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Spotlight on Belinda
Barnes By Cheryl Bolen "Don't wait until you have time to write," Belinda Barnes (Belinda Bass) advises. "Make time." She knows of what she speaks. She has worked for almost 30 years as a paralegal and continues to work, despite that she has published three books. Her job often includes overtime and work on the weekends. In addition, she is the mother of three and grandmother of two. Her 12-year-old daughter is a cheerleader, gymnast, dancer, actress, athlete and clogger. Belinda attends all her functions. "I'm developing a major case of bleacher butt," Belinda said. So when does she find time to write? Presently, her daughter has to be at athletics, so Belinda drops her off at the junior high at 6:30 a.m., then heads on to her own office, where she writes until her work day begins. She often writes through lunch, too. Then, after her daughter goes to bed for the night, Belinda is at the computer again. On the weekends, she rises early and writes until the rest of the family get up, then it's generally off to gymnastics and dance with her daughter. "Depending on deadlines, I will write some on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, but I generally try to save that time for my family," Belinda said. Before she was published, she would race to the computer after the last family member went to sleep at night and would write until 2 a.m. or, "whenever my face hit the keyboard." Such discipline paid off. She won the Golden Heart contest in 1999 in short contemporary. That book (HIS SPECIAL DELIVERY) was published by Silhouette Romance in December of 2000. Her second book, also a Silhouette Romance, came out last June. She is one of our chapter's featured April authors, with the publication of DADDY'S DOUBLE DUE DATE (Silhouette Romance) this month. When she gave her Golden Heart acceptance speech in Chicago, she thanked her family for suffering many a bologna dinner. "If it hadn't been for the time I saved by becoming creative with bologna, I wouldn't have had as much time to write. I'd hate to think the book I failed to write would be the one that won the Golden Heart, which also was my first sale." Among her creations were mixed bologna with barbecue sauce for slathering on buns and bologna kabobs. Thus far, all of her books have been set in Texas. Which is understandable when you consider Belinda lives in Elm Mott. (I've never heard of it before, but you gotta figure it's Texan.) Belinda was a charter member of the Heart of Texas chapter in Waco. She joined RWA in 1995, after having been dissatisfied with a romance book she read. "I decided I could do better, then wondered if I really could." That same year she joined her critique group. "All of my critique partners had contest and conference experience on me, so I had to work hard to catch up." The four original members of the group have all sold. Because of moves, divorces, etc., other members have been added. The group consists of Lisa Buie-Collard, Vicky Dreiling, Kristen Eppner, Kristi Goldberg, Sandy Raven, Terri Rothrock and Gail Shelton. Since 1997, Belinda has also critiqued on-line with Roxann Delaney and Kathie DeNosky. All three of them sold within a year of each other. "All of my critique partners are incredible ladies who have taught me a great deal," Belinda said. "I hope I never have to write without them." Besides joining a critique group, Belinda recommends aspiring authors go to every workshop and conference they can, and if they can't afford to go to the conference, buy the tapes! So, does this busy lady have any plans to quit that day job now that she has published three books? "My family is rather fond of eating, and teenage daughters can be quite expensive," Belinda said. She's 13 years from retirement and would like to be able to write full time. "There are no guarantees the editor will buy your next book," Belinda said. "So, the jury is still out on when I'll quit...or retire." |