Wassp guys? Coming atcha this Monday with an . . . interesting post. 😂 A while ago, I posted an "Ask me Anything" post, then sat back and waited in anxious curiosity to see what y'all would come up with. You did not disappoint! So, without further ado, here's your questions and my answers. 😎 Enjoy!
Writing
Who is your favorite character you’ve ever written?
His name is Leocos 15471, but he goes by Volt. (Anybody immediately thinking PROJECT Volt and Co.? 😏 Yeah, you’d be thinking right. 😎) He’s an absolute goofball and I love him to death. Seriously. I have a dangerous attachment to this guy. He was the character that showed me my voice as a writer, and for me, that is something very, very special. He was the one that found me, not the other way around. The one that captured my heart and made me fall in love with his story and the people around him. Who doesn’t love a guy like that?
What do you love most about writing?
*Blinks and stares at the question* That’s like asking me what I love most about life! There are so many aspects to writing that I love, and trying to pick just one would be like asking me to pick my favorite character! . . . Oh, wait. 😑 Ugh. Ok, fine, what I love most about writing would have to be . . . escaping reality. That might sound extremely clichéd, but it’s really true. I think we all have our little escapes, and for me, it’s writing. When I have the chance. There’s just something so freeing and beautiful about entering a world you’ve created with characters from your own imagination, you know?
When is your favorite time to write?
In the mornings! I love to write when my mind’s fresh and energized, and for me, that’s in the mornings. Does that always happen? Ha. Nope. But that’s when I love to.
WHEN CAN I HAVE ONE OF YOUR BOOKS IN MY HANDS?!?
🤣 Demanding much? I really have no clue. I thought PROJECT Volt and Co. would be finished months ago. That obviously hasn’t happened. I thought I’d be querying around this time. Again, not happening. So I really don’t know what to tell you. Patience, grasshopper.
What was your first draft that you ever finished?
*Cringes* My absolute first draft was set in the winter of 1777-8, Revolutionary War Ear, for you non-American history buffs out there. 😉 It was about a girl who lived with two friends in a secluded cabin near Valley Forge, and her mission to help the soldiers however she could (even if one especially stubborn Irishman was determined to keep her out of trouble). Her name was Hannah, and she . . . was a spitfire. 😆 I honestly would love to come back to that story, revamp it, give it some major rewrites and workings, the whole nine. Did I mention I have it planned as a four-book series? Yeah. I have projects coming out of my ears.
How old were you when you started writing?
*Does quick mental math* Fourteen! I was fourteen when my mind was opened to the worlds within one’s imagination and I started to translate them from thoughts to words. Gosh, that makes me feel old.
What’s your best writing tip?
Find what works for you.
Seriously.
There are so many authors and writers out there that swear their version of the process is the way to go. Well, that’s all fine and dandy if that’s what floats their boat. Good for them for finding a system that makes sense to them. But just because there’s a scientific reason behind why their method works, it doesn’t mean that it will work for you.
Let yourself dabble with pantsing if you feel that will work for you. Spend hours on a detailed, 20,000 plus word outline if it’s the only thing that will keep your brain on track. Mix and match the methods, then find what applies and makes sense for you. This is your story, your journey, not theirs.
Reading
Would you rather: enter your favorite story world but have to encounter the villain you hate the most, or invite only one of your favorite characters into the world, but only for a very limited time?
Ooh, that’s a good one! But see, a lot of my favorite characters are actually the villains, and even though there are some villains I’d hate to see . . . I’m going to have to go with entering your favorite story world and encountering the villain I hate the most, because all of my favorite characters are in that story world, and seeing them (plus my favorite villains) would be worth it. 😁
What are 5 books you’d recommend to everybody?
The Bible; Webster’s Dictionary—new twelfth century, second addition (the doorstop version. Seriously, that thing is GINORMOUS); a good thesaurus; an old etiquette book; a copy of the US Constitution. Feel free to tell me if you think I’m wrong.
Life
What crafts do you like to do?
I have lots of crafts I love! I enjoy sewing and quilting (my dog thinks her quilt is delicious), and crochet is my favorite yarn-related hobby, though I dabble in knitting too. Oh, and if it includes hot glue, I’m all in. Literally. Lost count of the amount of burns I’ve gotten from that stuff. 😂 I like creative lettering too, though I’m not quite sure that’s a craft.
What are some of your favorite things about living in the desert? Least favorite?
Favorite thing about the desert: the sun! I’m such a cold-blooded creature. If I was forced to move someplace like Wyoming or Montana, I would surely die. Where I live, it gets to some pretty high temps in the summer months, but not quite as high as where I’ve lived before (the natives think 100℉ is a heatwave. Pfft. That title goes to 120℉, baby).
I also love the wildlife and native shrubbery that comes with the climate. For those of you who think I live in a sand dune, no, we have trees and deer and the color green (it’s called high-desert for a reason 😉) but we also have sand and washes and tumbleweeds and flash flood warnings and dry spells.
Least favorite thing would have to be the time lapses in-between rainfalls. For all the desert in me, I love a good rain. The way it makes the sage smell just does my heart so much good. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for us to go months without seeing a single sprinkle. We tend to get most of our rain during the late winter/early spring and monsoon season—August.
What’s your dream job?
Rescuing, training, rehabilitating, and rehoming abandoned and “problem” horses. I’d also love to incorporate therapy with some of the horses for veterans and first responders. Basically, a ranch that helps horses and people.
If you could own any car, what would it be?
*Rubs hands together* Any car? Hmm . . . 😏 Probably either a newer model Lamborghini Countach or a Bugatti. Yes, a super posh sports car. Didn’t see that coming, did you? (But if you would’ve said “vehicle” then I would have gone with a ‘78 Chevy C10, ‘cause reasons.)
What’s your favorite dinner?
My all-time favorite dinner has been the same since I was a wee thing: steak, mashed potatoes, and corn on the cob. I also will never say no to a good pizza or cheeseburger. Just sayin’.
Personal
What are one or two phrases that are mottos for you?
One of them I got from author Chuck Black: “God never wastes a passion.” I heard him say it during a writer summit once and loved it so much that I made a graphic out of it and stuck it above my desk. My other comes from Matthew 5:16: Let your light so shine.
What are you most afraid of?
Answering “What Is Your Greatest Fear” questions. 😐
What characteristics do you look for in a friend?
First off, I never really went looking for any of the friends I have. They found me, and I am so truly blessed that they did. 🤎 But if I was looking to make friends with a person, I’d look for someone who loves me for who I am. Someone who won’t try to change me or make me feel bad for what makes me happy. Someone who loves the Lord. Someone who can be weird with me. Someone who will joke around with me and not make it all about them. Someone who values authenticity. If this sounds like someone you know, hold on to them. They are precious indeed.
What is your favorite Bible verse?
Matthew 5:16 is one of my mottos, but one of my favorite Bible verses would have to be 1 Timothy 4:12—Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
So, there you have it! I gotta say, this was a lot of fun. 😁 What did you think? Did any of my answers surprise you? Did you guess any of them? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Catch ya on the flip side!
_Mac 🤎