Category Archives: Fridays with Friends

December 21, 2012

Why I write – 5 reasons from Liv Rancourt

By Ellen Gregory

Paranormal and/or Romance author Liv Rancourt is my guest today and I like her post so much I think I’ll follow up next week with one of my own on the same topic. She’s addressing a question I ask myself frequently… Why do I write?

She’s also included an excerpt at the bottom from her recently published short story, The Santa Drag. I hope you enjoy and consider checking out her story.

Take it away, Liv!

*******

First I want to say thanks, Ellen, for the chance to do a guest post for your blog, and for your patience with my somewhat flexible deadline…

Why I write

In a recent blog post, Veronica Sicoe articulates the five things she wants to do with her writing. (Jump HERE for her post.) It’s a very thoughtful piece, and as I read it I thought, “Wow, I’m not sure I could come up with a similar five things if I wanted to.”

So of course, I decided to try.

With just a hint of a drum-roll, here are the five things I want my writing to accomplish. Assuming I can come up with five, that is…

1. I want to write smart…

…because I believe if you write smart, you’ll make people think. While I know not everyone wants to grapple with IDEAS when they read – some people watch reality TV, too – I’m talking about little thoughts, more of the, “Wow, that’s sort of interesting,” scope. IDEAS belong to angst-ridden twenty-somethings, anyway. If I can gently prod someone into looking at things in a slightly different way, then I’ve done my job.

2. I want to write funny…

…because a spoon full of sugar helps…well, you know. Laughter is the lubricant that keeps the grinding gears of life turning. Wow. Deep. Did I just say that? I laugh at myself and, affectionately, at my characters. Life is strange. Enjoy it.

3. I want a place for all my previous obsessions to hang out.

I’m a neonatal nurse and for awhile I compulsively searched eBay looking for the perfect mid-century china and I can design and execute some pretty esoteric needlework patterns and I love singing Gregorian chant. And some, if not all, of that has turned up in my fiction, and will likely continue to do so. It saves on research time if you’ve already lived it.

4. I want to tell the truth, as I see it.

And I’ve had fifty years to experience it, so in theory at least I should have a handle on it. I don’t care how crazy your plot line is, if there’s not a substrate of truth in how the characters respond, then your readers won’t have as much fun reading it, and you can write clever dialogue till the cows come home, but if your reader can’t imagine anyone actually SAYING it, then you’ve lost them. It’s like peeling an apple. I throw down a bunch of ideas, then try to peel the B.S. away until only the good stuff is left.

5. I want to entertain readers…

…to surprise them, and most importantly, to make them set the book down with a warmer heart, no matter how gritty the subject matter is. In my books, the good guys win. Just wish real life was more like that…

And that, my friends, is what I want to do with my writing. I can’t say I’m 100% successful, but these are worthy goals. What about you? What do you want to accomplish with your writing?

Thanks again, Ellen! Happy Holidays!!

Liv

Excerpt from The Santa Drag
by Liv Rancourt
The Santa Drag2

So the only paying gig Mackenzie can find is playing Santa in the Mall…

On a particularly busy Saturday, I was tired and thinking more about a double shot of espresso than I was about the pile of kids who wanted to sit in my lap. The weak winter sun was making its circle over the atrium where the Christmas Village was set up, and my roommate Shauna was buzzing by every so often to giggle at me from the sidelines. She was trying to get all of her Christmas shopping done in one day, which was a good trick for someone with as many fertile brothers and sisters as she had.

“Come sit on Santa’s lap.” Maya, the photographer and kid-wrangler, invited the next kid in line approach my golden throne. Well, it was fake gold, but the kids didn’t know that.

“No,” said a little girl with a stubborn crease between her brows. She was dressed in Seattle’s version of Christmas formal, a stiff, red velvet dress, likely made from organic fabric dyed with beets and rose hips. On her feet were two-toned leather MaryJanes that probably cost sixty-five dollars. At least the green corkscrew ribbons tied around her blond pigtails looked like they belonged on a child. I made myself as approachable as possible, getting down to her level and producing a big smile.

