Author Bio:
A USA Today best selling and award-winning author, Vicki Hinze, has written over thirty-five books (fiction and nonfiction) and hundreds of articles that have been published in as many as 63 countries. She is also a columnist for the global Social-In Network.
Vicki writes most often in Romantic Suspense, Thrillers with a romantic element, and Military Romance or Military Thrillers for the general market or for the Christian market. She has written series, political thrillers, suspense, paranormal romantic suspense, time-travel suspense, women’s action adventure, thrillers, psycho-thrillers and contemporary romance with a strong mystery element. All of her books contain elements of suspense, mystery and romance. She enjoys genre-blending and is known as a trailblazer for doing so.
After her fourth published novel, she returned to college and earned an MA in creative writing then a Ph.D. in Philosophy (Theocentric Business and Ethics). She founded Writers’ Aids to mentor other authors, which evolved into Writers’ Zone, where she answers questions on craft, the business of writing and the writing life and maintains a free online writers’ library, ON WRITING, on her website, www.vickihinze.com. By request, some of those articles are on Kindle. Additional podcasts, workshops, lectures and feature articles are also in the writing library.
Between family and writing commitments, she has little time for hobbies and her other interests. Her favorite non-writing activity is home-improvement projects. Knocking down walls appeals to her. For fun, she designs book covers.
Hinze’s blog (vickihinze.com/blog) is divided into five categories: My Kitchen Table (chat), On Writing (Craft, business, life of writing), My Faith Zone (spiritual journey), Thinking Aloud (a thought to ponder for busy days), and Vicki Hinze Today, which contains all kinds of articles from multiple sources on things of interest relating to books and the publishing industry.
Raised in New Orleans, Hinze then married a career Hurricane Hunter/Special Ops officer. They and their children moved every few years. Mississippi, California, Illinois, Florida and Texas. They settled in Northwest Florida, where Vicki has adopted a pet turtle named Phred.
What inspires you to write?
All manner of things. I get enthused or angry or overwhelmed by something, and I write about it to make sense of it.
Tell us about your writing process.
I write all kinds of ways. It depends on the book. Sometimes I do a synopsis, outline the chapters, breakdown the scenes–all before writing a word–and that's after mapping the town, the main characters' homes or businesses. Other times, I just start writing and see where it goes, researching as the need arises. The characters drive the story. If they're forthcoming, we go. If not, we work with them until they are.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
We have coffee at my kitchen table, and I listen to the stories of their lives, what's troubling them now, why it's troubling them. And then I write about it.
Who are your favorite authors?
Too many favorite authors to list, and that's the simple truth. I love mystery, suspense, and romance. But I read all manner of books, though less horror. I love series. Maybe because I like reading about characters I know, but also because with a series, there's space to drill down on the characters and really get to know all their layers. I love that, and books that do that.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I spent a lot of years writing for publishers. Many different ones. I hit a point after twenty or so years, where I just wanted to write exactly what I wanted to write, the way I wanted to write. So I started self-publishing. I'm happy so long as there is a pen in my hand or I'm at the keyboard. I love the options of being able to publish either way.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
It's constant change and I think that trend will continue. I'm a little concerned at the desire not to offend, because no matter what you write, you're going to offend someone. I think it's healthy for the industry to be realistic about that, to write honestly, and fairly challenge things. Good stories need to be told. Ideas need to find form. If not in writing books, where will that happen?
What genres do you write?
Suspense, Mystery, Romance, Thriller, Action Adventure, inspirational mostly. Women's fiction and just about everywhere else except horror.
What formats are your books in?
eBook, Print, Audiobook
Website(s)
Vicki Hinze Home Page Link
Follow Vicki Hinze On Amazon
Link to Author Page on Bookbub
Author’s Social Media Links
Goodreads
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All information is provided by the author and is presented as it was submitted so you the reader get to hear the author’s own “voice” in their interview.
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