Friday, October 30, 2009

Interview with Lily



Lili De Hoyos Anderson is a first generation American. Her mother is French and her father is Mexican. She was born in a little border town in Texas, but her family soon moved to the Midwest, where she grew up in Michigan and Indiana. When she started high school, both her parents began teaching at BYU, so the family moved to Provo and she graduated from Provo High School.

Lili attended BYU, married her high school sweetheart, Chris Anderson, and graduated in Sociology just before the birth of their first child. Chris is a social worker with LDS Family Services and is currently one of two full time Family Services clinicians at the Missionary Training Center in Provo. After almost 20 years of being a full-time homemaker, Lili returned to school to complete a Masters in Social Work degree at UNLV. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has a full-time private practice in individual, marriage and family counseling. Later, Lili completed her PhD in Marriage and Family at BYU and for several years taught part-time there for the School of Family Life.

Lili and Chris have eight children. They are affectionately referred to as the "Alphabet Kids" because their names are Adam, Bethany, Caitlin, Dominic, Eden, Faith, Graydon, and Harper (although when she was expecting this eighth child in twelve years, she seriously considered naming it Hallelujah). The Andersons have 16 grandchildren and are expecting two more in the Spring.

Lili is an avid reader. She also enjoys sewing, music, quilting, making stained glass windows, and photography—none of which she currently has time for. She has published in the ENSIGN and in various books and journals. She wrote a book, Family Foundations, in response to student requests when she taught part-time for BYU in the School of Family Life. That book is about healthy individual adjustment and marriage and family principles. Her new book, Choosing Glory, was just released this August. She presents often at professional conferences and to church groups.

The Anderson family has lived in Oklahoma, Chicago and for 15 years in Las Vegas, where they mostly raised their family. In Las Vegas, Lili taught both early morning seminary and two Adult Religion classes for several years. Her greatest love, after the gospel and her family, is teaching.

The Andersons live in Draper, Utah.



Here is my interview with Lili:

M.B.: What made you decide to write Choosing Glory?
Lili: I wrote this book in response to multiple requests. Choosing Glory is an expansion of a life perspective that I have been teaching and using in my therapy practice for many years. Many people were asking me, “Why haven’t I ever heard this perspective before?” and I just wanted to make this information available to as many people as possible.

M.B.: What is the book about?
Lili: Choosing Glory considers the doctrine of celestial, terrestrial, and telestial realms, suggesting that—here on earth—we deal with all three kinds of individuals, behaviors, institutions, and ways of life. The book applies a three realms perspective to daily choices, dating, marriage, parenting, stress, and progression, offering concrete tools to help us find safety from telestial elements that threaten our peace. A secondary, but also very important, message of the book is that we were meant for more than a good terrestrial life. The book invites each of us to recognize that every day we are—in fact—choosing to embrace a telestial, terrestrial, or celestial life and glory. Talking about a 3 realms life perspective may seem a little dry, but I think readers will very quickly see applications to their everyday lives and relationships.

M.B.: Can you give us some examples?
Lili: I’ll give three. First, the book discusses how important it is not to accept telestial behavior in our close relationships—especially in marriage. I explain that tolerating hurtful, destructive behaviors is not really charity but victimhood. There is a whole chapter on that subject. Second, the book gives some examples of how and why parenting is more challenging today. For instance, many parents wonder why their children are so disrespectful. They say, “I would never have dared treat my parents the way my children treat me.” I explain that our society—as prophesied—is becoming increasingly telestial and that parents need to be more proactive in creating and enforcing terrestrial behavior standards that previous generations of parents could take for granted that society would teach their children. Third, I talk about using the terrestrial level as a protection against telestial troubles in several situations, including, for instance, in selecting a safe marriage partner.

M.B.: So this book is intended to really help people?
Lili: Yes. The primary message of the book is that we don’t have to become or to remain victims to the destructive, painful, telestial elements around us. The secondary message is that we were born for glory—celestial glory. We shouldn’t settle for, or get stuck, in just a good, terrestrial life.

M.B.: Who is your book written for?
Lili: I really believe there are principles in this book that will have application for everyone. It is written for an LDS audience and I use LDS vocabulary and reference a lot of scripture and statements from the general authorities.