“Come on, Thula,” her mother said, tapping one French manicured nail on her cell phone. “Go sit up there with Santa so we can take your picture.” She sounded as if this was just one more thing to knock off the list.

“It’s okay, sweetie.” Maya put on her encouraging smile. Maya was a tiny thing, barely bigger than most of the kids we saw, with long dark hair, a tiny gold hoop pierced through one nostril, and bugged-out eyes that looked like they’d been molded out of chocolate. She was non-threatening as an adult could possibly be. The kid stared at her and bit down on her bottom lip. At least she wasn’t crying. Yet.

“You want to come tell Santa what to bring you for Christmas?” I kept my voice pitched down somewhere under my sternum. It helped that I had one of those raspy lady voices that earned me a permanent spot in the tenor section whenever I sang in choir.

“No.”

Sometimes less is more when you’re dealing with preschoolers. We went back and forth for several minutes until the kid went from biting her bottom lip to letting it pooch out and tremble. Never a good sign. Finally, after a ton of coaxing, she was more-or-less close to me, squatting down on the other side of one of the big pretend presents that ringed my throne. That was good enough for her mom, and Maya snapped a picture.

When she was done, the little girl glared at me from behind the big, glossy red ribbon that topped the present. “Bring me a baby brother,” she bellowed and took off running.

Mom’s glare was meaner than the kid’s had been. Hey, it’s not like I made any promises.

The kid ran full tilt past the pseudo-Tyrolean houses that made the Village, and out through the crowds of shoppers. She stopped in the middle of an open space and cut loose, her sobs echoing around the smoky glass dome that covered us. We could hear her carrying on until she and her mom got swallowed up by the Ross store at the end of the north hallway. The whole place fell into a bit of a hush when she was gone, as everyone exhaled in relief. This close to Christmas, none of us needed a crying child to ratchet up the stress level.

A young mother was next in line. She came into the Christmas Village and positioned a slightly damp baby on my lap, moving as if something hurt. The baby was so young that Mom still looked a little pregnant under her loose denim-blue shirt. Or maybe she was already pregnant with number two. I’m not so good with the principles of baby production. Well, I understand the basic concepts, but haven’t had that many opportunities to put them into practice.

The brief quiet was interrupted by a yodeling squeal that I recognized. I stared into the crowd until I caught Maya looking at me funny. I stuck on a smile as close to my normal, jolly-Santa shtick as I could get, and she settled back down behind her camera. The reason for my roommate Shauna’s squeal had me completely rattled. In the two or three beats I’d looked out from behind my wire-rimmed glasses as Mack-the-girl, I’d seen Shauna giving someone a big hug. A really handsome someone. Joe McBride. Joseph Timothy McBride. The actor. The real-life, got a soap opera gig and several commercials and you saw him in Scream 2 actor. The only guy I ever really loved.

Ooh, now she’s got a problem! Will Mack turn all Creepy-Kringle? Will Joe recognize her? What’s a Santa to do? ;)

The Santa Drag is available from Still Moments Publishing, Smashwords, and Amazon.

About Liv Rancourt

Liv Rancourt writes paranormal and romance, often at the same time. She lives with her husband, two teenagers, two cats and one wayward puppy. She likes to create stories that have happy endings, and finds it is a good way to balance her other job in the neonatal intensive care unit. Liv can be found on-line at her website & blog (www.livrancourt.com), on Facebook (www.facebook.com/liv.rancourt), or on Twitter (www.twitter.com/LivRancourt).

*******

Thanks for hanging out here, Liv, and sharing with us your deepest thoughts and an excerpt from The Santa Drag.

foreverandeveramen_LRIs it also OK to mention your forthcoming publication under the Crimson Romance label – Forever and Ever, Amen – ?? Can we get excited for you??

To reiterate Liv’s questions (to writers) at the end of her post: What about you? What do you want to accomplish with your writing? Please do leave us a comment!

As mentioned, I intend to follow up with a similar post on ‘Why I write’ next week, and I hope other writers reading this will feel inspired to do likewise!

