The Writer’s Desk with Jody Hedlund

Jody Hedlund is the author of over thirty historicals for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Award.

Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. Although Jody prefers to experience daring and dangerous adventures through her characters rather than in real life, she’s learned that a calm existence is simply not meant to be (at least in this phase of her life!).

When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate. Connect with Jody on her website, Instagram, Facebook, BookBub, and sign up for her newsletter.

Q&A with Jody Hedlund

TG: Everyone always asks for an interesting fact, we’re going to flip the question. What is one boring fact about yourself?

JH: I like eating casseroles. Yes, I’m a Midwestern girl through and through and grew up with church potlucks where we ate casseroles!

TG: Where did you get the inspiration for To Tame a Cowboy?

JH: This book is set in the high country of Colorado. I lived in Colorado (in Middle Park) when I was little, and then I also lived in Denver for a few years while my husband was in grad school. Because of that, Colorado has always had a special place in my heart.

TG: Do you have any habits or rituals as a writer?

JH: When I’m in first draft mode, I give myself a daily word count six days a week, and then I make myself write until I hit my goal even if that means I have to write all day and into the evening (most days that doesn’t happen though, thankfully). I’m pretty tough on myself about making my daily goals!

TG: What habits would you encourage others to take up to be a more productive writer?

JH: I believe every writer should set realistic goals for whatever life season they’re in. For example, when my kids were younger and I was in the thick of homeschooling, I set my daily word count goal at 500 words a day. That was realistic for me at that stage. I made myself write that amount every day so that I built good habits of self-discipline and focus.

TG: What do you snack on or drink while writing?

JH: Coffee all the way! Black and lots of it!

TG: How do you overcome writer’s block?

JH: Because of my stringent daily word count goal (and not allowing myself to veer from it), I push through writer’s block by simply writing whatever comes to mind, even if it’s not particularly inspiring.

TG: Are you an “edit-as-you-go” writer or do you wait until the very end before you do any editing?

JH: I start my writing day by re-reading a portion of what I wrote the previous day. I edit that lightly before moving on. But mostly I wait until the end to turn on my internal editor.

TG: What would you say is the most common mistake new writers make?

JH: It’s normal and natural to get excited about finishing the first book. But I’ve seen many writers eager to publish (and even rush into publishing) that first book. It’s almost always wise to wait to seek publication (or indie publish) until you have completed several books, taken classes, read writing craft books, and had critique partners.

TG: What is coming up next for you?

JH: In 2022, I’ll be publishing four more books in my Knights of Brethren series (a medieval romance series). I’ll also have another book in my Colorado Cowboy series releasing in the fall. And somewhere in all that, the third book in my Waters of Time series is coming out.

Don’t miss my conversation with Jody — now on YouTube! Click the image below to watch!

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More about To Tame a Cowboy

They share a passion to heal what is broken, but it’s their own hearts that need to be made whole.

Brody McQuaid is a broken man, and he knows it. While his body survived the war, his soul did not. Besides loving his little niece, his only sense of purpose comes from saving the wild horses that roam South Park. Ranchers in the area have taken to killing the horses, which are competing with their cattle to feed on the open grass.

Savannah Marshall is a veterinarian on her family’s Colorado ranch. She longs to keep her father happy following the tragic death of her older brother, including marrying a man of his choosing. But days before her wedding, she gets cold feet and disappears to South Park. As she learns more about the destruction of the horses, she joins Brody in an attempt to save the wild creatures. But when Savannah’s family and the resentments of the area cattlemen catch up with them both, Brody and Savannah will have to tame their fears if they’ve any hope to let love run free.

Purchase a copy of  To Tame a Cowboy here.

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