Aspiring Author Interview with JE Fritz

Look, even her picture is mysterious-
we can't see her face very well

Hello to everyone on this beautiful sunny day!  (at least, I hope its beautiful and sunny in your neck of the woods!)  My interview today is with JE Fritz of Still Writing...  I'm keeping her first name a secret because she doesn't list it on her blog, so I'm keeping the mysteriousness that surrounds her in tact. (although if you look hard enough, you just might find it)  We all could use a little mysteriousness in our lives.  For example: you have no idea what I'm wearing as I write this.  I could be wearing a prom dress, or a big bunny suit.  Or I might not be wearing pants (little known fact: lots of authors don't wear pants).  JE was one of my first followers when I started almost a year ago.  She's smart and funny and finds really great tips and information on writing.  So, here she is!


     Tell us the scoop on how you got into writing novels.

‘Scoop’ makes it sound interesting. I just wanted to write a novel…and I did! It wasn’t a very good novel, I admit, but for me, it was wonderful to be creating something with words. I’ve wanted to be an author for years (I think high school is when I first went “Hmmm. Can I do this?”).

What genre do you write?

YA, although that’s more of an audience I’m trying to reach. I like speculative fiction (dystopian, post-apocalyptic) and urban fantasy/paranormal. Most of them just seem to come out YA. 

What authors inspire you?

Stephen King definitely inspires me in his raw output of prose. Mark Z. Danielewski is amazing in terms of voice and skill. 

How often do you write?

I try to every day, even if it’s just a paragraph. Having a blog really helps keep me writing, even if I’m in the middle of doing non-writerly tasks.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Pantser, at least for the first draft. When I’m done, then I outline, move things around, make sure everything is how I want it. But I never know the details when I type that first word, so that definitely makes me a pantser.

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

I write best in my room, where I have a comfortable chair (or can stand comfortably; sometimes I do this, too). I definitely go for music when I’m writing, cranking up the most depressing and/or angriest music I have. It really helps!

What is on your TBR pile?

World War Z, The Water Wars, The Hunger Games (again)

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

JK Rowling, and thus, society. 

What is your “day” job?

Right now, just some researching for a tech company. 

What can you not leave home without? (cell phones are off limits)

My flashdrive. Just in case someone breaks into my house and steals my laptop. Because you never know and paranoia is right sometimes. 

Mac or PC?

PC. I’ve heard Macs are better, but I doubt I have the skills to use one. Me and computers = not good.

Favorite dessert?

Chocolate pudding cake. 

Favorite desert?

The ones I made up in my book! Shameless plug-y enough? Of course, those were inspired by the deserts of the southwest. I’ve only seen them in pictures, but they’re beautiful. As long as you bring enough water. 

Where is your dream vacation?

Hawaii. I’ve always wanted to go there and see the volcanoes and the Pacific.

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

Blog: http://jefritz.blogspot.com/ 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jefishere

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!

Aspiring Author Interview with Erica and Christy

Hello Friends!

In light of the Blogger Fiasco of 2011, I'm posting the link to the interview of Erica and Christy I put up on Thursday.  That way if you didn't get to read it, or if blogger swallowed you whole and spit you out, you can head on over.  I want to give those lovely ladies the same amount of face time my other interviewees got.

So please clicky on the linky- it would make me and two pretty ladies VERY happy :)  I'm disabling comments on this post so you can just go ahead and comment on the interview.  Thanks everyone!

Aspiring Author Interview with Erica and Christy

Aspiring Author Interview with Erica and Christy

Erica on the left and Christy on the right...
unless you are looking at their right and left, in which case
Erica is on the right and Christy on the left...

Today I have a special double dose of aspiring author interviews!  Two of my very good bloggy buddies Erica and Christy are answering my questions!  Here's the cool thing- they manage their blog together!  Both are teachers, moms, and writers!  And get this- they only just met at last years Writeoncon online, and decided to start the blog together.  They finally got to meet face to face at this years Writers Institute in Wisconsin.  What a sweet bestie friendie story!  I'm so happy to have gotten to know them over this year, and consider them great friends!






erica's blue

christy’s green

1. Tell us the scoop on how you got into writing novels. 

I wrote a few short stories during high school and read just about any book I could find. College got in the way and fun reading/writing was gone for several years. After my son was born, I had a few new ideas and started a couple, but never got past about 30 pages. After my niece started talking about all these fantastic books she'd read (yes, 4 of them were written by someone with the initials SM), I started thinking about it again and wrote my first complete book in about six months.

