Monday, May 23, 2011

Aspiring Author Interview with Donea Lee

I don't want to take anything away from Donea's spotlight, but last night a town 30 minutes west from me was leveled by a tornado.  There were many injuries and fatalities and the hospital there was hit badly.  Thankfully it moved south of my town, so we just got the storm.  But in the wake of all the devastation was left this:


I know there are a few double rainbow jokes in your head right now (trust me, we got it all out on facebook last night) but to me today, it symbolizes hope for those who lost everything last night.  My thoughts are with them as they start to pick up the pieces and rebuild their lives.

Now onto cheerier things:

Donea and her daughter
Donea Lee's interview!  Donea is an aspiring writer who loves Buffy The Vampire Slayer just like me.  Need I say more on how awesome she is?  She has a segment on her blog on Fridays called Find the Story Friday, that she's been doing for a long time.  She posts pictures and asks the readers to create a story about the picture.  It's fun to see what people come up with!  I've known Donea for a while now, and in a year I've watched her readership grow and it's so awesome to see a friend do so well in the blogosphere.







Tell us the scoop on how you got into writing novels.
    I really AM that girl who’s written/told stories for as long as I can remember.  Several of them got me into trouble when I was a kid.  Who knows, maybe I’ll write about that someday.  When I was a teen I wrote silly novellas, usually about the shy girl (me) who got the cute popular boy (my latest crush) in the end.  In college and my twenties, I wrote lots of novel starts, but usually got stuck somewhere in the middle.  It was later in life, when I discovered Harry Potter and I started creeping up on the age J.K. Rowling was when her first book came out, that I decided I needed to get serious about my writing.  Yeah, well…I’m still working on the “serious” part.  But, I get a little closer every day!
    What genre do you write?
      I dabble in a little bit of everything.  I’ve written poetry, women’s fiction, a murder mystery or two, and I’ve got (what is, I believe) a great idea for an MG novel, but my focus lately has been a YA magical realism trilogy.
      What authors inspire you?
        I love the epic-ness of Tolkien, even if I did skip over most of the songs…(in my defense, so did Peter Jackson…just sayin’).  I LOVE the magic of Harry Potter.  Rowling created a world I wish with all my heart was real and characters I would love to know.  I love Shannon Hale’s lyrical phrasing, so beautiful, especially in her Goose Girl series.  And then I’ve got to give props to the creative geniuses/authors behind some of my favorite television shows:  Joss Whedon and Bryan Fuller – for their witty dialogue!  I wish I were that clever.
        How often do you write?
          My procrastinating ways still get the best of me from time to time, so I can’t say I write daily.  But, I do write several days a week. 
          Are you a plotter or a pantser?
            A sporadic pantser with aspirations to be a fantastically focused plotter!
            Where do you write best, and do you listen to music while you write?
              I don’t really have a favorite place to write.  When I need to get the words down, I get them down- be it in the car, at work, at home.  And I don’t necessarily need music to write.  I don’t mind having it on.  Often, it gets lost in the background of my thoughts.  But, I can say that certain songs have spurred story ideas.
              What is on your TBR pile?
                SO many great books!  It makes my head swim sometimes.  But, I’ve got The Liar Society, The Scorch Trials, Beautiful Darkness, Cassastar and Matched on hand at the moment.
                If Stephanie Meyer and JK Rowling got in a cat fight, who would win?
                  JK – no question.  However, if we’re talking about their fans…well, let’s just say I’d feel much safer at a HP convention than in the middle of a Team: Edward vs. Team: Jacob rally…
                  What is your “day” job?
                    Is “glorified peon” an acceptable answer to this?  Actually, I’m an administrative assistant/office manager, wishing I could answer “full-time writer” to this question.
                    What can you not leave home without? (cell phones are off limits)
                      My daughter tells me I should answer, “my daughter” to this question, so I’ll go with that. 
                      Mac or PC?
                        I’m not cool enough for a Mac yet… and I kind of want to throw things at my home PC right now.  I’ve got plans to buy my very first laptop anytime now.  Yep, I’ve never had a laptop.  Which explains the “not cool” comment pretty well, right?
                        Favorite dessert?
                          Baked goods.  All of them.
                          Favorite desert?
                            Ack!  I hate the heat.  But, if I have to pick one, I’ll say the desert area around Bouse, AZ, in the spring when the cacti are in bloom.
                            Where is your dream vacation?
                              I LOVE to travel!  I don’t get to do it as often as I’d like, which – let’s face it – would be 350 days a year (taking out holidays and my birthday, when I’d want to be home and close to family, of course.)  Well, maybe not that many days, but A LOT.  And to make this long explanation longer – my ultimate dream vacation would be a nice long European Tour visiting the old castles in Ireland, Scotland and Germany, I’d have to visit every place in Austria The Sound of Music was filmed, visiting the café’s and museums in London and Paris, a spa retreat in Tuscany, ballroom dancing classes in Barcelona, ending with mythology/ancient ruins and pizza/gelato tours in Italy and Greece.  I’m sure I missed something, but that’d be a good start!
                              Finally, link us to your website, blog, fb, twitter and anything else you might like to shamelessly plug for yourself
                                I most often lurk around my blog, which you can find here: The Queen of Procrastination @  http://www.itwillhappenoneday.blogspot.com
                                Thank you so much, Abby!  This is my first official aspiring-author interview and I couldn’t be happier that it will be featured on your blog.  I enjoyed answering these awesome questions.  This is such a wonderful feature on your blog.  It’s so great to get to know a little bit more about all the amazing writers/bloggers in this great writing community of ours.  I don’t forget that you were one of my first followers, and I really appreciate all your thoughtful blog posts, your wonderful comments on my posts and your friendship.  Thanks, again! 
                                *One little thing – a lot of people out there know me as Donea Lee.  Lee is actually my middle name.  Donea Lee Weaver is what they might see on a book someday, if I’m lucky!

