JAN: Today I welcome a new friend to my blog interview: Candace West, from Arkansas. Candace, how long have you been writing and how did you come to it?
CANDACE: I stumbled upon writing on accident. When I was twelve years old, my family and I drove to Colorado to visit my grandparents. During the two-day drive, I picked up my notebook and started writing a story to pass the time. We were driving through Kansas. Where do you think I set it? In Kansas, of course. Following Prairie Riverchronicled the lives of an orphaned brother and sister. I haven’t stopped writing since.
JAN: That’s marvelous! What is your preferred genre?
CANDACE: Always historical. However, I just finished a contemporary short story for the upcoming Mosaic Christmas anthology, and it was a lot of fun to write.
JAN: Sometimes a stretch is good for us. That’s what got me into contemporary also. How and where do you write? Are you a plotter or a pantser?
CANDACE: Until recently, I wrote while sitting in my recliner. This summer, we finished a new addition to our home that is now my new writing space and classroom. I’m both a plotter and pantser. Does that make me a plotser? Just kidding! I always have a general idea of my plot, but my characters always find ways to mix things up.
JAN: That’s part of the fun. Where do you get your ideas? What inspires you?
CANDACE: I read somewhere that writers hear voices in their heads. That’s true yet completely normal, I assure you! Most of the time, a character pops into my head, and the story builds. Most of my inspiration comes from family stories passed down to me.
JAN: What do you like most / least about writing?
CANDACE: I love creating my story world and discovering all the hidden facets and history of my characters. By the time my story ends, I hate to say goodbye. I don’t like editing and writing blurbs. It’s difficult to sweep aside all the details and focus on the heart of the story.
JAN: What are your favorite / most effective social media?
CANDACE: So far, Facebook has been the most effective. I live out in the country. Meeting new readers and other writers is challenging. The reader/author friendships I’ve developed through Facebook blesses me almost daily. It’s amazing.
JAN: How do you balance professional time with personal time?
CANDACE: I’m still working on this one. For now, it’s organized chaos. I’m a homeschooling mama, and it takes a lot of time. Sometimes I write early in the morning. Other times, I write at night. It all depends on what is happening.
JAN: What are you reading? Do you prefer digital or print?
CANDACE: I’m starting Polarized Love by Lisa Renee. It’s a contemporary Christian romance. I prefer reading print books, but I don’t have room for all of them. I would need a separate house! My favorite books are reserved for my keeper shelves.
JAN: What keeps you going in your writing career?
CANDACE: My readers. Without their unwavering friendship, support, and encouragement, my stories would never come to life. I’m working on my third novel with the fourth one waiting to start. I’m still awestruck. Sometimes it doesn’t seem possible.
JAN: How is your faith reflected in your writing?
CANDACE: My faith is reflected, I hope, in a personal way. I want my stories to demonstrate that God is personal, not Someone distant. He cares about the smallest details of our lives and works to draw us close to Him. No one is insignificant.
JAN: What are some things you have learned from your own writing?
CANDACE: One thing I’ve learned is that there’s always room for lots of improvement. Constructive criticism is a writer’s best friend.
JAN: Thanks so much, Candace, for taking time to let us get to know you and your writing a bit better. I’m in the middle of your debut novel, Lane Steen, right now, and it’s hard to put down.
Candace’s Bio:
Candace West was born in the Mississippi delta to a young minister and his wife. She grew up in small-town Arkansas and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Monticello. At twelve years old, she wrote her first story, “Following Prairie River.” In 2018, she published her debut novel Lane Steen. By weaving entertaining, hope-filled stories, Candace shares the Gospel and encourages her readers. She currently lives in Arkansas with her husband and their son along with two dogs and three bossy cats.
