Welcome to Introduce Yourself, a new and exciting blog segment of The PBS Blog dedicated to introducing to you new and established authors and their books.
Today I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Sojourner McConnell. Welcome to The PBS Blog! Let’s get started.
What is your name and where are you from?
Sojourner McConnell is my pen name and I am from Alabama, Birmingham to be specific. I now live in Kentucky and visit Alabama every few months.
Cool. My family is originally from Alabama (though I’ve never been). I also love your pen name. Sojourner, what do you think of the world we live in?
All in all, I think it is a pretty wonderful place. It has problems, but as long as free thinking individuals are making decisions, there will be problems. I also see it as a changing and evolving place. A place where people can make a difference with love and peaceful intentions.
What’s the most difficult thing about being a writer? The most exciting thing?
The most difficult thing about writing to me is to focus on just one project at a time. I tend to always be writing or creating. So I have several complete and competing projects going on in my head. That is also what I find so exciting about writing. The stories that dwell in my head can be put on paper and other people can find them as fun or interesting as I do.
That is interesting. I think we writers always have a lot going on! Speaking of writers and writing, does blogging help you to write?
I find that blogging frees up the creative juices and gets them flowing in the mornings. I find that I have something to write about on each of my blogs and still plenty left over to add to my current WIP. Since I write in several different genres, I can focus on one genre on Monday and another different story on Tuesday. Sometimes I spend weeks on the same one before I move to a different manuscript while doing blogs on various subjects at the same time.
Neat. What’s your favorite Historical figure?
I would say, Helen Keller. She was a strong woman that could have spent her life being guided about and no one would have thought less of her for it, instead, she did everything that she put her mind to. She wrote, spoke, taught, and inspired everyone. Not just inspiring those with handicaps that were like hers, but inspired everyone that heard her, read her works, and saw her story. She was still alive when I was a child, and I was and still am so inspired by her.
Wow. Great figure! I love how unlimited her life was. Like you said, she could have lived within the boundaries of her disability but instead she didn’t. What kind of music do you like?
I love music, I love the bumping music heavy with percussion. I love Imagine Dragons and their many drums, I love North River Run with their delightful drummer and I love Indie music in general. I love the humor in songs like Middle Fingers, and sweet sounding love songs. I think I can safely say, I love most all music. I certainly will sing along with most.
Who’s That in the Cat Pajamas is AVAILABLENOWon Amazon.
Why is writing important to you?
Writing is the one place where I can let me be me. If it comes off as a little bit wonky, it is considered a comedy, if it comes off a little bit mean, it is a thriller. I can be me and it is all okay. I am not just one dimensional and neither is my writing. Some days, I write a children’s story, other days I write on space and science fiction work. Some days, I just write a goofy song that makes me laugh. But with each word and each line, I get another little piece of myself out there. It is good for me to let some of all this busyness (yes busyness not business) in my head go. As my mother used to say, “there is a lot more room our there for your thoughts and stories than in your head, get it out!”
I love how you are thinking outside the box and not tying yourself down to any specific genre. In your own words, what is love?
To me, love is the giving and taking of time, enjoyment, and contentment with another person. Finding someone that you can spend your days sharing your most inane thoughts and dreams with. A feeling of belonging with another person. Love is that emotional connection with another person. Love is wanting the other person to be as fulfilled with you as you are them.
Let’s switch gears a little bit, what is your favorite color?
Usually, it is blue, that dark midnight blue. On some occasions it is pink. That sweet icing pink that goes so well with midnight blue.
Sweet icing pink…I like that. What’s your favorite drink?
This is one question that has a lot of answers. I love coffee in the morning. It wakes me up and warms me up and it is perfect. Once noon arrives, I am all about the sweet tea. I am from the south and I have obtained quite a fondness for the sweet syrupy tea we are known for. A wonderful day was when I found Milo’s Tea in the grocery store. Sometimes, I just want a glass of Diet Coke. Many hours, many drinks. Mimosa’s are fun when on vacation!
Thank you Sojourner for spending this time with us. We enjoyed you!
Bio.
Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. Sojourner McConnell lives in Winchester, Kentucky with one of her daughters and three of her thirteen grandchildren. She has six grandchildren in Alabama and four that live in Michigan. Sojourner’s new book is a children’s chapter book, Who’s That in the Cat Pajamas released June 2, 2017.
Her next book, Blip, is a sci-fi book with humor and intrigue and is due out by December 2017. The Path of the Child, The Power of Forgiveness, and 31 Days of October are available in paperback and in eBook format on Amazon and other retailers. Sojourner brings a taste of strong personalities with a healthy dose of southern charm to her characters.
As co-founder and part of the organizing team of Mystery Thriller Week, she has become fascinated with writing a mystery of her own. In fact, there might be a little mystery woven into one of the two books she is writing at present.
When not writing, she is busy entertaining her Australian Shepherd, Beau. Unfortunately, Beau tends to get jealous when she spends too much time working on the computer.
Welcome back to Introduce Yourself, a new and exciting blog segment of The PBS Blog dedicated to introducing to you new and established authors and their books.
Today I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Dolapo Akitoye, our first screenwriter. Welcome to The PBS Blog! Let’s get started.
What is your name and where are you from?
My name is Dolapo Akitoye. A lot of people call me Dolly. I have no worries with anyone trying to call me either. I will answer to both. I am from Nigeria. Born and raised. Specifically, I am from Lagos which makes me Yoruba. Don’t ask me to speak the language though. Lol. I’m not that good at it but I can understand it…mostly. 😃
Yoruba huh? We’re gonna have to chat some more for sure. How many siblings do you have?
I have 3 siblings. Two sisters – an older half-sister and a younger sister- and a younger brother. I grew up being the first born in my household and only learned about my older sister about seven years ago. So, I still have a big-sister mentality. It’s just in me. I love my siblings. They are all so amazing and so smart. My older sister is a tailor and designer who makes the most amazing clothes. My younger sister studies Mathematics and Computer science and my younger brother is studying Law. They are all very wonderful.
Awwue. You sound like a big sister too. What’s your favorite drink?
If you like Pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain. Lol. I love Pina Coladas. I just think that the combination of pineapple and coconut is like heaven in your mouth. I drink Pina Coladas and I know that everything will be okay.
Dolapo Akitoye
Who is your favorite writer?
