Meet Grace Helena Walz | Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Grace Helena Walz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Grace Helena, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
Long gone are the days in publishing where the author’s job is limited to writing, the days when authors sent in their completed manuscript and checked off their job as complete. Nowadays, especially with the internet and the growth of social media, authors are expected to be ambassadors of their work. Practically speaking this includes developing an online presence, seeking out publicity for books and taking on much of the responsibility of getting the word out to readers. For me, it’s been a fabulous experience to meet readers in person at events as well as connecting with folks online.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
It took six years of hard work to get to the point of publishing Southern by Design, my debut Southern women’s fiction novel. Most of the work in getting there was quiet, unglamorous hours sitting at my laptop writing, plus a commitment to reading in my genre and learning as much as I could about the publishing industry. I also endured a lot of rejections and radio silence on pitches and submissions, and I think it’s mostly due to personal stubbornness that I kept going. Along the way I’ve learned that–for most authors–it takes years to achieve publishing goals.

I decided to start writing after I finished all of Dorothea Benton Frank’s novels and desperately wanted more in the same vein. I read widely among her cohorts, and eventually I set out to join the chorus of female authors writing about women living in the South. I always try to strike a down-to-earth tone in my heartfelt stories, and I have a soft spot for sassy, plucky female characters. I’m excited to continue this tradition in my forthcoming novels.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
As a mom of two young elementary age children, I’m well versed in the family friendly activities in the Atlanta area. The Georgia Aquarium is easily our favorite spot to head for a day of family fun. The facility is massive and can easily entertain a family for an entire day. The dolphin show gets all the glory, but among my crew the sea lion show is the crowd favorite. Next door is the world of Coke, a must-see for Coke drinkers near and far. Fernbank Museum is another wonderful place to visit with their ever-changing exhibits and the outdoor playground that lets kids feel like they’re climbing in the trees. My favorite spot in town is downtown Decatur, a fabulous place to stroll, shop, and eat.

Outside the perimeter, don’t miss the Chattahoochee Nature Center for family fun and Avalon for shopping and entertainment.

When it comes to night life I am fully retired, so I will defer to another creative.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Writing fiction–and for the very first time–is nothing but daunting. The odds are overwhelming stacked against you and at every juncture from drafting to publishing a book into a crowded market place. Starting to write a novel and sticking with it requires a certain amount of blind faith and dogged commitment, and I’m not sure I wouldn’t have lost sight without my husband at my side. He read the very first draft of my very first manuscript, all one hundred and one thousand words, and told me to keep going. Spoiler: it wasn’t a good manuscript. But to get to the place of creating a viable manuscript, you have to be willing to be bad at it first. I also have an incredible critique partner, Sarah Berke, who has been not only a one-in-a-million friend but also an invaluable sounding board for all things character, plot, and the business side of publishing.

Independent book sellers have been incredible partners in launching and supporting my novel Southern by Design. In the Atlanta area this includes FoxTale Book Shoppe, Poe & Company Bookstore, Book Love the Book Shop of Senoia, and The Book Bird of Avondale Estates. Independent book sellers are the heart beat of the publishing industry and a critical part of our communities across the Atlanta area.

Website: https://www.gracehelenawalz.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracehelenabooks/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gracewalzauthor/