M.B.: How long did it take you to write the book and what was your writing schedule like?
Lili: Because I have a big family—the eight kids are all grown, but there’s still plenty of involvement there—and a full time private practice in Individual, Marriage, and Family Therapy, it wasn’t easy to find blocks of time to write. A lot of the book was written in 15 and 20-minute increments. In fact, because I didn’t have time to review what I had written last before writing more I started to worry that the writing might be too choppy and unconnected. One of my daughters-in-law, Sara, came to my rescue, volunteering to read through the chapters as I finished them to be sure they were coherent. It was a huge relief to hear they were making sense! There were a couple of times that I blocked off a full week, meaning that I told my scheduling assistant not to schedule any client appointments, so that I could have a lot of writing time and that helped, too. In fact, I stayed at a resort in Park City for those two weeks and told them I needed a room with a good view of the mountains so I could work on my book. I’m happy to say they obliged.

M.B.: Did you ever have writer's block? If so, how do you deal with it?
Lili: Well, for me, writing is hard work but I don’t think I experienced writer’s block in the way you might when creating a story. I think more challenging for me than writer’s block is that I could have kept writing on this topic forever. There is always another idea, clarification, or example to share. I had to finally decide that I was done and start saving those ideas for the next book.

M.B.: So will there be a next book?
Lili: Definitely. As stressful as it can be to get a book finished and into print, I’m actually feeling the need to hurry and get Christmas taken care of so I can start on my next book.

M.B.: What will it be about?
Lili: The next book will be on how to establish and maintain healthy emotional boundaries. So many good people end up in relationships where they are being chronically hurt or exploited. My next book will discuss how we can stop being victimized and take personal responsibility for getting into a safe place and into safe relationships without turning into victimizers ourselves.

M.B.: Will there be other books after that?
Lili: I hope so. I’d like to write books on marriage, parenting, and a book specifically for mothers. I’d also like to write a book on repentance and forgiveness. Maybe a few others.

M.B.: Do you need absolute quiet to write? Do you listen to music when
you are writing?
Lili: Quiet works best, but once in a while—when working on easier segments of the writing—I can have soft music in the background. If I start singing along, though, it doesn’t work too well.

M.B.: Who has made the greatest difference for you as a writer?
Lili: My husband. He provides unfailing, and apparently inexhaustible, love and support in this and every other part of my life. He listens; he adds understanding and insight; he absorbs the overflow of my intensity; he gets me to the places I’ve committed to be; he uses his many skills, and acquires more, to advance my projects. I really don’t know how I would survive without him.

M.B.: Do you use a critique group during the writing process? Why or why not?
Lili: Something quite wonderful happened in my process of completing the book. I met David Brake and Holly McCallister of Content Connections. Content Connections is company with tools for testing and developing written works. They volunteered to set up an online review for my book. About 70 readers read either a few chapters or the complete manuscript and gave feedback. I found it very useful and made some significant organizational adjustments to the book in response to the feedback. I will say that it takes some courage to put your work in front of reviewers, especially people who know nothing about you or your work, but it was a very valuable process for me.

M.B.: You’re an LCSW and a Ph.D. Can you tell us what those credentials really mean?
Lili: LCSW means Licensed Clinical Social Worker. That’s the licensure that is available after getting a masters in social work (MSW) degree. The MSW degree and the LCSW licensure allow me to do individual, marriage, and family therapy. The Ph.D. is for my doctorate in marriage, family, and human development.

M.B.: Had you always planned to be a therapist?
Lili: Not really. That is, if you had asked me what I planned to do when I was in high school, I probably would have said that I wanted to get a Ph.D. and teach at the university level, like both my parents. But during those years—which happened to be during the time the Equal Rights Amendment was being debated—I really changed my thinking and decided that if I had the opportunity and if circumstances permitted, I wanted to be a full time mom. That opportunity did come to me and I was full time at home with my kids for almost 20 years. As hard as it is to be a full time mom, I loved it, and I saw myself transitioning seamlessly from mother to grandmother. But life has a way of surprising you, right? I felt a really strong direction—I usually refer to it as “baseball bat revelation” because it felt like I got hit in the head with a baseball bat—to go back to school and get the masters in social work and then the Ph.D. Miracles happened to make all that work out and here I am. In spite of the academic credentials, however, I really believe that most of what I have to share didn’t come from things I learned in a classroom, but from what I learned “in the trenches” of life, by trying to live the gospel in my own marriage and family.

