GUTGAA Meet and Greet Writers

-Where do you write?

I write where ever it's quiet. Sometimes it's in my bedroom, or at my desk in the front of the living room, or at the dining room table. My most productive place to write is at a coffee shop or on weekend retreats where I don't have anything interrupting me, like laundry or kids or cats or...

-Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first thing you see?

My son sitting in a chair reading a chapter book.

-Favorite time to write?

Late at night, when it's quiet. Did I mention I like to write when it's quiet?

-Drink of choice while writing?

Irish Breakfast Tea with Silk and sugar.

-When writing , do you listen to music or do you need complete silence?

It depends on where I am in the story. Most of the time I like quiet. Did I mention that yet? But, there are times when I'm writing a scene that the only way to get in the mood is listening to music.

-What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?

I wrote a character that is like me when I was young. But she is also who I wanted to be.

-What's your most valuable writing tip?
Be open to revision and let go of your favorite lines, there will be a ton more to come.

Biography
I'm the author and illustrator of a non-fiction picture book, "Through Endangered Eyes - a poetic journey into the wild." It was published in 2009 by Windward Publishing, an imprint of Finney Company and won an Eric Hoffer honorable mention. I am working on my second picture book for an endangered animal series. Between that, my kids and husband, my ya novel, my home zoo of cats, a dog and two tortoises, and teaching art to elementary students, I'm enjoying life to the fullest.