Here is a Recent Interview I Did.

1. If you had to give up either snacks and drinks during writing sessions, or music, which
would you find it more difficult to say goodbye to?

I’d find it difficult to give up strong, milky coffee and cheese. Cheese sandwiches - I’m addicted to them.

2. Which is your favorite season to write in, and why?

I’m at my most productive in winter. Although in Florida, it is warm, it is easy to imagine a snowy winter wonderland like those back home.

3. If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a year while writing a book
that took place in that same setting, where would you choose?

Difficult to choose. I think I’d love to be in Wales, Denmark or Germany. They all have wonderful fairy tale castles.

4. Picture this: You feel uninspired and you’ve sat at the computer for an hour without conquering any words. How do you get your creativity flowing?

It hasn’t happened to me, I’m happy to say. But if it did, I’d probably go out for a while, and come back to writing later on.

5. What has influenced you the most as a writer?
People, places and books I’ve read, especially fairy tales I read as a child. Studying literature, writers and their writing techniques inspired me to be a better writer.

6. Do you like audio books, physical books, or e-books better? Why?

I love the idea of audio books. They are great when there are good voice actors, and there’s a lot of drama and dialogue. You can convey so much emotion and atmosphere with the nuances of actors’ voices.

I love physical books, especially in winter. They are so tactile. You feel closer to the story with a “real” book. It’s so cozy.

I like e-books when I’m on the move. They are so practical.

Out of the three kinds, I favor physical books.

7. What is your preferred font to write in?

Out of habit, I write in Times New Roman. But I love Garamond.

8. Do you use any special writing software? If so what is it, and what are a few of your
favorite perks of it?

I use Grammerly. It’s a great tool for writers. It helps me a great deal with commas.

9. If you have pictures on your writing desk, who/what are they of?

I don’t have pictures, but I have toys of some of my characters :)

10. What is your most unusual writing quirk?

I would say I favor certain words, especially “light” words like shimmer, glisten, glitter. For my picture books, I often repeat adjectives for emphasis like dark, dark or deep, deep - after all they are written to read aloud. I love surprising readers with a reversal such as “Pitch black, it was” I think a touch of my Welsh childhood creeps in here.

11. Do you feel like it’s most important to have A) Strong characters B) Mind-blowing Plot
twists or C) Epic settings?

For me, it’s very important to have strong characters that readers care about. I think if the characters are good, the setting and the plot twists will come from the starting point of those characters. You have to know your characters really well.

12. What is your favorite genre to read, and why?

Children’s and YA genres are my bag, so they are my favorites.

13. What behind-the-scenes tidbit in your life would probably surprise your readers the most?

My life is not at all glamorous. I live in an oldish house and there’s always something that needs mending or repairing.

14. What is the funniest typo you’ve ever written?

I once wrote an email to someone in which I said, “I wish you everything you wash yourself.” I spotted it just in time before pressing send!

15. Do you feel like you’d be a better writer if you wore sparkly socks during your writing
Sessions?

All the time. When I want to feel sparkly, I do my nails with glitter polish. I love bling.

16. What does being a successful author look like to you?

It’s about readers loving your stories.

17. How do you come up with names for your characters?

Some are from real life, some I make up, and some are from lists of baby names and their meanings. Recently, I found out I’d pinched a name from J.K.Rowling, but it was a name I’d found in a list of names for a particular animal character. I had quite forgotten she had used it.

18. Who is the most supportive person in your life when it comes to your writing?

My husband. If he doesn’t like something I’ve written, he’ll say so. Most of the time, I’ll go my own way, but sometimes, I’ll take his advice and be very glad I did.

19. How many drafts do your books generally go through before publication?

Probably 4 or 5, on average.

20. What was the hardest part of writing your author bio?

Having to write it in the third person. It’s really a strange feeling.

21. What is your favorite time to write, and why?

Late at night because I’m at my most imaginative when it’s dark.

22. How do you think being a writer has helped you as a person?

It’s made me think about others more, and I lose myself when I am writing.

23. What is your favorite word, and why?

Magic. I like the images it conjures. I believe there is magic in the world. We just forget about it as adults.

24. Do you have any writing buddies?

Sheila Graber and my husband are great sounding boards.