M.B.: Any final words you would like to share?
Lili: I’d like to invite anyone interested to check out my website, lilianderson.com. The whole social media arena has been quite the steep learning curve for me, so it’s taken a while for me to make more effective use of my website, but we’re in transition now to a more active website presence. I will be making regular posts, starting a Q & A (question and answer) feature for individual, marriage, and family adjustment topics, and posting occasional podcasts on related topics.

M.B.: Where can our readers go to find your books and order them?
Lili: The book is currently available on my website, lilianderson.com, at Deseret Book stores, Deseret Book online, and on Amazon.com.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Interview with Rebecca Cornish Talley


Rebecca Cornish Talley was born and raised in Santa Barbara, CA. She graduated from BYU with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications. She met her sweetheart, Del, while serving as the “mom” of her FHE group at BYU (he was the “dad”).

Rebecca and Del are the proud parents of ten multi-talented and highly creative children. Rebecca lives with her family, a spoiled horse, goats, a puppy, and a llama named Tina in rural Colorado.

Besides writing, Rebecca enjoys swimming in the ocean, playing with her kids, dating her husband, and dancing to disco music while she cleans the house.

She is the author of a children’s picture book, Grasshopper Pie (WindRiver 2003), and two LDS novels, Heaven Scent (Cedar Fort 2008) and the newly released Altared Plans (Cedar Fort 2009).

Here's my interview with awesome Rebecca:

M.B.: When did you first know you wanted to be an author?

Rebecca: I might have known it when I created my first book, The Velt Book. It was made from felt and I’ve since learned to spell it correctly. I’m sure I knew it when I was in sixth grade and I started my very first novel that was similar to the Encyclopedia Brown books. I wrote it in a bound diary and included a few illustrations.

M.B.: What was the pathway like for you to get your first book published?

Rebecca: My first book, Grasshopper Pie, was a children’s picture book. The story is based on an experience when my children tried to feed me a live grasshopper. I submitted it to several publishers and it was picked up by WindRiver. My oldest daughter illustrated it.

My first novel, Heaven Scent, actually began as a short story in high school. I worked on it for years making it into a novel before I submitted it. It changed dramatically over the years, especially as I learned more about writing.

M.B.: Were you ever discouraged along the way? If so, how did you deal with it?

Rebecca: Yes, I was discouraged as I tried to learn more about writing and then tried to find time to write. Before the internet changed everyone’s lives, I wasn’t able to connect with any other writers. I struggled along reading books and taking correspondence courses, but I was never able to associate with other writers or have the opportunity to ask questions like I can now with the internet.

I worked and worked and worked on my first novel. Some days I wanted to hit the delete button, but I kept at it. A friend of mine told me I’d eventually be published just because I was so persistent and refused to give up.

I think discouragement is Satan’s way of preventing us from accomplishing good. He uses it frequently, and with astonishingly good results, in all areas of our lives. We just have to ignore him and remind ourselves to keep working toward our goals.

M.B.: What is your writing schedule like?

Rebecca: Crazy! I write when I get a chance. I’m convinced that summer is the worst time for me to write because with 9 kids home, I rarely find time to write. During the school year, I usually get kids off to seminary and school, play with my younger kids, clean, get laundry going, homeschool, and take care of any other chores before I write. I can get in a bit of time while my youngest naps, but I have to really use my time wisely—something I’m still learning to do .

M.B.: Where do your ideas come from? How do you know the idea is
good enough to write a book about it?

Rebecca: My mother always wore a distinctive perfume. After she passed away, when I was a young girl, I often smelled her perfume, especially during stressful times in my life. I have no doubt there’s life after death and that those we’ve loved and lost are around us. I wanted to write a story about this because it is such an important part of my life. I developed Heaven Scent around that theme.

My new book, Altared Plans, is loosely based on my courtship with my husband. It was really fun to write and made me feel nostalgic as I remembered our pre-marriage BYU days.

