Author Interview Shelly Becker

Welcome, Shelly. Thank you for joining me here for an interview. First off What inspired you to be a writer?

SB - One day, several years ago, my husband challenged me to try to write a picture book. I'm not sure if he meant it, but the idea would not leave me alone. When I showed him my first attempt at a picture book, he said, "This is good! You should submit it." That's how I discovered that I LOVED writing.

AF -Can you tell us a little about your road to publication?

SB - When I first started to meet other writers and learn more about this business, I was shocked to discover how long it took for most writers to get their work published, if they ever got published at all.

I felt extremely fortunate and grateful when MINE! MINE! MINE! was accepted for publication after only 13 rejections (that's right-ONLY) and six months (which is nothing) of submitting it to publishers.

AF -What prompted you to write your books? Are they based on true life or are they completely fiction?

SB - My books are complete fiction, but they're certainly influenced by life. Art imitates life, right?

AF -Can you tell us a little about your latest book release?

SB -MINE! MINE! MINE! is a rhyming picture book about sharing, adorably illustrated by the very talented Hideko Takahashi.

It has been well received by children, teachers, parents, librarians, and reviewers. It was named in Atlanta Parent's 50 Must Read Children's Books annual listing in November 2006 and chosen as a Barnes and Noble Noteworthy Children's Book in February 2007.

AF - Do you think rhyming picture books are harder to sell?

SB - I don't think rhyming picture books are harder to sell, but they're definitely harder to write. Many new writers think if they can get the words at the end of the line to rhyme, they're doing it well, when in reality, there's a whole lot more to it than that.

AF - Would you take us through your typical writing day?

SB - As a wife and mother of four young children, I try to squeeze in writing time whenever, wherever and however I can. Sometimes that means early morning (usually not-I'm hardly a morning person), sometimes late at night (that's more common), and anytime in between. Sometimes, I think of ideas as I'm falling asleep or right when I wake up-I try to keep pen and paper near my bed for those times.

AF -Do you think about your readers when you write a book?

SB - No. When I write, I think about my characters and their stories.

AF - What sort of things do you do when you're not writing?

SB - When I'm not writing, I'm usually spending time with family and friends, reading, cooking, baking, exercising (especially if I've been doing a lot of cooking and baking), sewing, gardening, running errands, volunteering in my community and learning new things. I also spend a lot of time thinking. I think about all sorts of things, big and small, important and unimportant, general and specific.

AF - What are some of your favorite things?

SB -Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens…Ooops. Those aren't my favorite things. My favorite things are chocolate, books, and nature.

AF- Many writers speak about writer's block. Do you ever have that, and if so what are some things you do to get over it?

I have times when it's difficult to write, but I don't call it writer's block. I call it being too tired, too preoccupied, too busy, too scattered, too stuck on a tricky aspect of the plot, etc.
I usually get over it by identifying what it is, why it is, and thinking about solutions. If I'm too tired, I try to get more sleep, or caffeine, depending on the circumstances. If I'm too busy, I take a break from writing for a bit while I catch up on everything else. If I'm stuck on a tricky part of the plot, I'll switch to a different section or a whole different manuscript for a while.
Whatever it is, I know it will pass sooner or later, and I don't allow myself to panic because I know that won't help.

AF - If you could say one thing to a new writer what would it be?

SB - Just one thing? How about fifteen?

If I really, really, really had to choose just one thing, I'd say, "Keep writing, keep reading, keep learning, keep growing, and keep trying."
And then I'd have to bite my tongue to keep quiet.
(I know, I know. My one thing wasn't even one thing. Sorry. I just couldn't help myself.)

AF - If you could say one thing to the children reading your books what would that be?

SB -Great question! It would have to be, "Enjoy!"

AF -When it comes to writing what's next for you?

SB -I'm working on several picture book projects and a middle grade novel at the moment.

AF -Are you available for signings, school visits and writing workshops?

SB -I most certainly am and can be reached at shelly@shellybecker.com.

Author Interview-Molly Blaisdell

Welcome, Molly. Thank you for joining me here for an interview.
AF - What inspired you to be a writer?

MB - The books of Madeleine L'Engle and Lloyd Alexander.

AF - Can you tell us a little about your road to publication?

MB - I'm a member of SCBWI, my first RA told me it would take 10 years of honing my craft to actually see books in print. That was 1995. In 2005 my first phonics readers were published. I tried to follow that the sage advice to publish in the magazine market. I had no success at all. Then I discovered the educational market. From 2005 to 2007, I had 17 easy readers published, currently have 6 more under contract and have received my first contract for a picture book. My publishers include Perfection Learning Corporation, Harcourt School Book, Picture Window Books and Barron's Educational Series.

AF- What prompted you to write your books? Are they based on true life or are they completely fiction?

MB - I follow my passion. I write a mix of non-fiction and fiction works.

AF- Can you tell us a little about your latest book release?

MB- My most recent books on the market are part of a science reader series for Perfection Learning Corporation. Water All Around, Rock and Minerals and Motion in Space are all available from Powells or Amazon.

AF - Would you take us through your typical writing day?

MB - I schedule by tasks and not by time. I write my list of specific tasks that I intend to accomplish each day. Examples include rewrite a scene, add 1000 words to the current manuscript, work on the synopsis, create a submission package. I roll the unfinished tasks from the previous day onto the current day list. I tend to work about 4 hours every day.

AF - Do you think about your readers when you write a book?

MB - I do think about my readers but not when I'm actually writing. I submerge myself in the storytelling and the secondary world of story takes over.

AF - What sort of things do you do when you're not writing?

MB - I practice yoga, go for long walks, read lots of books, watch TV, play board and computer games and work in my yard. Oh, I also clean house, chauffer kids, volunteer in school class rooms and wash laundry.

AF - What are some of your favorite things?

MB - I really love a good book that keeps me up all night. I like going to movies, munching chocolate strawberries, visiting museums, and observing nature - volcanoes, whales, waterfalls, glaciers, bald eagles, eclipses etc. I'm up for almost everything.

AF - Many writers speak about writer's block. Do you ever have that, and if so what are some things you do to get over it?

MB - Yeah, I get that some times. My RX, read good books, go to a writing conference or an author visit, and focus your talent toward another artistic endeavor for a week or so - music, art, movies, whatever draws you in.

AF - If you could say one thing to a new writer what would it be?

MB -Reread the books that you loved as a child and read them as writer this time.

AF - If you could say one thing to the children reading your books what would that be?

MB -Read, read, read. The whole universe is within the pages of books.

AF - When it comes to writing what's next for you?

MB- My next project is a ghost story set in the Big Thicket of Texas.

AF - Are you available for signings, school visits and writing workshops?

MB - Absolutely. For schools, I like to talk about journaling and writing play. For writers I like to teach them how to target markets for their work.

