Roberta Writes – Sisters on Tour: Jan Sikes and Linda Broday #booktour #fiction #readingcommunity

Uncategorized 5 Minutes
Picture caption: Banner for the Sisters on Tour blog tour

We are deeply grateful to you, Robbie, for so graciously offering to host us on your wonderful blog site today!

When we decided to launch our new books together on the same day, Linda and I wanted to make it something special. It feels like we are making publishing history, and perhaps we are.

For this blog tour, we’ve chosen questions and answers designed to give the readers a deeper look into who we are, our background, and how we ended up where we are today, launching books together.

Question: What was your favorite childhood book and why?

Jan: That’s an easy question to answer. In elementary school, I checked the Grimm’s Book of Fairy Tales out of the library so many times they had to create a new card for it. That’s a true story. I loved getting lost in the world of ‘what if’ and fantasy as it was so vastly different from my reality. As a child, I lived in my head, often not paying attention to what was going on around me, so that book fed the part of me that longed for something magical. Another book I remember reading multiple times when I was a bit older was The Grapes of Wrath. I related to it so much because our parents lived through that difficult time in history, so there was a personal connection. I thought of a funny story about our mom reading the same books that we did. I checked a book out of the library about the Hell’s Angels motorcycle gang and read it. It was rather graphic. Then my Mom picked it up to see what I was reading and freaked out. I think I might have gotten into a bit of trouble over that one.

Linda: Oh my gosh, there were so many, and like Jan, fairy tales were top in the beginning. The earliest memory I have is of someone reading to me, and I saw the magic of the words. I think that book was Cinderella. From the time I learned to read, books were an obsession. Jan and I read (and then Mom) every one of the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys. Dr. Seuss was a favorite, and so were all the Little House on the Prairie stories. In sixth grade, we read The Last of the Mohicans in class, and I still remember that story. Later it was The Count of Monte Cristo, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and all of the classics.

Question: What do you consider the most valuable magazines or blog sites for writers to subscribe to?

Jan: I am a member of the Story Empire blog, and it is my number one go-to for all things regarding writing, publishing and marketing. The expertise, writing tips, and industry knowledge from seasoned writers are top-notch. I also follow Writer’s Digest, Writers in the Storm and Writers Helping Writers. We all have so much we can learn from each other, and these blogs are a great way to expand our knowledge. I highly recommend each.

Linda: Writers Helping Writers is really the only one I’m faithful to, but it’s so good for any writer at any skill level.  

Question:  What are common traps for aspiring writers?

Jan: I can answer this question from experience. I think one of the most common traps for new writers is getting in a hurry to publish without taking the time to make sure their work is actually ready. Editing is a must for all writers, but especially newbies. There are so many aspects to writing and publishing a book. Until you do it, you may think it’s super easy. Write a story and stick it out there. That became a pitfall for many when self-publishing first became an option. Therefore, the market got flooded with poorly written, unedited books and gave self-published writers a bad name. It’s taken years for indie authors to become accepted as legitimate. Patience is key when writing and publishing. It’s important not to skip any of the steps.

Linda: They get in a rush and don’t take the time to do it properly—get it edited (and not by family or friends,) learn the rules, attend writing workshops, and learn the business first. I can’t stress enough how crucial it is to read. And learn, learn, learn.  

Question:  Have you ever considered writing under a pseudonym?

Jan: Because I started my writing journey with a true story, I never considered creating a pseudonym. Once I switched to writing fiction, I tossed around the idea, but didn’t want to have to start back at square one with building a new author platform. It takes a lot of time and work to build a solid author foundation. So, I chose to keep using my real name.

Linda: No, I haven’t. I see the problems other authors have who choose to use a pseudonym and I don’t want that. It’s hard enough as it is. I’ve always used my real name.

Question: What are you working on now, or what can we expect next?

Jan: For the first time in a long time, I don’t have a new story started. But soon I will be requesting my book rights back from the publisher for The White Rune Series, which will mean new book covers and new everything except titles. So, that’s in the back of my mind while I am open to new inspiration.

