Mrs. Cote was kind enough to give me an interview by email. Here are the questions, and her answers:
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
When I wrote my first book in 2000 - Now I Sea! It was a devotional book that I self-published. I have two marketing degrees and never thought about being an author, even though I loved writing stories as a kid. But God knew I needed to also know marketing to use as an author.Â
How long does it take you to write a book, on average?
At least two years of research and about a year and a half to write. My early books didn't take me that long (4-9 months to write), but the further I have gotten on the historical timeline, there are more resources out there to study, so my research is what slows me down.
What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
It's insane! I write 6 days a week, 10-12 hours a day. I take off Sundays. But my brain never stops.Â
What is your favorite thing about writing?
RESEARCH!
Are there any overarching features, themes, or relationships in your stories?
The love and pursuit of God for man's heart.
What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk, if you have one?
Finding those moments in history where we don't know why or how something happened, and giving the credit to my talking animals.
Where do you get your ideas from?
Research, observing people, observing animals, God
When did you start writing?
8
What was the first thing you wrote?
"Fruity Tales" about talking fruit as a kid. Now I Sea! as an adult.
What do you do when you aren't writing?
Travel, research, water - lake, beach.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A marine biologist and swim with dolphins, an actress on Broadway, a designer of greeting cards, etc. I was all over the map.
What do you think makes a good story?
GOOD RESEARCH. Since I write historical fiction fantasy, my world is anchored in history and you cannot write about what you don't know about. You also have to make history fun and relatable. And there has to be heartache and joy to make a good story.
What is one of the most surprising things you learned from writing?
Sometimes I'll set up plot lines that I believe are fictional, and as I get further along in my research, I find that they REALLY happened!
What is something you'd like to get across to your readers?
That they are loved and have a significant role to play in HIStory.
How do you relate to your characters while still maintaining a healthy distance?
I don't think you can.Â
What is your favorite thing that you've written?
That's a tough one as all of my books are special to me in different ways - like all my children. But since I've labored on the American Revolution for a dozen years, I think the current books I'm writing. I'm in the third book of a five book saga on the Revolution.
And finally, how would your main characters react to a bag of m & m's falling on the floor? (ex. Would they pick them up and then eat them. Just eat them off the floor, or throw them out?)
Max would chase them, Al would gobble them up, Liz would frown at the mess, Kate would wonder if they would still be good for a child, Nigel would hold one up as a trophy, Clarie and Gillamon would laugh as they would have been the ones to drop them. :)
Hope this helps and I wish you well on your writing journey!
Thank you so much, Mrs. Cote, for such an honor!
-Jana B., YAuthor