I was only going to go with one but that’s not me being honest. This one is a tie for me. There are two writers that just makes me so happy. First is the talented and beautiful Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. When I was in secondary school, her book, Purple Hibiscus was one of the books we had to read for Literature. Typically, even though I love reading, I find it difficult when an authority tells me to read a book. It makes me nervous and under pressure and I never know if I will really enjoy it. This book though was phenomenal and there is something so elegant about the way she writes. There is a subtlety that is so beautiful and I love it. The thing I love the most is that her style of writing almost reminds me of Raymond Carver in that, sometimes you read and you know that something has happened; something has changed; you have changed but you can’t quite figure it out. You have to go back and read it again and understand what is between the lines. She is a wonderful storyteller.
The second person is Dan Brown. I find Dan Brown’s writing really wonderful. His writing opens me up to new thoughts and ideas. I might not always agree with everything but his writing is so good that I don’t even care about that. I have read all his books except one. I have it. I just haven’t had time to read it. His writing makes me feel elevated like I’m in some kind of club that only a few people know about and I really enjoy it.
Nice. I enjoyed Chimamanda’s Ted talk, though I haven’t read any of her books yet. Speaking of writing, can you tell us a little bit about this script you’re writing and how you got into screenwriting?
My movie script is about a Nigerian woman who is going through postpartum depression and the way it changes the lives of her and those around her. The reason why I am writing this story is because in my country, Nigeria (which I love), people do not take depression seriously. People do not understand it and so a lot of times, it is ignored. Now, here we have a woman who does the most natural thing in the world – give birth- and she is going through this depression that she finds hard to understand because she does not feel like she has a right to feel that way and she is oblivious to it. Anyway, that is the basis of it.
I have always wanted to write a book but I never really gathered the confidence to do so and I always felt like I wanted to write something original but no ideas ever came to me. Recently, I started having all these stories in my head and I felt I had to write it. Even if, it never gets anywhere, I feel it in my heart to write it and the more I write it, the more confident I feel as a woman and as a writer.
Dolapo Akitoye
Nice. If you could shadow your favorite artist, who would it be?
Bruno Mars for sure. No doubt about that. Bruno Mars is so spectacular. His music, the way he moves, the happiness you feel when you hear him, it is out of this world. He works really hard and he has been doing that since he was impersonating Elvis Presley at the age of four. He has such a creative mind and his songs are poetry. If I could shadow him, I feel like I will learn so much in terms of work ethic and writing and letting the words and the music take you.
So, is Dolly taken?
I am single and I will definitely like to be married. I am one of those people who enjoy companionship. I believe that there is someone for everyone and I will enjoy being with someone for the rest of my life. Life can be hard sometimes and it will be nice to have someone go through it with you and I can’t wait for that someone to find me.
Awuee. Would you like to have children?
I would like to have children. I have always known since I was little that I wanted kids. I believe it is one of life’s beautiful miracles and I want to experience that. I have a lot of love to give and I will love to give that to my children.
A miracle indeed. What’s your favorite movie?
My favorite movie is Forrest Gump. I cry every time I watch that movie. It’s just a story of hope. It gives me the feeling that I can do anything. Even thinking about it right now is making me cry. Lol. I just really love that movie and I try to watch it at least once a year.
You know what’s funny? We had an author here last week who also happens to love Forrest Gump. Are you religious Dolly?
I am trying to be more religious. Growing up, we went to church and Bible club and I was even the Christian Worship perfect in my secondary school and so I always saw myself as religious…until about three years ago when I went through this really bad depression period and I just questioned God a lot. I didn’t understand why I was on earth and going through pain. However, God has just shown me so much compassion and love and when I had an accident last year, I won’t say that I had epiphany but I definitely felt God’s love for me in that moment. So, it’s still baby steps and I am trying to pray and read my Bible every day and get to know God in a way that I haven’t known him before. God is Love and I see that every day of my life.
What do you love about yourself?
I think I’m weird. Lol. But I love it. My mind is such a world of its own. The things I think about, read about, listen to, watch and even the little things that makes me happy in most cases, makes me seem weird to a lot of people but it is what makes me happy. Who wants to be normal anyway?
Thank you Dolly for spending this time with us! We enjoyed you for sure.
Dolapo Akitoye
Bio.
My name is Dolapo Akitoye. I am mostly referred to as Dolly. I am 21 years old and I am a blogger and an aspiring screenwriter. I have a Bachelors degree in Journalism and English Literature and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA). I have been blogging for over four years and it has been an outlet for me. To be honest, I feel as though it has saved my life so many times. I am currently working on my first movie script and I plan to work on much more in the future.
Welcome back to Introduce Yourself, a new and exciting blog segment of The PBS Blog dedicated to introducing to you new and established authors and their books.
Today I’d like to extend a warm welcome to L. Loren. Welcome to The PBS Blog! Let’s get started.
What is your name and where are you from?
Hi! My name is L. Loren and I live in Greenville, SC.
What would your perfect writing / reading room look like?
My perfect reading room would have a huge bay window overlooking a back yard with a willow tree and a lake off in the distance. Oversized, colorful pillows would line the bench where I would relax and read my favorite stories. There would be plush carpet and lots of color on the wall with my favorite quotes adorning them. I would also need a soft blanket and table nearby setup with a china tea set decorated with and dragonflies.
Ohh. Nice! How many siblings do you have?
I have two brothers and four sisters. I am the baby so I am spoiled.
What was your childhood dream?
I had many dreams as a child but one I remember fondly was being a movie director.
I can totally see you directing a film! What skill would you like to master?
I would like to master screenwriting. I still have that movie dream. Lol
In your own words, what is love?
Love is a verb. It is something that can be felt and seen. It is when you care for someone regardless if they return the sentiment. You give your everything to that person just to make them happy, even if it means you must sacrifice. Love is everything! (OK you got me… I’m a hopeless romantic)
L. Loren: Writer of LoveRotica. Used with permission.
That’s OK. Hopeless romantics need love too! What would be the most amazing adventure to go on?
I have many adventures just waiting to be taken, but the one that comes to mind right now is taking a cross country trip with my husband, visiting each and every NBA Arena. You know the whole VIP treatment; getting behind the scene tours, attending the games and getting to meet players, taking pictures of each arena in a special location.(Every arena has that one special spot).
Speaking of locations, if you had unlimited funds to build a house that you would live in for the rest of your life, what would the finished house be like?
I am too non-committal for this question, but it looked fun. I don’t think I could live in one place for the rest of my life. I do have a dream house that I would like to have in Jamaica. It would be a small cottage with an amazing kitchen, a nice patio out back that overlooked a pool. The back yard would have lots of space for a BBQ grill, fire pit and a cobblestone path that led to the ocean. There would be lots of trees for shade and a place for me to write outside.