12 comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Fridays with Friends, Reading

October 19, 2012

Talking Rainbird with Rabia Gale

By Ellen Gregory

It’s my great pleasure to welcome author Rabia Gale to my blog today. Her bio says she breaks fairy tales and fuses fantasy and science fiction… How could you not want to read anything and everything she writes?

I invited her here to discuss, among other things, her novella, Rainbird, which she launched this week. Here’s the blurb:

Rainbird

She’s a halfbreed in hiding.

Rainbird never belonged. To one race, she’s chattel. To the other, she’s an abomination that should never have existed.

She lives on the sunway.

High above the ground, Rainbird is safe, as long as she does her job, keeps her head down, and never ever draws attention to herself.

But one act of sabotage is about to change everything.

For Rainbird. And for her world.

Rainbird is a fantasy novella of about 31,000 words.

Now available at Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

Excerpts at rabiagale.com/rainbird

Sounds fabulous! My copy is awaiting me on my kindle, and I can’t wait to read it. In the meantime, Rabia has been kind enough to share some of her insights…

1. What was the central idea behind your new novella, Rainbird, and how did you approach writing the story?

Thank you, Ellen, for having me on your blog! Rainbird was inspired by a mental image of a girl dancing under a night sky. I knew that she was up high, in the thin cold air. Who she was, where she was, and why she danced came later, but it all started from that one picture.

I actually meant Rainbird to be a short story. Seven thousand words in, I realized I had too much story and hurriedly ended it with a draco ex machina. Several months later, I began the process of expanding it into a novella. I added more characters, worldbuilding details and plot events, deepened the conflicts, and changed the ending.

2. What do you love most about the finished work?

Rainbird herself. I love her impulsive generosity, her zest for life, her fierce love for her father, and her almost-reckless courage.

I didn’t set out to write any themes into my story, but they turned up anyway. Rainbird struggles to forge her own identity, find her purpose, and discover where she belongs. All of us can relate to this, and for many, this is a lifelong quest. Where Rainbird’s path took her surprised even me. I came away from the story knowing that I told only a chapter of her life and that further adventures await her.

I’m awed when a story I create spills over the boundaries of the written words.

3. What is it about the fantasy genre that inspires you — as a reader, as a writer?

I love to explore fascinating worlds—the more bizarre, the better! Planets with multiple suns, floating islands, cities on the backs of giant creatures—all of these draw me as a reader and as a writer. It’s no wonder that Rainbird lives high up on the skeleton of a gigantic space dragon!

I also like to get into the minds of heroes, those flawed people struggling to do the right thing in the face of great odds. And what better way to discover heroes than by putting them in situations where life, loved ones and even the entire world are in peril? The fantasy genre is quite inventive when it comes to terrible consequences. Horrible death may be the least of your worries, when compared with eternal bondage to the Dark Lord or having your soul eaten by a demon. It’s in the crucible of fantasy that my favorite heroes are made.

4. Care to share some of your favourite fantasy reads with us?

There are too many to name, so I’ll list some books I’ve really enjoyed in the past two years. In no particular order these are:

  • The Cloud Roads and The Serpent Sea by Martha Wells
  • The Collegia Magica trilogy and the Lighthouse Duet by Carol Berg
  • Cold Magic and Cold Fire by Kate Elliot
  • The Mistborn trilogy and The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

5. What aspect of storytelling are you most passionate about?

Definitely the characters. I like to take ordinary people and put them into extraordinary circumstances. I enjoy exploring the range of human emotion. I love watching my characters interact with each other, especially in familial relationships (too often, fantasy characters seem to have no parents or siblings!).

6. Who is your favourite literary heroine, and why?

From my list of recent fantasy faves, I’d have to pick Anne de Vernase from the Collegia Magica novels. Anne is introverted, bookish, smart, independent, loving, and a worthy protagonist.

7. What is the most important writing-life lesson you’ve learnt so far?

Everything comes in seasons.

As a homeschooling mother of three children, I’m sometimes frustrated by my lack of writing time. But I’ve made peace with the fact raising children is my first priority at this point in my life.

I’ve also realized that there are cycles within writing. There are times to pound out raw and imperfect first drafts, and times to finesse stories into shape with a light hand. There are seasons for simmering stories, and days when you just need to ship them out the door!