Author Interview -Tracy Barrett

Welcome, Tracy. Thank you for joining me here for an interview .
AF - What inspired you to be a writer?

TB -I always liked writing and got good grades in creative writing at school but I never thought I had enough talent to be a writer. I went to college and then to graduate school and began teaching at a university. Although I really liked (and still like) my job I felt the need for something else and I decided that the skills I had learned in graduate school could be used in writing nonfiction for children. I wrote ten nonfiction books before my first young adult novel, Anna of Byzantium, was published. I still enjoy writing both fiction and nonfiction.

AF - Can you tell us about your latest book release?

TB -My two most recent books are nonfiction: The Ancient Greek World, co-written with Jennifer Roberts, and The Ancient Chinese World, co-written with Terry Kleeman. Both are published by Oxford University Press. Jen is a professor of ancient Greek history and Terry teaches ancient Chinese philosophy and religion. We worked collaboratively-they supplied most of the information and I did most of the writing, although they did some writing and I did some research. My most recent novel is On Etruscan Time, about an American boy who's spending the summer in Italy and travels to an ancient village to help save a boy from being unjustly executed for a crime he didn't commit.

AF - What prompted you to write your books? Are they based on true life or are they completely fiction?

TB - Usually what happens is I get an idea and can't shake it. It's like getting a tune stuck in your head-the only way to get rid of it (for me, anyway) is to listen to it. So when I get a character or a scene or a problem in my head and it won't leave me alone I write about it to get rid of it. If I'm lucky that character or scene or problem will lead to another, and then another, until I have a whole book! Anna of Byzantium is based on a real 12th-century Byzantine princess but my other novels are pure fiction.

AF -Would you take us through your typical writing day?

TB - I don't have a typical day! If I have a heavy teaching load on a particular day I usually don't get any writing done, although I think about it and sometimes do some mental pre-writing. On days when I don't have many classes or during vacation I write most of the morning and revise for a little while in the afternoon.

AF -Do you think about your readers when you write a book?

TB - Not when I'm writing fiction-I just write what I feel needs to happen. When writing nonfiction I keep in mind the background knowledge that my readers might or might not have, the curriculum requirements for the grade I'm writing for, that kind of thing.

AF - What sort of things do you do when you're not writing?

TB- I teach! When I'm not doing either, I read a lot, like most writers. I also like to cook and knit. I get bored easily so I try out new recipes a lot and I knit very complicated designs. See http://www.tracybarrett.com/bio.htm for an example!

AF- What are some of your favorite things?

TB - My family-books-museums-dogs-Italy.

AF - Many writers speak about writer's block. Do you ever have that, and if so what are some things you do to get over it?

TB - Yes, I do. I know some writers say it doesn't exist, and congratulations to them, but I get it! I have two solutions: first, I try to figure out what's blocking me. Almost always it's that I've set up a situation where a character has to do a certain thing but the way I've written about that character they wouldn't be the kind of person who would do whatever it is I want them to do. If that doesn't work I go to a different project. I always have more than one thing going. If I'm stuck on one I go to the other and by the time I go back to the first I often find that I've come unstuck.

AF- If you could say one thing to a new writer what would it be?

TB - Trust yourself. Listen to advice, see if it works, and if it doesn't, don't follow it. Write what you need to write, what's keeping you up at night, what you want to puzzle out.

AF - If you could say one thing to the children reading your books what would that be?

TB - Be adventurous. Read new things, and know that sometimes what's new seems uncomfortable at first, but you might find a side of yourself you never knew you had.

AF - When it comes to writing what's next for you?

TB - I'm working on a middle-grade mystery series called "The Sherlock Files." There will be four books published by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, starting with The Hundred-Year-Old Secret and followed by The Beast of Blackslope. I don't have titles for the other two yet. I'm also almost finished with the first draft of a novel set in Bronze Age Greece.

AF- Are you available for signings, school visits and writing workshops?

TB- Yes, I love doing them. See http://www.scbwi-midsouth.org/speakers.htm#Tracy_Barrett for details.

Author Interview - Verla Kay

Welcome, Verla. Thank you for taking the time to let me interview you. Q. What inspired you to be a writer?

VK -I wanted to write stories that were fun to read to younger children. It seemed like so many of the fun books were for older kids.

AF- Can you tell us a little about your road to publication?

VK - I took the ICL (Institute of Children's Literature) course to learn to write well for kids. I thought I already knew it all, but figured it wouldn't hurt to learn maybe a thing or two about the submitting end of things. After I got into the course, I realized I didn't know half as much as I thought about anything! It was a great start.

My first picture book took one day to write, and two years to perfect so it was good enough to submit. Then it took another 3 1/2 years of submitting before I found the editor that said, "I love your story and want to publish it!" Six years later, I finally saw it in print. In May of 2007 my 8th book will be published! Yay!

AF -What prompted you to write your books? Are they based on true life or are they completely fiction?

VK - All of my books (that have sold) are history-based. Most are historical fiction, two are non-fiction.

AF - Can you tell us a little about your latest book release?

VK - Rough, Tough Charley is a non-fiction biography about a stagecoach driver from the 1850's and 60's. Charley was noted as the safest and fastest stagecoach driver in the motherlode during California's gold rush days. But Charley had a secret that no one knew about until his death. It's one of my favorite stories I've ever written, and the back of the book holds a lot of extra facts about Charley that aren't in the actual story itself. It's written in my signature style of "cryptic rhyme." (That's what I call my style of rhyme.)

AF - Would you take us through your typical writing day?

VK- I normally get up about 6 or 7 am and go straight to my desk. I spend several hours doing email, checking my website <http://www.verlakay.com/> -- especially my message board, which had over 600,000 hits in the month of January! It's a very busy message board for people who write and illustrate for children. By lunch time I've finished writing, gotten showered and dressed. (Except two days a week when I go to a wellness center gym for exercise, swimming, etc. first thing in the morning. Then my whole day is shot!) Mid-day is spent with my legally blind, almost 95-year-old mother-in-law who lives with my husband and I. By 9:00 pm she is normally in bed, and I can relax and have some free time. That's when I normally go on line and play my favorite game - Puzzle Pirates. About midnight (or by 2 or 3am) I'm in bed, reading something light for about 15 minutes until I'm tired enough to go to sleep. Then I get up the next morning and start over again.

AF - Do you think about your readers when you write a book?

VK - A little bit. But mostly I think about the story I'm telling. Is it fun? Are the words exciting and a little quirky so readers will enjoy them? Is the story compelling? Will kids enjoy it? Does it have an exciting beginning? Lots of problems in the middle? A satisfactory ending? Is is a GOOD story if I take away the rhyme? If not, I rethink it and rewrite it until it "sings" to me.

AF - What sort of things do you do when you're not writing?