Jamaica is nice. What’s your favorite drink?
I love a good Arnold Palmer, but it has to be made right. That’s why I never order it when I go out. I like to make mine at home. Too much lemonade ruins the whole thing.
What genre do you write in, why?
I write erotica because it intrigues me. I love being able to express my sexuality in a book that allows others to do the same. I can write anything I fantasize about and do anything I ever dreamed up in a book without the consequences of real life. Sex is a part of being human and when people start to accept that, they will stop thinking of it as something to be hidden and done in the dark.
I must say people, if you’re looking for a sexy read, L. Loren’s your girl!
The Egyptian Nights Series: Coming June 20, 2017
What songs have you completely memorized?
The safer question would be what songs haven’t I memorized. Lol I love music. My poor husband is regulated to listening to my renditions of most songs that come on the radio, especially those from the 70s. I can sing non-stop on the oldies stations.
Yes, oldies are the best. Though I’m picky about which oldies I like lol. Loren, what’s your favorite food?
I love any type of pasta, unless it has seafood in it.
Shut. The Front. Door. I LOVE pasta. What’s your favorite color?
Orange is my favorite color, with purple coming in a close second.
Yess. Purple is beautiful. Who is your favorite writer?
This answer changes with my mood, but right now Maya Angelou!
Can’t argue with that one! If you could shadow your favorite artist, who would it be?
That’s a tough one. I have many artists that I would love to shadow. If I could only choose one, I would say Sylvester Stallone. He is such an interesting man to me.
What kind of music do you like?
My taste in music is eclectic. I will rock out to country as much as I will R&B, pop or rock. I even get into classical and instrumental at times. I have a thing for the blues and I will listen to rap, but I’m old school. Don’t bring that ratchet mess to me. It will get dismissed with a quickness.
Loll! Let’s talk about your writing. When did you publish your first book? What was that like?
My first book was published in 2015 and it was scary as all get out. (Yeah, I’m from the South. Deal with it. Lol).
If you could live in a movie, which would it be? Why?
This question is AWESOME! I live in movies in my head as a writer so there would be many movies. Right at this moment I would be Monica Wright in Love and Basketball. That movie touched my heart. I was her when I was in college, only the dude I was with played baseball. I would have to change the ending though, because dude was a dog. I would much rather have the man I am with now, my hubby.
So it would be more like Love and Baseball (*stops to roll on the floor laughing. Wipes eyes*) Lol. I had to do it.
Who is your best friend?
Doug Tetting is my best friend, lover, protector, giver of dreams and the best comedian on the planet.
How long have you been married?
We’ve been married 16 years, and together 21.
Yaass! I love it. Would you like to have children?
NO! Why? It is not for me.
Whhaaattt????? Nooo Lisa! (*Dabs the corner of right eye*)
What takes up too much of your time?
Social Media, but it is a necessary evil.
I know right. What do you wish you knew more about?
Writing for TV and Movies. That’s why I’m taking a course!
Loren, I think you still have dreams of being a director! Tell us about the course.
I am taking the Master Class- Shonda Rhimes Teaches Writing for Television. So far, the course is amazing. It delves into the inner workings of developing a show for television and all the steps you need to take to make it successful. Shonda Rhimes is the Queen of Thursday Nights and she knows great television. I am enjoying the course because it lets the students into her personal process, which is something you usually don’t have access to.
What’s your favorite Historical figure?
Cleopatra! She was bad ass.
Lol. What are your thoughts on Race?
I think race is something that is used to separate people and cause friction in the world. It is far too important in the world.
I know right. In your own words (not Google’s) define racism.
Racism is an excuse people who have a particular hue of skin, use to make them feel better about themselves, by belittling and demeaning people who are different than them. An unnecessary evil!
What’s your favorite TV Show? Movie?
My favorite TV show is hard to pinpoint. I love Scandal, NCIS, and Underground. I used to love Criminal Minds, but they got rid of Hotch and the show has gone downhill. My fave movies vary between, The Color Purple, An Affair to Remember, Forrest Gump, Love and Basketball and the Rocky movies, including Creed.
I enjoyed Creed myself. What TV channel doesn’t exist but really should?
Women’s Sports Channel!
Let’s talk about books. What is the most thought provoking book you’ve ever read?
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
Yea, that’s a good one. Loren, why is writing important to you?
I can’t live without it. It is a part of me that I must do.
Why is it a must for you?
I must write because I believe it is what I was put on Earth to do. I have a million stories in my head just waiting to be written. I am always coming up with new ideas for stories and I get excited just thinking about them. I see the world through a writer’s eye and always have. It has just taken me longer to gain the courage to write it down for others to enjoy.
What do you love about yourself?
I love that I have an open mind and my willingness to try new things.
If you had one superpower that could change the world, what would it be?
I have the superpower, but I don’t have the ability to infuse it into everyone. It is LOVE! Why? If people focused on love instead of hate, this world would change for the better. I’m not saying I want a utopia where people walk around like mindless drones smiling at the moon. I am simply saying, if people opened their hearts more instead of using hate to lead, things would get better for everyone.
That’s probably the deepest answer I’ve gotten on this interview yet! You’re onto something Loren. Love is a superpower indeed.
In your own words, what is truth?
Truth is the ability to step outside of yourself and see things for what they are, without any emotional attachment. Emotions cause truth to be skewed and then nobody knows what really happened.
Lol. True.
Coming June 20, 2017
*WARNING: This book contains explicit sexual content and is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18. Let’s get the children out of the room please.
Once upon a time there was a beautiful young woman named Egypt, and she loved sex. Cursed by her mother’s dying declaration, she thinks she is unworthy of love. Locking her feelings inside an impenetrable ice block, she hides behind casual sex. Aided by her Naughty Fairy Godmother, she creates a playlist of rules to live by to avoid a broken heart.
When the ruggedly, sexy businessman, Harper Beckmann enters the restaurant where she is the executive chef, she feels drawn to him in ways she never felt before. When he denies her offer for a casual hook-up and offers to take her on a date instead, she is intrigued. Unable to resist his charms, she allows him to break all of her rules, including kissing on the mouth.
Harper has been playing the field since his fiancée left him for his best friend. A romantic at heart, he longs for the love of a good woman. When he meets Egypt, he knows instantly she is just what he needs to cure his aching heart. If he can break down her walls and get her to admit she loves him too, Beckmann may just be the one to break the curse.
Thanks so much Loren for spending this time with us. We enjoyed you!
