Brenda Spalding is a talented writer who has received several awards. Her expertise in publishing and marketing makes her a regular guest speaker at writers’ conferences and writers’ groups. Landing in Florida after her husband retired from the US Air Force, she lives with her daughter, son-in-law, and grandson. Her son joined the mix two years ago.
Brenda is a past president of the National League of American Pen Women – Sarasota Branch, a member of the Sarasota Fiction Writers, Florida Authors and Publishers Association, and the Florida Writers Association. She is on the board of directors for the Florida Writers Foundation and the Florida Authors and Publishers Association
Brenda’s company, Braden River Consulting LLC, was formed to help other authors on their creative journey. She also consults occasionally with SCORE to help their clients.
You can buy The Alligator Dance here.
Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?
A friend wrote a little story about her granddaughter and a dragon. I’m a bit competitive, so I wanted to write a children’s book too, but I also wanted to find out how to publish it. That first children’s book got me hooked on writing and publishing.
What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?
I was a military spouse for twenty-four years until my husband retired. Moving from base to base, I was unable to have a profession. I worked on the different bases in whatever retail position I could find while raising my two children.
Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?
Since I have more than one book published, it is not easy to tell you the story of a book’s title. Sometimes I will change the title several times before I hit the right one. I chose The Alligator Dance to tell the story of one of the main characters, who is a Seminole Indian; they have a dance called the “Alligator Dance.” It’s also the mating ritual of alligators. Reading the story is also a dance of “will they or won’t they get together at the end of the story?” or even survive it.
How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?
I was thrilled to have my first children’s book in my hands. It was dreadful. The illustrations were horrible and there were some text errors but I had published my first book.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?
I like to inform my reader as well as produce a book that the reader will enjoy. My perfect reader is an educated female between the ages of 35 and 75. My children’s books are for bedtime stories.
What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?
I’m independently published. I like the control of what and when I publish my books. I now have twenty-seven books published, both children’s picture books and adult romantic suspense. The best part is when I win an award for one of my books.
What new writing projects are you currently working on? Or, other projects that are not writing?
I have just finished book three in a series and am looking for something new to start. I also homeschool my grandson, who is in the 8th grade, a member of the National Junior Honor Society, and a straight-A student.
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