Manic Monday – A Day in the Life of Writer Jill Limber

About Montana Morning

In the Montana Territory town of Dennison, the law allows a woman to save a man from hanging if she agrees to marry him. Battered and nearly unconscious with a noose around his neck, Katherine Holman decides Wes Merrick is perfect husband material. Under the terms of her father’s will, due to a youthful indiscretion, she must be married to inherit. She expects her ‘husband’ to leave as soon as the deed is in her name. She wasn’t prepared for the fact that the man she has chosen turns out to be an honorable sort who decides to stick around and hold up his end of the bargain.

A Day in the Life of Jill Limber

WD: Will you tell us about a day in the life of you the writer, what's your writing day is like. Do you balance family and writing, or writing and a job outside the house, or writing, a job and family? What was it like for you to write this book along with your busy life?

JL: Hmm. My writing day.

Well, I look on my writing day the same way I look at my monthly budget. Twelve time a year there are set expenses, and once those obligations are met, then I can make decisions on what to do with the remaining money. My time for writing is like my basic expenses. It’s pledged--a given. Everything else comes second.

But I have to admit, I run out of creative steam in about two to four hours, depending on where I am in a book, so I don’t have much problem fitting in book promotion and business, plus a half-time job, where I work from home, and kids and dogs and husband.

For me, writing the rough draft is the hardest. I’m still getting to know the characters and deciding where they are headed. I try to write from start to finish--from Chapter 1 to ‘The End’ with minimal editing and changes. Then I begin the rewriting, and the process becomes easier. I go through a manuscript at least five times, adding in emotions, setting, tweaking dialog and doing research. Thank goodness for the internet!

The writing part of the day is my favorite--so it’s easy to put it first. I’m a morning person, so as soon as I grab that second cup of coffee and say a quick thank you to those ancient Arabians who discovered it’s magical properties, I’m at my computer.

After a quick scan of email, I get right down to the book I’m working on. I love the way a story unfolds and the characters take on form, even when they start to go in a direction I didn’t expect.

This particular book was such a gift, because it seemed to write itself in a way. Book plots can be a lot like children. From the moment they are ‘born’ they start to reveal their own personalities. Some are stubborn and want to go a different direction, some are shy and hide for a while before they uncover themselves, and some are erratic and bounce all over the place. This plot was cooperative and wonderful from the start.

The main character, the heroine, Katherine, is spunky and likable. And the hero, Wesley, is just plain delicious. The setting, the American West, is a favorite of mine.

I’ve lived in Southern California all my life, but I have always been fascinated by the hardy people who chose to migrate to the vast regions of the western part of America and despite the odds, battle the elements to settle and make a life for themselves. The pioneers who were successful must have had amazing fortitude, and I hope this comes through in Montana Morning.

A multi-published author and former RWA President, Jill Limber’s latest books are Montana Morning, A Heart That Dares and The Right Track. As a child, some of Jill’s tales got her in trouble, but now she gets paid for them. Residing in San Diego with her husband and a trio of dogs and one very ancient cat, Jill’s favorite pastime is to gather friends and family for good food, conversation and plenty of laughter.
You can visit her website at www.JillLimber.com.
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First Draft to Published

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