What is something unique/quirky about you?
I don’t know if this qualifies as quirky, but with my ADHD mind, I have to set my stage wherever I am to accomplish my goals. When I write, I burn a candle and set a timer. I also use background music to put me in the mood for whatever genre I’m working in.
For example, when I was drafting my newest book, When June Haunts May, I burned a turquoise blue Glassybaby and played the score from Girl Haunts Boy, by Keegan DeWitt. With my timer set, I was able to stick with the characters and setting for this particular story.
When writing for my Keepers Series, I burned a purple Glassybaby, and played the score from The Mortal Instruments, City of Bones, by Atli Orvarsson. The music and ambiance dropped me right into each book’s fantastical setting, and with the soundless timer, I was lost in the world I needed to be in for those allotted moments.
Busy is my middle name. I have to do whatever I can to set myself up for success. And for me, even one line across the page in my active world is progress!
Who is your hero and why?
My parents are my heroes, hands down. They adopted me when I was a baby. Looking back on my life (even though it wasn’t all perfect), I couldn’t have asked for a better mom and dad. At my age now, I find myself reminiscing about my childhood every now and then, and the parts that rise up are none of the typical childhood woes. We all have those. But thankfully, what’s surfacing for me are random memories of strawberry picking in the hot July sun, learning to ride a snowmobile in the freezing January snow, and washing dishes after family gatherings because being helpful counts for something. I love my parents with all my heart. I appreciate their patience in letting me grow into who I was, even when they didn’t always agree. They gave me the space to be me. That’s a priceless gift I hope to give my own children.
What do you do to unwind and relax?
To be honest, relaxing and unwinding isn’t exactly in my nature. I’m a go-go-go person who is thinking and developing my stories even when I’m not writing. But I do have a couple of things that do the trick, even if I still constantly think about writing subconsciously.
Living in the beautiful pacific northwest, I take a lot of walks and hikes. If the weather is too miserable, and I can’t get outside, I listen to audiobooks on the elliptical. In fact, I do much of my story planning on walks. I’m a poet as well, so nature has always been my muse. Even as a little girl, I’d look for stories hidden behind trees or under mushroom caps. Of course, back then I was also looking for fairies. I’ve always been a little whimsical.
Another way I relax is going to movies in a theater. I love the cushy seats (at the newer theaters) where my body is locked down (in a way). But my senses roam in a more controlled setting, that’s not my own making. I’m a captivated audience for something new. It’s dark. There’s surround sound. And the action on the screen literally forces me to let go and enjoy without feeling like I need to be the one creating. I need that every now and again.
A day in the life of the author?
My mornings start at 5 AM, bright and early and in the dark! I cuddle my grand-kitty, start the coffee, and then work out (on autopilot before I can object). I will either spend time on the elliptical with an audiobook or complete a Pilates workout with Lindywell Pilates (online). Then I feed the cat, make my coffee (decaf with a sprinkle of caffeine, collagen, mushroom powder, beef protein, cinnamon, ginger, and coconut cream), and read my two daily devotionals. This sets my spirit right for the day. After that, I read for joy! I always make sure I get at least 15 minutes of reading books in before I get ready for work.
My teaching day starts at eight in the morning, and I usually get home around six at night. After a little break to cuddle the kitty and chat with my hubby, he makes dinner (thank God), and I veg on the sofa for about half an hour. I may or may not complain about how tired I am, whine about all I have to do, and make excuses that I just don’t have time to write tonight. Finally, after dinner and clean-up, I head up the stairs, set my timer, and write for at least 25 minutes with the goal being an hour. Once I finish writing (which sometimes is actual writing and other times it’s rereading something I already wrote and editing it even when I should just wait until the whole story is done), I return to the sofa with my hubby and we watch one of our shows before bed (around 10 PM).
Then I will do it all over again the next day! To be fair, I have my critique group on Mondays, so I don’t usually write on those nights. Some evenings I have more energy than others. If the writing isn’t coming, I always push for a few minutes just to see if I can get in the groove, but depending on my health or what’s happening at my day job (some months are busier than others), I may only write a couple days during the week. It’s the weekends where I do my major writing (and only squeezed in around family time). I call myself a weekend warrior writer when I accomplish huge feats!
Finding writing time is always tricky and never easy, if you ask me. It takes finagling and determination for sure.
