Frequently Asked Questions
“What’s the story behind your pen name?”
M.E. Anders – The first two stand for my initials (Mindi Esther). Anders is the first portion of my last name (Anderson). It also has connotations to “meanders” – - like meandering through my readers’ brains. Tee…hee.
“Why do you use a pen name?”
I chose a pen name because I wanted to avoid any prejudice towards female thriller writers. The initials provide a gender neutral first impression. Plus, I like the pseudonym.
“So, what do you do?”
I am fortunate to be a full-time fiction writer, though I am yet unpublished. I am not yet seeking literary agent representation until the first of my three novels is polished, critiqued, and edited. I am still debating whether to go the traditional route to publication OR the indie publishing route. Time will tell.
In the next few months, I will most likely be getting a part-time day job.
“Where do you live?”
North Shore Suburbs of Chicago. (I’m hoping to relocate to Florida within the near future, though.)
“Are any of your books available for purchase?”
No. All three of my books are still in the writing, editing, and drafting process. Before I begin querying agents, the books will still need to go through extensive editing and critiquing from beta readers.
If you want to find out my latest book-related news, sign up here for my mailing list. You’ll be the first to know when my ARCs and galleys will come out.
“What are your novels about?”
Playing God - Book 1 in my Prey to the Gods Thriller Series
My Novel Pitch: Jonestown princess defies the Exorcist.
One Sentence Novel Synopsis: How will seduced Anna escape her religious cult and confront its all-powerful tyrant while trying to rescue her betrothed from his clutches?
Twice Tempted - Book 2 in my Prey to the Gods Thriller Series
My Novel Pitch: Brokeback Mountain duels Megalomaniac Manson
One Sentence Novel Synopsis: Will heir Kent Reagan survive the Tests of the Tempted, to uncover his true identity and seize control of the deadly religious sect from megalomaniac pastor, Levi Morgan, and his deluded mistress, Violet Calhoun?
Entendre - Standalone Thriller
My Novel Pitch:
Female Dexter meets the Sex Files.
One Sentence Novel Synopsis:
What if a single mother embarks on a vicious vendetta against a local sex offender after her child is allegedly abused?
“When are you planning on finishing them?”
All three of the books are rough first drafts.
I am currently second drafting the first book, Playing God. I am midway through the book.
The first book, Playing God, should be available in early 2013.
“How do you come up with your ideas?”
Many of my ideas come from my life experiences. Since I escaped a religious cult and have a fascinating blended family, there are more stories within my own life history than I could tell in a lifetime of novel writing. I have also cultivated many friendships with interesting people, who provide endless inspiration for my ideas.
“Where do you get your passion for writing?”
Ask any writer this question, and they will tell you that it’s a compulsion to write. We writers have no choice but to write. It’s like breathing air for us: without writing, we die as creatives. I wrote a post about my love affair for writing here.
“What’s your writing schedule like?”
I tend to write creatively for 2 – 4 hours during the weekdays. The other time is spent researching, reading, recording videos, podcasting, blogging, and working on articles. I usually set a goal of 1,500 – 2,000 creative project words per day.
“I always wanted to write something, but I never had the patience or discipline. How do you do it?”
Writing consumes me. It’s what I live to do. The rest of my life revolves around that passion.
If you are just starting out, I might suggest doing Morning Pages in a journal. It’s painless stream-of-consciousness writing. You might be surprised how they unlock your unconscious brain to creative expression.
“Can you please promote my blog, my organization, my website, and/or my book?”
If you would like to guest blog here, then check out my guest blog guidelines. Surf around my website to get a feel for what topics would be of interest to my readers. Then, choose a topic that would be relevant to my audience. Pitch me your idea here.
If you would like to be featured on the website, check out my Get Featured! page for details.
I enjoy spreading good karma to other aspiring writers and bloggers like me. If I can pay it forward by helping you, just let me know.
“What blogging advice would you give to beginning bloggers?”
Do your research before jumping into the blog-o-sphere. Make sure that you can provide a unique perspective in your niche. Patience is key to building a solid blogging platform. Don’t expect readers to flock to your blog till you have established your credibility. It’s also quite challenging to be consistent with posting regularly. I keep a very strict blogging schedule of at least three posts per week. I never miss a posting day because I plan several weeks ahead of time. If you have questions about starting a blog, I would most highly recommend Kristen Lamb’s book, We Are Not Alone. This is the book that helped me jumpstart my blog.
“What if I am a cult survivor? Can I tell my story on your blog?”
Most definitely! If you are a religious cult survivor, please contact me here. I would be very interested in hearing your story, whether or not you would like to share it publicly. If you need resources for recovering from extreme religion or cult counseling, check out the Religion and Cult Recovery page.
“I left a comment on a post, but I don’t see it anywhere. Why wasn’t my comment approved?”
Whenever you leave a comment, you are agreeing to the following comments policy:
Author M.E. Anders’ Blog is a welcoming and supportive environment for readers to share ideas and debate opposing viewpoints. For that reason, comments are carefully moderated. Please be patient as it may take up to 24 hours to approve your comment.
Personal attacks and negativity are not welcome in the comments section. If you launch a personal attack on the author of the blog post or a fellow commenter, your comment will not be approved. If your purpose is simply to promote your product, service, book, or blog, your comment may also be marked as spam and will not be approved. However, constructive comments or points of respectful disagreement are always welcome. Please ensure your comments are constructive if they are negative.
If you believe your comment should not have been deleted (or marked as spam) please contact me at meandersfit@gmail.com. In the past, readers’ comments have gone directly to my spam folder by accident. I usually catch comments that have been accidentally marked as spam, but sometimes I don’t–so please inform me if you think this is the case with your comment.
“How can I get an answer to a question that isn’t addressed here?”
You can send me any of your unanswered questions to meandersfit@gmail.com. I’ll send you a response as soon as I can. Otherwise, just leave a comment below.
“Your blog has been incredibly helpful to my work and my life. Thank you. Is there anything I can do for you in return?”
Yes! Feel free to tweet and share any of my blog posts that have been helpful to you. If you have any suggestions for ways to reciprocate what this blog has done for you, let me know in the comments section below.
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