Calgary author publishes nine books in a year

CALGARY, Alberta - Oct. 8, 2014 - PRLog -- P. D. Workman has been writing novels for three decades, but you may not have read any of her work. Up until a year ago, she had not sought to have any of them published. That all changed in October 2013, when she published Looking Over Your Shoulder, a mystery novel about a jewel heist with a main character with paranoid schizophrenia. Since then, Workman has published six more books, with another to come out later this month, and a ninth in December.

But that’s not all. When Workman sat down to catalogue her novels last year, she had written forty-two. She has written several more since that time.

“My plan is to write at least three books per year, and to publish six per year.” At that rate, it will take Workman fourteen years to get her entire backlist published. “The older stuff takes a lot more work to edit and get ready for publication than my recent work,” Workman confides. “I’ve grown a lot as a writer and learned a lot more about the craft in the last few years. Some of my older works need extensive rewriting before they are ready for publication.”

Writing three new novels per year may sound daunting, but Workman shrugs it off. “I generally write a 100,000-word novel (about 350 pages) in about 21 days. Of course that’s just the first draft; it still needs to go through several drafts after that, then proofing, formatting, etc. So three or four a year is pretty comfortable when I’m rewriting and editing at least three other books a year. Publishing and marketing also take time.”

Most of Workman’s published work is young adult contemporary, though there are a few more adult books to come. In describing her work, she says: “Generally, I write young adult and suspense fiction about mental illness, addiction, and abuse.” Workman’s subject range extends to other disabilities, homelessness, foster care, crime, poverty, and other social issues.

“I want to shine a light on the lives led by kids and adults outside the mainstream. And I want to do it in an engaging and entertaining way. It’s one thing to read a headline or infographic or even listen to a lecture about kids in foster care being abused. It’s another to immerse yourself in Ruby’s story and to see the world through her eyes. Or through the eyes of Henry, Justine, Steven, Tamara, or Bobby. They expand your experience and become a part of you.” Workman goes on to say: “By becoming aware, we start to make small changes within our spheres of influence. Those little changes add up, and can change the lives of real kids and adults who have previously been marginalized.”

It’s a tall order, but Workman appears to be up to the challenge

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About P. D. Workman

P. D. Workman is a devout wife and a mother of one, born and raised in Alberta, Canada. She is a homeschooler and an Executive Assistant. She has a passion for art and nature, creative cooking for special diets, and running. She loves to read, to listen to audio books, and to share books out loud with her family. She is a technology geek with a love for all kinds of gadgets and tools to make her writing and work easier and more fun. In person, she is far less well-spoken than on the written page and tends to be shy and reserved with all but those closest to her.

P. D. Workman can be reached through pdworkman.com.

Pamela Workman (403) 808-2550

info@pdworkman.com

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About P. D. Workman’s books

P. D. Workman’s initial publications can be found at any of the major online book sellers or ordered by your local bookstore. They are:

Looking Over Your Shoulder - A victim of late-onset paranoid schizophrenia, Abe is losing his family as well as his mind. In the wake of one of the largest successful jewel heists in history, Abe is certain the jewel thieves are out to get him.  But are they really, or is he just losing the battle against his inner demons? ISBN: 9780992153915

Deviation (Breaking the Pattern #1) - Everyone knew that he was a good guy; geeky, responsible, hard-working.  Henry has had a lot to deal with in the past, and now he is hindered by abuse, the challenge of raising his baby brother while dealing with his mother’s deep depressions, and the return of a ghost from the past Henry has tried his best to forget. ISBN: 9780992153922

Ruby, Between the Cracks - If you asked Ruby, she'd tell you she's happy with her life.  She's tough and independent and doesn't depend on anyone else.  But the road that has led her here has not been easy, and she's blocked a lot of it from her memory. ISBN: 9780992153953

Stand Alone - Is Justine crazy? Everyone thinks so, but Justine can’t give up her sense of who she is—someone far different than the loving daughter Em expects her to be—to just fit in and be happy. She is sure that Em secretly holds the key to who Justine really is. But if she does, Em isn’t talking. ISBN: 9780992153984

Diversion (Breaking the Pattern #2) - Raised to a life of crime, Sandy is a teenage prostitute, junkie, and con artist. She always joked that at least her Da taught her a trade. But things keep getting more complicated, more dangerous, and Sandy doesn't want to admit even to herself that she longs for an honest, normal life. ISBN: 9780993768712

Tattooed Teardrops - “I don’t plan on getting in any trouble.” Tamara had thought that when she got out of juvie, things would be easier. But before long, it seems like her life is spiraling into chaos. If she can’t prove to her probation officer that she is innocent of the allegations against her, she’s going back to prison, and Tamara just can’t let that happen. ISBN: 9780993768750

Don’t Forget Steven - He never told what went on behind closed doors. Things never have been easy for Steven. But just when he thought things couldn't get much worse, they did. Steven is accused of murder. But that isn't the worst part. The really bad part is not even knowing if he did it. ISBN: 9780993768781

Those Who Believe (for release later this month) - On the run from Social Services and others who do not understand their beliefs, Nathan and his mom, faith-healer Billie Ashbury move into yet another a new town. Nathan is struggling to reconcile his wavering faith with what his devoted mother has taught him from the cradle, and his life could depend on what he decides. ISBN: 9781926500089

By-Pass (Breaking the Pattern #3) (planned release December 2014) - Bobby is a geeky teen who is convinced that his new foster mom Katya is everything he has ever hoped for; but as her behavior becomes more and more unpredictable and disturbing, he comes to realize that both he and Katya’s daughter Zane are in big trouble. ISBN: 9781926500126