                                30 comments:

                                Unknown said...

                                I heard Donea so much! So glad you decided to interview her Abby! Great choice!!!

                                I love that she's written from such a young age! I wish I could have said the same but I guess I was saving myself for all the wonderful people I'd meet later in life!!!

                                I can officially say that I now write every day and that I now consider myself a plotter! It actually feels great too!

                                Donea Lee said...

                                Thanks, again, Abby!! So very sorry about the tornado...how frightening that must have been. I'm glad it missed you, but my hearts go out to the community that was hit. This weather seriously just needs to go away.

                                Michael Di Gesu said...

                                Hi, Abby, Hi, Donea ....

                                What a fun interview. I laughed at your desert favorite... baked goods just about cover it AND everything chocolate of course. LOL.

                                When you get a laptop, get a Macbook. They are the best and you don't have to worry about viruses. Plus you can easily export docs into Word with the touch of a button.

                                I'm on a "I want a IPad kick now.... Hopefully this week. I've got some birthday money itching to be spent.

                                I'd love to hear more about your magical realism trilogy. I have the first book in my magical realism series.

                                Michael

                                Donna K. Weaver said...

                                I love that Jo Rowling inspired you to get serious! Awesome!

                                Sylvia Ney said...

                                I'm swinging by from Donea's blog and now following. Great job on the interview!

                                Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

                                Hey, my book's on a TBR pile!
                                And you're still cool Donea, even without a laptop.

                                Vicki Tremper said...

                                I've read a bunch of your TBR pile - you'll love them!

                                Great to get to know you a little better, Donea. And thank to Abby for sharing you with us.

                                Great interview!

                                Christina Lee said...

                                YEAH Donea--and I'm with you on the twilight convention--hahaha!

                                Colene Murphy said...

                                Ah! YEAY! I love Donea! She's a frikkin rockin' chick! Great interview Abbsy!

                                Southpaw said...

                                We'll see it on a book! I'm sure of it.

                                Anonymous said...

                                Excellent interview, Abby, that helped me know Donea better. I met her in the past but hadn't seen her for a while. When she commented today on my post, I came over here to read the interview and, as it turned out, to meet you. It's great what you do here on your blog: highlight many different writers, some published, some hoping to be published in the not too distant future. Good Job, as my daughter Jen would say!
                                Ann Best, Memoir Author

                                Anonymous said...

                                Great interview! I found this blog from a post Donea did on her blog.

                                Meredith said...

                                Aw, I love Donea! Such great answers--I'd love to go on that European Tour. And I would feel much safer at an HP convention, too...

                                alexia said...

                                Great interview ladies! I am so with you on the European tour.

                                KM Nalle said...

                                Great interview. I love that JK inspired you to get serious. PS, can I tag along in your suitcase for that vacation? I won't be any trouble. I promise. :)

                                ali cross said...

                                I love this interview! Donea you are so fun and witty. Loved your answers!

                                Thanks Abby!

                                Jennifer Hillier said...

                                Awesome interview!

                                "A sporadic pantser with aspirations to be a fantastically focused plotter!" --> ME TOO!

                                Bossy Betty said...

                                Great interview! Very inspiring....

                                David P. King said...

                                A lovely interview you conducted!

                                Donea has a good head about this business. I'll have to check out her blog now.

                                Anonymous said...

                                Lovely interview! So nice getting to know Donea even better.

                                P.S. My thoughts and prayers for your community and those who've suffered such devastation from this tornado.

                                Michelle Merrill said...

                                What a great interview! Love the magical realism writing and along with Harry Potter, I love all things Shannon Hale.

                                Abby, I'm sorry you were so close to the devastating tornado. I'm glad you're safe and I love your hope in the rainbow. Very inspiring.

                                Jennie Bailey said...

                                Great interview, Abby! Has anyone picked Meyers in the cat fight? I love Donea's blog and don't get there as often as I'd like. But I've got her bookmarked and will be making a point of getting over there more!

                                Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

                                fantastic, fun interview. I feel I know Donea a whole lot better now :) I laughed at the 'glorified peon' job. (I can relate).

                                raisingmarshmallows said...

                                I loved this interview! I'm rooting for you...full time writer here you come!

                                Samantha Vérant said...

                                Yeah, who needs a MAC to be cool? Fun interview---great questions--and I'd love to see a catfight between JK and Stephanie...

                                just saying...

                                Angela said...

                                I can relate to being a panster who wants to be more of a plotter/out liner.

                                Talli Roland said...

                                Great interview, ladies! Yay for Donea - she's so funny and I love her answers.

                                Sondrae Bennett said...

                                Great interview! My dream vacation would also be a European tour, especially Ireland. I had a trip planned a couple years ago and had to cancel because of an illness in the family. It's only made me more desperate to go!

                                Jennifer Shirk said...

                                I love meeting new writers!

                                "sporadic pantser with aspirations to be a fantastically focused plotter!" cracked me up!!

                                Unknown said...

                                Great fun reading this interview. I've met her in blogiverse before, but never quite this way :)