Linda: Robbie, I just started Book #2 of this McIntyre series. In this story that takes place in 1881, Cade’s sister, Summer, is the main character and I foresee this story to be filled with a lot of action and romance. This series is about trying to find and bring back all the McIntyre siblings who were all separated when their parents were murdered. People in the town sent them all to different places. The three youngest ones are still missing. I’m really loving this series. Thanks for having us.

Picture caption: Banner displaying the covers of Cade’s Quest by Linda Broday and A Bold Bargain by Jan Sikes

PURCHASE LINKS:

CADE’S QUEST: https://www.amazon.com/Cades-Quest-Western-Romance-McIntyres-ebook/dp/B0FD7X4H5D/

A BOLD BARGAIN: https://www.amazon.com/Bold-Bargain-Bargainer-Book-ebook/dp/B0FD7VSY68/

Quote from Cade’s Quest by Linda Broday
Quote from A Bold Bargain by Jan Sikes

About the Authors

Linda Broday author biography

Linda Broday Social Media

WEBSITE:  https://www.lindabroday.com

FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/lindabrodayauthor

BLUESKY:  https://bsky.app/profile/lindabroday.bsky.social

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Linda-Broday/author/B001JRXWB2?ccs_id=4a2c44df-2076-43cd-8bf8-f15b530ea92f

Jan Sikes author biography

Jan Sikes Social Media

WEBSITE:  https://www.jansikes.com

FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/authorjansikesbooks

TWITTER:  HTTPS://WWW.TWITTER.COM/JANSIKES3

BLUESKY:  https://bsky.app/profile/jksikes-author.bsky.socialAMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jan-Sikes/author/B00CS9K8DK?ccs_id=8185cb63-9ad0-4d7b-85ad-c2d64ce37812

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Published by robertawrites235681907

I am a writer of young adult fiction and poetry

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165 thoughts on “Roberta Writes – Sisters on Tour: Jan Sikes and Linda Broday #booktour #fiction #readingcommunity”

  1. That was a very interesting interview. Excellent questions and very interesting answers. That you Jan checked the Grimm’s Book of Fairy Tales out of the library so many times that they had to create a new card for it, is pretty funny, but I understand. I loved it too when I was a kid. Now I’ve watched Interstellar 20 times but I bought the DVD on Amazon.

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    3. I’m so happy you came over, Thomas. Yes, my sister is really funny with her obsessions. Like you, I tend to get obsessed with movies. I saw the 2018 version of A Star is Born in the theater six times And then bought the DVD. I loved that. I think I’ve watched To Kill a Mockingbird four times. I just love movies. There’s something really magical about sitting in a dark theater and watching a story unfold on the screen. Thanks for the comment.

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      2. Thank you so much Linda. It was fun to read the interview. My wife and daughter also love a Startis Born. I should say that I saw Interstellar only one time in theaters and then I bought the DVD when it came out on DVD, and I saw it 20 times, so I got my money’s worth.

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  2. How wonderful to see the writing sisters here, Robbie. Great questions and answers. I agree with writing under a pseudonym. It would be difficult to market, especially once you are a published author. Although it does work for some.

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    1. Hi Darlene, I have noticed that when famous authors write under a pseudonym due to changing genre, the real author’s name is always ‘slipped’ to the market so it can be used to leverage the marketing of the new books. I’m delighted you enjoyed this post.

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      1. I think if an author changes genres drastically (ie from children’s books to erotica etc) writing under another name is a good idea. True, we usually know the real name if it’s a famous author. Like JK Rowling and Robert Galbraith.

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    3. Hi Darlene! Thank you for coming. The only time I see a pseudonym necessary is if you’re writing something totally opposite from what you normally write. Like going from erotica to a Christian romance. Those publishers insist on a name change. But I really haven’t seen much of that in my years of being published. Of course, I’ve never read erotica or wanted to. I know romance author Nora Roberts changed her name to J.D. Robb when she started writing crime thrillers and that worked because she also put her real name on those books in a smaller print so there was no guessing. But I wouldn’t want to change my name at all.

