Vanessa Kelman
- Genres:
- Women's Fiction
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tell us a little bit about yourself, your hobbies and interests.
I am a single mom to two amazing children who drive me crazy. My day job is working in a library as a Children's and Teen Librarian. The rest of the time I spend planning, reading, and doing any number of creative activities.
When and why did you start writing books?
I published my first novel in 2010, but I've been writing stories my entire life! I've always loved the written word, and ideas just keep coming to me.
What made you decide to tackle writing as a career?
I don't know if "decide" is the right word. Writing kind of chose me. Even when I haven't been actively working on a project, it's always been in the back of my mind. Writing is a bit of a compulsion. It's a part of me, and I don't feel complete if I'm not working on something.
Which one of your books or characters is your favourite?
All of my characters reflect a little piece of me, so it's hard to say which is my favorite. I guess it depends on my mood! I think Mary, one of the main characters in Accepting Fate, is probably the most like me. But something about Addy from Searching for Home just makes me want to give her a hug.
Which one of your books was the hardest to write and stretched you the most as a writer?
The hardest book for me is actually one that I have never completed, and I'm not sure I ever will complete it. I've taken the characters from it and brought them into a book that will be published this year: Between the Moments, the second book in the Pine Valley series. The incomplete book would be a prequel, a kind of an origin story, for those characters. It dealt with difficult subject matter, and I'm honestly not sure what brought me to write it.
Who is your favourite author and book?
I really enjoy books by Jenny Colgan and Marie Benedict. It's hard to say which would be my favorite books by them, but I'll say The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan and Carnegie's Maid by Marie Benedict.
What book are you reading right now?
I'm on an award committee for middle grade fiction in Connecticut, so I'm actually reading a children's book - Trex by Christyne Morrell.
Where do you get your inspiration for your books?
I'm always coming up with ideas, and inspiration comes from just about anywhere - something that happens in my life, someone I meet, something I overhear. I start with a character, a scene, maybe a bit of an idea on plot, then I see where the characters take me.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Anything crafty, puzzles, baking, reading. Making to do lists! lol
Do you have any new books in the works?
Yes! I'm finishing up the second book in the Pine Valley series, Between the Moments. And I've (barely) started the third book in the series, working title A Simpler Life.
Readers
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