Today we’d like to introduce you to Mindy Burbidge Strunk.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have always been an avid reader. When I was a senior in high school, Pride and Prejudice was required reading for my English class. I fell in love with it almost from the first chapter. And while all the other girls were swooning over Mr. Bingley, I was 100% team Darcy. After high school, I went on to college, where I majored in history with a double emphasis in American and European history (a lot of my classes were in English and French history). I continued to read, but it wasn’t until many years later that I discovered Regency Romances-I was hooked.
One day I was reading a book, and I remember thinking, what would happen if the heir to a dukedom had moved to America? Could an American take over the title? I couldn’t stop thinking about what that storyline might look like. After several months, I started writing it, just to get it out of my head. I worked on that book for years while I raised my kids. I’d write at night once they went to bed. Still, I’m not sure I really thought I’d ever publish it. I wasn’t a writer. I was just writing one story.
After many, many years, I actually told my sister about the book in passing, and she asked if I was going to publish it. No. I wasn’t a writer. But after we hung up, the question kept coming back to me. I had no idea how I’d even go about it.
Several years later, my sister told me about a writers’ conference that she’d heard about. I signed up while I still felt brave. After all, it was only a one-day conference at UVU. It wasn’t too far from my house. How scary could it be?
I went to the conference, and it was only marginally scary. But I learned a few things, and it was a positive experience. While I was there, I learned about another conference that takes place in Provo every year in May.
This conference was so much scarier. There were so many people there who surely knew more than I did. And they were probably actual writers…unlike me.
That conference was like trying to drink from a fire hose. There was so much information I couldn’t even process it all. I drove home each night both overwhelmed and optimistically excited. One thing I did learn at that conference was that if you write, you’re a writer—even if you don’t feel like you are. I still have to remind myself of that.
I met some amazing people at that conference who were newer writers like me. Several of them became part of my first critique group. Together we published a MAP (multi-author project), and I published my first book, Mistaken Identity. I learned a lot about writing. I learned a lot about traditional publishing. I also learned a lot about indie publishing. I gained the information I needed to know that indie publishing was the path I needed to take. Not long after publishing Mistaken Identity, I published An American in Duke’s Clothing-the book I had been writing for more than six years. Within the next year, I started writing full time. Over the last eight years, I have written and published nearly thirty novels and novellas in two genres-Regency romance and romantic comedy.
It’s only been the last few years that I’ve realized I have always had stories running through my head. I guess I just never knew that’s what they were? Or maybe I just didn’t realize that it was unique. I just figured everyone thought like I did—that everyone fell asleep with characters talking to each other. But apparently, that’s just a writer thing.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I wouldn’t say the road has been smooth. Writing is hard. Sometimes the story doesn’t go like I think it should. Characters take on a mind of their own, and vary rarely bend to my will. There are also times when I just don’t feel creative. But deadlines don’t care about any of those things. So, I’ve had to learn to push through them.
Writing is a very solitary job. Outside of a critique group, the only feedback I get is from readers. That feedback isn’t always what I hope for because I love my stories and my characters. So someone saying they didn’t like it, sometimes feels personal, which I know it’s not. I understand that my books won’t appeal to everyone, but it’s hard to see that spelled out in a review. It’s easy to internalize bad reviews and take them as the norm, rather than the exception. Even after eight years of writing, sometimes I let reviews define me as a writer.
The road of indie publishing is anything but smooth. The bumps are more often ruts that are deep and long. It seems like just when you start to figure it all out, algorithms change, or popular tropes change, and it’s back to learning everything again. The hardest part of being an indie author is that I’m running a small business. Everything is on me. Creative content, marketing, advertising, publishing, finding editing contractors, cover contractors, and narrators is all part of my job. I don’t have a whole team backing me up and dividing the load. I carry it all. So if something falls along the wayside, it’s on me. That can be a lot of pressure. But it also offers a lot of flexibility.
I wouldn’t want it any other way. If things were always easy, it would be harder for me to relate to my characters. Then what would I write about?
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I write clean, just-kisses historical and contemporary romance. My books are full of fun, witty banter, real-life problems, and most importantly, happily-ever-afters. Readers get all the feels of a romance without having to read explicit content.
I’m proud to say that moms and daughters can read my books together, because there isn’t any inappropriate content for teenage readers. I hope that when readers finish my books, they feel happier than when they started them, and that life won’t seem quite so hard…at least for a few hours.
For as hard as writing is sometimes, I can’t imagine doing anything else. I love what I do. I love the people I’ve met along the way-both fellow authors and fellow readers. I feel very blessed that this is my job.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
I think the most important lesson I’ve learned is that trials and hardship are universal. I have no idea what most people I encounter are enduring. I have no idea if the person behind me in the grocery store just received a dire medical diagnosis. Or maybe they are going through a divorce. Maybe someone just ran into their car, or they have a really sick kid and are dealing with it on their own. I have no idea.
I just know that I don’t need to be another hard part of their day, so I try to smile and just be kind.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mindyburbidgestrunk.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormindyburbidgestrunk/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindyburbidgestrunk/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mindyburbidgestrunk7846
