“Nicole Thompson-Andrews Loves Pub Subbing”

What is Pub Subbing? Pub Subbing is when you submit one or more of your quality works on the third Friday of the month (or any other day of the month) to critique groups, editors, agents, or contests. Pub Subbers believe that submitting work often leads to publication.

I am delighted to have Nicole Thompson-Andrews with me as my guest today. She is a budding novelist and an emerging poet. She’s been a Pub Subber since 2011. She was the second person to join the Pub Subbers Yahoo group. She is our official welcomer. She is very friendly and upbeat. She has a great sense of humor. I asked her if she would do a guest blog to help entice you to Pub Sub and to join Pub Subbers to help you get closer to your publication goals.

Welcome, Nicole.

I love Pub-Subbing. It keeps me submitting, even it’s just critiques. I also like having a group with which to announce accomplishments. I love the slogan, “Never Give Up,” since it keeps me from giving up on the publishing dream.

I also like turning in critiques faster, before they’re due, and hope to start sending through original submissions.

What are your writing goals?
My writing dreams are to become a well-known author, not necessarily best-selling, but recognized.

Have you had any thing published?
I’ve had some things published in my local library, Detroit Library for the Blind’s newsletter, all published under my actual name. One of them was called, “Kudos to AMC.”

I also have book reviews on Mysterical-E Magazine,  http://www.mystericale.com/:  “And Never Let Her Go,” “Heart Full Of Lies,” and “Every Breath You Take” under my pen name, Mellissa Green (Budding novelist, Emerging poet.)

What are you writing about today?
I’m currently writing about my universe known as Yemora. I don’t mind writing non-Yemoran science fiction pieces. I write fantasy mystery, but set in a science fiction universe. I also have poetry in the works.   

Why do you like writing science fiction?

I’m drawn to other planets.

Why do you enjoy writing?
I enjoy the creativity of it all.   

What are books you’ve found helpful in your writing?

I just read a book on writing poetry. It’s a book written for children. The book is called, Pizza, Pigs, and Poetry by Jack Prelutsky. I also have other poetry books I need to read. I found Holly Lisle’s Create a Language Clinic helpful.

Do you have a full-time job?
I don’t have a nine-to-five job, but I’m taking correspondence courses from a school in Illinois. 

I think it’s incredible all that you do when you are blind. What are resources you use to help you get around and with your writing?

I use a text vocalizer on my computer. I do read Braille, but not enough.
I use a long white cane.
I have light perception.

Libraries are a good resource, and audio resources like podcasts, and webinars. I love writing webinars. I use JAWS for Windows software. It reads information on the computer screen using synthesized speech. Webinars that do not depend upon participants reading what’s on the screen work best for me.

Are you married? Do you have any children?
I am not married and I have no children. Going on thirty.

Name something you’ve done that most people don’t know.

I’ve got a Twitter friend with cancer, and am checking on her. My hairdresser just cut off some of my sister locks, they’re like dread locks, and I’m planning to donate them, if possible. I want to help find missing people.

What things about life intrigues you?
Writers are a fascinating bunch, so are talk show hosts.

What are your writing goals?

My goals as a writer are to complete projects on time, whether I set the deadline or someone else. I also want to start a manuscript-critiquing business. I think that’s why I’m drawn to workshops, webinars, workbooks, and instructional books.

What are your fears about writing and/or about life?

I’m afraid of not making a break-through, that I’ll slide back into the familiar role of “I don’t think I’ll meet this deadline. I’ll tweet, watch Dr. Phil or Jeremy Kyle, or do non-research web-surfing. Dr. Phil does have a research episode I plan to tape coming up, but…

What are three things you’re glad you learned early in life?

Three things I’m glad I learned early in life were:

1. how to do research, especially, about fictional detectives, Matlock and Jessica Fletch (Murder She Wrote)
2. how to write a mystery, and
3. how to write plays, even though it was only one.

Tell me 3 places you wish you’d been.

I wish I’d been to Australia, London, and Italy. I plan to go to all of these places at some point for a celebratory trip.

Submit Your Manuscript Today!Thank you, Nicole for sharing your life with me for this interview. Thanks for inspiring writers to believe in their work and Pub Sub their way to publication. I appreciate it very much. You are an inspiration to all of us.

Thanks for reading my blog. It’s fun having you here. Please leave a comment below. You can connect with Nicole personally on Twitter @greenNovelist. I know she’d love to hear from you.

Join the Pub Subbers group by sending an email to: joanyedwards1@gmail.com.
Members post successes, receive weekly reminders to get manuscripts ready for

Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards