Interview with Rene Bushey, Treasurerby Renee Uitto Rene Bushey is in the spotlight this month to talk about what inspires her to write. How did you come interested in writing romance novels? I have liked writing stories ever since I was a little girl. I even used to draw pictures to go with the stories. Every once in a while my Mother or Grandmother pulls out one of these treasures to show just how far I’ve come. It wasn’t until about 15 years ago that I picked up my first historical and have read ever since. I love history and I love the alpha male!! No matter what is going on around me I get transported to some other time and place. It’s fabulous. Explain your love of Scotland. Do a lot of your ideas come from this? My Great-Grandmother came over from Scotland when she was little and settled in Canada. So I have great Scottish blood running through my veins. But my love for Scotland started when I visited my Aunt & Uncle in California one year. My Aunt and Uncle took me to the Highland Games in Pleasanton. It was just amazing. I was so entranced by the skirl of the pipes and all the handsome rugged men walking around in kilts throwing huge Cabers. It truly was love at first sight. On our way home we rented Braveheart and the rest is history. Many of my heroes are inspired by my Scottish roots and I have several story ideas swirling in my head that take place in Scotland. Tell us about your stories you’ve worked on. I am notorious for starting a story and not making it far past chapter 6. So I have many stories started and not one finished. I love many periods in history so I have many different themes to my books. The most recent stories I have started have been a western, I have a Scottish historical started where a feisty Scottish lass falls in love with an Englishman. Unforgivable! The manuscript I am currently working on, Taken By Storm, is a story about a pirate and the man who vows to rid the high seas of her—completely inspired by Pirates of The Caribbean and Johnny Depp!! Do you plot your stories before writing them? Please explain. Do I PLOT?! I plot myself to death. It is a major problem. I am a perfectionist so I want to know exactly what is going to happen and when before I write the story. I don’t feel I can write the story without an outline, however I spend so much time on this outline that by the time I hit chapter 6 I tired of the plot and I get major writers block. It happens every time. I am trying to save myself from ultimate despair by taking an online course on how to Defeat Self-Defeating Behaviors, by Margie Lawson. You placed in The Emily a couple years ago. Tell us what that was like. It was awesome. I never feel like my writing is any good. I am my own worst critic! I only entered because Kathy Wilson, a member of my critique group, was certain it would final. I wasn’t so sure but entered anyways. I remember I was at my sister-in-law’s celebrating Christmas in 2003 when they called to tell me I was a finalist. I couldn’t believe it. It was the best Christmas present ever! I ended up 4th place out of 5. I wasn’t last!! I was thrilled. And it’s that contest that has kept me hanging on to the story for the last 2 years. Yes, it was Taken By Storm that finaled and I’m not much farther along than I was back then. But I am voraciously working on it! What inspirations do you use when you write? I like complete silence or classical music when I write. I am usually most inspired after I finish a good historical or after I leave the monthly meeting of GDRWA where I’ve just hear about all the books members have sold. Is there anything that helps you get through writers block? Explain. Not really. I usually solve it by starting a new story, getting to about chapter 6 and then starting the process all over again. It’s very frustrating. I am struggling through my block with my Taken By Storm because it has finaled and everyone who has read what I have so far really likes it. So I am really trying to stick with it and ride this block out. Is there anything else you’d like to add? I’d like to thank all the members of GDRWA who regularly inspire and encourage me. I’ve come so far with their help. I’d like to especially thank my critique group for keeping me going when things got tough: Kathy Wilson, Maryanne Barsotti, Renee Uitto and Liz d’Argy. Thanks girls!!
|
       |
