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Liz Faraim is here today as part of her OWL blogtour for Stitches and Sepsis, the second in her brilliant Vivian Chastain series. Welcome back, Liz!

You can read her visit to talk about Canopy, the first in series here!

Howdy. My name is Liz Faraim. I am the author of the Vivian Chastain series. I thought I’d take a moment to answer some questions that I get asked a lot. Enjoy!

• What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever done in the name of research?

While researching Stitches and Sepsis I had to do extensive research on how sepsis impacts the body and what types of medical intervention might happen while hospitalized with it. I spent many hours watching videos on how to insert and remove foley catheters, nasogastric feeding tubes, and IVs. Also, don’t do an internet search for images of septic wounds (or do?).

• Have you ever taken a trip to research a story? Tell me about it.

Yes! I have hiked every single one of the trails that I write about, I have ridden my motorcycle on every one of the routes described in the series, and I have run every jogging route too. I like to write about places I can describe in detail, which is why Vivian stays mostly in northern California.

• What do you do when you get writer’s block?

Writer’s block hits me every time I reach the midpoint and end of each manuscript. Breaking the writer’s block sometimes means taking a writing break for a few weeks to re-read familiar novels or just wallow in self-loathing before getting back to the keyboard.

• Do you use a pseudonym? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, I use a pseudonym. I chose to do this because I work in a very conservative and heavily scrutinized field for my day job, and for me to feel truly free to write what I want to write, I need to do it under a different name.

• If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Liz, just as you assumed, not everybody is going to like your work (including family). But do it anyway. You don’t have to please everyone. Write what you want, because someone out there will connect with it.

• Do you ever base your characters on real people? If so, what are the pitfalls you’ve run into doing so?

Yes, I have based a few characters on people I have come into contact with over the years. The only pitfall I have run in to so far is that the person I based the character Bear on (who plays a much larger role in book three) passed away before my books were published. Bear was my best friend, and we used to do writing exercises where we’d each write an excerpt and pass the story back and forth, continually adding to it. I know she would be so proud of me for finally getting published. I just wish she had lived long enough to read about herself in my books.

• How long on average does it take you to write a book?

It depends! Whatever project I happen to be working on during National Novel Writing Month gets wrapped up in about six to eight weeks. If I am writing any other time of the year it takes about six months. I balance a demanding day job and solo parenting, so I don’t have much time to dedicate solely to writing.

• What do you do if you get a brilliant idea at a bad time?

This happens all the time! I have random notes stored in my phone, on sticky notes on my desk, and scribbled on note pads. One thing I have to get better about is giving more context when I make a note for myself, because the current sticky note on my desk just says “gloves,” “daffodils” and “foghorn.” I think I know what I was trying to say, but who knows!

Liz has a prize draw as part of the Stitches and Sepsis launch! Win a $20 giftcard!