Her work taught me how to capture the essence of the 1800s while keeping up with the expectations of modern readers. I belong to the San Diego Historical Society, so I ve dug up all sorts of interesting tidbits about the area. It s the perfect setting for a tale about mediums and spirits, for there are some great local ghost stories. The U.S. Department of Congress even named San Diego s Whaley House a certified haunted building. Don t rush into sending out the first draft of your work.
Writing takes time and patience.
I used to wonder why the first draft of Gilded never went anywhere, but now I m relieved that I sought out critiques and spent so much time rewriting and editing before the book saw publication.