VK - I love to work jigsaw puzzles, read (sci fi, mysteries, and regency romances are my favorite things to read) and I love working logic problems. I enjoy computer games -- not the shoot-em-up kind, but the mind puzzle type of games. That's why I love Puzzle Pirates so much. It's all puzzling games!

AF - What are some of your favorite things?

VK - Soft squishy pillows, warm gloves and hats and coats and shoes in winter, shorts and sleeveless tops in summer, swimming, fishing, fishing, fishing!

AF - Many writers speak about writer's block. Do you ever have that, and if so what are some things you do to get over it?

VK - I rarely run out of ideas. After my last book was finished, I thought I had writer's block for a while. Then I realized it was just that my editor had asked me not to write the book I needed to write. She said they didn't want a book on that subject. When I finally realized it was the next book inside me, I started writing it anyway. If she doesn't want it, I'm sure someone else will, and I have to write the books that inside me waiting to come out!

AF - If you could say one thing to a new writer what would it be?

VK - Learn as much as you can about the business, get into a critique group to get invaluable feedback, and if you truly believe in your stories, NEVER GIVE UP.

AF -If you could say one thing to the children reading your books what would that be?

VK - Enjoy!

AF -When it comes to writing what's next for you?

VK - Hopefully the sale of a pirate book I recently finished writing. I love that story and HOPE it will soon find an editor who also loves it.

AF - Are you available for signings, school visits and writing workshops?

VK - I love doing talks and am always open to discussing it to see if something can be worked out. My email is verlakay@aol.com if anyone wants to contact me about a talk.

Author Interview Sherry Garland

Sherry Garland is the award-winning author of over twenty-five books for children, young adults, and adults. Many of her books, such as THE LOTUS SEED, SONG OF THE BUFFALO BOY and SHADOW OF THE DRAGON, focus on Vietnam and evolved from her friendship with Vietnamese families in Houston. A fifth generation Texan, Ms. Garland also sets many of her books in the Lone Star State, including the popular Dear America series book, A LINE IN THE SAND, and the award-winning picture book VOICES OF THE ALAMO. Honors include: ALA Notable, BBYA, Best Book in Field of Social Studies, Reading Rainbow Book, WWA Spur Award, California Young Reader’s Medal, Texas Institute of Letters Award, Texas Bluebonnet List, Texas Lone Star List, Parents Choice, NCTE Orbis Pictus and many more.
Ms. Garland graduated with honors from the University of Texas-Arlington, with a BA in French and graduate studies in English/Linguistics. Before becoming a full time writer, she worked for many years in libraries. Ms. Garland conducts workshops at conferences for writers, librarians, students and teachers. Her speaking engagements have taken her to schools across the USA and to International schools in Taiwan, China, and Malaysia. She also traveled to Vietnam to do research.
Welcome, Sherry. Thank you for joining me here for an interview .

AF -What inspired you to be a writer?

SG -I like to give credit to my high school English teacher. She encouraged me to read great works of literature and to write. She made our senior honors class enter a state-wide essay contest. I won first place, was in the newspaper, on TV, honored at a banquet and received $100 (that was big bucks back in 1966). All that fame and glory made me realize I might have some talent for writing. I also took journalism and wrote some items for the high school newspaper.

AF -Can you tell us a little about your road to publication?

SG - I wrote poetry and short stories all during college, but never had the nerve to submit to publishers, so I hid everything under my mattress. I was over 30 before I considered writing as a career. I joined a writer's group, read tons of how-to-write books and attended conferences. At one conference I met an editor and submitted a proposal to her for a romance novel. She bought the ms and the next one, too. I didn't like writing romances, but when I tried something else, the editor was discouraging, so I quit writing altogether and figured my career was over. About five years later, I saw an ad in a writer's magazine placed by an educational publisher wanting someone to write a children's NF book about Vietnam. I had never written non-fiction or for children, but I knew a lot about Vietnam because of my friendships with the Vietnamese community in Houston and my research on Vietnam for an adult novel. That NF book launched my career as a children's/YA writer. I now have a total of 26 published books.

AF - What prompted you to write your books? Are they based on true life or are they completely fiction?

SG - Most of my books have a real event as their basis, whether historical or recent news items. For Shadow of the Dragon the news story was the beating death of a Vietnamese teenager by a gang of skinheads. For Letters from the Mountain, the idea came from a TV documentary about teens who "huffed" dangerous inhalants. I love history, and get lots of ideas while reading about different historical time periods. I do not base my characters specifically on people I know, but of course, my own background and upbringing work their way into the story and characterizations.

AF - Can you tell us a little about your latest book release?

SG - My latest book is a historical picture book called, THE BUFFALO SOLDIER. The narrator is an elderly African-American man, a former slave, recounting his life as a soldier in the US Army in the 1800s. The story starts when he is a 15 year old slave and ends when he is over 90. The award-winning illustrator, Ronald Himler, did a marvelous job. This book was just named a Notable book by the National Council of Social Studies and Children's Book Council.

AF - Would you take us through your typical writing day?

SG - I have no "typical" writing day. I really admire folks who can discipline their lives enough to have a schedule, but I am not that kind of person. I have a lot of false starts - writing a bunch of stuff then discarding it. I am a horrible procrastinator who gets very little accomplished until the last minute. I putter around the house, watch the wildlife, eat, sleep, watch TV, read the mail & e-mails. Then I get panicky about not working and write in a manic-like burst to catch up. I am at the computer every day (except those days I am traveling to do research or to speak at schools/conferences), but that does not mean that I am actually writing. However, when I have sold a novel on proposal and have a deadline looming, I adhere to a very strict schedule. I type up the schedule before starting the book and force myself to get it completed on time. During those times, I give myself permission to ignore all other life duties. The office becomes a pigsty.

AF - Do you think about your readers when you write a book?

SG - Actually, I think about the characters, the plot, the setting, and what makes a good novel. I am basically writing a book that I would like to read. I use my own feelings when I was a child or teen to get the right emotions. However, since I write for different age levels, I do make sure that language and theme are appropriate for the various ages. My fast paced chapter books for horse lovers would never have profanity or sexual content, whereas a YA novel might be more edgy.

AF - What sort of things do you do when you're not writing?

SG - Besides eating, sleeping and watching TV? I observe local wildlife a lot (I live on two heavily wooded acres). I also visit libraries for research and spend a lot of time on the Internet doing research. My favorite pastimes are gardening, walking three miles a day, camping and visiting places of great natural beauty. I love to cook. I also like to travel, which fits in nicely with research.

AF - Many writers speak about writer's block. Do you ever have that, and if so what are some things you do to get over it?

SG - I get writer's block all the time. In fact, I have had it last as long as five years at a stretch, where virtually no writing was done. To me there are two main causes of writer's block: 1) depression and lack of confidence and 2)having too many distractions and too little will power. For example, I start the day intending to write but then I tell myself that I should wash the clothes or feed the birds or plant petunias or go to the library before I start writing, and before you know it the day is gone and it's too late to write. Or during times of self-doubt, I convince myself that no one wants what I am writing anyway, so why bother. I have noticed that I never get writer's block when I have sold a project on proposal and have a deadline. I work best under pressure.

