Author Interview – JD Wylde

J.D. Wylde

What does love mean to you? Besides what’s already been chronicled in 1 Corinthians 13, written in ballads and played out on the silver screen, love to me… well, it is unconditional. It’s the certainty that someone can know me, can see me at my best – or at my worst – see all my flaws, my shortcomings, and still care for me. It allows them to see a goddess where an ordinary woman stands. It’s amazing. It’s magical. It’s the essence of life.

What is your favorite quote, by whom, and why? It would have to be, “Two roads diverged in a wood path, and I— I took the one less travelled by. And that has made all the difference,” from The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost.

It was required reading in an English class in high school, but as I read it back then, the words reached out to my heart and my soul. They became my mantra, my personal roadmap as I walked down my own road of Life. They came back to inspire me when I was at a crossroads, uncertain of which path to take, and they’ve been a constant companion when I look back and do so with a smile on my face. Yes, that road less travelled-by has made all the difference.

What is your greatest strength as a writer? My greatest personal strength as a writer is my stubborn determination. I do not give up. My greatest strength in writing is probably my characters. They, too, do not give up. I think they’re realistic, believable, and they have a core of inner strength they regularly draw from. They overcome the obstacles and hurdles. I guess we’re a lot alike that way.

Do you have any advice for writers? Yes! Find your own personal stubborn determination streak. Never give up. Perfect your craft, and that means reading other works in your genre. Join local writing groups. Surround yourself with others who share your same dream. Absorb their enthusiasm; instill them with your own energy. Take on-line courses, and keep writing. Keep going, learning, getting better and better, and DON’T GIVE UP!

How do I unwind and relax? A walk in the mountains is a good way. There’s something to be said for looking out over the vast array of ridges and knowing how infinitely small I am compared to the rest of the planet that puts my life, my problems and concerns in perspective. And it reminds me how blessed I am to be able to see such rugged beauty.

I unwind watching the sun set on the lakeshore. I sit by its edge and listen to the rhythm of the waves as they lap up onto the shore. And I wait in anticipation as the bright orange ball that defines our solar system descends toward the water’s edge, reminding me another day is over. As it gets nearer and nearer, I lean closer… listening… and I imagine the sizzle as it kisses the cool water before slipping beneath the surface. Another day is over. Did I live it to the fullest? I hope so. And if I didn’t, I see the streaks of peach and purple and yellow striate the sky afterward; a gentle reminder, there’s hope for tomorrow, and I breathe a little easier.