Meet Linda or LV Ditchkus | Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Linda or LV Ditchkus and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Linda or LV, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When I retired from my work as a banking supervisor, Certified Public Accountant, and consultant, I wondered how to use my time in a way that would feed my creative energy. I thought about some of the typical crafts like mosaics and needlework. But ultimately, I decided to rely on a skill I’d used for my entire life—writing. While I’d spent my career teaching and writing technical topics, I’d dabbled in creative writing since I was a teen. Like any new endeavor, I didn’t know how much I didn’t know. Over the last nearly ten years, I’ve taken writing craft workshops, networked with other authors, and spent countless hours writing and editing my work. I released my first novel in 2020, followed by three more in that series and one in a new series over the next three years. Being a published author isn’t just about writing a book and releasing it to the world, it’s about getting it into the hands of readers. That takes commitment to marketing. All published authors must develop a business mindset to promote their work.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Getting kudos from organizations you respect go a long was in keeping me motivated. When I was in the financial arena, receiving my Certified Public Account credential and my Doctor of Business Administration degree gave me personal satisfaction. In my writing career I felt similar gratification when my Sasquatch series received the first-place award for Science Fiction from the Colorado Authors League. All these accomplishments have taken hard work and dedication. Over the course of my life, I’ve sacrificed time that could have been spent with friends and family. But, hopefully, I’ve done enough to show these special people that they are a priority as well. My time spent teaching and project management in the international arena has helped me to hone my listening skills and seek out positions that satisfy the broadest range of affected parties. That being said, I enjoy tossing out controversial topics and hear a broad range of views. My latest book, Chrom Y Returns, imagines a future world where there have been no men for the past 200 years. It considers what might have changed if only females made up our population—including attitudes toward violence, social control, and sexual relationships. Early reviews indicate this book can provoke strong feelings about this “one perspective.” That’s the main reason I wrote Chrom Y—to get readers thinking about what makes us male or female (i.e., besides the obvious physical differences) and whether the roles we’ve established for men and women are innate or imprinted by our society.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Once you’ve visited Salida, Colorado it’s tough to leave. My husband and I moved here from Denver over a dozen years ago and can’t imagine living anywhere else. Salida has the best combination of weather, mountain scenery, and outdoor activities. The area boasts of hundreds of trail miles begging to be hiked, mountain biked, cross country skied, or snowshoed. We have a top-notch, family-friendly ski area only 25 minutes away at Monarch Mountain and five of Colorado 14ners at our doorstep. Whether it’s gold medal trout fishing in the rivers and streams or browsing the historic downtown shopping district, visitors will find endless things to do in Salida. On top of all that, the folks who live here are friendly and helpful. Maybe it’s because we’re living in one of the best places on the planet.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am involved with two incredible critique groups who have been instrumental in my writing journey. The first is Speculative Fiction Writers Association (https://specficwriters.com/) and the other is a critique group sponsored by the Central Colorado Writers (https://www.ccwriters.org/). Through these groups, I’ve met inspirational and talent authors who are dedicated to sharing knowledge and experiences. They’ve helped me to hone my writing skills and directed me to spaces where I can expand my skills (e.g., workshops, writing craft books, and organizations designed to help authors). So many new authors write their books in isolation and only receive feedback about their writing from close friends or family. While these early opinions are helpful, they’re probably not entirely honest because these reviewers don’t want to hurt the writer’s feelings. Also, they don’t have the background to explain why something isn’t working or to identify craft flaws like plot holes or conflicting character behaviors. Having a strong critique group who is supportive but honest can make all the difference in learning how to write. I’ve been fortunate to belong to two phenomenal groups who have moved me forward in my writing journey and I am eternally grateful for them.

Website: https://www.lvditchkus.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-l-v-ditchkus-9118337/

Twitter: @lvditchkus

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SasquatchSeries

Image Credits
LV Ditchkus