Sylvia L. Ramsey, Interviewed.

Regular visitors will know that I ran a series of interviews on this blog, mostly with indie authors, and that, after 110 of these, I decided to give the series a rest. I haven't changed my mind, yet. But Sylvia's book is an exception because all proceeds are to go to charity and I support such generosity. So, here goes:
HiSylvia. I last interviewedyou in January 2011, and you'd already published a number of books and hadnumerous short stories and poems appear in various literary journals. I gatheryou've a new book coming out. Would you tell us something about it, please?
Hello Stuart.  Yes, I have a new book, Traveling a Rocky Roadwith Love, Faith and Guts. It is my fourth book,  and it was just released a couple of weeksago. My newest book is a memoir, Traveling a Rocky Road with Love, Faith and Guts, wasinspired by a young man that has some very serious heart problems, and all thepeople I have met over the years as a teacher, mentor and a bladder cancersurvivor. I have tried my best to encourage them, and to give them hope. To notgive up on themselves or life. As I have traveled along life's highway, I keeprunning into people who have let the rocks that have been thrown in theirlife's road giving up on themselves, or life in general. The truth is that lifeis harsh, and it is not like the movies that give a false impression that it issmooth sailing. Being the hero that toughs it out and keeps on regardless ofthe situation is difficult, but with faith, it can be accomplished. It oftentakes a backbone, humor and a wishbone to survive it all.
Because of this, I decided to writea book to share my life's experiences so that it may inspire someone to comeback fighting when life knocks them down. The book is a journey though timefrom childhood to mature adulthood. The stories and poems in this book reflectthe lows and highs of life. The loving memories, the hardships and the thingswe learn as we travel the road of life. It covers an abusive mother who hadmental problems because of being abused as a child, childhood polio, a rockymarriage with a husband who was often abusive, the role of caregiving, deathand grief, coping with bladder cancer, asthma, losing a home and more.Therefore, to not to scare you off with gloom and doom, there are funny storiesalong the way and an ending that I never dreamed would happen. My hope is thatthe book will bring about understanding to others, and be inspiring to evenmore. Our journey in life has a purpose, finding it is often the most difficulttask of all.
You'vehad a number of serious problems to cope with in life; one of your supportsthrough all this has been something you call 'faith'. As you know, I have a deeppersonal distrust of religious faith. Would you describe what you mean by'faith'?
Regardless of what you believe or do not believe asfar as "religious" faith is concerned, you must have faith inyourself that you can somehow overcome the various things that happen in life. Somecall it perseverance and determination to not allow these things to conqueryour spirit. I try never to use the word can't. I prefer to use the words: Imay not know how, but I can learn. I will try, I may not be the absolute bestat whatever it is...but I will try to do and be the best that is possible forme. Who knows what your best is unless you keep on trying. Giving up alwaysequals failure. 
We'vehad similar responses, in one regard, to health issues that have come our way.In your case, research into bladder cancer has benefitted by your activesupport. I've done what I can for ME/CFS research in my quiet way. What drivesyou to continue with this support?
I know how important support is from others who havetraveled the same road. Bladder cancer is one that has little in spite of thefact that it ranked 5th in prevalence. I have made it a personal goal for thepast fifteen years to do my best to change this. When I speak with people whohave just been diagnosed, I can hear the fear in their voices. They needsomeone to talk to that has experienced the same thing. They need someone to beable to talk to about their situation who understands. That was not availablewhen I was diagnosed, or when I had my radical cystcectomy. Therefore, Idecided to do what I had been taught as a child by my father: "I may notbe able to do everything, but I can do something."
Thereare many ways in which individuals respond to adversity. Some fight, becomingaggressive and loud, some give up and succumb to whatever ails them, otherstake up the challenge in a more thoughtful and positive way. What do you thinkmakes you respond so positively to the hardships that life's thrown your way?
I had two of the best role models, one was my fatherand the other was my grandmother. Another thing was my experience with polio atthe age of four, and the time I spent in the hospital in a large ward withabout sixteen other children. My bed was across from a little girl who had beenin a fire, and her body was burned so badly. She never spoke the entire time Iwas there. There were only occasional moans. There were so many children therethat were much worse off than me, that I could not feel sorry for myself. Iwanted to get well and help others even at that time. I heard about the RedCross and their drive to make people aware of polio. I started by helping tocollect money for this cause as soon as I was able. I was one of the posterchildren. I talk about all this in my book.
Sofar, we've talked about you as the person. I'd like to know a little more aboutyou as a writer. What made you decide to write, as opposed to any othercreative activity?
Actually, writing isn'tthe only creative activity I indulge in, I also paint and sculpt. I love allthe arts, and have participated in them. I directed a theatre program forsixteen years. I taught art and theatre courses. As far as my writing goes,that began when I was nine-years-old. I began writing news and feature articles for a small townnewspaper in Southeast Missouri at the age of nine. Because of the nurturingand encouragement by the news editor, I developed a love and a need to write.By the time I was working on my graduate degree, several ofmy poems, short stories and feature articles had been published. Since thattime, over one hundred of my short stories and poems have found their way intoliterary magazines. I have been a featured poet in several literary journalsover the years.
Doyou have a favourite author? If so, who is it and what attracts you to theirwork?
That is a difficult question to answer because Ihave favorites in a variety of genre. In poetry, there are three, Frost,Millay, and a poem by Brecht, "To Posterity". Shakespeare's,  "King Lear" is one of my favoriteplays. I read a lot of different types of books, and genre...so, it is ananswer I do not have.
Doyou have any advice for beginners in the field?
Keep writing, get as much feedback as you can get.Write enough to find your own voice. Listen to the feedback you get, but do notlose your voice. It is sometimes like painting, you may paint 60 or even a 100before you get a good one. 
Somany would-be writers have taken advantage of the ready availability of digitalself-publishing, without first learning how to actually write. Have youanything to say about the proliferation of badly-written indie books?
I think this is something that comes with theterritory of the new era. It can be unfortunate for the readers, and the goodauthors. Here again, I feel that before one publishes any work one needs somegood critiques and to polish their work. 
Whenwriting this particular book, how did you go about the actual process?I was inspired to write this book because of seeingothers give up on themselves, rather than do what was necessary to succeed. Ibegan to write a rough draft lay-out of what I wanted to say, or put in thebook. Then I wrote a draft of the book that was fairly brief. Before Icontinued, I asked a friend who is a professional writer to read it and tell meif I were wasting my time. He knows I respect his opinion, and I know he wouldbe honest in his responses. I had my doubts because writing a memoir is sopersonal, and I really did not know if it would be something others would wantto read. He liked where I was going with the book and encouraged me tocontinue. He, also, made suggestions that were a great help in how I developedthe book. I began writing it once more. He read it again, and offered moresuggestions. I did a re-write and added more. At that point, I was ready to getit proofed, and the next step what to make the required corrections. I wasready to make a decision on what to do with it. I weighed my options, anddecided that since the proceeds from the book sales were going to the AmericanBladder Cancer Society plus I would have to market the book anyway toself-publish it.
You can find out more about me andor purchase the book at:Purchasethe book:Inthe United States:http://www.amazon.com/Sylvia-L-Ramsey/e/B002BMJ5NI/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1326569308&sr=1-Inthe UK:http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=sr_gnr_aps?rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Asylvia+l.+ramsey&keywords=sylvia+l.+ramsey&ie=UTF8&qid=1331910631
Website:http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?authorid=140046Blog:http://love-faith-and-guts.blogspot.com/TheAmerican Bladder Cancer Societyhttps://www.bladdercancersupport.org