Ask the Author: Raven Howell
Answered Questions (13)
Raven Howell
A ghostly encounter in an old garment district building in New York City many years back! My best friend and I were enjoying a company party in the vast floor of the building one autumn evening. Taking a ladies' room break, while standing at the mirrors in front of the sinks, a body-less female voice spoke very clearly and loudly to us - in another language! My friend and I froze, then turned to look at each other, chills on our arms. A large, full length mirror next to us somehow literally flew off of the wall and shattered on the floor in a thousand pieces while we stood there, afraid to move. The bathroom dropped in temperature by about 20 degrees. We grabbed each other's hands and hustled out as fast as we could. Afterwards, we heard that some of the workers there had similar, eerie experiences, but not quite like the one we did that night. A good plot could develop from investigating the history of the building and who or what might be causing the haunting. And it would be non-fiction! Ha!
Raven Howell
The chocolate chip cookies that were baking are pulled out from the oven. Still warm and goo-ey, I am not allowed to have any.
Raven Howell
That's pretty easy for me. It would be Hogwarts. I mean, who wouldn't want to shop at Diagon Alley or experience the moving castle staircase, converse with characters in the paintings, and visit the Forbidden Forest?
Raven Howell
This past summer I read Nora Roberts' Under Currents, Daisy Jones and the Six, Linda Castillo's In Plain Sight, Roll of Thunder - Hear my Cry by Milderd D. Taylor, and several others. I'm not a one-book-at-a-time reader! I enjoy having at least two books, usually in different genres to move back and forth between day to day. For instance, if I'm reading a mystery/thriller, I may also have a YA fantasy on hand to flip to as a change in mood.
Raven Howell
You are very funny, Jennifer. No one has actually asked me to do a review of their book on my own 'author answers your questions' page! Hahahaha! I can't find it on Amazon right now. But in the future, I'll be sure to check it out. Thanks, and much success with your book.
Raven Howell
Thanks for the question, Eleanor! Here's to good books!
Raven Howell
Good question, Eleanor, and one that I'm asked now and again. No - I don't miss the music business nor writing songs. The industry has changed so much over the years and the corporate lean in the present day now doesn't appeal to me. And I feel no regret as it's nice to know that just like a book, a song that is recorded will always be there to listen to - it's embedded in history. A book doesn't ever really "go away" or disintegrate. Even if it goes out of print, it's still in the digital, in the etherland that's accessible. Kind of cool, right?
Raven Howell
My most recent published book is Gibber, Animal Acrostics and I just knew that libraries and classrooms and households needed more children's acrostic poems - this old poetry form is fun and I kind of updated mine with a unique animal aspect. I felt so grateful to receive good reviews and readers saying they needed to add this to their kids' libraries.
Raven Howell
I can spot a pink hula-hoop leaning against a neighbor's house and get inspired! Who wouldn't get a kick out of a fun, word-twisty poem about the hula-hoop? I do find poetry in many things, both ordinary and extraordinary - and writing for children means a paperclip can become a toothy dragon hanging on to a piece of homework! Fun!
Raven Howell
My time is spent writing and working on my poetry both day and night! I love it, but also try to balance that with sleep, time spent with my family, and being involved in other ways. I have 2 book releases this year - one for Spork Books (Shimmer, Songs of Night) and one for Daffdowndilly Press (A Star Full of Sky) so I'm in the pre-launch busy phase. It's so much fun and I'm looking forward to my launch parties, book reviews, and the promo merchandise coming in.
Raven Howell
I really believe if writing is your drive, what's set out on your life's path, you will succeed on some level. That success has to be a success to you! You may write a fantastic short story and have trouble getting it placed with a publisher, but if you love it, stick with it and re-read it and if your heart smiles, keep at it. You may need to keep revising and editing and creating new writing projects - but that's all good!
Raven Howell
This is a great question and one I often get asked in my school class visits by the children. To get them motivated to write and explore their talents I make sure to tell them that "going to work", or doing your work, can be done in your pajamas! No stuffy business suits needed! For me, writing from childhood has been a passion, just something I've always done and that's the best thing indeed - to do what you love and love what you do full time!
Raven Howell
I can't say I've experienced writer's block the way other authors have described it. I certainly go through periods of writing more poetry and having that be my focus and then perhaps another stage where I'm more involved with the administrative end of my writing, like updated my social media, mailing submissions, doing some artwork, etc. To me, poetry is everywhere and in everything - I just have to "look"!
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