When I was little (middle school age) one of my best friends and I wanted to write a mystery series.  (We’d read Babysitter’s Club, Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High…lots of series.)  I remember writing during sixth grade study hall.  I don’t think I wrote again until October 2009.  After reading the Twilight saga.

1. What genre do you write? 

So far, YA and MG. I have a complete YA contemporary and a half-done MG ghost story plus some other started YA and MG   contemporaries.

YA.  So far I have a 95% completed Paranormal Romance and a 60% completed Contemporary Romance.  I have a YA Sci Fi  brewing that I am super excited to get started on!!!!

1. What authors inspire you? 

I really enjoy character-driven novels, which is why I tend to talk about Sarah Dessen a lot. 

Before writing, I read a variety of adult novels.  Historical fiction, romance, legal thrillers, mystery. I blush when admitting this, but I got started reading YA only AFTER starting to write.  (Except for Twilight, of course.)  Even more embarrassing, I didn’t read much at all the first eight months of writing.  I didn’t make time for it.  At this point, I can say that I love characters with a strong voice.  My fave YA so far?  Kiersten White’s Evie.  But I have lots more reading to do.  

1. How often do you write? 

I used to write every day. Now, I edit more than I write, so my numbers are way down. I have a goal for this summer, though.

I started rewriting a novel in February.  For a while I wrote TONS just trying to make a contest deadline.  Whenever I needed a break, I took three days to read and relax. When I’m constantly editing/revising/rewriting I don’t feel like I’m really writing at all.  I’m ready to get back into writing writing again.  And soon!  Then, I hope every single day for at least an hour.

1. Are you a plotter or a pantser? 

I'm a pantser, although recently I've felt the need for a support group, because I hit a total dead-end on my WIP.

I’m here for you Erica!  A little of both.  BUT for my brand new shiny idea I am going to plot that thing out really well.  Then I’m hoping it will just write itself.  I’m sick of getting stuck ¾ of the way through.  I want to know exactly where I’m heading and why from the get-go.

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

 Next week, I'm making my own office area in an alcove behind our kitchen. It's a tiny space completely surrounded by windows overlooking our farm and woods. I hope that works for me. So far, I've been serenaded by SpongeBob and Big Time Rush (I work in the living room with two kids). 

In silence.  I don’t care where I am.  Silence is so rare though.  I suppose downstairs in the office—with the door locked.  I listen to music when I run and plot, but not so much when I’m actually typing away.

7.What is on your TBR pile? 

The Book Thief, The Hunger Games series

It’s huge!  Across the Universe, Gone series by Michael Grant, Wake series, Matched, Possession, Shatter Me, and like five more paranormal books that I can’t think of the name right now but I can picture their covers.

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

Mcgonagall (you said cat fight).

What she said.

9.What is your “day” job? 

I'm a center manager/teacher of a Head Start center for low-income and at-risk preschoolers.

I’m an elementary school teacher (part-time) and teach reading, writing and math.  Then I go home to my adorable five and three year olds. (And our eight year old dog.  He’s cute too.)

10.What can you not leave home without? (cell phones are off limits) 

Chapstick.

Car keys?

11.Mac or PC? 

PC 

PC

12.Favorite dessert? 

I don't eat many desserts...my mom makes these Mounds bars with coconut that are super yummy, so I'll pick that.  

Cold Stone:  sweet cream ice cream, oreos, yellow cake and a little bit of hot fudge in a plain waffle bowl

13.Favorite desert? 

I don't think I could name more than one, so I'll go with Sahara (if only because of the movie) 

 I don’t have a favorite.

14.Where is your dream vacation? 

I don't even have a passport, so anything out of the US seems exotic and dreamy. My husband's always wanted to go to New Zealand, so I'll pick that. 

 I visited Switzerland while in college.  Since I’ve had kids I’m afraid to fly, but I’d love to bring my husband back some day.  Option B is Las Vegas.  I’ve had the worst craving to go there lately.  Can you crave a place?

