HOW DO YOU OVERCOME WRITER'S BLOCK?
I’m starting my sixth novel and I kept thinking the doubt would get better. Instead, it has gotten worse. Now people are depending on me to finish a series and make it as good as the last book. I have an agent I don’t want to let down. I have money I’m depending on coming in from book sales. Doubt is bigger and uglier than ever. Good thing I have Kanye West-type self-esteem. Too bad I don’t have his sweet sunglasses. In the end, I just force myself to keep going. I choose not to believe in writer’s block.
IS THERE AN AUTHOR THAT YOU WOULD REALLY LIKE TO MEET? Hugh Howey. (Can you hear my crazy fangirl squealing from there?) Not only is he a hunk, but he is the indie writer’s champion. I have a mega writer’s crush on him and I know I’m not alone. All my indie author girlfriends have a line up going as to who gets to meet him first. Okay, now that I’ve thoroughly outed myself as a teenage-type stalker, I’ll move on.
DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER JOB BESIDES AUTHOR?
By day, I am a high school counselor for at-risk teens. I love my job, but it is also very emotionally draining. I think it gives my writing a deeper insight into the young adult mind however. I get to hear their inner-workings on a daily basis and that helps me tune in.
ANY PETS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO TELL US ABOUT, SHARE A PIC ?
I have three pets: an elderly Shiba Inu mix, a brand new, rescued puppy and a one-eyed cat with Herpes. I’m kind of the Florence Nightingale of household pets. It also explains why my house is never clean and my children look like they’ve rolled on a dog groomer’s floor.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN TROUBLE WITH THE AUTHORITIES?
I’m a very timid rule-follower, so I fear the police as much as I used to fear my elementary school principal (tons). My last brush with police was when I was a teen, driving some of my cheerleader friends home from a basketball game and I ran a red light. I got pulled over while my friend was changing out of her uniform in the back of my car. You’d think that a half-naked cheerleader would be enough to get me out of the ticket, but sadly no.
DO YOU THINK THE UNITED STATES IS SECRETLY A MIRROR UNIVERSE OF CANADA , LIKE THE STAR TREK EPISODE, WHERE THE UNITED STATES IS THE EVIL DIMENSION?
I pretty much think all life is secretly a Star Trek episode, but preferably Next Generation Star Trek and not Deep Space Nine Star Trek. I still get chills when I hear Patrick Stewart’s voice. Plus, I live thirty minutes from Canada and every time I go there Canada always seems like the more positive version of the US . Not that I dislike the U.S. Go ‘Merica!
WHY DIDN'T HURLEY LOSE ANY WEIGHT WHILE ON THE ISLAND ?
OMG I know, right? Well, if you are a good LOST fan (I was absolutely addicted and may still need therapy), you’d know there was an episode where they showed Hurley hording the Darma Initiative food that the drones dropped, so apparently you weren’t paying close enough attention.
HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE IDEA FOR THIS STORY? I love this story. It illustrates how the best ideas come when you aren't looking for them. I was in my car alone (which doesn't happen often due to having two children) and the Rihanna song came on the radio. She sang, “Want you to make me feel like I’m the only girl in the world.” I got to thinking, “Wow. The only girl in the world? I don’t think that would be as romantic or sexy as Rihanna’s song makes it out to be.” My mind unraveled from there.
WHO SHOULD NOT READ YOUR BOOK? Squeamish people. People who like neat, tidy little stories. Boring people.
ARE ANY OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS FROM THE LGBT (LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER) COMMUNITY. There is a whole group of intersex people in this world call benders. They’re hermaphrodites, born instead of girls because synthetic fuel poisoned the world (something similar to what pesticides do to amphibians). It is creating some interesting relationships in the third book of my series. If you’re neither male nor female, or rather both, does it matter who you love? It’s a question Riley, my main character, will have to face.
WHAT SORT OF BODY COUNT ARE WE TALKING HERE? In the first book about a dozen people die. In the second book at least fifty are killed. The third book is looking even more gruesome. But, hey, this is dystopian fiction. We’re talking about destruction of whole societies. There’s going to be some that don’t make it.
YOU CAST YOUR CHARACTERS FOR A MOVIE. WHO MAKES IT? This is exciting to think about. However, I am terrible with young actor/actresses names, so bear with me. For Riley- How about Vanessa Hudgens with a pixie cut and baggy clothes? It would have to be an actress with a really beautiful face, because she’d have to spend a lot of her time dressed like a boy.
Clay - This is a hard one. Sexy, rugged cowboy with dark hair and blue eyes. Hmm. How about Liam Hemsworth? He’s nice on the eyes.
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