Raise your hand if you are a bibliophile. Or maybe you have that urge to write stories, and create characters, and research every last scrap of detail so that you can build a huge world for a reader to lose themselves. Or maybe you’re that reader that dives head first into a story and stays submerged late into the night, devouring page after page after page. To my writer and reader obsessed friends out there, I have someone you need to get to know: my longtime friend, Lindsey. We go way back to the days of middle school sleepovers, crowding around cafeteria tables, and piling up on the floor near our lockers to catch up with our girl pack of friends before rushing to first hour. And even in those days, she was a writer. Stories, anecdotes, poems… Lindsey has always been a fantastic writer.
We now have made it a habit of meeting up at a coffee shop to gush and ooze about books – those she’s written and others that have caught our attention. We also share tales of the funnies and frustrations of motherhood, and just unload about life in a beautifully calming way that soothes our introverted souls. Want to learn more about my book-loving friend? Read on…
Lindsey and her Two Kiddos
BIO: I’m Lindsey Winsemius, a wife and mom of two precocious, beautiful children. I am mostly a stay-at-home mom that attempts to work part-time as a marketer for a software company, and also find time for my craft.
CRAFT: I’ve always been a writer, and can now claim the title of author, as well, with two published works under my belt, and a third on the way. Writing is like a strange addiction; once I’ve got an idea in my head, I can’t stop thinking about. It is two parts frustration, one part exhilaration. I keep telling myself I’m going to quit after one more book, but I can’t seem to stop. It is a strange addiction that I hope will someday become more than a hobby.
Lindsey with her sweet family
LOVES: I love my children and most of the time my husband ;). I love to travel and wish I could do more of it. I love red wine, and nothing makes me happier than sitting around with friends and talking about everything over a glass (or two). I love books. I love going to the book store and smelling the books, looking at books, and get giddy with joy when I have a new book in my hands or on my Kindle. Romance and post apocalyptic are my favorite kinds, but I enjoy most genres. I love experiencing life through my children’s eyes. I’m a bit of a child at heart myself, and I love Disney, dragons, and imaginary worlds that live in our imaginations. Nothing makes me happier than when I hear the amazing stories my children come up with, and sharing my own stories with them. I’m a bit of an introvert, and love spending time by myself walking or watching the world around me. But I consider myself a social introvert because of how much I love people; I love meeting new people and hearing their stories. And some of these stories may end up in a book…
LAUGHS: My kids. My husband. My little sister. Children’s movies. The chickens I am raising to prepare for the apocalypse. I tend to take life a little too seriously, and I love the people in my life who show me how to relax and find the humor in things.
At a recent author event signing her book
LINDSEY WINSEMIUS.COM: I’ve created an author website with a personal blog that I like to feature author stories, and I also include a review blog.
Being an independent author is extremely difficult, and one thing that helps is reviews (word-of-mouth is everything!). With the help of the fabulous Maggie, we read and review as many indie books as we can, and they get posted to the review blog. You can find some great new books here by first time authors, pre-screened by myself and Maggie.
On my author blog, you can read what it is like to be an indie author, through my posts and the many guest posts by other indies I’ve met along the way.
And my books, of course. I also have a page where I ask Readers to submit their own ideas for what characters they’d like to read more about, and to name characters, and discuss books.
GOALS: I guess I’ve never considered myself an inspiration! Most days I am just trying to get through with my sanity still intact, and hopefully accomplish something I can be proud of while connecting with at least one other person. I live by this motto: “Be the friend you want to have.” I apply this to my personal life, and in my life as an author. I’ve discovered that the indie author industry is amazingly supportive of one another, and I try to give back however I can; through my review blog, by featuring fellow authors on my author blog, and any other way I can offer support.
Juggling being a full-time mom, a part-time marketer, and an all-the-time author is exhausting. I am inspired by other moms who are in the same boat as me, running the rapids with one oar and still managing to stay afloat. I tell myself “If they can do it, so can I.” I’ve gotten so much support from other authors and from friends (like Ms Maggie!), and I hope to pass it along to others, and just maybe, inspire someone else to think “If she can do it, so can I.”
CONNECT: I’m all over the internet… www.LindseyWinsemius.com, Facebook, Twitter @lindseyjoyw, Instagram @lindseywinsemius, Amazon Author Page, and Goodreads.
Before I finish up telling you all about Lindsey, I’m going to pop a SHAMELESS PLUG in this post. Lindsey’s third book to her Secret of Alba series will be released on September 22, 2016, but you can pre-order the book for just ninety-nine cents right now! (Seriously, it’s less than a dollar; you can handle that!) She also has the first two books on sale at the same price, so you can get all three for under three bucks! If you like dystopian fiction (series like Divergent, The Hunger Games, and The Giver), you will love her books. They also have great suspense with a splash of romance, so consider them page turners! To pre-order, just click on the image below to be directed to Amazon.com!
Also, to my writer friends out there: be sure to check out Lindsey’s website for great information about marketing and publishing, plus submit your work to her for possible reviews (just fill out this form with your information)! She is a fantastic resource in the industry.
What books are you reading these days? How do you unwind from a busy day? Are you in the introverted-bibliophile club like Lindsey and me? I hope so.
Looking forward to jumping into my next read,
~M
You ladies rock! Keep up the inspiring work of sharing the best kind of “words with friends”.