AF -If you could say one thing to a new writer what would it be?

SG - Be patient; stick with it. Let yourself enjoy the writing process and don't focus on rejection.

AF - If you could say one thing to the children reading your books what would that be?

SG - I hope you escape to another world while you are reading, one that is different from your own, whether it be another time period or another culture, one that makes you see life in a new light, if only for a little while.

AF - When it comes to writing what's next for you?

SG - I have several picture books making the rounds, two MG proposals (sequels to my police horse chapter book), a MG mystery, and three YA novels, two set during the 1960s. I have also been thinking seriously about writing for adults again, especially in the mystery or suspense genres.

AF - Are you available for signings, school visits and writing workshops?

SG - Yes, that is a very large part of my life. I do several different presentations, depending on the age of the audience and what the school wants. My website has more details: http://www.sherrygarland.com/

Author Interview - Linda Joy Singleton

Welcome, Linda Joy. Thank you for taking the time to let me interview you.
What inspired you to be a writer?

LJS. As soon as I started reading on my own, I started writing. No one told me to do it. Words and stories just sprang out of me and onto paper. As young as eight, I wrote because I loved stories. I submitted short stories in my teens, gaining experience with rejections. And when I was thirty, I sold my first juvenile novel. Since then I'm sold over thirty books.

AF. Can you tell us about your latest book release?

LJS - The 4th title in THE SEER series, SWORD PLAY, came out in 2006. I took fencing lessons for research and watched a joust that resulted in a serious injury to one rider. The book opens with a ghost and ends with a battle of swords. In August 07 the 5th title in THE SEER series, FATAL CHARM, was published by Flux. In Fall of 2008 my first midgrade hardback, INTO THE MIRROR (about a foster girl searching for secrets of her past) will come out. Also the first book in Flux's DEAD GIRL series, DEAD GIRL WALKING.

AF - What prompted you to write your books?

LJS Are they based on true life or are they completely fiction? My books are all fiction. I love to write about magical, strange and mysterious things that fascinate me. I've written about clones, psychics, ghosts, aliens, mermaids and cheerleaders. Whenever I've writing about a topic excites me. I do most research online but love to go places and meet people who help make even the most fantastical plot seem real. There are little bits of people I know, emotions I've felt and places I've been in every book I write.

AF. Would you take us through your typical writing day?

LJS - You're gonna hate me (g)…but when it's cold I don't even get up in the morning. I put my laptop on my bed, prop myself upright, check my email then bring up my latest manuscript. I spend a few hours rewriting what I've already written, then if I'm a good girl, I add new pages. Sometimes I edit over and over without adding any new pages, but the rewriting makes it so much better. So I write slower than I used to but I like to think the work shines a little brighter for the extra work.

AF Do you think about your readers when you write a book?

LJS - No. I become my character and feel her story. We're experiencing the plot together.

AF - What sort of things do you do when you're not writing?

LJS -Watch reality TV shows. Take walks. Go to the movies. I bowl (badly) on a league with my hubby. In the summer we boat & camp. I also spend a lot of time surfing the web. Oh, and lots of reading. Books rock.

AF - What are some of your favorite things?

LJS - My family, cats, my dog Lacey, the color pink, my series book collection, trees, lakes, the ocean and sunshine.

AF- Many writers speak about writer's block. Do you ever have that, and if so what are some things you do to get over it?

LJS - I don't get writer's block. I get writer's procrastination and disappointment, but I never run out of ideas. There are too many books to write and not enough years to write them all.

AF- If you could say one thing to a new writer what would it be?

LJS - Read. Yup, you've heard that before, but reading is the key to learning the flow and music of words. Read all kinds of books and soak in a multitude of voices. Then read some more.

AF- If you could say one thing to the children reading your books what would that be?

LJS - I hope you love my books.

AF - When it comes to writing what's next for you?

LJS - I now have an agent and she's shopping around a trilogy about a girl who feels like an alien in high school for good reason. It turned out soooo good. I love my ugly-girl character and am had a ball writing all the weird things that happen to her. I am being sooo mean to her, but nice, too, because she's going to find love and magic in the end.

AF- Are you available for signings, school visits and writing workshops?

LJS - Yup. That was me you saw on the side of the road with the sign: Will Give Talks For Honorarium. http://www.lindajoysingleton.com/

Author Interview - Karleen Bradford

Karleen Bradford is the award winning author of 22 books for children and young adults. She was born in Toronto, Canada, but moved with her parents to Argentina, South America when shewas nine. She came back to Canada for University and met her husband, Jim. After graduation, he took a position as a Foreign Service Officer with the Canadian Government. As a result, they spent the next 34 years travelling and living in different parts of the world including Colombia, the United States, England, the Philippines, Brazil, Germany and Puerto Rico. Their family is a real United Nations: her oldest son was born in Canada, her daughter in Colombia and her youngest son in England. They also acquired an American dog and a Brazilian cat along the way, as well as an assortment of other pets. Moving time was always exciting.

Her husband has retired now and they have settled back in Canada. She is putting down roots for the first time in her life and thoroughly enjoying it. Never able to live without a pet, so Casey, a large and lovable German Shepherd has joined the family.

Karleen has taught creative writing and writing for children for many years and done workshops and readings in schools and libraries across Canada and in the United States. She also had the opportunity of working with children in American schools in Germany while she lived there and, more recently, at the American School in Taipei, Taiwan. The Internet has introduced her to new opportunities. She has worked as a writer in residence for the WIER (Writers in Electronic Residence) program and taken part in The Read In, a day-long international meeting on the Net of writers and students from all over the world.
You can find out more about Karleen Bradford and her work at

www.karleenbradford.com

Welcome, Karleen. Thank you for joining me here for an interview. First off, what inspired you to be a writer?

KB - I've always loved writing, for as far back as I can remember. And I loved reading. It was finally reading books to my children that inspired me to write seriously.

AF- Can you tell us about your latest book release?

KB - My latest book is called The Scarlet Cross. It's published by HarperCollins Canada Ltd. It is the fourth book in a series about the Crusades. This particular book deals with the Children's Crusade-a particularly dreadful episode in our history.

AF - What prompted you to write your books? Are they based on true life or are they completely fiction?

KB - Some of my books are historical novels, based on true life, with real and fictional characters. For these I do extensive research and am careful to make them as accurate as I can. Other books are fantasy and contemporary novels which come entirely out of my imagination.

AF - Would you take us through your typical writing day?

KB - I get up in the morning, take the dog for a walk, eat breakfast, then sit down to work in the room in my house that I have set aside for an office. I usually work on new stuff or revisions in the mornings. After lunch I will do office work, etc. Can't resist checking email whenever that little bell rings.

