Writer Wednesday - Author Stephanie L. White

Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Stephanie L White. I am a mother of one son and two grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. I live in St. Petersburg Florida. I retired from the State of Florida and the City of St. Petersburg. Formerly I was a little league football coach with my deceased husband with Gibbs Jr. Gladiators Flyweight division.

When did you first begin writing?

I began writing when I was nine years old, I attended private school. Creating new and exciting characters were always my favorite writing exercise.

When did you finish your first book and what’s the title?

My first book was published June 2015. It is titled Vengeance. It deals with marriage and what some women tolerate to stay married.

What genre do you write in and how did you choose that genre?

My second book, Jen’s Heart, is a romance novel. Romance was never my favorite genre but a fan requested me to write one so I did it. That book took me out my comfort zone. In the end, I actually love this book. My favorite genre is mystery. My third novel will focus on that genre.

Do you write full-time or do you have another profession?

I write full-time and love it. My characters keep me awake at night with what they want me to write the next day. So when you write full-time, you have to market yourself, you have to network. The best part of being an author is meeting your readers in person.

How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?

I market my books on Facebook, Twitter and Google. I am also a member of a writers group that has a promotion wing. They are promoting Jen’s Heart in stores that I never had access to before joining.What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment? 

My toughest criticism was that my books were too long. I thanked the critic and corrected my word usage. My best compliment is that the reader loved my descriptions of scenes and people.

Reviews are important for authors. How do you go about requesting reviews?

Reviews are important for authors. We gauge our writing skills by our readers’ comments. I do ask that they help me become a better author by submitting a review.

Let everyone know where he or she can find you and your books.

I have a book signing coming up soon. My readers are excited. So am I. Jen’s Heart is on Smashwords.com. I also have paperbacks for anyone wanting a book to read. Amazon is not where I feel loved or appreciated right now.

Do you have any advice you can give to aspiring writers?

To any aspiring writer, study your craft first before submitting your novel. Writing looks easy but it is hard dedicated work. You have to edit your work. If you are selling your story for $0.99 you cannot make a profit. You have to pay for an editor and a book cover designer. Make a budget for your book. It keeps you focused on what you need to spend.