Interview With Aspiring Author Angela Darling

Hello bloggity bloggers! 

It's been a while since I've done an Aspring Author Interview, so without further ado, here is the awesome Angela Darling from Chasing Fairydust.  Angela is so awesome, she has TWO blogs.  The other is all about yummy cocktail concoctions and 20-something dreams.

1.      When did you realize you wanted to be an author?

I have always loved writing. When I was in elementary school and finished my work early, I would always write stories. I just never believed in my writing enough to think about publishing it. Finally, when I met my bf (he's an illustrator), he looked at me one day and said, "Why don't you try to do this for real?" So, I just thought, what do I have to lose? I could spend a lifetime wondering what it would be like to do it, or I could actually give it a whirl. So, here I am, trying to make my childhood dreams come true.

2.      What genre do you like to write?
 
Most of my novels are a cross-breed of realistic fiction and fantasy. My characters usually deal with situations that we all have gone through as children and teens, but their thoughts tend to bleed into the world of fantasy.

 3.      What authors inspire you?

Without a doubt, Jerry Spinelli is my favorite author. Every single time I finish one of his books, I'm left with that warm and fuzzy feeling that I want to do something to make the world a better place. I also love Sarah Dessen.

4.      How often do you write?

I tend to write in spurts.  I'll go a week writing every single blessed day. Then I'll go another 2 weeks without writing a word. I write when I feel inspired to do so. If I don't feel much of anything, I pop in a movie and plop down with a big ole bag of chips and french onion dip. After a good movie, I can get back to thinking creatively.

 5.      Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Both -  I usually start out with an emotion, that develops into a scene. Then, sometimes I want to know exactly where I'm going with it and other times I just go with the flow.

6.      Where do you write best, and do you listen to music while you write?

I seem to do my best work in the middle of the night (I'm a bit of an insomniac.) When I'm all tucked in under my covers with my laptop and a movie playing in the background, that's when I seem to write something that I won't throw into the trash two seconds later. If I write during the day (which is rare) I listen to some creation of Danny Elfman. His compositions get the writing juices going.

 7.      What is on your TBR pile?
 
 WAY. TOO. MUCH!! At every store I make the mistake of going down the book aisle - such a dangerous move for my bank account. Just like the last aspiring author you interviewed, I have an addiction to buying books. Sitting on my nightstand right now you'd find Oh My Gods, The Summoning, The Secrets of Peaches, Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer, Beach Blondes, and Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism. I swear my nightstand's going to crumble under the weight of all the books one of these days. That's not including a pile of books on the floor.

8.      If Stephanie Meyer and JK Rowling got in a cat fight, who would win?

Hmm... I think Meyer would try to clench her teeth into JK. But, my girl JK would wave a wand at her and cast a spell on Meyer that would give her writers block. With the fate of teens no longer knowing whether to drool over vampires and werewolves, the school of Hogwarts prevails. JK continues to write her fantastic stories and Daniel Radcliffe eventually becomes way too old to be playing a teenie bopper. JK ends up the richest woman that will ever live. 

9.      What is your “day” job?

By day, I'm a sub elementary teacher and sub school librarian, and by night and weekend (get your head out of the gutter) I am a server. I hope that changes to full-time school librarian ASAP, because I'm going to freak if one more person complains about a "mysterious curly red hair in the food". Funny, dear customer, you have curly red hair. Hmmm.... perhaps, and I'm just going out on a limb here, perhaps that hair is yours! Oh, yeah, it's definitely time to hang up the ole apron.

10.  What can you not leave home without? (cell phones are off limits- NO ONE can leave home without one of those)

Chapstick is a must. I cannot live without it. I should own stock. I also carry about a zillion hair ties in my purse. I'm a sporty girl and never know when I'll need to whip up that hair. I'm always up for a pick-up game (except for basketball.. just leave me on the sidelines... unless the goal really ISN'T to get any points. I'm really good at that! haha)

 11.  Mac or PC?

I love MAC's. I've had fewer problems with them. Plus, the majority of schools I work in use them.

12.  Favorite dessert?

Try not to die of shock, I don't really care for sweets. I'm a salty girl. The only dessert I usually request is jello poke cake. YUM!

13.  Favorite desert?

One that has magical unicorns that fly you to water and food.. yeah, I know, that was a really random thought.

14.  Where is your dream vacation?

I'd like to spend a few months in Greece. Any place with that much history and romance is bound to conjure up some serious creativity.

15.  Finally, link us to your website, blog, fb, twitter and anything else you might like to shamelessly plug for yourself J

     If you'd like to drop by and say hello, you can find me at http://chasingfairydust.blogspot.com/

Thanks so much Abby for taking the time to interview me. This was fun! Hugs n' Squishes :)