About Rabia Gale

I break fairy tales and fuse fantasy and science fiction. I love to write about flawed heroes who never give up, transformation and redemption, and things from outer space. I grew up in Karachi, Pakistan and now live in Northern Virginia. Visit me online at http:/www.rabiagale.com.

 

 

Thank you, Rabia, for spending time with us here today. It’s the first ’Fridays with Friends’ post in quite a while! I now have a bunch of new books for my TBR pile (yeah, thanks for that!), not to mention Rainbird.

I hope visitors to this blog have enjoyed Rabia’s insights into her work and the fantasy genre in general. Please leave us a comment!

17 comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Fridays with Friends, Reading

March 2, 2012

April Plummer discusses Coming Home

By Ellen Gregory

For today’s FRIDAY WITH FRIENDS I welcome April Plummer, who has recently published her debut novel, Coming Home. I haven’t had the chance to read it yet, but it sounds incredibly moving. I asked April to stick around to tell us about her novel and share some of her experiences during its creation.

Coming Home

For years, eighteen-year old Isabela Fuentes worked two jobs to support her promiscuous, alcoholic mother.

After the latest boyfriend rapes her at knife point, Isabela throws her few possessions into her car and drives until she reaches Lakeside, Montana, twenty-five hundred miles from New York City’s suffocating smog.

As her bodily scars fade, she takes solace in the nature around her and records it in her sketch pad. It isn’t until she begins sketching scenes from her rape that she learns to cope with what happened.

But leaving her mother behind to fend for herself might have been a mistake; and when two strangers appear on her doorstep claiming to be her dead grandparents, they threaten the fragile childhood memories.  Before she can rebuild her life, Isabela must decide to either let her past go or unite it with the woman she’s become.

What can readers expect from Coming Home?

I think readers can expected an unexpected journey. Sure, we’ve heard all about it before a million times — a young woman is raped and runs away to start a new life. But this story is about so much more. Isabela must discover her own freedom and learn to trust others as well as herself, but she also must face a past she didn’t even know she had.

What was the kernel of an idea for this book?

I love that — “kernel.” That’s exactly how all my novel ideas begin. This one started with the rape. It’s a little personal for me, and I needed an outlet. I needed a way to deal with my own emotions and the complexities raised in my own life. That’s all I knew about Isabela when I began to write — that she had been raped. She told the rest of the story for me. Took it right out of my hands and splashed it onto the screen.

What have you learnt from writing it?

Wow, I have learned so much. I think the biggest thing is that you can’t force a story. The first draft of Coming Home was totally different. I tried to turn Isabela into something she wasn’t. I had this idea that she was a dancer, just as I was. I wanted her, I guess, to carry on my childhood dream of becoming a ballerina, while also fighting her inner demons. But it didn’t work. That isn’t who she is. I backspaced my way to the beginning, started again, and let her take control. It worked.

Why have you decided to self-publish?

My husband suggested it several years ago, and I think, honestly, at first I was just lazy. It was so much easier to sit back and wait for an agent. But the thing is, you can’t just sit back and wait. You still have to be active in your pursuit of the perfect agent. And I wasn’t doing that. I realized as I researched a bit more that doing it all myself is exactly what I needed. Money is not important. Sure, I want to make money from my writing, from something I love. But more than anything, I want others to enjoy my stories. I want people to read my stories and become the characters. I want to hear, “April, I couldn’t put it down.”

What has been the most challenging aspect of self-publishing?

Balancing my time, without a doubt. When you do it yourself, you do it ALL yourself — marketing, promoting, the cover art, editing, writing, more and more and more editing, formatting, social networking…then you remember that you’re also a full time employee, a wife, and a mother. You have friends and family all demanding your attention. And, oh yeah, you love to read, and you have a few favorite TV shows. And laundry to fold and dishes to wash and floors to Swiffer…it’s never-ending, and I’ve had a few meltdowns. It helps to have a supportive husband, supportive friends, and a terrific group of supportive writers who know just how I feel (like you, Ellen!).

What are your thoughts about the publishing industry at present?

