Here are the questions she asked of me:
What is the title of your WIP? Tell us about it. My MG story is called: Livvi Biddle - A Most Extraordinary Girl. Here is the synopsis in flap copy style:
Livvi Biddle has never believed in fairy tales, magic, or hocus pocus of any kind. All she knows is that she's grieving the loss of her mother, dealing with her demented granny, and resisting the rude remarks of the neighborhood bully - Mortimer Muench.
But this young girl's life does become quite magical when she travels to Great Britain and receives a mysterious locket from her paternal grandmother. Then, while Livvi and her father visit the prehistoric monument Stonehenge, the astonished American is thrust back in time where she meets a remarkable historical figure. The supernatural journey into the past is the catalyst to help Livvi deal with the present.
Convincing her family and friends that the bizarre encounter actually happened, will take more than tenacity - it might just take another trip through time!
(I have had a bit of a setback - more revisions are needed before the beta readers!)
When did you start blogging and why? I began blogging in February 2011. I wanted to begin to build a writer's platform, but I was a bit apprehensive since I'm normally quite introverted. Blogging has been so much more than I would have imagined. While I am building a platform, I have also met a multitude of wonderful writers, and have had to come out of my shrinking violet mode!
If you could do anything tomorrow, what would you do? Take my husband and our three sons to Europe. I would love to see all of the historical sites, visit the museums, and browse through the quirky bookstores in the U.K. (I think I know a writer who lives in London! ^_^ )
Describe your happy place. It is definitely Quinault, Washington, U.S.A. We own a small cabin in the old growth rain forest which is a World Heritage Site - it is just magical. While it is very remote, there are miles of paths, a view of the lake from our deck, and an historic lodge just down the path that FDR visited in 1938, when he designated the Olympic National Park. A great place to go for an Irish coffee! ^_^)
What was your first happy memory? When I was very young we lived across the street from my maternal grandparents. I remember many, many special times with my grandmother. The first one I can recall was one summer gathering dozens of ladybugs off of the screen door, and placing them in a Mason jar that Grandma had provided.
What was the scariest thing you've ever done? Attending my first SCBWI Writers' Retreat. I went to the event not knowing even one person; I frequently wanted to stay in my room due to my social anxiety. However, I made a conscious effort to reach out and found everyone very accepting and welcoming. I wouldn't be surprised if they thought I was an extrovert due to my focus on reaching out to overcome my fear.
What is the funniest thing you did today? I purchased a pair of lavender-colored rubber boots! They are so quirky, and they should come in handy here in the Pacific Northwest!
What is the strangest place you have ever got an idea for a story. It would have to be our cabin. The Tale of Willaby Creek (unpublished) was inspired by a storm that occurred there in 2006. The MC is an anthropomorphic bear. No, not Yogi, or Smokey - Basil! I've heard all the jokes!
Where do you write? I write in our basement studio that I share with my husband - he's an oil painter. While he labors at his easel, I am across the room on my laptop which sits on a writer's table. Every once in a while there are some conflicts. However, we had most of our trials when we collaborated on my PB entitled, The Scandinavian Santa (Unpublished.) I would tell him what I wanted, and he would reply: I'm the ARTIST! All in all it was a great experience, one we laugh about now.
If you just won a ticket to anywhere in the world and you had to take me, where would you take me and why? The alternate world of Wordlandia, where every writer is published! HeHe!
Thanks for your friendship Valentina Hepburn - this was great fun!
Look out blogging buddies, you just might get tagged!
