Author Interview With Vicki E. Case

Today, we have an interview with Vicki E. Case.

 

So; what exactly do you write?

Poetry!

I write powerful, emotional, soul-revealing and vividly honest poetry about find love, losing that love; and the moving and painful ramifications of its loss. I currently have three poetry books published. In order of publication they are titled; ‘Unconditional Forbidden Love’; ‘A Journey of Hurt; Captured in Ink’; and ‘Love is Eternal’. The final poetry book in the tetra logy is completed and awaiting publication; it will be titled ‘Forever Love’.

However, since completing my last poetry book I have diversified into writing both non-fiction and fiction books.

How would you describe yourself in a short third person bio?

To say that Vicki Case is an amazing woman would be an understatement. Vicki and her life epitomises ‘The Ugly Duckling’ tale as created and told by Hans Christian Anderson. Vicki was born a plump child covered in birth marks. She grew up on a large rural property north-west of Sydney, Australia where she was raised a tom-boy. Her life has been dotted with physical and emotional abuse, a myriad of lies and broken promises.

In 2007 she met and fell in love with a truly incredible man. He told her that she was gorgeous and that she could do anything that she wanted. He literally raised a Phoenix from the ashes and gave the world an exceptional woman, an author and a remarkable poetess.

Vicki is an intelligent woman who cares about others and goes out of her way to help everyone who asks or needs help. She is incredibly loyal, trustworthy, generous and especially forgiving. Vicki has grown into a more positive person since meeting her beloved Eros and now knows and realises that she is worth something and is worthy of love. She is an exceptionally nice person who cares about what happens to other people and she is only just starting to put herself, her wants and her desires first.

What made you initially want to write?

I never ever contemplated the mere thought of writing until 2007 when I met and fell in love with a truly amazing and incredible individual. After I met him words began to miraculously appear in my head, as if circling like vultures, all fighting for their opportunity to get in and become a beautiful poem about the extraordinary love I had for him and how truly incredible he made me feel. I tried to ignore the words and thoughts for a while but soon they won out and their fate was sealed. I began writing them down and it was soon evident that beautiful poems about my love for him had been created. After a little while I began messaging him a poem each morning during his commute to work that told him of my love for him and how incredible he was. He told me that he was flattered by my words and poems; that they were very good; and that I should consider publishing them. Initially I believed that he was just being nice so as not to offend me.

Prior to meeting and falling head over heels in love with my love and soul mate (Eros) I had never written a single poem that will own anything that would be considered ‘writing’. My love and adoration for Eros, who was and still is the love of my life and soul mate is the single and only reason that I wrote or wanted to write.

Has your motivation changed since then?

In short, yes. After an incredible 14 month relationship Eros severed me from his life with a SMS message that failed to extrapolate on the reason for the termination of our beautiful love. After I eventually accepted the fact that he was gone and would not be coming back I also realised that I had been gifted with a creative chakra and that people loved my writing and desperately wanted to see and read more.

My fourth poetry book is also ready for publication. My motivation has changed now from writing beautiful poems telling Eros how much I loved him and why to trying to find a way to inspire and empower others and show them the power of the written word and how it can help heal, no matter how much you have been hurt or how much you believe that all is lost.

I am now authoring both fiction and non-fiction novels.

What do you think is the most important part of writing?

I believe that the most important part of writing is authoring something that you yourself are proud of and that others enjoy reading. Just like love, writing is a two-way street. You have to love what you produce and your reader[s] has to love the gift that you gave them to read.

What is your favourite part of writing?

I think that the favourite part of writing for me is to hold the finished soft cover book in my hands and realise that; in that moment; I am a published author.

Tell us an interesting fact about you?

God created me and put me on this earth to help, inspire and empower others who to, have endured the injustices and hardships that life throws at us each and every day. The creative gift for writing that God graciously gifted me with has presented me with an avenue through which I can now reach people in need who can benefit from my poetry and my books.

Do you have a day job (other than working)?

During the day (Monday to Friday) I am an Internationally Certified Criminal Analyst (C.C.A.) with an Australian Law Enforcement agency (LEA). My day job is to help investigators obtain information that will assist them in identifying and obtaining evidence of crimes that have been perpetrated with a view to ultimately identifying the offender and bringing him or her to justice through the State’s judicial system.

Do you prefer a physical book or eBook? Why?

Without question, I prefer a physical book. We as a society have relinquished so much to technology. I refuse to surrender the touch and feel that a physical book can provide. I love owning books, marking pertinent pages with flags and, if required, writing pencil comments in the margins.

Tell us about your latest writing?

The last book that I have written and subsequently published is the third book in a trilogy of poems about love and loss, titled ‘Love is Eternal’. It is a book of incredibly powerful and beautiful poems about love and my reluctance to let go of a feeling that is so special and rare – true love.

‘Love is Eternal’ is very special to me. It clearly demonstrates not only how I have grown and developed as a poet, but how I utilised the power of the written word through poetry to help heal from the loss of losing my beloved Eros.

So, how long does it take you, on average, to complete a first draft?

