Who is this Kaye Dacus and why should I believe what she has to say about fiction writing?
Well, I’m glad you asked.
I am an author, professional copy editor, and freelancer who has been writing fiction for more than twenty years. Pursuing my passion for writing, I earned a Master of Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in 2006. I am a long-time member and former Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers, and a founding member of Middle Tennessee Christian Writers. I live in Nashville, Tennessee, and write contemporary and historical romances. My first book, Stand-In Groom, will be published by Barbour Publishing in January 2009.
Just in case you’re new to my blog, let me give you a little background on myself before we delve into the craft of writing. When I was born, I was very young. Then when I grew up, I was older . . . Okay, so maybe the life history isn’t important.
I graduated from Trevecca Nazarene University in May 2004 (finished my coursework in December 2003) with a Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration on Professional Writing. I maintained a 4.0 gpa at Trevecca as a part-time student while working full-time. After graduating, I immediately enrolled in graduate school. In June 2006, I received my Master of Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, with high-pass marks on both my thesis novel and critical paper.
From 1994 - 2006, I worked in the newspaper industry, in the advertising and marketing areas. My duties focused mainly on writing, proofing, and editing correspondence, sales pieces, presentations, online content, and advertisements, and I was a staff-writer for the in-house newsletter from 1998 - 2004. In 2006, I moved into the book publishing world as a copy editor at a mid-size publishing house. HOWEVER, I am not posting any of this material as a representative of the publishing house. This is completely on my own and is no reflection on the house where I work (which is why I am not mentioning the name). The house where I work publishes everything from children’s board and picture books, young adult fiction and nonfiction, educational materials, to adult fiction and nonfiction, and I work with it all. Occasionally I may refer to the “style” we prefer at my house—this will be in instances where the “rules” might be vague, and the place where I work has chosen to do it a specific way. Other publishers may do it differently.
Feel free to e-mail me at kaye (at) kayedacus.com!