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  3. What a surprise and also a great honor, to get introduced to two sisters. Both are writing wonderful stories. Congratulations and many thanks fo both of them, for fantastic entertainment and often helpful distraction from this sometimes too real life. Thanks, Robbie! Best wishes, Michael – One more reason to read the stories of the two in comparison? 😉

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    3. Michael, I’m so glad to meet you. Thanks for coming. You should listen to us when we talk on the phone or in person. It’s non-stop. We barely take a breath. We share everything and it comes in really handy having someone to help me get out of a corner I’ve written myself into. Jan has wonderful ideas. I’ve written a lot longer than she has but even before she started writing, we always talked about my books and story ideas. I think our writing styles are very different. You’re welcome to compare.

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  4. I loved this interview. So I unusual to have two writing sisters interviewed together, and such interesting answers.

    I love Jan’s posts on Story Empire. They are always helpful.

    I agree in principle with the importance of getting your manuscript professionally edited, but in practice, that’s often a financial impossibility. Instead, I used an online critique group, that is very good. It’s composed of other authors. I have my books published with an independent publisher, who does editing as part of the process of publishing, so I’m lucky in that respect. But one problem with the critique group is that you only get one chapter posted at a time, and many critiquers haven’t read the other chapters, so don’t get a full overview. However, in my case, I have several people who crit each chapter I write, so I do get feedback on plot holes etc.

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    2. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment, Viv. When we say it takes a village to produce a book, it is true. Critique groups are so helpful and of course beta-readers as well. Money is often a factor plus finding a legitimate editor. Have a great day and again, thank you for adding to the conversation.

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    3. Hi Viv, I’m so happy you stopped by. I agree that a professional editor can be very costly. It’s great that you have a critique group. In addition to Jan, I too, have a critique partner who usually reads all my work. And, Jan and I both use an editor who charges by the page instead of by the word so she’s very affordable. Good beta-readers are always an excellent way to get your work edited and don’t cost anything. Then the last thing Jan and I do is to get a proofreader to go over it. So, our stories go through a lot of hands. When I wrote for a traditional publisher for a lot of years, my books went through multiple reads with different people and all I had to do was a final read through. They did everything and that was nice. Good luck to you with your stories.

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    2. Carol, it’s wonderful to have you join us. I’m glad you enjoyed what Jan and I have to say. I’ve been a book addict for a very long time and I love how stories add depth to our lives. There’s a quote that goes something like, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies and a person who never reads lives only one.” I think it would be sad to only live one life. Have a good day.

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    2. Andrew, thanks for stopping by. I agree with you. Rushing doesn’t get you the desired results you’d hoped for. You have to take your time to get a story right and that applies to every creative endeavor I think, be it writing books/songs, painting a picture, or singing.

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    2. Great to see you, Craig. I’m so glad you came to learn a little more about us. Even as kids, Jan and I discussed books and if they happened to be mysteries we were halfway into, we tried to figure out the ending. Sometimes I peeked at the back but not usually.

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    1. Robbie, I agree with Jan. Thank you for hosting us and giving us an outlet to talk about writing and our books. When we both finished our stories at the same time, it just made sense to release together. Of course, the Bronte sisters were the first sister writers, but there truly aren’t that many.

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    2. Tim, it’s great to have you. Thanks for coming over to read more tidbits of Jan’s and my life and experiences. My stories wouldn’t be the same without my sister’s input. Even when I wrote for a traditional publisher for all those years, Jan and I discussed stories and when I wrote myself into a corner, she helped me find a way out.

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    1. So very true, Dave. When self-publishing became so easy, the reading market got flooded with sub-par work. I think all these many years later, we’ve finally gained some ground and respect as indie authors. Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment.

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    2. Dave, it’s a joy to see you again. Even when I wrote for a traditional publisher for all those years, my stories went through four different people for a read-through. Plus me. I loved their level of commitment to producing quality books. Even as an Indie author now, my stories are read multiple times and I have a great editor that Jan introduced me to that I trust completely. Good luck to you, Dave.

