Interview

I've been asked by children's author, Deb Hockenberry, to answer questions about my writing.
You can visit her blog here.

What am I currently working on?

I work on more than one thing at a time. It helps keep me from getting stuck or bored. My biggest project now is editing (again) my middle grade book, titled Duck and Cover. And, each month I write an article for Two Lane Livin' Magazine.

Why do you write what you write?

A few years ago, I had this urge to write a picture book about picking blackberries. I couldn't get it out of my mind. I found out about a writing group that met in Ripley and decided to go to one of the meetings. I discovered that I didn't really know how to write. But, I kept attending the meetings and my skills and confidence grew. I find I tend to live in the past, so I write from childhood memories. And, I love writing historical fiction - writing about a time before all of these new-fangled inventions and discoveries. I tend to write shorter pieces, so it works great for my love of writing for children.

Describe your writing process.

I sit in my chair and peck away at my laptop. Of course, an idea has to come. Sometimes that is the hardest part of the process, especially when I write articles for children. But, once inspiration hits - my fingers fly across the keyboard - stopping only to do more research. (And to eat, drink, take bathroom breaks and all those other necessary activities) Whenever I write a historical fiction, I do research before I write and if I need to, I continue to research as I write. I don't have any special time of the day or hours of the day that I write. Life sometimes gets in the way of a regular writing routine.


How does your work differ from others in the same genre?

I don't think my work differs from others in the same genre. I write what I know. I write what I am interested in. I write what I don't know and learn along the way.

Do I have a book or anything submitted?

I have several of my manuscripts that I am currently submitting. Still waiting for that acceptance!

I have self published a book, titled FunThrough the Seasons - Recipes, Crafts and Fun Facts for Kids. It is a compilation of my articles, which include easy recipes and crafts, that I write for kids for Two Lane Livin’ Magazine. I have organized the book into months of the year, each section starting out with an original poem about the month. And, I have added more content. It is a great book for preschool to grade school age children. They learn in a fun way.

Well, that's it. I hope you enjoyed the interview.