This is a difficult question to respond to. When I was in a relationship with my beloved Eros and even after losing him I could write between 1 – 9 poems almost daily. As such, writing a poetry book of 100 + poems was achieved in a relatively short period of time. In fact, I wrote and published my inaugural three poetry books all in 2012.

Now that I have diversified into non-fiction and fiction novels attaining the inaugural draft has taken considerably longer.

Which projects are you working on at the moment?

I am currently working on three separate projects simultaneously; those being:

1. ‘No One’s Story’ – my autobiography which outlines a dysfunctional childhood, to a 23 year marriage to a man who suffered from a substance abuse and physically and emotionally abused me; to eventually finding my Knight in Shining Armour riding a beautiful white steed who, for whatever reason, left me without a reason.

If you think that my emotionally fuelled poetry broke your heart then ‘No One’s Story’ will make you look differently at each and every one of your family and friends. Does anyone really ever know anyone? It just needs a few tweaks and it will be ready for the printers.

2. ‘Chameleon Blue’ is a fiction novel about the behind the scenes look at the lives of Police Officers and how they deal with the trials and tribulations of life (both personally and professionally). It’s not a crime novel and it’s not a novel of intrigue. It’s a “gloves off” story about what happens to police officers behind the crime; the good, the bad, the funny and the very, very sad; and

3. ‘The 99 Mile Peg’ is a novel about the daily ordeals that faced a road maintenance crew in Sydney, Australia and the escapades that they get up to whilst filling pot holes. If you ever thought that a road maintenance crew and their work was boring and mundane then you are in for a very rude shock. This general consensus could not be further from the truth.

How do you come up with the titles for your books? And do you have the final title before completing your book, or after?

For some books I have actually decided on the title prior to completing it whilst others, the titles have not been decided upon until such time as I have been ready to submit it to the publisher.

How has writing changed your life?

A huge affirmative YES!

If I had not found writing and the power that it can give you as an individual then I would not be where I am today nor would I be here to participate in this interview.

 

Where do you get inspiration for writing from? Do you listen to music whilst writing or have a “Writing Cave”?

For this question it is a bit of a nah – nah. Initially when I was composing poetry for my beloved Eros the words and poems would just come to me, regardless of where I was or what I was doing. I didn’t chose poetry or the words, the poetry and the words chose me.

However, since diversifying into fiction and non-fiction I have developed my very own “Writing Cave”. I have a specific room within my home where I now write. It is dotted with notes, dictionaries, a computer and a mountain of inspiration.

Whilst my inaugural poetry book and its subsequent predecessors were inspired literally everywhere, my fiction and non-fiction books have been confined to a single room (my ‘Writing Cave’).

Is there a particular form, style or genre that you’d like to have a go at writing? Why?

No, I guess if I haven’t actually written it, then I am in the process of writing it.

Favourite book and/or author[s]?

With respect to my career as a ‘Criminal Analyst’ I would have to say that my favourite author[s] would have to be John DOUGLASS and Paul BRITTON.

Personally however I have a strong affiliation with and for Patricia CORNWELL. To be honest I have never had a like of fiction novels, preferring autobiographies and non-fiction books however after being loaned a copy of a Patricia CORNWELL novel I have literally been hooked and have developed a love and admiration for her as an author.

However when it comes to a favourite book I must confess that my favourite is a little closer to home. ‘The Secret River’ by Kate Grenville is a personal favourite of mine. It is a novel about the settlement of NSW, Australia and the trials and tribulations associated with that settlement. Kate Grenville won a literary award for this novel in 2006 and I was fortunate enough to have her autograph my copy of her book at its launch in the Hawkesbury District, NSW, Australia where I reside. I treasure this copy without question.

Do you think it necessary to have a degree (of any sort) in order to be a successful author?

This question is a difficult one to answer. I personally have three (3) University degrees and I have to concede that acquiring these degrees have taught me a lot about writing.

There are pros and cons for both.

What would you say to those who want to become a writer? Any advice?

Never give up on your dreams and never lose sight of what it is that you want and want to be.

Even if you never sell a copy of your book, as long as you are happy with the final product and can say without hesitation that it is the best that you can produce, then you have succeeded as an author and a writer.

If you want to write – WRITE. You just never know what can or will happen. I am testament to that.

 

 

 

Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Unconditional-Forbidden-Love-Vicki-Case/dp/1452504075
http://www.amazon.com/Journey-Hurt-Captured-Ink-ebook/dp/B0086VWH38
http://www.amazon.com/Love-Is-Eternal-ebook/dp/B008PTPX7I

Balboa Press
http://bookstore.balboapress.com/Products/SKU-000542764/Unconditional-Forbidden-Love.aspx
http://bookstore.balboapress.com/Products/SKU-000561920/A-Journey-of-Hurt.aspx
http://bookstore.balboapress.com/Products/SKU-000588029/Love-Is-Eternal.aspx

Links to Social Media
Website – http://selfpublishersshowcase.com/vicki-case/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/vicki.author
Twitter – @vickicaseauthor