I personally feel that publishing has entered a whole new, wonderful world. I know self-publishers still get a lot of criticism, and I won’t lie. I’ve downloaded quite a few books that…aren’t so great. Because it’s true. ANYone can publish now. But I’ve also come across a lot of jewels from authors that may never have been able to find an agent. Not for lack of talent but for lack of time or just plain luck.

I think ebooks have broadened the horizons for many readers. I know that I have read books I never would have read because of the easy access and the cheaper cost of buying an ebook. I think it’s causing more and more people to read than ever before. Which is always a good thing.

Where to from here for April Plummer?

For some reason, that question makes me smile. I currently have 2 more completed manuscripts — a crime novel and another women’s fiction. I intend to have the crime novel ready for publication this summer sometime, followed by the women’s fiction early next year. I’m not rushing myself because I do have another life, and my family comes first. Sometimes I forget that, but my husband gently reminds me.

Meanwhile, I have a few more ideas tossing and turning inside my head. :) I’ll keep writing, and I plan to keep publishing. If I snag the attention of an agent along the way, even better!
[ed. Well, they do say the self-published novel is the new query!]

How can readers obtain Coming Home?

Currently, it’s available for kindle on Amazon here. Soon, it’ll be available in paperback there as well, but for now, you can purchase a paperback here.

Thanks for visiting, April! I wish you lots of happy readers.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Fridays with Friends, Publishing, Reading

February 10, 2012

Friday with Friends: Julie Kenner/ J.K. Beck

By Ellen Gregory

Today I’m absolutely stoked to have best-selling author Julie Kenner (who also publishes as J.K. Beck) as my ‘Friday friend’. Julie is perhaps best known for her Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom series, the first of which, Carpe Demon, is currently being made into a movie. (See below for her full bio.)

Julie shares some of her career insights with us — and methinks I’d better take heed of her writerly advice at the bottom :-)

What’s your most recent published work, and what are you currently working on?

Thanks for having me here today!

Let’s see…most recently, I’ve had two short releases. One was a fun romantic novella in Holiday Hideout with Jill Shalvis and Vicki Lewis Thompson. As you can guess, it was holiday themed – I did New Year’s Eve. It was a “cabin romance” between two people who’d been madly in love in college, separated by life, and who made a promise to reunite five years later. It was a lot of fun to write!

I also have an e-original out. Shadow Keepers: Midnight is a  novella (though it’s listed on Amazon and B&N as a short story—I don’t know why!) in my J.K. Beck Shadow Keepers series. I was really excited about that one because I wanted to write a story to not only fill the gap between books 3 and 4, but also because I thought that the backstory for the two characters – Caris and Tiberius – deserved to have its own story.

It’s the first historical I’ve done, and I really enjoyed writing it. The characters are both strong and I loved putting in a tinge of Romeo and Juliet. I hope readers of the series don’t miss it, as I think it really adds a lot to Caris and Tiberius’s backstory (they’re the couple in the 4th book coming soon).

So they’re making your best-selling novel Carpe Demon into a movie… (how exciting!). How will you feel if they tear out the guts of your plot and make up their own story with your premise and characters (as they do with so many books made into movies these days)? What do you think of this practice? Do you have any input to the script?

Honestly, I’m certain that things will change in the translation to the screen, but I’ve been nothing but impressed with the folks at 1492, who genuinely love Kate. They’ve recently hired director Andre Overdal to work on the script, too, and I was fortunate enough to chat with him a bit recently, and I know that he’s a fan of Kate as well. So I feel that overall her story is in good hands.  The truth is, though, that my books are my books and the movie is a different animal. I feel blessed that Kate has a shot at getting on the big screen (and that means I have a shot at buying that ever-important dress for the premier), but I don’t expect a page for page translation. I’m just excited to see how it does play out!

Do I have input? No, not really. My undergrad degree is in film, and I do write screenplays (I have one that I wrote with a partner knocking around Hollywood right now), but back when Demon was originally optioned, it didn’t even occur to me to ask. I was a relatively new mom, still working full time as a lawyer and writing about three books a year. Now, I’m glad it’s not on my plate. It keeps my head in the world of the books, and I can go watch the story on the big screen and munch my popcorn (in my fabulous dress!). Will they show me the script once the new version is done? I imagine so, and I’m sure I’ll give notes (it’s the lawyer in my; I can’t read something without a red pencil) but I’m not the filmmaker, so they can ignore me if they want!