L. Loren. Used with permission.
Bio.
Loren is a former call center supervisor currently based in Greenville, SC with her loving and supportive husband.
Growing up the youngest of seven in a small town in North Carolina, she embraced her love of reading which helped to develop her imagination.
Her desire to write lay dormant for years until she found the courage to look within and her passion could no longer be ignored.
Welcome to Introduce Yourself, a new and exciting blog segment of The PBS Blog dedicated to introducing to you new and established (not so new) authors and their books.
Today I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Dan Alatorre. Welcome to The PBS Blog! Let’s get started.
What is your name and where are you from?
I’m Dan Alatorre and I live in Tampa.
What would your perfect writing / reading room look like?
Ooh, that’s touchy. I actually have THE perfect writing room. When we remodeled our house, we converted the dining room into a kind of reading room, then I took it over as my office. It was beautiful mahogany bookshelves and two Queen Anne mahogany chairs, a barrister bookcase, and a writing desk. Dark green walls and three big windows trimmed in white with thick green curtains, walls adorned with framed artwork of a British fox hunt, pond boats and wood duck decoys, rows and rows of books… It’s most writers’ ideal writing room. My editor kinda hates me for having it. We do video calls and she sees it and weeps.
Lol. What is the most annoying habit that you have?
Bragging about my awesome writing room. That, and accidentally-on-purpose telling my cold weather friends how awesome it is here (Tampa) every time we talk.
I’m an author, that’s my gig. I have also a Young Author’s Club where I give guidance to grade school kids who want to be writers, and I host a private coaching/critique group for adults who are learning to be novelists. That’s a lot of fun. So many people want to write a book but don’t know where to start, or need input to take their work from good to great, you know? I help them. It’s very fulfilling work.
That sounds great! Speaking of critiques, what do you hate most about writing advice? What do you love?
I don’t listen to much writing advice. The people giving it are not necessarily correct – myself included! My favorite piece of advice is – the one I LOVE – is: “Great writing isn’t safe.” My second: “If I could give you one thing it would be enough confidence to believe in yourself the way I do.” So many people are afraid to be bold in their writing, to go there, to put themselves out there for the world to see, naked and exposed and vulnerable. They play it safe, so they never feel the applause and gratitude when somebody says THAT was a great story or THAT was the most romantic scene ever. Safe sucks. Be brave. It’s worth it. And writers have to be brave because we risk that every time, risking the pain and humiliation of rejection and being laughed at, and yet we go right back out there and do it again.
What would be the most amazing adventure to go on?
Lion safari in Africa. Like in those big Jeeps. I have friends who’ve done it, and I’ve seen it on TV – I just can’t figure out why the lions don’t walk over and eat the people in the Jeeps. That makes no sense to me. The lion sees you outside the Jeep, you are dinner. You take two steps and sit down IN the Jeep, it’s like he can’t see you. I wanna do that, to be up close and personal with nature that way. But in the Jeep, and not getting eaten. With my luck, that would be the day the lions figure it out. A big lion would be like saying to his lion buddy, “Hey, Bill, you know those things in the Jeeps are the same things we eat when they are out walking around?” And we’d all get eaten.
In your own words, what is humility?
Doing it. Not bragging and boasting about how awesome you are, just getting it done and not boasting. Then, help others do it – and they boast about you, and you honestly believe they are exaggerating.
Probably the best definition I’ve heard so far. What skill would you like to master?
Levitation. Wouldn’t it be cool to fly like Superman? I’d freaking do it naked just to have people saying they saw a naked guy flying over their house. People would be getting locked up in loony bins everywhere.
Lol! What job do you think you’d be really good at?
Writing, I hope. I’m a pretty good motivational speaker, though. I went to president’s circle with two different Fortune 500 companies and a lot of people I hired became successful because I believed in them like no one else did. One example was a young lady we hired from a local high school when we were trying to create an in-house telemarketing department. She wasn’t too good at phone sales, but she was a good worker with a lot of potential – to me. To a lot of other people, she was just a high school kid. One day I was working on some report and I said to her, “Here have a look at this. One day you’ll be a branch manager and you’ll have to do these reports.” Her jaw dropped. I was no big shot, but nobody had ever told her she had that kind of potential before. It changed her world. She became a dedicated, hardworking employee. I think she grew three inches that day. Another time, I was in Home Depot and I hear a guy calling me from across the store. He runs up – it’s another former telemarketer I hired for that program. He wanted his friend to meet me because he said I gave him his start. He was a successful business person, buying and remodeling houses. He worked for me for three months, and ten years later he was still bragging about me to his friends. I’m not sure I’ve ever told either of those stories in print before, so I’m not tooting my own horn, I’m just saying that inspiring folks is really cool and we should all do more of it.
I agree. We can never lift people up too much (Lol @ she grew 3 inches). What’s your favorite drink?
Peach mango green tea. I live on the stuff. It tastes awesome, and there’s no caffeine. I get up at 4:30 and start writing without java juice. That’s another reason my writer friends hate me – no caffeine required. My editor texts me in the morning and she’s like Whuuuuuttt? I’m bouncing off the walls. She says she wants to slip me a cappuccino just to see what happens.
Yea, you’ll be flying for real then. What state or country do you never want to go back to?
I could do without Alabama. It’s like indoor smoking is required there. Yuck. Aruba sucked. A desert on an island. Hot. Damn hot. Pretty water, but way too damned hot. I live in Florida and I thought it was too hot, so most of you will just burst into flames.
Let’s get a little personal (readers make the “ooh” noise). How many siblings do you have?
Four brothers and two sisters. I am number six out of seven, children of a small-town doctor. It was like being a celebrity, being out to dinner with my dad. Everybody would come over and say hi, and Dad would talk to them all. He knew everybody, and they all loved him. If I could be half the man my dad is, I will be a great man.
Ahh, that’s where you get it from! What was your childhood dream?
I had a classic childhood filled with daydreams of being a writer and a cartoonist. I settled on writer.
What kind of music do you like?
Not much. I’m a former drummer in a rock band, so music has to have an interesting beat, and not a lot of tunes do that these days. Melodically, I love all music. A good tune puts you in the mind of its creator like no other art form. We all hear it the same, but we all hear it differently. There are songs I’ve heard 500 times that can make my cry each time I hear them. Oh Holy Night is one. Ave Maria is another. When You Wish Upon A Star is another. If I try to sing them, I can’t get through without choking up. The reasons why are different in each case, but suffice it to say each is hugely sentimental. I’ll break down if I try to sing Oh Holy Night. Seriously.