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    2. Merril, it’s great to have you. Even as kids, Jan and I loved discussing books and what we loved about each. I truly don’t think you can be a successful writer unless you’re a reader first. Reading has taught me so much. Just seeing how other writers put certain words together to create tension and suspense is worth more than sitting in a classroom. Jan and I grew up with few friends so usually it was just us. I love and respect her so much.

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      1. Hi Linda, I agree about reading. I can’t remember a day I haven’t read at least a few pages of a book. I don’t discuss books with my sisters, but I do with my grown kids. I’m in two book clubs with our daughter (one she runs).

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        2. Merril, your comment about not going one day without reading at least a few pages of a book reminds me of what Elvis once said. He never went one day without a song. I think stories and songs are always with us. A huge thanks to the angels.

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    2. Jacqui, seeing your name pop up brings so much joy. Fairy tales were so dark and I didn’t know until several years ago that they were political in nature for the times. I wonder if those contributed to night terrors that Jan used to have. She’d wake up in the middle of the night screaming her head off. And since, we usually slept together, her screams would undo me. Interesting to ponder. I was glad when she outgrew them. Yes, Writers Helping Writers is invaluable and I refer to parts of it often.

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  17. Liz, thanks for coming! I agree about the violence in fairy tales. Even in Hansel and Gretel, the wicked witch tried to put them into the oven. And though not really violent, in Cinderella, the stepsisters were quite mean to her. The poems also were sort of violent. Rock a Bye Baby has the baby falling to the ground along with the cradle. I guess it’s perspective. Those were violent times back when they were written with people getting beheaded almost on a daily basis. Have a blessed day.

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  18. More great questions and answers! I agree editing is the important thing for a new writer to get done before publishing. Love your early reading choices, too! Look forward to our visit in a couple days. Thanks for hosting, Robbie xo

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      2. Roberta, your comment reminds me of a woman I once knew who lined every single wall in her house with books, even the bathroom. We often joked that if it weren’t for those hundreds and hundreds of books, her house would fall down. It was an older one and not in good shape so that joke wasn’t too far-fetched. I’ve never seen so many books in one house.

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  21. I’ve made it to most of the blog stops along the way for Linda and Jan. These interviews are a great way to learn more about others and what connections we may share with someone else. My first series, which I stuck with all the way, was the Hardy Boys. Looking back years later, the books were not particularly well written, though the plots were interesting. On the other hand, I developed a love for reading through this series.

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    2. Thanks for stopping by and adding to the conversation, Pete. Linda and I read every one of the Hardy Boys AND the Nancy Drew mysteries. Loved them! They may not have been well written, but we didn’t know or care. We just loved the stories. 🙂

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    3. Pete, Jan and I both read every one of those Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew that we could find. As kids we didn’t know what good writing was, but we did understand good storytelling and that was most important. Thank you so much for following us along.

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  22. How cool, a dual interview. Thank you Robbie!

    And Thank you and Congratulations to Jan and Linda! This is a wonderful approach to a book release. I love togetherness, and this kind of together, sisters by birth or sisters by friendship, is just what this world needs more of.

    Thank you to all, and ay you sell many books!

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        1. Hi Resa, I am busy finalising the first book in a trilogy of cake art / baking books. I have 5 different poetry books in progress as well as this year’s Tanka Sunflower anthology. I also have another collection of short stories in progress. 💗

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  23. It was interesting to see what Jan and Linda liked as children. I enjoyed Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew and Wuthering Heights, but I didn’t like The Grapes of Wrath at all. I think I was too immature when I read it. Anyway, I recently read both A Bold Bargain and Cade’s Quest and loved them!

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  26. I’ve been enjoying these interviews. I read all the Nancy Drew books but only a couple of the Hardy Boys, and I can’t remember why. The Bobbsey Twins were also a favorite. I can just imagine your mom’s shocked expression over the Hell’s Angels book, Jan, lol. Thanks for hosting, Robbie!

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