Let's start it off with something easy.... Favorite book? Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is my favorite book. Austen is just…amazing.
The cover of Seventh Blessing really stands out. Can you tell us about the design process? I love the cover! It was done by the super talented Matt Maniscalco. I sent him about a dozen photos of things that I liked/wanted to possibly have incorporated in the cover. I rambled on about how I thought Samantha should look, the way the library looks, the scroll, all of it. He was able to take all of my random thoughts and pictures and made…awesomeness.
I think everyone knows TLT is a supporter of nonprofits. Which nonprofit are you supporting with this book, and what does the organization do? I’m supporting YALSA, which is the Young Adult Library Services Association. YALSA’s mission is to advocate, promote and strengthen library service to teens.
Samantha is a main character of your book. Was she modeled off of anyone in particular? Tell us a little about her. I wanted to make a really strong female MC so I based her off of my favorite people in my own life. J Girls who are adventurous, brave, determined. Throw in a bit of stubbornness and a sharp tongue and you get Samantha. She’s not perfect but I like her because of that.
I've got to say, I love the tag line of your website, "Have Imagination, Will Write" - where did you come up with that? Thanks! Okay, this is going to sound really dorky. But that’s fine because I sound dorky a lot. When I was in seventh grade, the DJ at a school dance had a sign that said, “Have Music, Will Travel.” That stuck with me for a long time. I thought, “Whatever people love and have some of, they can share it with others.” At least, that’s what I thought the DJ meant! J I have LOADS of imagination and the natural outlet (other than spontaneously combusting) is to write. And so I do.
It seems like all the authors I speak to has a different way of writing. Some make outlines, some just wing-it. What's your style? I’m an Outliner. In my “real life” (not just in writing), I’m always making lists so it seems like it’s my natural way to do things. I like knowing what will happen to my characters. Sometimes the outline changes. I try to be flexible.
I am a big believer that everyone has a "quirk". Maybe you are double jointed, can yodel, have 5 kids and manage to stay sane.... what's one of your quirks? I love quirky people and finding out their quirks, too! I can give you lots of random things about me. I read A LOT (2-4 books a week). I love to do adventurous sorts of things but I usually end up getting hurt doing those things. I was in drama in high school and still have lines memorized from plays I was in. I can play the clarinet but I haven’t played in years. I do not own any white socks. All of my socks have some sort of pattern or are colored. This is because I hate to match socks. Having funky socks solves the “is this white sock that same length as that one? No, it’s about 1/4 of an inch too big” conundrum. I discovered something about myself that I didn’t know was a weird thing just recently. I have to have the volume control on the TV or radio set on an even number. Even the temperature gauge in the car. It’s something I’ve always done and I didn’t know it was strange until a guy in one of my classes was talking about psychology and people who have to have things always set to a certain number or they couldn’t function. I don’t have OCD. Just “OC.” It’s not a disorder. Yet. ;)
I know this interview is probably the most fun you've had all year (yes, that is a joke), but if you could be doing one other thing right now, what would it be? This is a great interview! One other thing would be reading a book while eating Milano cookies. Or going to Disneyland. Again with the randomness!
One word wonders:
Spring, or Fall? Spring
Movie or Opera? Movie
Penguin or Iguana? Penguin
Cider or Beer? Cider
Bunk bed or Water bed? Bunk bed (I get seasick) ;)
Fluffy or Silky? Hair? Silky. Pillow? Fluffy.
Oreo or Snickers? Snickers
Snuggie or Blanket? Blanket