AF - Do you think about your readers when you write a book?

KB - Not really. The people who are most alive to me while I'm writing a book are the characters in it.

AF - What sort of things do you do when you're not writing?

KB - I read, of course. Don't know a writer who isn't a reader. I also hike, swim, and my biggest spare-time hobby is quilting.

AF - What are some of your favorite things?

KB - Books, dogs, cats, old glass and old china, spring, odd jewelry, and chocolate. Always, chocolate.

AF - Many writers speak about writer's block. Do you ever have that, and if so what are some things you do to get over it?

KB - Often. I will sometimes sleep on it or go for long walks to mull over the problem. What works best, however, is just revising the last day's work or the last chapter. That gets my brain working and by the time I reach the stuck point I'm usually back into it again.

AF - If you could say one thing to a new writer what would it be?

KB - Write regularly and write as much as you can. Write the kind of book or story you would like to read. Above all, find joy in the writing.

AF - I f you could say one thing to the children reading your books what would that be?

KB - I hope I've written a good story that you will love. I've tried my best.

AF - When it comes to writing what's next for you?

KB - I'm revising a third fantasy book and when I finish that it's on to another historical novel.

AF - Are you available for signings, school visits and writing workshops?

KB - I am cutting back on signings, school visits and writing workshops, but haven't cut them out completely.

Author Interview - Cynthia Leitich Smith

Cynthia Leitich Smith is the award-winning author of JINGLE DANCER (Morrow, 2000), INDIAN SHOES (HarperCollins, 2001), and RAIN IS NOT MY INDIAN NAME (HarperCollins, 2001)(Listening Library, 2001). She is a member of faculty at the Vermont College M.F.A. program in Writing for Children and Young Adults. Her website at http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/ was named one of the top 10 Writer Sites on the Internet by Writer's Digest and an ALA Great Website for Kids. Her Cynsations blog at cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/ was listed as among the top two read by the children's/YA publishing community in the SCBWI "To Market" column. Cynthia's more recent titles are a picture book, SANTA KNOWS (Dutton, 2006) and a young adult gothic fantasy novel, TANTALIZE (Candlewick, 2007). She makes her home in Austin, Texas; with her husband, author Greg Leitich Smith.
Welcome, Cynthia. Thank you for joining me here for an interview . First off, what inspired you to be a writer? Why write for young readers?

CLS - Love of language, of story, inspired me to improve my writing skills, and I followed that to writing as a career. At first, I had imagined myself as a journalist, which translated to a writer with a paycheck-however meager. Writing fiction seemed a tremendous indulgence against great odds. It was something I'd do someday. But it slowly occurred to me that many people "someday" their way through their entire lives. The only way to make dreams a reality is to commit to them fully.

AF - Can you tell us about your latest book release?

CLS - My latest book, Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007) is an upper level YA gothic fantasy. It's also a genre bender, combining mystery, suspense, romance, humor, and fantasy.
The book is set in Austin, Texas, and centers on seventeen-year-old Quincie P. Morris, who is trying to re-launch her family's Italian restaurant with a vampire theme while suspicions swirl that her best friend and first love may be responsible for having killed her long-time chef.
So far, the response has been tremendous. The Horn Book has called the book "an intoxicating romantic thriller," Booklist has compared the writing to Newbery honor author Joan Bauer's, and Kirkus says the climax "will have teen readers weeping with both lust and sorrow."
Just this month in a boxed review, BookPage noted that voice "will appeal to fans-both teens and adults-of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'" and Borders has named Tantalize to its Original Voices list for March 2007.

AF - What prompted you to write your books? Are they based on true life or are they completely fiction?

CLS - Other than a short story-"The Naked Truth," from In My Grandmother's House: Award-Winning Authors Tell Stories About Their Grandmothers (HarperCollins, 2003)-none of my fiction has me in it per se.
However, there are echoes of my life in some of the characters sprinkled throughout my body of work. I have lived in small town Oklahoma, northeast Kansas, Chicago, and Austin, which are all locales where books of mine are set. I also used to vacation every summer in Estes Park, Colorado, which is the setting for a short story from Period Pieces: Stories for Girls (HarperCollins, 2003).
More specifically, I share a tribal, regional, and/or mixed blood background with the characters from my three contemporary Native American children's titles-Jingle Dancer (Morrow, 2000), Rain Is Not My Indian Name (HarperCollins, 2001), and Indian Shoes (HarperCollins, 2002).
Like Cousin Elizabeth from Jingle Dancer, I'm a law school graduate. Like Cassidy Rain from Rain Is Not My Indian Name, I'm a fan of sci fi and enjoy the Web. Like Ray from Indian Shoes, I had a close relationship with my grandfather. Santa Knows grew out of my love of Christmas.
More recently, Tantalize features a young restaurateur, and I paid for much of my freshmen and sophomore years of college working as waitress.

AF - Would you take us through your typical writing day?

CLS - I wake up early lately, mostly due to my alpha cat/alarm clock. By early, I mean about 8 a.m. I spend the first hour or so handling email and snail mail business correspondence, post to my blog(s), and then run away errands. After that, I write most of the afternoon with a break to workout on my treadmill. My husband, author Greg Leitich Smith, and I have dinner together, and then we write for another couple of hours before relaxing for the day. However, if I'm writing a rough draft, that has to happen between midnight and four a.m., so the whole schedule shifts accordingly.

AF - Do you think about your readers when you write a book?

CLS - I didn't used to, though I'm being inundated at the moment with feedback about my gothic fantasy work. That's new for me, so I'm trying to take it in with appreciation and consideration while keeping in mind that the story has a life of its own.

AF - What sort of things do you do when you're not writing?

CLS - Like most authors I spend a fair amount of time on reading and promotion. I also speak frequently, and, though I'm on leave this semester, I teach as a member of the MFA faculty in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College. I also like to meet with friends for lunch or dinner, go to the theater (I have a weakness for musicals), and travel. I'm especially fond of B&Bs in small-town central Texas.

AF - What are some of your favorite things?

CLS - Wolves, ABBA, cats, children's and YA books, sushi, vampires, 1920s arts-and-crafts architecture, comic books, black-and-white photography, bats, Paris, "Monk," office supplies, stickers, baths, gerbera daisies, dark chocolate, upscale hotels, Eartha Kitt, odd nail polish colors, archery.

AF - Many writers speak about writer's block. Do you ever have that, and if so what are some things you do to get over it?

CLS - I dance around in the dark to the soundtrack from "Xanadu." As an additional benefit, it amuses my cats.

AF - If you could say one thing to a new writer what would it be?

CLS - Craft first. It's about the process, not the publication.

AF- If you could say one thing to the children and young adults reading your books what would that be?

CLS - You are the hero of your own story.

AF - When it comes to writing what's next for you?