*EC writes down the secret to making Dan cry. Stores it away for later.*
Poggibonsi, An Italian Misadventure is available HEREon amazon.
When did you publish your first book? What was that like?
August 2013. I pushed “publish” and sat back waiting for Oprah to call. I even rehearsed my answers to the questions I thought she’d ask. I’M STILL WAITING, MS. WINFERY!
You too?! (Dear Oprah, you heard it here first.) Dan, who is your best friend?
My daughter’s Spanish art teacher. She posted on Facebook that she was going to buy all my books. Automatic best friend status.
Is Dan married? How long?
Yep. 25 years this fall.
Congratulations! Does blogging help you to write? How so?
Yes, and anyone who says otherwise is lying. Probably. Yes, it takes time away from writing, but blogging IS writing. And it’s a fun way to connect with others with a same interest, also known as friends. Blogging rocks. I have friends all over the world because I blog. I’ll be seeing the brilliant Lucy Brazier (PorterGirl) in a few months – in London, going to haunted pubs – because I blog. We live ONCE, people!
Ahh man. I’m jealous. I wanna go to London! Who is your favorite writer?
Mark Twain. When people are still quoting you a hundred years after your death, you’ve done something right.
I know that’s right. What’s the most difficult thing about being a writer? The most exciting thing?
The most exciting thing is creating words on a page that make people laugh, or make them cry, or open their minds or make them totally conceive of a world you created, and they go, hand in hand, your willing accomplice, into it with you. Playing them like a piano, knowing: get ready, get ready, here it comes, BOOM – they get to the sad part and they have tears streaming down their face, and then you insert a line and they are laughing through the tears. That is awesome. It’s a super power only writers possess. The worst thing? When it doesn’t work.
Loll. I love it. Speaking of Super-powers, if you had one superpower that could change the world, what would it be?
That flying naked stuff would change the world, I think.
It definitely would. What genre do you write in, why?
I am writing in each genre in succession until I find one I’m good at. Cook books is next, I think, then scrap-booking.
Neat. Why is writing important to you?
Money.
Lol. Honesty is the best policy. Let’s keep it going. What TV channel doesn’t exist but really should?
The Dan Channel. But I’m working on it.
What TV channel exists but really shouldn’t?
I totally don’t get MSNBC. Everybody’s so angry all the time over there.
What are your thoughts on Race?
We messed up race relations in this country recently, and we have to get over being angry about everything. That anger stuff hasn’t worked in the middle east for 3000 years, and it’s not gonna work here. My mom’s family is from Germany, my dad’s is from Mexico and earlier in the line from Spain; I have a black brother in law and a black guy married my niece, the daughter of my brother who married an Italian girl. Love, people. It’s not that hard. And America does it better than anybody else, but we aren’t perfect and occasionally back slide. But the people who promulgate racial disharmony, for whatever reason, I sleep well knowing they lose eventually. It’s a dying industry as we all intermarry, less and less a factor every generation, despite the 24/7 news stations telling me otherwise. We’ll get there. We’re pretty smart and awfully compassionate.
Speaking Love, Dan, in your own words, what is love?
That crazy semi-queasy feeling you get when you can’t stand being away from somebody, your heart racing when you are about to see them, the euphoria you get when you DO see them, and the hating to say goodbye… Deep, slow, soft kisses you wish would never end and you want to go on forever. Heartache over being apart and joy over being together. Something like that.
What is the most thought provoking book you’ve ever read?
Future Shock, by Alvin Toffler. He was cutting edge and basically completely wrong about everything. Like most people who know everything.
In your own words, what is truth?
Pure honesty and emotion, put on the page bare and raw and open and hurtable, identifiable in the smallest detail to anyone who sees it, and lasting beyond your ability to stand it.
Dan, this was fun. Thanks for making us laugh and spending this time with us!
Dan Alatorre. Used with permission.
Bio.
Dan Alatorre is the author of numerous best sellers, host of the YouTube video show Writers Off Task With Friends, blogger… and father to a hilarious and precocious daughter, “Savvy” of the bestselling book series Savvy Stories. His novels, short stories, illustrated children’s books and cookbooks have been translated into 12 different languages and are enjoyed around the world.
Dan and his family live in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. (If it’s Friday, he’s making pizza, including making the dough and sauce from scratch. Who does that?)
Welcome to Introduce Yourself, a new and exciting blog segment of The PBS Blog dedicated to introducing to you new and established authors and their books.
Today I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Jo Ann Maxwell. Welcome to The PBS Blog! Let’s get started.
What would your perfect writing/reading room look like?
It would have lots of windows and be situated in a forest area. Somewhere in the mountains would be perfect. And a beautiful lake or river outside as well. It would stay at a perfect 68° no matter the weather. The walls would be a pale robin’s egg blue. I would have a sound system that would play my favorite Christian music. I would have a sturdy couch with an ottoman when I want to put up my feet. It would have a small refrigerator with bottled spring water, and fruits and nuts. It would also have an attached bathroom. There would definitely be no TV or phone!
No TV or phone, I hear ya. What skill would you like to master?
I would like to learn how to fly a plane. Just a small plane. I don’t need to go fast. Just want to get up close to the clouds and look at the earth from that perspective. It would be a little like God looking down from heaven and seeing us. Our perspective is so narrow and immediate focused. He sees the big picture.
In your own words, what is humility?
Humility is choosing someone else over yourself. Humility is being willing to be wrong. Humility is making sure those around you are successful. Humility is the opposite of self-righteousness. Humility is not being submissive and allowing abuse to continue. Humility is grounded in love for yourself. When we love ourselves, we can love others! And as we love others, humility is a byproduct of that love. There is no competition, needing to be right, nor a desire to control others.
What would be the most amazing adventure to go on?
I would like to travel around Italy and sample the wines and cheeses throughout the country.
That sounds lovely. Jo, tell us about when published your first book? What was it like?
My book was published in the fall of 2016. It is called Fearless. It chronicles my journey through grief and depression to rely on my faith to gain victory in spite of living with a chronic disease; multiple sclerosis.
Can you talk a little bit about what Multiple Sclerosis is for those who may not know?
After my diagnosis, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) was my first and continues to be my go-to source for information. According to NMSS, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) involves an immune-mediated process in which an abnormal response of the body’s immune system is directed against the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. The exact antigen—or target that the immune cells are sensitized to attack—remains unknown, which is why MS is considered by many experts to be “immune-mediated” rather than “autoimmune.”
