Darci J Steiner Interview Published on: 21, Jan 2022
Tell us a little bit about your life growing up.
I have four siblings, two brothers and two sisters. We grew up in Wheatridge and Lakewood, Colorado. We’re Norwegian, so we had to get a Norwegian Elkhound for our family dog. We also had guinea pigs, a rabbit, and a cute rat named Skeeter. My dad was an elementary art teacher, and Mom stayed home with us. We played sports together all the time and spent our summers outdoors riding our bikes and finding fields to play baseball. Our backyard was our volleyball court. It was fun growing up with several siblings.
As a teenager, what were you obsessed with?Outside of Sean Cassidy and Jimmy McNichol, I spent a lot of time singing in a show choir and Madrigal group. I also was class president my junior and senior years, so I spent an insane amount of time organizing events, fundraisers, dances, and graduations! I loved it!
If you could choose any other profession besides writing, what would it be?Well, I’m a nutritionist also, so that. I love helping people heal from various ailments or lose weight. I’ve had a lot of health issues in my life and natural holistic remedies have helped me more than traditional medicine.
What motivated you to pen your first book?I wrote Beauty Beyond the Thorns and its study guide while recovering from disability. Writing was a distraction from my pain. I took a Bob Goff writing course with direct feedback from Bob, and began writing short chapters like he does. My goal with the books are to help people find the upside of suffering. There are good things that come during hard times, such as a change in direction. If we’re stuck in a job going nowhere, it’s difficult, but it may be what forces us to look for a better job ahead. Suffering causes us to look inward. When we hurt, we are better able to understand others who also are hurting—so, a gift we receive from our suffering is compassion, or empathy.
What did you do with your first advance?It went toward paying off bills I’ve accumulated during the writing and promotion of the book!
When you're not writing or reading, what are some other things you like to do to pass the time?I have two adult daughters and a baby granddaughter. My husband and I get to babysit one day a week and watch our granddaughter grow! This is my favorite thing to do. I also enjoy reading, playing the piano, gardening, studying my Bible, and serving others however I can.
What is your favourite place to eat and what is your favourite item on their menu?Panera’s Green Goddess Salad is heavenly.
Have either of your daughter ever expressed any interest in writing or becoming an author?My youngest wrote a series of books about a wolf pack when she was ten and eleven. We still need to get those to an editor—they are fantastic!
How much time do you set out to write in a day? Do you try to write all 7 days a week or do you like to take days off?I write seven days a week in spurts, then I spend time speaking, podcasting, writing guest articles, and working on promotional projects and book signings. Then back to writing the next book!
Do you have any strange habits or "rituals" you like to do whenever you write?I pray before I write. Since my books are spiritually based, I need to be in tune with the Spirit. I have found my ideas change quite a bit from what I planned, to what He planned. I am a vessel for what He wants to say. I’ve never once had writer’s block. I think it’s because the Spirit always has something to say!!
I switch between typing and writing longhand. Poems and deeper subjects need to be written longhand.
Do you manage your own book promotions and publicity on social media?Yes, everything is in my hands and it’s a lot of work. There’s a learning curve for every aspect of writing, including learning how to promote. I’m always learning something new and I love it!
How has your experience with AllAuthor been so far and would you recommend this website to other authors?AllAuthor has provided me with tools to promote my book and connect with other authors. The mockup tool is my favorite. I love getting my new mockup banner every week and it’s set up ready to tweet. The book cover contest is a great feature to help get exposure for your book. There is a wide variety of benefits to subscribing to AllAuthor—it’s well worth it!