CLS- I'm currently on deadline for another YA gothic fantasy to follow on the heels of Tantalize. It's set partially in Texas and largely in Chicago.

AF- You're a major children's/YA literature blogger. What about blogging appeals to you?

CLS -First, I adore the community. What a smart, inspiring group! Second, my blogging style tends toward the newsy, which is a release for my inner journalist. I also enjoy being able to shine some light on quality books and voices that may not garner the major ad budgets but deserve all the attention they can get. Basically, it's one of the ways I try to connect and give back.

AF -Are you available for signings, school visits and writing workshops?

CLS - Yes, although for long-distance events, I often book a year to eighteen months in advance.
AF - What are some of your favorite recent reads?

CLS - Oh, so many! Of the top of my head, I've really loved: Beauty Shop for Rent by Laura Bowers (Harcourt, 2007); Beige by Cecil Castellucci (Candlewick, 2007); Brothers, Boyfriends and Other Criminal Minds by April Lurie (Delacorte, 2007); The Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr (Little Brown, 2007); and Wonders of the World by Brian Yansky (Flux, 2007).

Author Interview - Dori Chaconas

Author InterviewDori Chaconas
Welcome, Dori. Thanks for joining me for an interview.
AF - What inspired you to be a writer?

DC - As a child, I was an avid reader. It was a form of escapism for me. I had a happy, normal childhood, but so normal that at times I felt I lived the most boring life possible. Books, movies, and stories of any kind took me to more interesting places. Along with reading, I created stories in my head, in which I could introduce more excitement into my humdrum life. If I wanted a horse, I'd create one and have one heck of a time riding him to school. So it seems natural that I'd someday start to write my stories down. Since then my biggest inspiration comes from the fact that other people like reading what I write.

AF - Can you tell us a little about your road to publication?

DC - It was a long road with a few detours. I began to write seriously in the 1960s. I started to sell to children's magazines, then had a few picture books published. But writing at that time was a lonely business, before SCBWI, before the Internet, before you had any opportunity to meet other writers for support and critiquing. It was too lonely, and so in the 70s I left writing and turned to creating yarn stitchery designs and sold them to women's magazines and yarn companies.
I came back to writing in 1997 when my daughter Stacy DeKeyser drew me back to it because of her own interest in writing for children. I learned about the Internet, and writers' listservs, and conferences, and liked it all.
Now, ten years later, I've been fortunate enough to have sold 19 books, which astonishes me, as I would have been perfectly happy selling one.

AF - What prompted you to write your books? Are they based on true life or are they completely fiction?

DC - Most of my books come from a grain of true life with a lot of fiction to color it up and fill it out. I'm a strong believer of family values and this theme often finds its way into my books. I also like to make people laugh, and those stories that are meant to be humorous take a bit more planning and nudging of characters and events to make them funny. I'm pretty reserved in real life, but humorous books allow my whacky side to come out.

AF - Can you tell us a little about your latest book release?

DC -I have three books coming out this Spring of 2007.
Coriander the Contrary Hen, illustrated by Marsha Gray Carrington, (Carolrhoda) is about a chicken who's actually somewhat of a bully. I like to think her quirky personality makes up for her contrary ways.
Virginnie's Hat, illustrated by Holly Meade, (Candlewick) is about a small girl who gets her new hat stuck in a tree. While she's throwing her boots into the air to dislodge the hat, creepy swamp creatures sneak up behind her with the intention of lunching on her toes. It's a story told in rhyme.
Cork and Fuzz: Good Sports, Illustrated by Lisa McCue, (Viking) is the third book in an EZ reader series. The conflict in this story comes about because while both characters like to play games, both like to win.

AF - Would you take us through your typical writing day?

DC - You'd be pretty bored. There are many days when I don't write at all. The beauty of being a picture book writer with so few words to be written is that most of the work is done in your head before you ever put a word on paper. But once the idea is there and I've given it the mental workout it needs to know where it's going, I'm obsessed with writing and revising it. That's when my normally organized day goes to pot. Most of everything gets shoved aside so I can write, and rewrite, and rewrite.

AF - Do you think about your readers when you write a book?

DC - Not really. I mostly think about 'story,' and what will make it work. I write for me. I guess I have enough kid in me to know what I like, and I trust that feeling.

AF - What sort of things do you do when you're not writing?

DC - I've always loved doing things with my hands, and really like what I call 'domestic arts.' I like needlework of any kind and usually have an afghan or quilt in the works. I like amateur photography. I like family gatherings and we often have Sunday dinners here. I enjoy baking and cooking (if I don't have to do it too often.) I enjoy daily walks.

AF - What are some of your favorite things?

DC - Family - friends - babies - kittens - quilts - books - snow - ponds, lakes, streams, and oceans - forests - farms - the smell of freshly cut grass, or baking bread.

AF - Many writers speak about writer's block. Do you ever have that, and if so what are some things you do to get over it?

DC - I often have writer's block. The most recent one lasted more than a year. I try to ignore it and do other things, since I know through experience that I can't force the block no matter what I try. After awhile I do miss the excitement of writing a new story. But the only thing I can do is wait it out and not get stressed over it. It'll pass. It always has. And if it doesn't… well, I've had a good run and I'm grateful for that.

AF - If you could say one thing to a new writer what would it be?

DC - It's impossible to list just one. Do your homework. Learn everything you can about the craft of writing so you can approach it as a professional. Read and study books in the genre in which you want to write.
Having a talent for storytelling is a good beginning, but you have to help that talent grow strong enough to compete with all the good writers out there.

AF - If you could say one thing to the children reading your books what would that be?

DC - Enjoy reading this book. I wrote it to entertain you.

AF - When it comes to writing what's next for you?

DC - I have no lofty goals. I enjoy writing, and as long as I'm blessed with new story ideas, I'll continue to write.

AF - Do you have a website?

DC -I sure do. http://www.dorichaconas.com/

Author Interview - Dianne Ochiltree

Welcome, Dianne. Thank you for joining me for an interview.
What inspired you to be a writer?

DO - My first inspiration had to be all those great books and the writers who created them. Each book opened a door to another world; another way of looking at the world, too. I was one of those sneaky readers---sunk in our old hammock under a maple tree for hours in the summer when I was supposed to be doing chores, or reading under the covers with a flashlight after official bedtime 'lights out'. I devoured books and thought no life's work so noble, or exciting, as that of author. Frankly, I still do!

AF - Can you tell us about your latest book release?

DO - My latest release is titled LULL-A-BYE, LITTLE ONE, a bedtime picture book for the very young, published in June 2006 by G.P. Putnam's Sons.In rhythm and rhyme, it tells a simple story of the family routines, and love, a mother, father and toddler share with each other each bedtime. The illustrations by Hideko Takahashi are warm and fuzzy, but not overly sentimental---she did an amazing job of showing the toddler's world from a toddler's point of view.

