We had the good fortune of connecting with Jan Sikes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jan, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I openly admit to the world that I never intended to be a writer. It was never a burning goal or desire. But I had a story that had to be told. I thought someone else would come along and tell it but I awoke one morning to the realization that I was the only one who could tell it, as I was the only one there during all of it. So, I got busy. I took creative writing classes and tackled the huge project. It took me four books to tell the entire true story. It chronicles the life of a Texas musician and his love… me. I am a character in the books and that is the exact reason I chose to tell the stories through fictitious characters. It allowed me to take a step back and let the created characters tell it.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am so super proud to be able to add the moniker, “Award-Winning Author” to my name. To have my books win top prizes in competitions has been the most rewarding part of this journey. When complete strangers read and vet my books with a #1 spot in a competition, then I feel like I’ve succeeded in my job of telling a story in a compelling and polished way. I published my first book in 2013. Since then I have published four novels, one book of poetry and art and nine short stories. And now, I am thrilled to announce that I have been picked up by a traditional publishing company, The Wild Rose Press, to publish a three-book series, The White Rune Series. I am looking forward to learning what it’s like to work hand-in-hand with a publisher, as I’ve published all of my other works as an Indie Author.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
One of my favorite places to visit in the DFW area is Love and War in Plano. Not only do they have great food, but wonderful Texas music artists to entertain! Another spot that I would love to take friends is Poor David’s Pub in Dallas. It is a small nightclub, but the atmosphere is a listening room and it’s one of my favorite spots to hear the songwriters perform acoustically. Other non-music related places I enjoy are the Perot Museum, the JFK Museum, and the Dallas zoo.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are many people, groups, and organizations that I can thank for my current level of success as an award-winning author. The first organization I joined after publishing my second book was The Texas Associaton of Authors. It was an organization dedicated to helping authors with the marketing aspect of their work. Let me tell you, that is the hardest part of this whole creative business. With over one million new book titles added to Amazon yearly, trying to get your book noticed is extremely difficult! So, I learned a plethora of invaluable information through TxAuthors over the years. I am still a member, but the name has been changed to Authors Marketing Guild, as it is now a worldwide organization. Another person I have to give a shout-out to is my sister. Not only did she hold my hand through the entire writing process, but she encouraged me when I lost hope and helped me in uncountable ways. Linda Broday is a NY Times and USA Today Bestselling author, and yes, she is my sister. One more big shout-out has to go to an international book club that has supported, promoted, read, and reviewed my books! The Rave Reviews Book Club is the most beneficial organization I have been associated with, as far as gaining new readers and many reviews for my books.

Website: http://www.jansikes.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sikesjan/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jansikes/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JanSikes3
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJanSikesBooks
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC__OEL3TxJ2MV5eYkUdz_7w?
Other: Blogsite: http://www.jansikesblog.com

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