it’s my experience that you should listen to them, and I’m so glad you did. Where did the idea for your book come from?
Confessions of a Middle-Aged Runaway was born from my experience quitting my job, selling my house, and living and traveling in a motorhome with my dog for five years. The psychological thriller I’m writing now came from the seed of an experience I had while traveling with a lot of imagination sprinkled in.
Well, if that isn’t a teaser, I don’t know what is! What an incredible risk to take— and such a brave thing to do. I think, as writers, we can sometimes be afraid of taking risks outside our comfort zone, but that also holds us back from writing at our very best. What was the hardest lesson about the whole writing-and-publishing experience that you’ve learned?
Until my book was published, I thought writing it was the difficult part. Then I learned that marketing the book is the really hard part. It requires a lot of hard work and persistence.
Marketing! Argh, I’m there with you. It’s hard to really find a good grove between marketing a current book and writing a new one. Now, Confessions of a Middle-Aged Runaway is a nonfiction book and you’re currently working on a fictional piece; so, how did you meet your characters?
In the mirror—for my memoir. I met the main character in my psychological thriller in a PTSD support group—or maybe The Hideaway bar.
What is the best advice you can give to an aspiring author?
Write first, edit later. Just get the story down, then worry about making it pretty. Otherwise, if you’re like me, it will take forever to get the darn thing written. I didn’t follow this advice at first and it took six years to finish my book because I was endlessly editing the earlier pages—or not writing for months at a time. I recently learned that Dean Koontz edits each page 10 to 30 times before moving on to the next page, but he also works 60 to 90 hours a week. I don’t want to work that much! Most writers recommend getting the story written first before starting the editing cycles.
I couldn’t agree more with this; getting the story down is so very important. There will be plenty of time to make it better! And once you have the whole story in front of you, editing becomes much, much easier because all the pieces are there for you to work with.
Now, for some writing-themed fun! What is your go-to song when you’re writing? Or do you prefer silence?
My husband is a musician in a gigging band, so I listen to whatever he’s playing on his bass or acoustic guitars. He plays every day, and his music room is right next to my office, so I’m usually rocking out or listening to popular music.
Tell us three things that are always on your writing desk/writing space.
A dictionary, The Chicago Manual of Style, and my Cruella de Vil mug. The expression on Cruella’s face sometimes mirrors how I’m feeling (writing isn’t all butterflies and rainbows!). It makes me smile.
What is your favorite, can’t-live-without writing tool/application/software/aid? If it’s a purchasable item, could you share a link with the audience?
I’m also an editor, so I can’t live without The Chicago Manual of Style. You can purchase the online version or the hardcover.
You stumble across a crime scene. What book character (your own or another literary hero) are you alerting first? Why?
Waverly Williams from my book in progress, because she won’t stop until the killer is brought to justice—one way or another.
And for our last question: It’s time to take a vacation. What literary hero do you enlist to be your travel companion? Why?
Not sure he’s a literary hero, but Dave Barry, because he’s so funny and always makes me laugh. I think he would be a lot of fun.
Dave Barry would be a hoot! In fact, I think he’s traveled with me more than a few times because I always love to listen to him on audiobook. Heidi, thank you so much for stopping by Noteworthy and sharing some insights about your writing process. I can’t wait to learn more about your in-progress WIP thriller! Readers, you can learn more about Heidi’s book Confessions of a Middle-Aged Runaway below!
Confessions of a Middle-Aged Runaway: Have you ever felt suffocated by your routine and responsibilities, or just longed for some adventure? Heidi Eliason did, so at the age of 45 she quit her job, sold her house, bought a motorhome, and embarked on a five-year road trip with her dog, Rylie. It was a journey that transformed her life.
Through the challenges of managing the Green Monster—her motorhome—traveling in Mexico, and getting derailed by Mr. Wrong, she learned—sometimes the hard way—that chasing the corporate ladder and storybook romance was not always a sure route to happiness. She struggled with insecurities, faced her fears, and dug her way out of depression.
By taking a leap into the unknown, Heidi found a new community of friends, met wildlife, traveled the Baja Peninsula, discovered the magic of the sea, and experienced freedom like she had never known.
At a time when the American Dream is uncertain for so many, more people are turning to alternative lifestyles such as the van life movement and fulltime RV travel. Confessions of a Middle-Aged Runaway may help others to find the courage to jump off the hamster wheel of the conventional Dream and make a transformative journey of their own.