I tend to write stories inspired by true events in my life and then add fictional elements to make them novel-worthy.

M.B.: What words of advice do you have for other writers who desire to
have their manuscripts become books in print?

Rebecca: Never surrender. Don’t ever give up your dream to see your book in print. Keep honing your craft and keep submitting and you’ll someday see your name on the cover of a book. If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone. Persistence pays off.

M.B.: What is your process of brainstorming a story? Do you just sit
down and write, waiting to see what happens next? Or do you outline
first?

Rebecca: I outline. It isn’t super formal, usually a narrative synopsis and character sketches. I’ve used the Snowflake system before, but generally, I just write out a page or two that includes the entire story. I then write the first draft to see what works and what doesn’t and to give my characters a chance to come alive. My first drafts are a mess, but they allow me to just let everything fall out on the screen. Then I’ll go back and make sure every scene has a goal, conflict, and disaster and that the timeline all works. I also make sure there’s a story arc, that the main character grows in some way, and that it all makes sense.

M.B.: Do you ever experience a snag in a story, a form of writer's
block? If so, how do you deal with it?

Rebecca: I never have writer’s block because I have such little time to write I don’t want to waste any of it. I’ll think about the story while I’m driving kids around, doing dishes, mopping the floor, changing diapers, etc., and then as soon as I have time I’ll go write it down.

M.B.: Do you need absolute quiet to write? Do you listen to music when
you are writing?

Rebecca: Absolute quiet? At my house? Not a chance. Fortunately, I can block out noise while I write, though I can tell in an instant if the noise around me needs my immediate attention. I think authors that are also moms probably all develop this ability.

M.B.: What kinds of inspiration do you use during your story creation periods?

Rebecca: I tend to think about my characters, how they feel, what they’re thinking, what reactions they might have to certain situations. I listen to their conversations, their worries, their hopes, their dreams. My characters inspire me.

M.B.: Who has made the greatest difference for you as a writer?

Rebecca: My husband. His unconditional support and encouragement has kept me going. He’s my biggest fan.

M.B.: Do you use a critique group during the writing process? Why or why not?

Rebecca: I’d love to have an in-person critique group. I’m a member of several online groups and we all share our writing. I’d love to find readers that aren’t writers who were willing to give me feedback so I could improve my writing even more.

M.B.: Which of your books is your favorite, and why?

Rebecca: Wow, that’s hard. I love all of them for different reasons. I don’t think I can pick just one.

M.B.: Any final words you would like to share

Rebecca: I love writing. For me, it’s a creative outlet that allows me to feel good about myself.

M.B.: Where can our readers go to find your books and order them?

Rebecca: My books are available at Amazon, BarnesandNoble.com, CedarFort.com, Independent LDS Bookstores, and Seagull Book and Tape.

Rebecca blogs at www.rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com and www.cedarfortauthors.blogspot.com. Her website is www.rebeccatalley.com and she runs a writing website for aspiring writers at www.pursueyourwritingdream.com.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Interview with Linda Kay Garner, author of "Some Secrets Hurt"




Linda Kay Garner grew up in a small town in southern Idaho. She is the fifth of six children born to Calvin and Ruth Heiner. She graduated from Burley High School in 1970 and studied Elementary Education and Child Development and Family Relationships at Ricks College, now known as BYU Idaho. In 1972 she received an Associates degree from Ricks College in Early Childhood Education. She and her husband, Marshall W. Garner live in Sandy, Utah and are the parents of 7 children. Marshall and Linda also have 20 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Linda loves children and teaches Suzuki Piano Lessons in her home studio. Writing is her passion. She has written many stories and poems for children. Because she loves to make a difference, she often writes about difficult subject such as eating disorders, pornography, bullying, self worth, and sexual abuse.

Some Secrets Hurt: A Story of Healing

If the “unthinkable” happened to someone you love, would you know what to do? Would they?

Some Secrets Hurt, an illustrated picture book, was written to educate children and parents about sexual abuse and to open the lines of communication between parent and child. It empowers children to take control of their own bodies and helps them find the strength to tell if they are being victimized. It also give parents a forum for discussing these sensitive issues with children, and includes a Parents Guide and suggestions on What To Do.