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

www.lynneawest.blogspot.com

www.twitter.com/ericaandchristy

Thanks so much Abby.  You are one of the coolest and I’m so glad you’re off of your April break!

Aspiring Author Interview with Brad Jaeger

I've got a treat for you guys today! (no, it's not candy, although that sounds kinda yummy right now).  It's a double Aspiring Author Interview!  Today is with Brad Jaeger, an aspiring author who is ALSO doing an Aspiring Author Interview with me!  At the same time!  So click on over to his blog to see an interview of Yours Truly.

Brad writes fantasy (on his PC- I'll forgive him for that I guess) and loves to talk about religion, social issues, and whatever else pops into his head.  You never know what's going to come out of that guy's mouth (er...blog), and that's what makes him such an interesting person!

I had a lot of fun interviewing him as well as being his interviewee!

1. Tell us the scoop on how you got into writing novels.
   
   One night--as I was silently cursing my station in life as a security guard--I was skimming through Time Magazineand came across Stephen King's royalty rates. “Writing books”, I said to the other guard on duty, “now there's an easy way to earn some scratch. First thing tomorrow I'ma write me a fiction novel.” Kidding! And yes, I know, all novels are fictitious—you can unclench your fists now.
   I'm not quite sure what to say. There wasn't an epiphany or any form of causation that set me on this course. I'll just take a cop out and say the usual, “I've always been a creative person! I love it when my stories entertain my readers or bring a smile to their face, yada, yada, yada..."
   
   
2. What genre do you write?
   
   Whatever the story calls for. In the case of my WIP that would be dark fantasy. I don't doubt that I'll try my hand at horror or YA one day, but for now I'm at home with the fantastical. 
3. What authors inspire you?
   
   Every author that I've ever read has inspired me to some extent. Those who have had a lasting impact include Neil Gaiman, Philip Dick, J.R.R Tolkien, Stephen King, Bart Ehrman, James Joyce, William Blake (more of a poet and painter, but I'll let that slide), John Milton, Shakespeare, Goethe, and the dozens of authors contained within the Old and New Testaments. 
4. How often do you write?
   
   Generally five or six times a week and usually to a specific word count. Right now I'm stuck in editing hell, so the only writing I've managed is rewrites.
5. Are you a plotter or a pantser?
   
   Mostly a pantser. I like to run with an initial concept and see where it takes me.
6. Where do you write best, and do you listen to music while you write?
   
   As long as I'm alone I can write pretty much anywhere. I do a lot of my writing at home and at work when the store is slow.
   
   I absolutely cannot write without music. My taste is eclectic: David Bowie, Rammstein, Arab Strap, Voltaire, Elvis Costello, Marilyn Manson, Johnny Cash, Arlo Guthrie, Bad Religion, Miles Davis, Leonard Cohen, Bauhaus, Rob Dougan, Mogwai, Tom Waits, The Cure, Amanda Palmer, NOFX, Arcade Fire, Howard Shore, Rob Zombie, Fela Kuti, I Like Trains, Chairlift, Dead Can Dance, Frank Sinatra, Nine Inch Nails, Hans Zimmer, The Smashing Pumpkins, Serj Tankian, Peter Murphy, Tim Minchin, Heavens, TV on the Radio, Zeromancer, The Twilight Sad...the list is endless.
   
   I listen to a lot of rock (be it gothic, punk or “alternative”), folk songs, lounge singers, afrobeat, piano ballads, orchestral works--pretty much anything with an experimental aspect to it. Also—and this is a recent discovery—music that comes out of Scotland has a track record of being awesome. See for yourself. 
7. What is on your TBR pile?
   
   Naming the Bones by Louise Welsh: This is her latest work, and to be quite honest I know absolutely nothing about it. I'm just buying it because her debut novel The Cutting Room was an absolute gem that followed Rilke, a promiscuous homosexual auctioneer who comes across some unusual photos that he sets out to find the origins of. I wrote a review for it on my blog which you can check out if you like. Louise's prose is like butter in her books—I'm surprised the words don't melt right off the pages.
   Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris: His debut novel, which I hear is a delightful satire of office drama and the American workplace. It also won the 2007 Hemmingway award for best literary fiction by a debut author, so that ought to count for something.

