Interview with Michele L. Waters

Born and raised in Southern California, Michele Waters exemplifies the true meaning of the words success and diligent, which she has so effortlessly been able to project through her many business ventures, including her recent novel Can’t Let Go.

Waters has had more than 20 years of experience as a radiology technologist and more than 10 years as an entrepreneur. With her husband Chris Waters by her side, they founded H&W Adult Residential Homes where they provided two nurturing homes for developmentally challenged adults for 10 years. Aside from the homes, they founded Dream Makers Unlimited, Inc., a real estate investment company where they currently have an inventory of 10 investment properties, and Waters’ Travel and Entertainment Services.

Started as a departure from her work, Can’t Let Go is her first novel.

1. What led you to start writing?

   I found myself working all the time. Always thinking about business. Strategizing on how to get our properties rented and or sold. The economy took a dive and with it our little real estate investment company. Then my full time job got busier and busier. It seemed I couldn’t turn off my brain. Everything was out of my control. I remembered how much I enjoyed the peace of writing, so I started writing, Can’t Let Go. I think it was also the fact that through writing I had some control over something again. As the author, I had the control over how this story would end.

2. How long did it take you to write Can’t Let Go?

   It took about 7 months.

3. What was your experience like in writing Can’t Let Go?

   Therapeutic. I needed to escape my busy life. I needed to relax. When I was writing Can’t Let Go I was not writing to publish a book. I was writing to let go of everything around me.

   I wanted to write something that pertained to issues I see and hear about daily. Real life situations. As women we seem to get hurt, the majority of the time by our men who claim to love us. Moving on has turned into a deadly act for a lot of women. All in the name of love?

4. How many edits did you go through?

   So many. When I decided to publish this book I edited, edited and edited. When I submitted the work to the Mill City Press I thought I was ready but boy was I wrong. Then they edited and I found even more things I wanted to change. I felt like I would never be 100% satisfied. Even now I think of things I could have added and/or changed.

5. Did you get much support, like from writer’s workshops or from friends, in writing your book?

   Not while I was writing because no one knew I was writing it was my “Me Time,” my “Therapy”.

6. How does it feel to be a published author?

   Wonderful. I fell in love with writing. I love seeing my story in print.

   As a new writer, I want to bring real life everyday, not over the top drama, situations to the readers.

7. What are you doing to promote your book?

   Now that’s the hard part. Since I self-published, I did not have a lot of money to promote my book on expensive websites so I network and get other ideas of how to promote with little to no money. I also participate in as many book festivals as I can locally. I contact local bookstores for booksigning events. I also find places to showcase my book wherever I go. I went to Alabama to visit my grandmother in July and scheduled a booksigning at an art gallery in the small city of Selma, Alabama. I ended up on the front page of the Selma Times Journal!

8. What has that experience been like?

   Hard but fun. It’s exciting meeting so many new people and hearing the stories of how they always wanted to write but don’t know where to start. I try to encourage as many people as I can to follow their dream whatever that dream may be.

9. Have you been pleased with the reviews of your book?

   Yes but I have to be honest, I have not received any official reviews yet. But the reviews from the readers are just as important if not more important because they are the everyday readers. They are the ones that will get your sales up. Word of mouth has always been the best advertisements. I especially love it when strangers come up and tell me how they could not put the book down. That excites me. I get pumped and motivated all over again. I Love It!!!

10. With so much effort in writing and getting your book published, were
    you ready for the comments and feedback that accompanies every book review?

    Well, like I said I haven’t had the official book reviews yet, but I’m ready for any feedback I get. If it’s not a good review I hope the review will be something I can use to improve as a writer. Looking forward to all reviews.

11. Do you have plans for your next book?

    Yes. It’s already in the making. It is based on an interacial couple that fell in love in a time and place where it was both taboo and extremely dangerous for black and white to date. They escape and try to forget their horrid past but soon the hauntings from the past consumes their future.

    This book is very different from Can’t Let Go. I’m very excited about it.