1) I was about 15 years old when I discovered
my love for writing. I read a small paragraph in my history class about
the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. It was the only information in the
entire book about the fire that killed 147 workers and brought to the forefront
the need for reform in the working conditions in the United States. That
single paragraph described a couple, who kissed each other
goodbye and then jumped nine stories to their death. I wondered what had
happened in their life up to that point, and that was how my first book was
created. I have never stopped writing since that day in history
class.
2) A muse? My muse can change from day
to day. I find that inspiration comes from many people in many
places. If I need inspiration, I will go to the park or sit on the
beach. It is amazing what can come to mind when you sit and watch people
interact with each other.
3) The hours I write change from day to
day as well. There are times when I feel so inspired that I will lock myself in
my office for days, and come out only to eat and, sometimes, to
sleep. Then, there are weeks I can go without writing because it is just
not there. I do not believe in forcing a story. When
I do, it comes off all wrong, and I spend more time fixing it than anything
else. I have never had a problem finding a story, when it wants to be
found.
4) If I get blocked, the music will,
suddenly, become extremely loud in my office. Music is what usually
clears my mind. If you were to walk into my office at that time, I would,
most likely, be found laying in the middle of the floor, my eyes
closed, and music blaring all around me. It is peculiar, I know, but
It does not take long for that technique to work.
5) I enjoy reading young adult series to
see what readers are most interested in these days, however, I try to think of
what new and exciting material I can add to the genre more than anything
else. My goal is to create something new and relevant to young readers
today.
6) I enjoy reading classic books. I love
Shakespeare. I believe he had an understanding of human nature that went
way beyond his time. Jane Austen is also a favorite.
7) Interestingly enough, I write for fun. I am
a full-time student, receiving my Bachelor's at the University of West
Florida. Next year, I will be attending law school. So, when I want
to relax and enjoy myself, I enter the worlds I create inside my stories.
8) My Teenage Life: Freshman Beginnings is a
high school series set in the 1960s. The story is told from the point of
view Cindy Lawrence as she enters high school for the first time.
Friendship, boys, homework, gossip...all those things that make up a high
school experience...are intermingled with the history of the time.
Segregation, women's rights, communism, and Kennedy's election and
assassination are all seen through the eyes of a young teen girl, who is trying
to make sense of the world.
I began writing the story after working with a
group of teen girls. I realized that their concerns were similar to
concerns that, I imagined, all teen girls had experienced at one time or
another. After my several discussions with them, I decided I wanted to
write a story that would be relevant to the youth of today, while trying
to capture the magic of a more distant era. I was a teen in the 90s, but
I loved everything 60s. I listened to singers like Elvis, Bobby Vee,
Shelley Fabares (my favorite song being "Johnny Angel"), and I
watched movies like "Gidget," "Tammy," and "Pillow
Talk." The early 60s was my favorite time period, and I have
enjoyed, immensely, learning more about it as I create the characters of My
Teenage Life.