Within the CNS, the immune system attacks myelin—the fatty substance that surrounds and insulates the nerve fibers—as well as the nerve fibers themselves.
The damaged myelin forms scar tissue (sclerosis), which gives the disease its name.
When any part of the myelin sheath or nerve fiber is damaged or destroyed, nerve impulses traveling to and from the brain and spinal cord are distorted or interrupted, producing a wide variety of symptoms.
The disease is thought to be triggered in a genetically susceptible individual by a combination of one or more environmental factors.
People with MS typically experience one of four disease courses, which can be mild, moderate or severe
What small things makes your life easier? What makes it difficult?
I have been living with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis for a little over four years. What makes it easier for me is to have several rest periods throughout the day. I swim three days a week and do my physical and occupational therapy. This doesn’t necessarily make my life easier, but it doesn’t make it more difficult. I need to exercise and be strong in all the ways I can while I still can. Stress and busyness make it difficult for me. Before I was diagnosed, I was a teacher for 17 years and then a nonprofit manager for 19 years. So I’m used to a very high activity job that requires multitasking. Now looking at all the emails that come in to my two email accounts I get overwhelmed. I have to take a while to digest the information, regroup, and then tackle it. I was used to be able to go to three or four stores in the morning and still have lots of energy left over. Now I can only do two or three errands, especially if one is a drive-through. I think it is the fatigue that is the most annoying symptom that I have. The fatigue has caused me to radically change my lifestyle.
What is your favorite historical figure?
That would have to be Jesus, hands down. He has influenced my life in ways that I can only repay him by walking as closely to his word as I can. It is the amazing love of the father who sacrificed his son so we could have the Holy Spirit living inside of us. Almost too amazing to even think about.
I take it you’re religious?
No I am not religious. Religion is a set of rules you have to live by. I have a relationship with Jesus my Savior. I love spending time with him, and he wants to spend time with me. Just like any relationship, it takes effort on my part to make it rich and meaningful.
What is the most thought-provoking book you’ve ever read?
It has to be Magnificent Obsession by Anne Graham Lotz. She goes through the life of Abraham and paints beautiful pictures of how we too can be sold out to God and his plans and guidance for our lives.
If you had one superpower that could change the world, what would it be?
It would be a research scientist with the power to find the cure for all of the currently incurable diseases in the world. That would include cancer, multiple sclerosis, AIDS, dementia, polio, Parkinson’s, Lupus, influenza, diabetes, asthma, and mental illness. And I would also coordinate the research projects so that all scientists can work together rather than separate in their own little silos.
Thank you Jo for spending this time with us! Because of you we know more about Multiple Sclerosis!
Jo Ann Maxwell, used with permission.
Bio
I was suddenly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 60. Many of the symptoms I had throughout my life suddenly became clear. My faith, independence, and fearlessness were threatened. In my book I talk about my struggles to find hope again. I had a successful career as a teacher and a senior-level nonprofit executive. Since retiring I have been assisting my aging parents in North Carolina. I try to stay active as a volunteer at the Billy Graham training center in Asheville North Carolina, read, play mah-jongg, do puzzles, and exercise as much as I can. Right now my walking is very limited, but I get in the pool and swim three days a week, and I can work on a recumbent cross trainer. As a physical educator, I know the great advantages of exercise. It’s also important to stay as strong as I can and not let the MS get the better of me! My book chronicles how my faith was stretched and strengthened and how I find victory in spite of living with a chronic disease.
Welcome to Introduce Yourself, a new and exciting blog segment of The PBS Blog dedicated to introducing to you new and established authors and their books. I am so excited to get started and boy do I have some writers to introduce to you! I have decided to make this a weekly feature and so I’ll be introducing one author a week as long as the spots stay booked.
Today I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Paige Addams. Welcome to The PBS Blog! Let’s get started.
What would your perfect writing/reading room look like?
Wall to wall books. Like the library from Beauty and the Beast. Big windows to let in lots of light. A comfy couch and probably a papasan. Inspirational trinkets – geeky and fantasy type things like little pewter dragons or replica weapons from video games and movies I love – on some of the shelves and on my huge desk in the middle of the room. In the rare parts of the room where there’s actual wall instead of built in bookshelves, the paint would reflect the fantasy theme – and I tend to like darker colors in blues, purples, greens, and reds. Something interesting with those colors.
Lol, in theory it would be orderly and maintained, and I’d know where everything is. (notice in my above description that I never mention any kind of filing system… and did not go back to edit that as I’m writing this, because that would be a big fat lie, lol) In reality, it would probably look like a hurricane went through. Bookmarked novels piled up on different surfaces, and my notes strewn around in seeming chaos. But I seem to have magical chaos spider senses or something, because I still somehow know where everything is in the catastrophe that is my writing/reading space.
Wow! I love your writing / reading room! I’d have to invite myself over ; ). Are you employed outside of writing?
Yes – I’m a licensed massage therapist, and I absolutely love it! Originally, I thought I wanted to be a nurse. The medical field fascinates me – the body is amazing when you sit and think about all the things it does on a daily basis, and all the ways each individual system affects the whole. There was always a thought in the back of my mind that I was interested in alternative medicine, but I always kind of ignored that for some reason. I think maybe I wasn’t really confident in what I wanted? Lol, I think what you’re really supposed to be doing keeps coming around to poke at you though. After a couple years of nursing school, I finally switched to massage therapy. Now I can help people without needles, which is awesome. 😊 I do some relaxation work, but most of what I do is focused on things like injuries, headaches/migraines, TMJ, whiplash, carpal tunnel, plantar fasciitis, sciatica, and frozen shoulder. I also do hot stone, and will be continuing my education in fibromyalgia, work with cancer patients, and thai massage. Lol, I’m a bit biased, but I think I have the best clients ever! 😊
That is so cool. I went for Medical Assistance but Massage Therapy sounds way more cool. I always wished I did that instead! Speaking of likes, what do you hate most about writing advice? What do you love?
Lol, if I had to say I hate something about writing advice, it would be the overwhelming feeling that I’m not doing it right – whatever “it” may be for the day. That’s not the fault of the person giving the advice – advice that someone takes the time to sit down, put thought into, and write out to help others is never something I could hate – it’s really more a me and my own insecurities thing. I struggle with confidence, so sometimes when I’m reading advice I can’t help but think I should just scrap everything and start over. I feel like I break a lot of writing rules, so when my confidence is low there’s a danger of me getting stuck in an over-editing loop and accidentally gutting the soul out of whatever I’m working on.