AF - What prompted you to write your books? Are they based on true life or are they completely fiction?

DO - Every story I have written contains a unique combination of fact and imagination. Take, for example, a picture book manuscript: I may start off with a memory of a childhood event, or from the childhood of my own kids, or even just a situation common to most people's childhoods. Then I will mix in realistic emotions, things that a child the age of my target readership would think, feel, dream, wish, fear. I may even throw in an educational concept, like a math skill, that's appropriate for the level of reader for whom this story is being written. I will decide on a setting for the plot, and may go on a few field trips to make sure that my narrative details are accurate and up-to-date. This might mean taking notes, doing sketches, or snapping photos. So although my stories may not have actually happened as they do in the final draft, I like to think that they 'ring true' in their details, and ultimately work to reveal a universal, larger truth about growing up.

AF - Would you take us through your typical writing day?

DO -How I would LOVE to do this---but am embarrassed to say that after all these years, I really don't have typical writing routine to tell you about! I do start each day with three pages of journal-writing, freestyle. It's a good way to get warmed up for the writing that will be ahead, in the same way that athletes stretch their muscles before going onto the sports field. Some days, this might be the only writing that I accomplish. Other days, I may do nothing but write. It all depends on what else is happening in my life that day, and how close the deadline is looming on my calendar. If I only have ten minutes of creative time available, though, I grab it.

AF- Do you think about your readers when you write a book?

DO- I do. I keep asking myself as I write, whether for a toddler, or a teen, questions like: does this dialogue sound realistic? Would someone this age care about this detail? Etc. I try to write from the viewpoint of my intended reader. This is the craft-oriented answer to your question. I think also of my reader as a person I'm having a conversation (of sorts) with… therefore I write with respect and love.

AF - What sort of things do you do when you're not writing?

DO- Right now, I'm not doing the things I love because I'm recovering from a broken wrist! But when I'm through physical therapy, I intend to return to my yoga practice, hiking in the woods with the dog, and stir-fry cooking. At least I'm able again to swim, which is also a favorite fitness sport.

AF- What are some of your favorite things?

DO- Fresh strawberries in season. Great music. A bunch of flowers from the garden. The ocean.

AF - Many writers speak about writer's block. Do you ever have that, and if so what are some things you do to get over it?

DO- Do I ever…it happens on a daily basis, every time I sit down at the keyboard and see that big blank screen in front of me. I wonder why I ever thought I was qualified to do this job and what could I possibly think to say that would be of interest to anyone. Then I take a deep breath and plunge into the void. I give myself permission to take chances, to write really rotten stuff. That's the key for me: remembering that it doesn't have to be golden prose the first time around, it just has to be a draft that I can edit into shape eventually.

AF - If you could say one thing to a new writer what would it be?

DO - Remember that over 10,000 books for children and young adults are published each year---what can you do to make your manuscript stand out, and stand up to the competition? (Hint: tell a story only you could tell.)

AF - If you could say one thing to the children reading your books what would that be?

DO - No matter what you want to do with your life and career when you grow up, you will never regret becoming a good reader. It's a skill that will help throughout your school years and beyond.

AF - When it comes to writing what's next for you?

DO - My next picture book will be coming out in 2008 from NorthWord Books for Young Readers. We're still working on a final title so I can't give out that information yet. But I can tell you that it's a rhyming story for ages 4 to 8, and it's about a child, and a father, who count fireflies on a starry summer night.

AF - Are you available for signings, school visits and writing workshops?

DO - I do all of the above. My schedule is limited because I live half the year in Florida and half the year in the Pennsylvania Poconos. For schools, I do small-group presentations and workshops rather than full-school assemblies. For more information, please go to my author website, http://www.ochiltreebooks.com/.

Author Interview Deborah Lynn Jacobs

Author InterviewDeborah Lynn Jacobs

DEBORAH LYNN JACOBS is the author of POWERS, Roaring Brook Press, 2006. It was nominated as an ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.
Kirkus Reviews called it, "…a bewitchingly pulpy and enjoyable fast read."School Library Journal said it was, "A traditional story of teenage angst with a refreshing twist."And VOYA said: "Told in the alternating voices of Gwen and Adrian, this novel is more than a typical fantasy/science fiction exploration of psychic powers."
Deborah's newest book, CHOICES, a young adult novel, will be available in September, 2007, from Roaring Brook Press. She is currently working on a new novel.
Previously, Deborah wrote feature articles for regional newspapers and magazines. Deborah has ten years experience developing curriculum and teaching adult learners. She is an active member of Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and has presented at local writers' conferences.
Most people call her Deborah, then Debbie, and then Deb…all within the space of, oh, about ten seconds.She likes Deb the best, but thinks Deborah is a much more sophisticated name for a YA novelist. I mean, really-Deb Jacobs on the cover of a book? Nah….
Welcome, Deborah. Thank you for joining me here for an interview .

AF - What inspired you to be a writer?

DLJ - I'm not sure. I loved reading from the start, and used to stay in at lunch hour to help the school librarian shelve books. I wrote my first book at age eight, but got stuck in the middle. It's a problem I still have!

AF - Can you tell us about your latest book release?

DLJ - POWERS is about two teens who develop psychic powers and nearly destroy each other before they learn to work together. It's a story about power on many levels, personal, relationship, physical, sexual. I'd rate it for 13-and-up.CHOICES came out in fall 2007. Here's the blurb: Overcome with guilt over her brother's death, Kathleen slips through multiple universes in an attempt to find one in which he is still alive.Both are written in more than one voice, which makes revision a total pain!

AF - What prompted you to write your books? Are they based on true life or are they completely fiction?

DLJ- They're pure fiction. I grew up on science fiction, and most of what I write starts with the question, "what if?" What if psychic powers were real? What if the multiple universe theory is real?

AF - Would you take us through your typical writing day?

DLJ - Alarm clock rings. Nudge husband. Repeat six times. Try to fall back asleep. Most times succeed.Get up later, make coffee, answer emails, do promotion stuff like setting up library/school visits, answer messages on MySpace and LiveJournal. Eat, shower, go for my walk and then write for the afternoon. At some point, it occurs to me to make dinner. My husband arrives, we eat and watch an hour or two of TV. Then, write for another few hours. Go to bed at midnight or so.

AF - Do you think about your readers when you write a book?

DLJ - Not so much at first. Writing, to me, is organized daydreaming. I think the story in my head, hear the dialogue, see the characters. As I get further along, I pay attention to my themes. I wonder, "what am I saying here?" For example, CHARLOTTE'S WEB was a great story, but it was also about friendship, loyalty and the circle of life. POWERS is a fun, quick read, but it explores the themes of corruption, friendship and getting past the public mask a person wears. In the end, POWERS is about being totally honest with yourself, and facing your inner demons. CHOICES (Sept. 2007) has the themes of "there's more than one kind of love" and "each choice you make in life takes you down a different path." It's not that I write "messagey" books. Not AT ALL! But I think every book says something about the way we see the world. In writing for teens, I want to be aware of what my stories say on a deeper level.