Do you know who’s playing your main character, Kate Connor? Who would you like to play her?

I know who used to be attached, but since she’s no longer, I don’t feel comfortable shouting it out there. I was thinking about who could play Kate recently, though (I don’t usually “cast” my books, but when there’s a movie possibility it’s hard not to). I actually really like Jennifer Aniston or Jennifer Garner. They both have the ability to do the physical part of the role, while still seeming down to earth. As for Allie, Kate’s teenage daughter, if Miranda Cosgrove (iCarly) could still play a 14 year old, I think she’d be awesome.

You’re currently juggling two identities: How are you finding that? Is there much crossover of fans?

There is a lot of crossover, which is great. What I’m always fascinated by are the folks who have no idea I’ve got the other identity. Since it’s such an integral part of my life now, I just assume everyone knows!

It’s getting easier. I’ve recently consolidated my websites so as to have a Julie Kenner/J.K. Beck site, and I’ve moved my J.K. Beck Facebook page under my Julie Kenner profile. The end result of that is that I can post J.K. Beck stuff from my phone. Before, it was a different log in, and the poor JK Facebook profile wasn’t getting attention. Of course, folks still need to migrate over to the page… (folks! If you’re reading, migrate! Migrate!). And if anyone wants to Like either Julie Kenner’s or J.K. Beck’s pages, the links are in the sidebar of my website,
http://www.juliekenner.com
 (ok, commercial is now over!)

What’s the best feedback you’ve had from a reader/fan? Which of your personas gets more fan mail?

Julie Kenner gets more fan mail, but she’s had over 30 books, and of J.K.’s, only 3.25 have hit the shelves (3 novels, one novella). The best story? I received several emails after 9/11 from people personally impacted by the tragedy who said how much they appreciated being able to lose themselves in a story. That was really powerful. I also wrote an essay in Everything I Need To Know I Learned From Judy Blume about a relatively rare autoimmune disorder that I dealt with as a teen and young adult, and I received a very sweet letter from a young woman who was thanking me for writing about it, and about how she appreciated not feeling alone with her diagnosis.  That also really struck a chord with me.

What has been your biggest break as an author?

Other than that all important first sale, I’d have to say the movie option. As a result of that deal, I was able to move up my timeline and quit my day job and write full time.

What’s your number one tip for writers still working towards publication?

WRITE. Don’t keep editing the same chapter over and over again. Experiment. Write more stuff. Finish a book. Put it away and start another one. And then write some more.

About Julie Kenner

Praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations,” bestselling author Julie Kenner’s books have hit lists as varied as USA Today, Waldenbooks, Barnes & Noble, and Locus Magazine. Julie is also a two-time RITA finalist, the winner of Romantic Times’ Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Contemporary Paranormal of 2001, the winner of the Reviewers International Organization’s award for best romantic suspense of 2004 and best paranormal of 2005, and the winner of the National Readers’ Choice Award for best mainstream book of 2005. She writes a range of stories including sexy and quirky romances, young adult novels, chick lit suspense and paranormal mommy lit.

———————————————

Thanks so much, Julie, for visiting today!

What do you all think about books being made into movies? I’ve seen some terrible adaptations recently. But there are some good ones. Where do you think film-makers should draw the line?

23 comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Fridays with Friends, Reading

February 3, 2012

Fridays with Friends: S.M. Nonnemacher

By Ellen Gregory

Today I’m launching the Friday with Friends series, which is (as the name suggests) a series of guest posts from fellow bloggers.

Today we have the fabulous S.M. Nonnemacher, who’s working on her first Young Adult (YA) novel (see full bio below). I asked her to share with us some of her top reading tips:

What’s your favourite novel in the whole wide world?

There are two things I look for in great books—the ability to invoke emotion, and humour. I love a book that can either make me cry or make me laugh. But I will always hold a special place in my heart for those select few that can make me do both.

