Tweep Tattler: Dawn Hosmer

INTRODUCING

DAWN HOSMER

Hi Dawn!

First question:

You have spoken about being attracted to dark things.

Even your TV show picks [on a Twitter tagging game]

were emotional shows

(Did a little stalking for research purposes)

Your book, "Bits & Pieces" (fabulous, btw)

Begins with a sweeping, dark feeling...

Do you think the story you wrote as a kid

[mentioned in interview below]

Has set a lifelong aesthetic?

In some ways, yes.

I haven't had the easiest life and dealt with

many heavy things as a child. An alcoholic

parent, mental health issues with close family

members, etc.

I think that even from a young age, I realized

that life is rarely full of rainbows and butterflies

for most people.

I have always used my writing as a way to look

at some of the harder, darker parts of life.

Some may say it's "depressing" but I call it

realistic. People go through and survive so

many hard things. I think it's important to have

books that celebrate the resiliency of the human

spirit.

I try not to kill everyone in my books nowadays,

though!

How did all this fit in with being a

social worker? Did it affect your writing

in any way?

I definitely think it affects my writing. I've gotten

to know so many people throughout the years and

have been profoundly impacted by their stories.

I'm sure that parts of those stories are poured into all

of my writing.

So many things happen in people's lives that

most of us never know about. Things that change

and effect the trajectory of their lives.

You speak openly about your battle with

Crohn's. Thought of making a character

have the illness?

Hmmm... that's a good question.

I haven't thought of that and probably

wouldn't because I need an escape from

the disease!

I can relate to Tessa in Bits & Pieces in that

she has a gift that feels like a curse.

She lives her entire life trying to figure

out how to adapt to her reality. She tends

to isolate because of it and keeps people at

arms length. (all things I can relate to)

Ahhh I see how that translates. I really like her!

I've been tending to collect too much material,

so I think this will do it! Off to pick up the kids!

Have a good one!

Thanks again, lovely lady!

STANDARD TWEEP TATTLER INTERVIEW

1) Where do you live?

Central Ohio.

2) What is the first thing you remember writing?

A book called The Lame Girl and The White Steed in 3^rd grade. It was such a sad, depressing book. Everyone except for the poor little lame girl ended up dying.

3) Why do you write?

I write to give me a place to put all of the stories and feelings that swirl around in this head of mine. I tend to write dark, sad stories. I recently figured out that I think this is because I suffer from anxiety and depression. Writing is a safe place for me to explore things or ideas that scare me and it also helps me make sense of some of the non-sensical events that happen in our world.

4) Have you published any of your work?

My debut novel, Bits & Pieces, was published in November 2018. My second novel, The End of Echoes, should be out summer 2019.

5) What are you currently writing?

I am 60,000 words into my third novel which I believe is a psychological thriller.

6) Are you currently querying?

No, thank God! Querying is a grueling process that nearly crushed me after receiving so many rejections over a ten year period. I signed with a small, independent publisher, Ant Colony Press, in March 2018.

7) Finish this sentence (three lines or less):

IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT…

It was a dark and stormy night, not the ideal time to be alone at a cabin in the middle of the woods. The lights flickered and then blackness devoured the world around me. Another flash of lightning illuminated a man’s face peering in the window at the back door –the door I had forgotten to lock.

8) Which activities do you like to participate in, in the Twitter writing community (VSS365, etc.)?

I enjoy participating in #vss365, along with several of the other hashtag prompt games each day. I try to participate in at least two per day. I also enjoy some of the Twitter tag games about random subjects that go around. I feel like they are a good way to get to know each other. I also like to support my fellow authors from the Twitter writing community by buying, reading, and reviewing their books. I’ve found so many great books from authors on Twitter.

9) Do you have any formal training/education for writing?

My degree is in Sociology but I took several English classes in college with writing components. Other than that, I have had no formal training or education.

10) Do the people in your life know that you write?

Now that I’m published, yes, everyone does. Prior to being published, only those closest to me knew.

11) Tell me about the people in your life. Family? Pets?

I’m married with four children. Our oldest daughter lives in Ohio and owns a dog grooming business. Our second to oldest daughter lives in Long Beach, California and is a Project Engineer with a Construction Management Company. Our oldest son lives in Washington DC and is a Software Engineer. We have a 12 year old son who loves playing soccer and has taken a new interest in the ukulele. I have two cats, Storm and Shadow. We recently lost our 16 year old beagle mix, Spirit.

12) Where do you wish your writing to take you?

If I’m dreaming big, I’d love to make enough to buy a beach house or a cabin in the woods somewhere. I’d love to see Bits & Pieces be made into a movie because it has such a strong visual component to it that I could see it translating really well to the big screen.

If I’m being more realistic, I’d love to make enough to be able to feel like I’m making a contribution to our family’s financial situation again. I had to stop working outside of the home two years ago because of my Crohn’s disease so it would be relief to be able to make a financial difference again.

13) What did you expect when you joined the Twitter writing community? Did it turn out as expected?

I did not want to join Twitter but a friend convinced me I needed to. I was already burnt out from Facebook and didn’t want to add another social media channel. I joined thinking I would get some writing tips and get more information about agents & publishers. Once I joined, I decided that I was going to make the most out of the experience and participate in hashtag games, pitch contests and interact as much as I could. It turned out to be so much better than I expected. Twitter has been such a blessing to me. First, I have made some wonderful friends from the writing community. I feel a sense of belonging that I’ve never experienced before. Second, I feel like the daily hashtag prompts help me to stretch my writing muscles and learn to write more succinctly. They also help me explore my characters and stories in a different way. Third, I found my publisher through participating in #ADPIT so for that, I am forever grateful. Fourth, the support for me and my writing has been phenomenal. It has kept me going on days when Imposter Syndrome is shouting at me to quit, telling me I can’t write or have nothing to say. Twitter has truly been the single best decision I’ve made for my writing career.

14) Where do you write?

Generally, I write at night, after everyone is asleep and my house is quiet so I sit in a recliner in my family room. We are in the process of re-finishing our guest room and I am setting up a writer’s corner in there so that I have a specific place to go and work so that I can get in the zone when I’m in there and relax about my writing when I’m not.

15) How much time do you dedicate to writing, weekly?

Now that my book is out I have to divide my time between writing and marketing. I would say that I spend about 10 hours per week writing and 30 hours per week on Marketing.

16) Do you have other talents?

I spent my career in social work and love people. Everywhere I go, people open up to me about their lives and share parts of their stories with me. I am also comfortable with public speaking (as long as it’s not about me). I’ve found through beta-reading, that I enjoy giving feedback on other’s writing and am good with editing.

17) CHOOSE ONE:

A. I do not mind when other writers ask for advice.

I definitely am willing to share anything I can to help other writers. I’m not an expert by any means but I’m willing to share my experiences and things I’ve learned along the way.

B. I’d rather keep to myself!

Dawn Hosmer lives is a lifelong Ohioan. She is married and has four children. Her lifelong dream has been to be a published author. This dream became a reality in November 2018 when her debut novel, Bits & Pieces, was published with Ant Colony Press. She writes Psychological Thrillers and Contemporary Fiction. Her second book will be out summer 2019. She is currently working on her third.