Forged: Writing in the Name of God by Bart Ehrman (available March 22nd): The main focus of this book is on something that every prominent, non whack-job biblical scholar has known for the past two centuries – that not only are many books of the bible not written by the author they are attributed to, but in some cases they are outright deliberate forgeries. While Dr. Ehrman normally writes academic texts for university teaching, this book is similar to his works like Jesus Interrupted and Misquoting Jesus, in that it is his attempt to relate the findings of biblical scholars to those not privy to the ivory tower. To date, he remains my favourite biblical scholar.
Genealogies of Pain by Marilyn Manson & David Lynch: Two of my favourite artists share some of their lesser known work. In Manson's case it's a few dozen of his watercolour paintings, and with Lynch it's stills from some of his early experimental short films. Both artists provide commentary throughout. I think this comes out towards the end of April. Lexical Aids for Students of New Testament Greek by Bruce Metzger: It's hard to make this sound exciting—even for students of religion. Unless you've got an unhealthy fascination with New Testament manuscript variants (the majority of which were written in Greek) then this may not be for you. I may not believe in God, but amusingly enough my library is stacked to the rafters with countless texts of monotheistic studies.    8. If Stephanie Meyer and JK Rowling got in a cat fight, who would win?    Rowling. Do any of your guests actually say Meyer? Let's make this question more exciting and rephrase it as “If Meyer's and Rowling's characters got into a fight, who would win?” in which case I'd still give the point to Rowling—seriously, I bet even the sorting hat could kick sparkly Eddie's butt. 
9. What is your “day” job?    My day job is actually a night job! For the past two years I've worked at a sex shop called Sin City Adult Superstore. I'd love to go into the specifics, but I suspect that this blog is PG, eh? Let's just say that I have a very interesting job and meet very interesting people.
10.What can you not leave home without? (cell phones are off limits)
Well that's good, because I hate cell phones. If spotted outside (a rare thing i ndeed) you're likely to find me with my Kindle, my PSP, a book or some manga. Oh, and my girlfriend; we often go to the same places together, isn't that adorable? 
11. Mac or PC? PC. Twice the power at half the cost. The only downside (besides crippling instability) is that I lack an excuse to visit Apple's genius bar and annoy the geniuses by smack talking Steve Jobs.
12. Favorite dessert?   I'm quite fond of cheesecake, apple crumble and dessert wine. But I'm not picky--I'm an equal opportunity nommer. 
13. Favorite desert?   The Nambib Desert, just southwest of Angola. Being barren for the past 55 million years (80 years if you're a young-earth creationist!) has rightfully earned it the title of “world's oldest desert.”
14. Where is your dream vacation? There are many places I'd like to visit, although most of them are unconventional. Firstly, there's a place in Siauliai, Lithuania called The Hill of Crosses that was started in the early 1200s and has been expanding ever since. Google it if you're unfamiliar, because it is unbelievably stunning.
I'd also like to visit Sedlec Ossuary in the Czech Republic, which was built from the bones of at least 50,000 black plague victims: it is supported by large columns, and within it are chandeliers and even a coat of arms—all made out of human remains! Talk about memento mori! Other than those two specific locations I'd be happy to tour Romania, Russia, Greece, Scotland, Germany, Italy and New Zealand. 
15. Finally, link us to your website, blog, fb, twitter and anything else you might like to shamelessly plug for yourself

I am nothing if not a press whore. 

Blog: http://www.brad-jaeger.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Brad-Jaeger/131402303564381
Twitter: @bradjaeger

Thanks for having me, I had a blast!

Aspiring Author Interview with Rachel Morgan

Okay guys, today is a special interview, because it's my first one with a writer from 'across the pond'.  Today is with Rachel Morgan of Rachel Morgan Writes.  Yep, I have no idea what time it is where she lives, but it's definitely not 8 am.  Which it is here.  In the US.  Which is not where Rachel is from.  She is from South Africa which is WAY far away and sounds like a whole other world.

Which means she kinda lives in the future.  Because I'm writing this post at 7:45 pm on Wednesday night and it's 3:45 am Thursday morning for her.  WHOA.  That totally  just blew your mind, didn't it?