What I love most about writing advice is that I can get a different perspective on things. I spend so long looking at my own writing that I become blind to it. Because I’ve already mapped everything out in my head, and I know where the story will end up, I will automatically fill in any plot holes without really seeing them. I’ll have that sinking feeling that something’s wrong with a scene somewhere, but I just can’t find it. Also, my grammar is not always the best and I have a comma problem – I either sprinkle them haphazardly around like confetti or forget they exist. Lol – I need advice on those things especially. Lots and lots of advice.
Lol. I am terrible with commas! I’m definitely the sprinkle type. I feel you on the not doing anything right thing and I think you’ve just spoken to the heart of all the writers reading this. Insecurity is real so thank you for being genuine. We ALL experience that for sure. Now, what skill or skills would you like to master?
All of them. I think I’m like a jack of all trades, master of none. I’m interested in mastering all kinds of things, and have started learning several. But to actually master them? Lol, that’s another story entirely. I’ve been working on getting my black belt in Tomiki style Aikido – been practicing since 2010-ish I think? This is the skill I’m most passionate about trying to master. I absolutely love this martial art. It’s more about blending with the person, redirecting them, and using their own energy against them. So you don’t have to be bigger or stronger necessarily. It’s considered a “softer style” of martial art. It’s not something I’ll ever master, but I’ll happily work on it the rest of my life though and see how far I can get. 😊 Some of the other skills I want to learn are contact juggling, belly dancing, art (like being able to do portraits of my characters and landscapes of the scenes, maybe in colored pencil?), Ninjutsu, Iaido, and learning other languages (especially Japanese and Polish).
Wow. Gone on ahead then witcha bad self! Belly dancing huh? Don’t get any ideas guys. What would be the most amazing adventure to go on?
In a more peaceful time, I would love to see the world. There are so many beautiful places I would love to go. Gorgeous places in nature I’ve only looked at in National Geographic magazines with my mom. Cities with amazing architecture. Ideally, I’d like to take my mom to see it all too. She’s all about adventure. And the food! Seriously, the food though. I would eat all the things. Like Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, vegan edition.
Cool. If you had unlimited funds to build a house that you would live in for the rest of your life, what would the finished house be like?
First, I would have my own library/writing space. It would be both, and it would be big, lol. I would fill it with books and geeky things. My husband would have his own gaming room (we’re both gamers), also probably with more geeky paraphernalia of various kinds. We’d have an entertainment room for watching movies and setting up my gaming systems because me and the husband don’t share games well, lol. Or we could play together that way too. We’d have several bedrooms, for when we have guests, and a large kitchen with an island and different cooking tools I would learn how to use so we don’t starve or eat out all the time.
There would be a nice big garden where I would grow fruits and vegetables. Maybe a greenhouse for the winter? And a hedge maze, because it sounds fun and why not? Stone paths and archways with vines growing over them.
The house would be built around a private meditation courtyard right in the middle, with shade tolerant plants. The only way to get to it would be through the house. The house would be made of stone on the outside, and have some kind of wrap around porch. I would live just close enough to civilization to easily get to a hospital or the grocery store, but far enough away that I couldn’t see my neighbors. Don’t get me wrong, I like neighbors, but I want a place more like my grandpa’s – kind of out in the country a little. It’s peaceful there.
Wow! Your descriptions are amazing. I can just imagine your books! Lol at geeky paraphernalia. Let’s change the script a little bit. Have any songs memorized?
Lol, I listen to a lot of music, and do a lot of full-volume car singing. Some of them are: every song David Bowie sang in Labyrinth. “Moves Like Jagger” by Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera. “Footsteps” by Pop Evil. “Sally’s Song” from The Nightmare Before Christmas. “Radiator” by Family Force 5. The soundtrack to Queen of the Damned. “My Demons” by Starset. “Holding On To You” by Twenty One Pilots. “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons. “In The Shadows” by The Rasmus. “Star of the County Down” and “Perfect Song” by Enter the Haggis. “Free” by Switchfoot. “Here” by Alessia Cara. “Blossom” by Kerli. “Sleep to Dream” by Fiona Apple. “Kiri” by Monoral. “Duvet” by Boa. There are tons of songs I have memorized, much to my husband’s amusement. Lots of car concerts going on, and random serenading as we pass in the hall.
Car concerts are the absolute best. Sounds like you got a nice mix here far as music then huh?
Lol, I’m kind of an entertainment junkie. I listen to all kinds of music, but my favorites are usually rock and alternative. I really am all over the board though. I love Lindsey Stirling, Gackt, Korn, Linkin Park, Rhianna, Buck-Tick, Celldweller, Elle King, Anberlin, Beyonce, Switchfoot, Flyleaf, The Weeknd, Family Force 5, The Glitch Mob, Poe, and many, many more, lol.
When did you publish your first book? What was that like?
My first book will tentatively be self-published 4/7/17. If not, then the following Friday, definitely. I say “tentatively” because I’m having an issue converting the fantasy map I included in the book on Amazon. My amazing editor has been helping me, and the fantastic designer that did my cover is going to format it for me. Lol, I generally always refer to them as fantastic and amazing because they are genuinely great at what they do, have been endlessly patient with me, and deserve all the praise I can dish out.
I’m both excited and terrified to self-publish. Lol, it’s a scary thing putting a story out there and not knowing how it’ll go. I know my writing won’t be everyone’s cup of tea – maybe they don’t like my genre, or just my particular style of writing. Or maybe I should have re-read some of that advice on grammar, and calmed down on the rampant comma abuse, lol. My editor cleaned it up big time and made it readable though, so I’m thinking it’ll come down to: have I managed to write something that’s entertaining/interesting? We shall see. 😊
I’m feeling more excited and optimistic than scared though. Even if only my mom and close friends buy it, it’ll feel good to finally be doing something with my writing. I kind of feel like I’ve accomplished something. Writing is as important to me as my job as a massage therapist, and to be able to put it out there is a dream come true.
COMING SOON!
Congratulations on the book! Author to be in the house ya’ll! That cover is nice!
Now, if you could live in a movie, which would it be? Why?
That’s a tough one. Maybe Harry Potter? The Sorcerer’s Apprentice? Somewhere I could use magic! Or maybe a marvel movie? Basically, anywhere I could have superpowers or magical abilities or something along those lines. As for the why – lol, because I’m chaos and would spend my time levitating everything around my house and snapping my fingers to clean so I don’t have to dust anymore. Plus, superpowers are just awesome!
Aren’t they? So, Paige, married? How long?
