A: My first ‘book’ was written and illustrated in
pencil-crayon. Although that little book didn’t survive my childhood, the
writing bug did. I write music, poetry and prose, keeping notes on anything and
everything that sparks my interest.
Q: Do
you write every day?
A: I try to take one day off weekly to recharge my mental
batteries, spending time with friends and family, walking outside or curling up
with a good book. However, I have been caught writing on an off day when a
deadline approaches or inspiration strikes.
Q: How
does your family feel about your writing?
A: My family is very supportive of my creativity even though
they don’t always understand it. They barely even blink anymore when I suddenly
start muttering about my imaginary friends.
Q: What
is your typical day like?
A: On a regular day, I’m up early re-reading and editing the
previous day’s writing. I work a normal day carrying a notebook with me to jot
down ideas and then I usually write for 1-2 hours in the evening before I fall
into bed.
Q: Do
you always finish one idea before moving on to the next?
A: I am usually working on at
least two or three ideas at any given time, but one might be an erotic romance
while the other is a choral song or a short story. I think each one of my
various writing endeavors enriches the others, because sometimes a song will
inspire a story, or vice versa.
Q: Are
you disciplined about the hours you write?
A: I’d love to be more disciplined about time, but there have been moments where I suddenly realize that I’ve been madly writing until 3:30 a.m. and I have to get ready for work in a couple of hours even though I haven’t slept yet. The good part is, when that happens, I know it’s an interesting story.
Q: What do you do about writer’s block?
A: If a story or song isn’t working, I try to put it aside and move on to another idea for a while. Usually, if I leave it alone and work on something different for a few days or weeks, I can then go back to it and see where I went down the wrong road. Sometimes I will throw out a whole chapter and let the characters move in a different direction. There are times when I almost believe the characters are deliberately trying to surprise me.
Q: How do you feel about e-books?
A: I am in love with e-books and the total convenience of being able to buy a book when I want one, without having to wait for the store to open or take the chance that they won’t have in stock what I want to read. The minimal storage needed for hundreds of e-books is also a biggie for me.
Q: Do you have any consuming hobbies?
A: I am a trained singer and a mad quilter. Books, musical instruments and cotton batik fabrics have taken over a big chunk of my life. Finding time to keep these hobbies going is sometimes difficult, but they give me two much-needed stress relievers in the times when my story characters are refusing to follow my carefully laid-out plots, LOL.
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