Here is my interview with Linda:

M.B.: When did you first know you wanted to be an author?.

Linda: I can never remember not writing. I have always loved writing children’s books. I have written a few poems. I have written skits for young women and narrations for Christmas Programs. In school if there was a choice of assignments and one was writing, that was the one I chose. I guess I never thought about whether or not I wanted to be an author. I just knew that I had to write. It was as much a part of me as breathing

M.B.: What was the pathway like for you to get your first book published?

Linda: Writing the book was the easy part. Figuring out what to do next was hard. I was blessed to connect with a wonderful artist named Brandilyn Speth, and I instantly knew she was the one I wanted to illustrate Some Secrets Hurt. We connected in a wonderful way. The illustrating process took a long time, but I felt sure that things would come together when the time was right.

The next hurdle was how to get it published. I had heard enough about publishing that I knew this could be very difficult and I was writing about a sensitive subject. I wondered if there was a publisher who would be brave enough to touch it. I never considered sending it to Deseret Book because I felt that my subject was way too sensitive for them to consider. I considered self publishing.

I didn’t want my text watered down or condensed. I knew it was inspired and I knew it was done right. I also didn’t want my book labeled as an LDS book because it isn’t. I didn’t want the publisher to choose my illustrator, because I had been led to Brandilyn and I loved her vision of the book. I didn’t want a publisher who would change the illustrations.

In the end, Brandilyn and I were both impressed to send our manuscript to Deseret Book and what a wonderful adventure that has been. It took Chris Schoebinger some time to make a decision on publishing Some Secrets Hurt. The economy was bad and Deseret Book was cutting back. He had a lot of questions about Some Secrets Hurt. He wondered if it would sell. He wondered if it could be profitable. Still he understood the need and with a little encouragement from others he decided to take a chance.

I broke so many rules: having my own illustrator, too many pages, a taboo subject. This is a book that is breaking all the rules and Deseret Book is really behind us now. They have been so kind and so helpful and so complimentary. I’m incredibly grateful to be publishing with them. The book was published under the Shadow Mountain label, so that it can be marketed to a wider audience. It is not an LDS book, or even a religious book.

Having chosen my illustrator proved not to be a drawback with Deseret Book. They loved Brandilyn’s illustrations and wondered if the text and illustrations had been done by the same person, because the illustrations were so consistent with the text, and with the emotional color of the book.

M.B.: Were you ever discouraged along the way? If so, how did you deal with it?

Linda: I was a little frustrated because the illustrating took so long. At the same time, I knew that I had the right illustrator. I believed that when the time was right everything would come together. I feel it is important to save your energy for the things you can control. I couldn’t control the interruptions that were slowing things down and I chose to trust the process and turn my energy to creativity.

I know that Brandilyn and I are both in a better place now and the time is right for this important book to be available. Perhaps we weren’t ready a few years ago. Perhaps Deseret Book wasn’t ready. Perhaps our audience wasn’t ready. I will just say that it has been worth the wait.

M.B.: What is your writing schedule like?

Linda: Schedule? Am I supposed to have a schedule?

My schedule is pretty flexible, because my life is full of interruptions. In general I write in the morning from about 9:00 -1:00. Sometimes that doesn’t work at all, though, and I write whenever I can.

M.B.: Where do your ideas come from? How do you know the idea is
good enough to write a book about it?

Linda: Ideas can come from anywhere. A joke. A funny story. Comments from kids. Since I write for kids, their comments are great material for books.

I write about what I love. I write about feelings. I like to write things for kids that are meaningful. There are plenty of people who can write silly stuff, but I like to write about things that matter. I like to aim for the heart. Of course it has to be entertaining, too, or who would read it.

I also write about things that upset me. I love to make a difference. I love to write about things that intelligent people usually avoid. I guess that’s why I wrote a children’s book about sexual abuse.

How do I know if the idea is good enough? I try it out. I just start writing and see where it goes. If it doesn’t work at first, I put it on the back burner and wait. Some of those ideas are just late bloomers waiting for the right season.

M.B.: What words of advice do you have for other writers who desire to
have their manuscripts become books in print?

Linda: Read a lot. Get a critique group. Write about things that matter to you. Write about things that you can put your heart in. If your heart is in it, you will find a way.

