Meet Donna Steele of Greensboro

Today we’d like to introduce you to Donna Steele.

Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
Well, I’m a writer. I knew I made up stories in my head forever, but when I retired to write full-time and downsized, I found a manuscript I wrote when I was seven, so it’s what I am and do. No one was allowed to read what I wrote, no one! Fast forward until my children weren’t babies and The X-Files premiered. I started on fan fiction, but only for myself, until a friend accidentally got hold of a story and read it. Mortification! But she loved it and asked for another. So with a fan base of one, I continued until she posted some of my stories online without telling me. Fanmail is how I knew it had happened. This was in 1998. I continued with that until a fellow writer yanked me up and said I had to try to publish something. So, in 2012 I submitted my first book, and Rebel Ink Press picked it up. The rest is in history. I’ve published 43 books through Rebel, Soulmate Publishing, and self-publishing. I have ten books that have been “written” and are now in various editing stages. No plans to quit because it’s what I am.

We all face challenges, but would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has been challenging and always an upward progression. The fear of being read was strong with me. I was writing for myself – the stories I couldn’t find. I write paranormal and science fiction romance, and now some contemporary ones. I do love the happy ending. Life gets in the way. I worked full-time, had two kids, and had real-life obstacles. My parents aged and had to be cared for, but it was always there to take me away when I got a few minutes for myself. Getting my name out there even to be read is much harder than people realize, especially if you’re not with one of the big publishers. I’m not a marketer, though I have to act in that capacity way too much. I’d love to hide in my office and write.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As I said, I write paranormal and science-fiction romance novels. Writing is part of me whether or not people read it. I love that my characters – now that I share them – bring joy, excitement, or anticipation to other people. I love the support of the writing community, women helping women. You don’t find that as much in corporate life. My characters are my strength, and I hope they come across as three-dimensional to others as they do to me. They seem to be by my fan mail.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
My passion for the work is real. When someone asks me if I’ve written a book, I must hold it in rather than scare them. I never could talk in front of people, but now talking about writing or a specific book, or my ‘process,’ I can do it with a smile.

Pricing:

• The first book in my series are usually $.99 to give them a good reason to start.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.steelestories.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donnah1013/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steelestories/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donna-steele-honeycutt-ab7a1b32/https://www.bookbub.com/profile/donna-steele
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/steele_donna
• Other: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/donna-steele 

Image Credits
Joshua Hime