Questions

Aight, peeps (cuz it's Easter and I feel like y'all got my back, word) – I'm gonna put it all out there and let myself be vulnerable. Today is...

Ask me anything.

Yes, anything you want. Leave a question for me in the comments, and then I'll update this post to answer it here. This could either be a very short post (in which case “Q” also stands for “Quiet”), or this could be a lot of fun.

Ready? Go!!!

Thank you, K.C Woolf, for starting us off!

K.C. asks: If you had to eliminate one emotion from your life, which one would you choose?

Interesting question, K.C.  As I have grown older and experienced both the ups and downs of life, I have grown to cherish and recognize the value in all of our emotions.  However, if I had to eliminate one emotion, I would choose fear.  Without fear, I would speak my mind, dance on the page, and do something daring every day.

Carrie asks: What book do you take on the deserted island with you?

Easy question.  OK, I would want my Kindle with me so I could devour as much as I could until the battery ran out. :(  After that, I would want to have The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.  That is my favorite book.  The imagery is so rich, the characters heart-wrenchingly compelling, the story gripping.  I could read it over and over again and discover hidden layers each time.

Laura asks two questions:  My questions is how long have you been writing?

I've loved creative writing since 3rd grade, but I began pursuing writing as a career in December 2008.

And what was one story you loved that you've written that you wished could be published?

That's a hard question.  I have several flash fiction stories that I love.  I've only completed the first draft of one novel, and I fell in love with it and my main character by the end.  It's the story of a wife and mother who finds that she has kind of lost herself somewhere along the way.  She receives an anonymous note from a mysterious stranger, sending her on a journey back to herself.  That's the one I would choose.  And boy, do I need to work on my elevator pitch!

Nutschell asks: 

What are some of your writing quirks/habits?

Ah, I wish I had writing habits. ;)  My biggest writing quirk, I would say, is that every time I sit down to write, I have a serious writing block.  My inner editor rages worst even before I put pen to paper.  I have to go through a writing exercise from The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron where I ask and answer two questions: What are you mad about? and What are you afraid of?  Once I give myself permission to write crap, I'm good to go.

Damyanti asks:  How do you handle rejection of submissions?

The first (non-fiction) article I sent in for submission to a magazine was accepted (but not yet scheduled) for publication. :)  That softened the blow, I would say.  I submitted a flash fiction piece to Writer's Digest's competition.  I didn't get rejected, per se, they just never contacted me back.  Read between the lines.  The worst rejection I've had was when I participated in a blog contest of only 17 contestants, and I didn't even make the top five.  I pouted, berated my self for lack of talent, and ate a lot of chocolate.  Then I went back to work.


Donna asks:  What's the film you like best adapted from a book you love?

I'd say it has to be the Harry Potter series, especially The Prisoner of Azaban.  But I am DYING for the Hunger Games to come out!  The story just begs for the big screen.


River asks:  How many hours a day do you sit and write? Is there a certain time of the day? :)

River, I have some health issues that keep me from writing as much as I'd like, but I can usually get in about an hour a day.  During that time, I can easily finish 500-1,000 words.  That's the size of a typical flash fiction story or a complete scene.  When I'm writing regularly, an hour a day makes good progress on my novel.  And my sweet spot time of day for writing is about 1 pm.  It's after I've gotten my morning routines and responsibilities out of the way and before the kids get home from school.

Thank you so much, everyone, for participating!  I had a fun time.  You've taught me not to fear the silence, and so I think I'll start asking questions at the end of some of my posts.