Today we speak with Audrey Wick in honor of her latest book: Seeing Us.
| What is your writing schedule like? Because I hold a day job as a college professor, most of my creative writing takes place outside of the typical workday. I make time for writing in the evenings, on weekends, and during times I am not teaching, namely during winter break, spring break, and summertime. |
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| What would you say is your interesting writing quirk? I have a sweet tooth, so I enjoy indulging my cravings for candy, especially Haribo gummi bears, red licorice, and Turkish delight. I don’t overindulge, but I do enjoy rewarding myself with a few bites after an especially productive writing session. |
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| How did you come up with your title? This novel has an optometry shop setting and a theme that relates to vision/seeing clearly. Because of that, I knew I needed a title to communicate those elements, so the words “Seeing Us” simply fit! |
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| How much of the book is based in real life? The characters in the novel are complete figments of my imagination, but the settings of Seguin and San Antonio are very real. Many of the places where my characters experience their adventures are places that travelers can visit in real life. So whether readers want to take a trip to these towns in Texas in person or simply want to be armchair travelers, I hope they experience the full charm of the area through the pages of the book. |
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| What books have most influenced your life? Too many to name! I’m always reading, and books have been a constant source of support and influence, especially throughout my adult life. |
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| What makes this a “must read” and why? With so much uncertainty in the world, I want readers to be able to count on me for the certainty of a happy ending. They will get that in SEEING US, and readers can enjoy the winding path to that through the pages of this novel. In particular, readers who enjoy happy stories with likeable characters will be able to relax into the pages of this book, and that makes it a “must read” for anyone who wants to read a book that will make them smile. |
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| Do you have a person you consider a mentor? Fellow fiction author Beth Wiseman has been a mentor to me through my writing journey, and I am grateful for her support, advice, and friendship. |
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| What book are you reading now? This changes every week for me! I rotate with a steady diet of fiction, nonfiction, and even short essay collections. There’s always something on my bedside, in my bookbag, or ready to be accessed on my Kindle. |
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| What is your next project? I am always working on something, but in between novel writing, I enjoy writing 5-minute romances. Readers can find some of those through my 2022 and 2023 stories in Woman’s World magazine. |
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| How can readers connect with you? Readers can connect with me on Twitter and Instagram @WickWrites. They can also visit my website at https://audreywick.com or follow me on Amazon, BookBub, Goodreads, or learn more about me through the Pelican Book Group. |