Anywho, you'll also experience a little deja vu when you click over to her blog.  I won't tell you what it is, but I think you'll get a kick out of the little glitch in the matrix you'll encounter when you look at her page.

Rachel is a very dedicated blogger, teacher and writer.  She blogs every day of the week (I have no idea how she does it with a full time job!) and teaches math at a high school.  I know, a writer that teaches math- total oxymoron.  But so cool!

Here is her wonderful interview (plus some super cool buttons she gave me for you to clicky.  Please clicky on them because I am attempting to put the codes directly into my html thinger and that's some pretty crazy computerizing for me)

1. Tell us the scoop on how you got into writing novels.

Well, (wait for it, surprise, surprise...) I’ve always wanted to be an author :-) But by the time I reached my teens I had kinda told myself that it wasn’t a sensible option for a career. Writing books, I decided, was something people did in their spare time/when they got old and retired. So it took me all the way until doing my masters in Biochemistry to figure out while reading TWILIGHT(!), “You know what? I don’t actually want to be here. I can totally do this YA-paranormal-love-story-fantasy-novel-writing thing!” So I quit the masters, found a job to support myself, and here I am (still plodding along, but getting there slowly...).

2. What genre do you write?

YA fantasy and YA paranormal romance (and I recently discovered that another genre I want to write for actually has a name – New Adult :-))

3. What authors inspire you?

My top two are JK Rowling (duh!) and Cassandra Clare. I read their books not only for enjoyment but also as “manuals” on how to write epically awesome novels!

4. How often do you write?

*guilty before even answering* Ok, I wish I could say every day, but I’m a teacher and sometimes there is just too much marking/lesson prep/other random teacherly stuff to be done. So... then I’ll try and at least get some writing done on the weekend!

5. Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Um... 60-plotter-40-pantser! I have a rough plan for most major scenes and then along the way the others just kind of... happen (and I like to jump around sometimes and write whichever scene I’m in the mood for, even if it’s not in order).

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

Sitting on my bed with my laptop on a tray on my legs :-) (and a good storm outside would make the setting even more perfect!) I find music to be an incredible inspiration and specific songs have inspired scenes and characters and stories, but I just can’t write while it’s on. So if I need inspiration I’ll stop writing and put on a song, but then it has to go off again so I can write!

7. What is on your TBR pile?

CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS (Cassandra Clare) is at the top, top, top! Then there’s also ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS (Stephanie Perkins), ANGELFIRE (Courtney Allison Moulton), ABANDON (Meg Cabot) and WARPED (Maurissa Guibord).

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

Come on. JK all the way! She has gotta have WAY more tricks up her Hogwarts robe than Steph has!

9. What is your “day” job?

Maths teacher :-) (and despite my love of writing I NEVER want to teach English!)

10. What can you not leave home without? (cell phones are off limits)

Um... clothes? No, wait, the only thing I absolutely have to take when I leave home is the remote to open the gate and the garage (although I did climb over the wall once when the electricity was down so I guess that isn’t entirely necessary either...)

11. Mac or PC?

PC. Though I have admired Macs for a long time now :-) So preeeeettttty.....

12. Favorite dessert?

Definitely something with chocolate. So either that peppermint crisp pudding (with the layers of biscuit and cream mixed with caramel and peppermint chocolate) or that floating chocolate pudding (the chocolate cake type thing floating in chocolate sauce).

13. Favorite desert?

Desert? Seriously? Like the large expanse of dry sand? I... um... never really thought about having a favorite before! Off to Google...

Hmm... Ok. Inga Nielsen’s desert looks like the perfect fantasy desert!

photo credit

14. Where is your dream vacation?

Well, there are many places (I would absolutely love to visit the Northern Lights one day) but the first that springs to mind is a cruise around the Greek islands. *sigh*

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

Woohoo! Shameless plugging, here I come!

Blog: http://rachelmorganwrites.blogspot.com

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And thank you SOOOO much to Abby for having me here. I feel honoured to be considered aspiring enough for an aspiring author interview!