I can’t explain why, but the book that has done this the best for me (over and over—I have two very frayed hard copies and an electronic copy) is PS, I Love You by Cecilia Ahearn. For those who haven’t read it, it is a story of a young woman (29-30) who loses her husband to a brain tumor very early on in the book. Through a series of monthly letters he penned before his death, her husband helps her to move on with her life.

The first time I read this, I was alternating between laughter and tears so often that my husband was concerned something was wrong. Even better, it can still make me laugh and cry, even after 20+ readings. :-)

What book has had the most profound impact on you?

I have to say, I really struggled with this answer. So many books have impacted me. I really can’t narrow it down to one, but I can get it down to one author. :-)

When I was a kid, I loved to read. My favorite author was Judy Blume. I read her books over and over. I wore many out, but would still read them, even if the binding had split, making one book two. Her characters were my friends as much as many of my real-life friends were.

If my parents wouldn’t let me do something a character in one of her books was allowed to do, I would often pull the, “but my friend So-and-so’s parents said yes.” I am amazed at how often this worked, especially since I now know that my mom read every book I did before she gave it to me. Oops! ;-)

I was a shy kid, so I didn’t have as many friends as I would have liked. (What can I say, I am a shy extrovert.) Her books made me feel that I was surrounded by friends, even when I really wasn’t. They formed the love of reading that has carried me into adulthood, and drove my desire to write. It doesn’t get much more profound than that! ;-)

Is there one particular ‘classic’ you think everybody should read?

I would probably answer this differently every day. I love reading classics, but I can’t say that there is just one that I think is the best. Some of my favorites are Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, and George Orwell’s 1984. (Wow, that last one really doesn’t fit in with the rest, does it?) ;-)

Do you have a favourite writing ‘how to’ book?

This is another tough one. Usually, whatever I am reading at the time. ;-) My favorite writing book is probably On Writing by Stephen King, which chronicles his journey as a writer. For motivation, I go for The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield, which teaches writers how to overcome resistance (aka procrastination) to reach their goals. I am also a big fan of Bob Mayer and Kristen Lamb. :-)

Tree-book or e-book?

E-book all the way! :-) I was sceptical when I first got it, but it didn’t take long to win me over. I have the Nook Simple Touch, an e-ink device. It is my second Nook (I also had the original), but both were e-ink devices, mainly because I love to read outside. :-)

I love the portability of it—I always have my entire e-book library with me at all times, including my rather large to-be-read pile. I love that my Nook saves my place, and carries that page over to the app on my phone, just in case I find myself Nook-less (or, occasionally, with dead battery). ;-)

Where is your favourite place to read?

My absolute favorite place to read in on the beach, but that only happens once a year. At this time of year, I like to curl up in the corner of my sectional sofa with a blanket and a cup of tea. In the warmer months, I love to sit outside in the sun. :-)

Care to share your ‘to-read’ pile with us?

Another reason why I love my e-reader—it has over 50 books on it right now!! LOL! At the top:

  • Death Benefit—Robin Cook
  • Supernaturally—Kiersten White
  • The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks—E. Lockhart
  • Staying at Daisy’s—Jill Mansell
  • Beauty Queen—Julia London

The list goes on, but is made up of mostly YA, Romance, and Action/Suspense/Mystery type novels. :-)

Thank you so much, Ellen, for having me today! This has been a fun interview! :-)

About S.M. Nonnemacher

S.M. Nonnemacher has loved reading for as long as she can remember. It didn’t take long for her to realize that she enjoyed creating her own stories as much as reading the creations of others. A lifelong daydreamer, she sometimes claimed her “characters” as actual friends, especially when it meant getting her way with her parents. Now, she writes full-time, diligently working toward the publication of her first Young Adult novel. When not writing or spending time her beloved husband, she can be found with family and friends, at a community theatre rehearsal, at a minor league baseball game, or relaxing with a cup of coffee or tea and a great book.

A huge thank you to S.M. Nonnemacher for sharing her thoughts with us all.

19 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in Fridays with Friends, Reading

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