Meet The Authors edition #6 (March 2020 to November 2020)

interview #6 @Designschool

1 what's the best way to handle a bully? 

My answer relates to cyber bullying, which I imagine most readers have seen or been affected by. When I first see something concerning, I usually don't respond right away, because sometimes things appear to be harsher than they really are. That's the result of not having face to face interactions where we can see the person's social cues for clues to their intent. The people are also often strangers, or acquaintances that we don't know well enough to recognize if they might be joking. After thinking it over I will often private message them to try to handle the situation in a way that doesn't encourage more drama. If necessary I would block them.

2 are you still surprised when you get a new vote, follow or comment? 

I'm just now posting my first book, so there haven't been many comments. So yes, it still surprises and excites me.

3 who is your favorite author? 

Jane Austin. I enjoy learning more about England during the regency period. It's a window into another time- the clothing, terminology, foods, activities, and the conventions of society at the time.

4 what's your favorite snack? 

Dark chocolate (70 to 75%). I like to eat a square every day. I also really like salads with dark greens or spinach, and sometimes I want that for a snack. I'm a bit of a health nut, but I will eat a well made dessert.

5 what's your favorite holiday and why? 

Easter. As a Christian it's important since it is the celebration of Jesus rising back to life. It's also a meaningful holiday for me since my husband and kids all have vacation days, giving us extra time together to enjoy the weather that is finally starting to warm up. It comes at a time when spring is beginning and everything is beginning to grow again and turn into a beautiful bright green, with blossoming trees and spring flowers which I love.

6 What's your schedule regarding your writing? 

I'm currently editing and posting a chapter a day for my book, Augusta Again. I have already written all of the book, but the chapters need editing, and the final chapters need a good deal of work. When I'm in the early stages of writing a book, I tend to take a couple of days off each week. There are times when I have taken longer breaks, like last summer when my dog died, and a week later my mom died. It took me several months to get back to writing after that.

7 if you could hang out with your favorite celeb for a day, who would you choose and what would you do? 

I don't really have a favorite celebrity, but I would love to hang out with the creative leader for Disney Cruise Line one day when he is in the office. As an Interior Designer, I appreciate all of the details that go into their ships. It's not just about creating elegant and functional design, they also make every space tell a story, which fits with another creative outlet I love. The designers face the challenges of ship design, and get to fill it with fun and whimsy. I would love to sit in on meetings with him and hear and see the process they go through to achieve what they do

8 what's your favorite thing about Wattpad? 

The chance to read stories by people from all over the world. I enjoy learning about life in different places, and reading things written by people who have different life experiences than I do.

9 how would you celebrate a publishing deal? 

By taking my husband on a weekend getaway. He has been so patient with me when I write and am distracted

10 what's one Wattpad goal? 

To create stories that encourage people, give them hope, and help them realize their value. Each person is unique and has so much potential, but sometimes we hang on to the words of others, or what we perceive others think of us, and sometimes we focus so much on the limitations of our lives and our failures that we struggle to realize we have potential and value. This world is a hard place, and stories are a place for us to escape, and to process our feelings. When people finish my stories, I want them to be encouraged that something beautiful and good can come from something that seemed ugly and hopeless.

11 What inspired you to write?

I've always been a creative person. When I was a kid I would right little stories, and plays, but I put writing aside as I grew older and my creativity came out through Interior Design. Now I am a stay at home / homeschool mom and don't do a lot with I.D., but still crave a creative outlet. I love to read, and began to realize that to ease boredom, I was creating stories in my mind every time I would travel long distances in the car. When I discovered Wattpad I thought, I can do this, and the started putting my stories in my phone as I thought of them