Yes – I’ve been married for 8 ½ years, but we’ve been together for a little over 16 years. We were high school sweethearts. We met in social studies class, when I was a sophomore and he was a junior. I feel like we were really lucky. We got to go off to college together, live together, and have some healthy fights before we got married. Lol, the man knew exactly what he was getting himself into – brave soul that he is. I really am blessed – he loves me and all my weird little quirks.
Brave soul lol. That’s awesome. I feel like marriage don’t get enough play these days and I am always excited to meet couples who’ve been together a lifetime. Speaking of time, Paige, what takes up too much of your time?
YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, and video games. Not always in that order. I am amazingly skilled at procrastination. The one skill I’ve already mastered, lol. Right now, I’m playing Mass Effect: Andromeda, and loving every second of it.
Lol! You’re a gamer for real. What do you wish you knew more about?
As far as knowledge goes, I wish I knew more about computers, history, and math. Those are my biggest weaknesses, knowledge wise. My brain just doesn’t work in any kind of logical or orderly fashion. If you hand me a math book I’m pretty sure my brain would force quit, and I’d just start hearing elevator music.
I wish I could say it’s because I have trouble concentrating, but I seem to have no issue playing the same video game for 8 hours straight, or watching Netflix all day. I think this is just a shining example of what people call left brain vs right brain. My left brain is always sleeping I think.
I love you for hating math. So do I. Lol. Speaking of Netflixin it, what’s your favorite TV show? Movie?
I watch way more TV and movies than is probably healthy. Here are my current favorites: TV (I’m including anime series in this) – Blindspot, The Blacklist, Lucifer, Game of Thrones, Sense 8, Castle, Stitchers, Forever, Bleach, Yona of the Dawn, The Twelve Kingdoms. Movies (also including anime movies here) – The Illusionist, Divergent (and the sequels), Warm Bodies, Excess Baggage, He’s Just Not That Into You, Pride and Prejudice (all of them, including the one with zombies), The Matrix (only the first one), Beastly, Scrooged, Ladyhawke, Beautiful Creatures, Jupiter Ascending, Legend, Unleashed, Labyrinth, Alien (all of them), Knight and Day, The Princess Bride, Penelope, Blood and Chocolate, Kubo and the Two Strings, The Shack, Appleseed (2004 version), Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away.
The only thing from this list I can agree with is Matrix and Lucifer. Although, I kinda fell off Lucifer and probably can’t tell you about the last ten episodes? Anyway, what is the most thought provoking book you’ve ever read?
I’ve been reading these books by John Eldredge, and one he wrote with his wife, Stasi. They’re books about exploring Christianity in a different way. I’ve always considered myself a Christian, but I have been told I don’t Christian correctly, lol. I have a different way of approaching some things, I guess.
I think the reason I find them thought provoking is because they approach faith in a way that is more relatable to me. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong way to approach faith – it’s subjective to each person – but I do think there’s a way that fits my own relationship with God the best. I like the idea that he’s not some unreachable being, and you aren’t expected to be perfect, or follow a prayer recipe. I can just be myself.
I’ve read Wild at Heart, Captivating, and am currently reading Beautiful Outlaw. The main theme in all of these is getting to know God on a more intimate level. Wild at Heart and Captivating talk about the masculine and feminine parts of God you can see in everyday life, and in yourself and others. The wildness of storms, a man storming the castle for a woman, fighting battles and going on adventures. The beauty of sunsets, a woman’s desire to be pursued, the fierce protectiveness of a mother or a sister or a bestie. And Beautiful Outlaw is about getting to know the personality of Jesus. He got angry, joked with the apostles, and showed His human side. It’s a way of looking at Jesus that I’ve never thought of before. The author also suggests there can be a difference between religion and faith, which I thought was really interesting. Even if you aren’t Christian, I think these may be interesting reads if you like exploring this kind of subject. 😊
Interesting. I can definitely agree there’s a difference between faith and religion but that’s another story. What’s the most difficult thing about being a writer? The most exciting thing?
Lol, I think the most difficult thing about being a writer, for me at least, is corralling all the crazy ideas I have into something that makes sense. My mind is generally all over the place – I’ll write scenes for the middle of the book before I write the beginning or end, and sometimes write parts of the end before the beginning too. Then I’ll write scenes for the fourth and eighth books, because all the plots are touching each other like spaghetti.
My writing space is chaos. My writing process is chaos. Lol, I’m pretty sure I am chaos. My husband would probably agree.
I think the most exciting thing about writing is that it’s okay to be chaos. 😊 It’s a crazy, unorganized mess – but it works for me. When I try to be too structured, I can run into trouble. But when I’m just letting it all go, and just putting down whatever is in my head, I get a lot done. I feel like the characters have a life of their own when I let them do what they want, lol. Even if it’s not used in the story I’m currently working on, I have something to consider later. A lot of my secondary characters end up as primary characters later in the series. So the spaghetti method ends up working for me, lol.
Why is writing important to you?
Writing is important to me because I think it can be a form of escape. Life is not always butterflies and daisies, but when I sit down to write it can be. I also think it can be therapeutic in some ways, depending on what you’re writing. Either way, whether you write fiction or nonfiction, whatever genre is in your heart, you’re putting your creativity and pieces of yourself into it. I mainly write paranormal romance – full of magic and happiness, lol. But I have written some more personal, serious things too.
“Life is not always butterflies and daisies, but when I sit down to write it can be.” I love that. I’d have to feature you in a quote one day. You’ve spoken about a few things. Tell us, what genres do you write in? Why?
I write paranormal romance for two reasons. First, it’s my favorite genre to read. And second, I can run amuck and really do whatever I want with it. I enjoy being able to create whatever I like, with very little restriction. So much chaos, lol. But part of the fun for me has been starting from the ground up – creating the races in my fantasy world, their history and traditions, their language (I got a book on language creation), and their different forms of magic. Winding all the plot lines together has been fun too. I’ve enjoyed mapping everything out. The more I branch out, the more opportunity I have to build the world up even more.
Paige, it’s been an amazing journey spending this time with you! Thank you for stopping by.
Photo Credit: Paige Addams. Used with permission.
Paige Addams is a pseudonym. She lives with her very patient and amazing husband and their dog in Ohio. When she’s not writing, she’s growing her business as a LMT, practicing Aikido (and trying not to kill herself in the process) and trying to learn contact juggling (like that scene from Labyrinth). Otherwise, she’s generally procrastinating with video games and far more YouTube than is probably healthy. Paige will be self-publishing her first novel in the coming weeks, and there will be many more!
The PBS Blog 