AF - What sort of things do you do when you're not writing?

DLJ: Read, watch movies, cook (I love unusual or ethnic foods), garden (mostly perennials-I start them from seed, collect wild seeds, try to grow stuff native to this area) .

AF - What are some of your favorite things?

DLJ - Hearing the red-winged blackbirds return in the spring. They have such a party when they all arrive. Hearing the frogs wake up from their winter sleep and call to each other. Watching the house finches build a nest in my hanging Impatiens pot. Loons. Eagles. Dobermans. The robins that raise their young in my backyard. The little vole that steals seeds from the base of my bird feeder. My kids, my kids, my kids.Dark chocolate. Hot tubbing on a cold winter night. Canoeing. Lakes, rivers, oceans, streams, creeks. Campfires. Being the first person to leave footprints in a pristine field of snow.

AF - Many writers speak about writer's block. Do you ever have that, and if so what are some things you do to get over it?

DLJ - Oh, I do. Mostly it's because of fear that my story will be of interest to no one, or because I'm trying to force the plot or characters. I take long walks, ask my characters questions, try to outline, and complain to my writer buds. One thing that helps me is to set an alarm for one hour and allow myself to JUST WRITE. After an hour, I usually get into it and then spend several more hours writing.

AF - If you could say one thing to a new writer what would it be?

DLJ - Persevere. Join a critique group. Join writing related lists on the Internet and learn from those who have gone before.

AF - If you could say one thing to the children reading your books what would that be?

DLJ - I'm writing for teens, and I know it's not the easiest time of life. I remember…oh, boy, do I remember! So, I guess I'd say:"Be the person YOU want to be. It's okay to be different, whatever 'different' may be for you. It's okay to have only one or two good friends in high school. Not everyone belongs to a group. It's okay to follow your dreams, however unrealistic others tell you they are. You only live once. Live without regret."Oh, and just to be really self-serving, I'd say, "If you like my stuff, tell your friends! Blog about me! Spread the word!

AF - When it comes to writing what's next for you?

DLJ - A novel that's part dystopia, part contemporary. It's written in two voices, with roughly parallel but very different story lines. I'd tell you the premise, but then…uh…you know…

AF - Are you available for signings, school visits and writing workshops?

DLJ - In a heartbeat. My website is: http://www.deborahlynnjacobs.com/Click on Presentations, or Contact Me.

Author Interview - Judy Gregerson

Welcome, Judy. Thank you for taking the time to let me interview you.
AF - What inspired you to be a writer?

JG -Around the age of twelve, I discovered that I could write and that people liked what I wrote. There's tremendous satisfaction in seeing the smile on someone's face after they read something you've put to paper. That was enough to get me going!

AF - Can you tell us a little about your road to publication?

JG -My first book sold to the first editor who read it and was published quickly. So, there wasn't much of a road there. The second book is another story. That took a lot longer.

AF - What prompted you to write your books? Are they based on true life or are they completely fiction?

JG - They're a mix of real life and fiction. I use what I know and then fictionalize what I don't know. Then I mix it all up.

AF - Can you tell us a little about your latest book release?

JG - Ok, here's the standard blurb. Bad Girls Club: A horrifying incident at the top of Crater Lake leaves Destiny in charge of her abusive mentally ill mother and her little sister. She hides the secret of what happened, but falls farther away from her friends as she tries to save her mother and her little sister from the evil that has taken over their house. When she finds out that her mother has killed before, she's afraid that neither she nor her sister will get out alive.

AF - Would you take us through your typical writing day?

JG - I've been so busy doing pre-launch publicity that I don't have a standard writing day anymore.

AF - Do you think about your readers when you write a book?

JG - I do think about the people who will relate to what I'm writing and I try to make the story the best I can for them.

AF - What sort of things do you do when you're not writing?

JG - I travel a little. I shop. I'm doing more gourmet cooking.

AF - What are some of your favorite things?

JG - I like clothes. I like going to the lake in the summer and sitting on a floatie all day and toasting in the sun. I love my laptop and carrying it around with me when I travel.

AF - Many writers speak about writer's block. Do you ever have that, and if so what are some things you do to get over it?

JG - If I get writer's block it's because I don't know something about the character or the plot. It's my mind's way of telling me to stop and think it through.

AF - If you could say one thing to a new writer what would it be?

JG - Get a day job!

AF - If you could say one thing to the children reading your books what would that be?

JG - Be careful what you believe about yourself.

AF - When it comes to writing what's next for you?

JG - Well, I have a humorous YA ready to go. It just needs a home. I have several other manuscripts I ought to get out and tune up.

AF - Are you available for signings, school visits and writing workshops?

JG - Yes, I am. There's more info on my site about speaking at: http://www.judygregerson.com/.

Author Interview - Amy Goldman Koss

Welcome, Amy, Thank you for giving me a little one on one time.

Q. What inspired you to be a writer?

A. Blank paper.

Q. Can you tell us about your latest book release?

A. Side Effects is a snarky cancer survivor story - I like to think of it as a realistic - funny - horror story with a happy ending.

Q. Would you take us through your typical writing day?

A. My office manager (my old black lab named Sweetie) and I, mosey out to my office (a yellow room behind the house) about ten am, them mosey back in for snacks around 10:22. In, out… it takes a lot of back and forth to get the day up and running. Some words get typed along the way but then it's time to get my kids from school.

Q. Do you think about your readers when you write a book?

A. No, sorry.

Q. What sort of things do you do when you're not writing?

A. I go out to eat with the ladies of the canyon - there are a lot of freelancers where I live - graphic designers, film critics, actors -- and we all get VERY hungry working alone. Only one of us, (the improve comic) is thin. I also read a lot and drive my kids around and yell at them for one thing and another. Plus I garden bombastically, and worry about my husband who is a news guy specializing in horrifically dangerous parts of the globe.

Q. What are some of your favorite things?

A. Dogs, books, squishy socks, Fritos.

Q. Many writers speak about writer's block. Do you ever have that, and if so what are some things you do to get over it?

A. I once suffered a 7 1/2 month bout. There are countless articles and books full of therapies and snake-oil cures, but I had to just wait it out. Very hard. A fine reason not to become a writer in the first place.

Q. If you could say one thing to a new writer what would it be?

A. Tell the truth, even as you lie.

Q. If you could say one thing to the children reading your books what would that be?

A. Thanks.

Q. When it comes to writing what's next for you?

A. My daughter's friend whose life has been….um….messy, wants me to tell her story. I've never done anything like that before so I'm thinking on it.

Q. Are you available for signings, school visits and writing workshops? A. Yes, for oodles of dough.