Aspiring Author Interview with Jenni Merritt

Today's interview is with the awesome Jenni Merritt.  She is a stay-at-home mom of two little boys, and writes as much as she can in her spare time (although I have no idea how she does it with two boys...I can barely keep up with one girl!).  Like me, she is finding time to do anything but edit her current WIP. I recently found out from the Bernard Pivot blogfest that she likes smelling the rain, the word 'clasps' and hates the HUB syndrome (you'll have to check her blog to find out what that is).  And no, this isn't an ad for the craigslist dating site.  If it was, it'd be accompanied by a picture with her shirt off, flexing her muscles.

1.        Tell us the scoop on how you got into writing novels.

I am one of those crazy people who literally started to write as soon as I could hold a pencil.  By the time I was in first grade I was insisting that one day I would be published… obviously it has always been a passion of mine.  It wasn’t until NaNoWriMo 2010 though that I finally got past the "first few chapters block" and finished my first MS.

2.        What genre do you write?

Sci-fi/Fantasy (Dystopians... Paranormal... the good stuff)  Its pretty much all I read, and it would be wrong for me to write anything else.  Right now I am trying out YA, which I am actually starting to love and can easily see myself become addicted to.

3.        What authors inspire you?

Oh man, do you really want the list?  The few taking the cake at this moment would have to be Orson Scott Card, Terry Goodkind, and JK Rowling.  Also, my good friend Keary Taylor.  She is self-publishing right now, and her drive to do this art is something that keeps me going!

4.        How often do you write?

In my head: every minute of every day.  Oh, you mean physically putting the words down some where?  Lately it hasn’t been nearly as much as I would like (I am in the editing phase of my current WIP, so am revolting, naturally.) But I try to write for at least an hour, if not more, a day.

5.        Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Pantser.  Through and through.  Plotting just makes me feel restricted and blocks my “flow.”  I get my general idea, then run with it.  I pretty much did all of school work by the seam of my pants, and now I am happily writing that way too!

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

I live in a never-large-enough apartment with my little family, so having a writing space is hard to find.  This last October I declared our dining room my writing den and decorated it the way I wanted.  Its very inspiring now.  (Mostly the big “WRITE” hanging above my desk.) 

As for music… it depends on the mood I am in for that piece of writing.  It tends to range from Secondhand Serenade, to Tatu, over to some Dave Matthews Band, and wrapping up with some amazing David Lanz.  Lately it has been a lot of Pandora and Playlist cruising… I hate silence.

7.        What is on your TBR pile?

Right now I just started Matched, along with Beta-reading for my friend.  Next is a toss up between Blindness, Linger, or some Stephen King.  Along with at least twenty or so other books.  I am a book-buying fanatic, and I am not ashamed!

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

Seriously?  Stephanie Meyer would attempt some mind reading or emotion-calming tricks, but JK Rowling would easily use her Occlumency expertise.  Meyer would let loose her ShapeShifting Wolf-Indians, and Rowling would simply transform them into bugs and stomp them flat.  Then say "Accio Sunshine" and glitter Meyer out of existence.  Hands down: Rowling.

9.        What is your “day” job?

My amazing day job is being a full time stay-at-home mommy of my two little boys.  And trust me, with their energy levels, I really do deserve a raise. 

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

My camera.  I am photo fanatic… I literally take hundreds of photos, and that is still never enough.  It seems like every time I do leave the house without my camera, something happens that cries for a photo, and I cry because my camera on my cell phone is pretty lame.

11.     Mac or PC?

PC.  I am a PC through and through and using a Mac even for a moment would be cheating on… myself? 

12.     Favorite dessert?

That would be pretty much anything that even has a hint of chocolate in it.  Present me with chocolate fondue, and I am all yours.

13.     Favorite desert?

Oo, you almost got me with that trick.  Desert… would have to be… I hate deserts.  In all honesty, I really do hate them.  I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and still happily live there with no plans of ever leaving.  Take away my evergreen trees and high humidity levels, and I am miserable.

14.     Where is your dream vacation?

I would love to get a nonstop train pass and explore wherever the tracks go in Europe.  If I couldn’t have that, then at least see the amazing land of Ireland.  Go back to my roots, you know?

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

Yay for shameless plugging!

Blog: http://jennimerritt.blogspot.com

Website: www.JenniMerritt.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jenni-Merritt-Aspiring-Author/168294599884554