What is something
unique/quirky about you?
I collect antique tea cups and saucers, but I don’t drink
tea. LOL! I know, it’s really strange. There’s just something delicate and
beautiful about them. I love collecting different designs from different
periods in history and I have a TON of them. I have one from the late 1600’s
that was made in Austria and several that were made in Occupied Japan during
WW2. But hey, you can drink coffee (or whiskey) out of teacups the same as anything
else, right?
Where were you
born/grew up at?
Lauren and I both grew up in a
small town north of Baton Rouge, LA. While it is close to the city, when we
were growing up, the town was very rural. We spent a lot of time hanging out at
each others houses because there was very little to do. Fun fact: we’ve known
each other since we were four years old!
What kind of world
ruler would you be?
I’d be a terrible world ruler. Completely selfish. Bossy.
I really shouldn’t be in charge of other people. The reason my family works so
well is that my husband balances out my Type A, way-too-driven, OCD tendency,
crazy neurotic personality by being completely and utterly unflappable about
anything and having a very Hakunah Matata approach to life. If I literally ruled
the world… *shivers* Well, I don’t even want to imagine it.
What are you
passionate about these days?
Rescue animals. I have adopted
three (two dogs and a cat) within the last two years. I am always trying to get
people I know to adopt animal that are in need of homes. I encourage everyone
that I know they should adopt instead of shop for a pet, because there are so
many rescue animals out there, especially ones that run a chance of being
euthanized. I have three of the sweetest animals, including a two year old
pitbull who loves every single person she meets, especially kids.
How to find time to
write as a parent?
I just don’t sleep anymore! LOL! No, but seriously,
having a wild and wonderful little boy who is still in his toddler years can be
quite demanding. During naptime, on weekends when my husband is home, and after
he’s been put down to bed are prime writing times for me. To be honest, writing
isn’t one of my top priorities. That probably sounds pretty blasphemous, but
children are only little for a little while and although I try to be an example
to him of hardwork and perseverance as I chase after my dreams… My main
priority is to spend quality time with him. Children don’t remember if they had
the nicest shoes or the most expensive birthday cake. They remember the times
when you gave them your utmost attention, when you were at every game cheering
them on, or when you took the time to teach them things. I never want my son to
look back on life and say ‘Mom was always working’. So, I made peace with the
fact that I would never publish more than possibly one or two books a year
because I just couldn’t devote enough time to writing, editing, and publishing.
I think my readers appreciate my candor on such things, even if several of them
have already been banging down my door for sequels. LOL!
Describe yourself
in 5 words or less!
Kind, Organized, Hard Working,
Passionate, Empathetic.
When did you first
consider yourself a writer?
I considered myself a writer from
the time I was 8 years old and started writing little stories. I did a lot of
fan fiction writing and text based roleplaying growing up, but I always knew
that I wanted to write original, novel length stories of my own. It wasn’t
until I was out of college that I allowed myself to really dive into that dream
because that voice in the back of my head always told me that I wasn’t good
enough to do it, but I fought back against that. I have so many stories that I
plan on sharing with the world.
Do you have a
favorite movie?
I have had a lifelong love of the
1984 Jim Henson film Labyrinth. I saw
it when I was a child, and then rediscovered it when I was in high school.
There’s something about David Bowie in tights with 80s hair singing alongside a
slew of puppets about stealing a baby that touches my heart. Three of my four
office walls are covered in Labyrinth paraphernalia. If you’ve never seen
Labyrinth or only ever saw it as a child, I highly recommend rewatching it as
an adult. It’s a lot of fun!
Which of your
novels can you imagine made into a movie?
Guns & Smoke. I have always
been able to see Bonnie and Jesse in my head as real characters in real
locations. Guns & Smoke has a lot
of action and adventure, which would appeal to fans of action films, as well as
the romance tie in, which would appeal to fans of romance! Could you imagine
seeing the dusty streets of gang-filled Vegas in a post-modern world?
As a writer, what
would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
MERMAID! LOL! I mean, not just as a writer
either. I frequently tell people that when I grow up I hope to be
a mermaid. It’s literally my goal in life to just waste away my days singing on
a rock, combing my hair, searching the sea floor for shiny things to collect.
Luring men to their deaths. You know, just a typical Tuesday afternoon! LOL!
I’ve been obsessed with mermaids since I was little, my husband and I even
danced to ‘Part of your world’ at our wedding. So if I have a spirit animal for
anything, it’s definitely a mermaid.
Thank you so much for hosting! Lauren and I will be in and out to answer any questions.
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome! :)
DeleteI love the western aspect of the book. The cover goes very well with the title. Thanks for the chance.
ReplyDelete