Writer Routine Wednesday: Kristen Painter

Hey, all!

It's another week of my new blog segment:Writer Routine Wednesday, where every Wednesday from now until the end of August, I will host an author. We'll get to know them better and their books as well as hear them describe their usual writing routine.

Maybe you'll pick up an idea they use for yourself!
Lots of great prizes are scheduled too!
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So, please welcome author Kristen Painter today and hear about her writing routine!


BIO: I’m a former college English teacher, personal trainer, advertising exec, maitre d’, runway model and two-time Golden Heart finalist. When the characters in my head started to take over, I decided to exorcise them onto paper and share them with the world. My print books include a paranormal romance, ALL FIRED UP, from Samhain, and HEART OF FIRE, a book I chose to publish myself through Smashwords and Amazon. Both of those books were Golden Heart finalists. In October, I have a steampunk romance, MISS BRAMBLE AND THE LEVIATHAN, coming out from Samhain and in fall 2011 the first three books in my gothic urban fantasy series, BLOOD RIGHTS, will be out from Orbit. I’ve published short stories and poetry. The first publisher to pay me for my words was Cosmopolitan magazine.
If I’m not writing, I’m probably in the forum at Romancedivas.com, the award-winning site I co-founded. I'm on Twitter. You can also find me on my Facebook fanpage.
I live in FL with my retired Air Force husband and five feline dependents. I’m represented by The Knight Agency.

For more info, please visit: http://www.kristenpainter.com/

Thanks for stopping by, Kristen!

Describe a “typical” writing day for yourself. A typical writing day for me often starts with me catching up on some DVR’d shows. I often work late and go to bed early, so most of my tv watching is in the morning. Is that weird? It’s my schedule. I used to feel guilty about it, but then I realized that I’m still working a pretty full day, just different hours. At some point, I workout, spend some time on promo, then I’m ready to write. Or edit, depending on what’s due next.
When I’m in “production mode” I try to write about 5 pages a day. That’s a good pace for me. Sometimes I can do more, sometimes not that much, but it evens out and keeps me on track without wearing me out. I write in my office, at my desk, but I edit in our library on hardcopy (don’t be jealous, library is our fancy word for a room with two bookshelves.)

Do you have another job outside of writing? (Being a mommie definitely counts!!) If the answer is yes, describe how you balance the two and how much time you devote to each.
I write full time. And by full time, I mean when I’m not cleaning up after my husband and our herd of cats.

Are you a laptop, PC, Alphasmart, or by hand kind of writer? I write on my PC, but when I travel, I use a laptop. I also do something I call “methodize” and that’s long hand on a legal pad.

Plotter or panster? If you’re a plotter, how much time do think you put into plotting before writing. I’m a pantser by nature and a plotter by force. I have to plot a little in order to map certain aspects of my Orbit series out – it’s a continuing series with the same main characters, so there has to be some continuity and arc. Also, I had to provide the publisher with a synopsis for each book, so they kind of expect me to follow it. They may be lowering those expectations now that they know me…

Some writers make collages or listen to or create music soundtracks for their work-in-progress? Do you do any of those or have you thought about doing one of them?
If that stuff works for you, great. I’m a sit down and see what happens kind of writer. I like to think of it as organic writing. I do listen to music to help me get into a specific mood, but I really like silence to write. In fact, I sometimes wear noise cancelling headphones.

What’s your favorite book on writing? I don’t think I really have one. That’s not to say I haven’t found craft books helpful, I just haven’t even read one straight through (save Stephen King’s On Writing). Most of them are kinda dry and boring. Or maybe I have the attention span of a gnat.

What’s your favorite fiction book you’ve read so far this year? Hmm. That’s a tough one. There are so many! I’m going with The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi. It wasn’t one of those books that gives you warm fuzzies, but it definitely inspires thought.

What’s your favorite way to reward yourself after you’ve finished writing a book? Spa day, baby! That’s pretty much my favorite indulgence for any reason. I love a good massage, a nice body wrap, a facial…whatever you’ve got, I’ll have one.


A Spa day sounds great! Thank you, Kristen, so much for sharing a little of your writing routine and life with us today!

Kristen's recent Samhain e-book ALL FIRED UP is out in print now at MyBookStore and More and Amazon.com and B&N! Here's a little bit about it:

Desire can heal the coldest heart-or burn it to ashes.

Alrik Gunn knows from bitter experience that change isn't always for the better. From the woman who annihilated his Viking clan to the goddess who tricked him into centuries of slavery, betrayal has dogged his existence. The Goddess of Love is going to let him avenge his family, but for a price. As a Phoenix-a merchant of change-he must grant a human woman three chances to change her life.

When former Irish dancer Calleigh McCarthy tosses a carved-bird statue that belonged to her ex into a roaring bonfire, she unwittingly summons an honest-to-god Phoenix. A sexy, irresistible Viking who offers her an unbelievable bonus-three get-out-of-her-crappy-life-free cards. She'll take it, even if it means guarding her cautious heart against the dark pain behind Alrik's eyes.

Alrik has vowed never to let love sway him again, but Calleigh's innocence and kindness throw him off balance. Yet even as his need for revenge fades and his love for her grows, he is bound to let her make her choices without interfering.

One wrongly chosen word, and any chance for happiness-for either of them-will go up in flames.

Sounds great, huh?


CONTEST: Kristen has generously offered to give away a copy of her book ALL FIRED UP--which I bought and read and absolutely positively enjoyed--to some lucky commenter!


Please leave a comment below to be entered to win. The giveaway contest will run from now until Thursday 11:59PM (EST). I will announce the lucky winner this Friday!

***THIS WEEK'S CONTEST IS FOR U.S RESIDENTS ONLY***


Good luck and get into your writing routine!