M.B.: What is your process of brainstorming a story? Do you just sit
down and write, waiting to see what happens next? Or do you outline
first?

Linda: I think I did outline a story once. It turned out great, but that is not the way I usually do it. Often when I start I don’t really know where the story is heading. For me a story is a living thing. It moves and breathes and grows. I can’t force it, but I can discover it.

M.B.: Do you ever experience a snag in a story, a form of writer's
block? If so, how do you deal with it?

Linda: I work out most of my snags on long walks. I walk every morning for about 3 miles. For Christmas I got an ipod so that I could listen to talks, or books on tape, and make better use of my walking time.

It was fun to have that option and be able to do two things at once, but I discovered that I missed the thinking time. I missed being able to let my stories dance in my head while I was walking. I missed being able to work out those details that moved my stories along.

M.B.: Do you need absolute quiet to write? Do you listen to music when
you are writing?

Linda: I love quiet and I love music. I love variety. I write inside. I write outside. I write in the car. I write in bed. To me it doesn’t matter, where or when or how. I just write. I write in the morning, the afternoon, and occasionally in the middle of the night. I am at my best in the morning. I have to discipline myself to do my walking first and also my scripture reading. I am dying to get to my computer, but I need to do those two things first, or they just don’t happen. My writing is better when I take care of those things first.

M.B.: What kinds of inspiration do you use during your story creation periods?

Linda: I hang out with kids a lot. I read a lot. Since I write picture books, I read all the picture books I can get my hands on. I go to the library and gather up an armload of picture books, then come home and read them. It is such an education for me. Sometimes I think, wow, this is great. I wish I had written this. Other times I wonder, how in the world did this get published?

M.B.: Who has made the greatest difference for you as a writer?

Linda: Is that a trick question?

I don’t know how to answer that, because I have learned so much from so many people. It has been my great privilege to meet many interesting people who have all influenced me in wonderful ways. I couldn’t begin to name them all.

My husband is wonderful, though, because he believes in me and frees up my time by doing laundry and housework for me. I know that is amazing, and no, he is not for sale. Also I think my parents were incredible for me because they believed I could do anything. That’s a great legacy to have.

M.B.: Do you use a critique group during the writing process? Why or why not?

Linda: I have a wonderful critique group. We are small, but our influence on each other is powerful. We keep each other writing and our collective feedback keeps our writing heading in the right direction. We have become close friends and there is a high level of trust. You have to trust each other enough to be able to speak freely without worrying about being misunderstood. We are kind to each other, but we also need honesty.

M.B.: Which of your books is your favorite, and why?

Linda: That’s like asking me, which of my children I love the most. I do have a special love for Some Secrets Hurt, not because it’s my first published book, but because it is such an important book. It is a book which is going to make a difference. I feel very powerful because I know that Some Secrets Hurt is going to change the world.

M.B.: Any final words you would like to share?

Linda: I would like to encourage your readers to become advocates for children. So many children have been damaged by sexual abuse. When one child is hurt, we all hurt. As a society we have been avoiding this subject for much too long. It is time we started talking about sexual abuse. Some Secrets Hurt was written so that adults would have tools to talk to kids about abuse and so that kids could learn how to protect themselves against abusers. Sexual abuse thrives in a corner, a corner that is built on silence and secrecy. We can turn the other way or we can start talking. We can put an end to secrecy and silence. We can stand together, you and me. We can become a community of caring adults that works to protect kids. Together, we can make a difference.

M.B.: Where can our readers go to find your books and order them?

Linda: Some Secrets Hurt is on the shelves at Deseret Book and Seagull Book. You can also order it online from deseretbook.com, amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and borders.com.

My website is www.somesecretshurt.com. There is helpful information about sexual abuse on this site as well as information about Some Secrets Hurt. I blog to this website every Wednesday. My critique group has a blog at http://paperandparchment.blogspot.com . I post to Paper and Parchment every Tuesday.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

AND THE TITLE IS . . .

Hometown Girl. I just received word today the title of my next Butterfly Box book, book number 2, is Hometown Girl. I can't tell you how excited I am for this title. The person who came up with it was . . . my editor, Kirk Shaw. I sent him every single solitary title that was entered into the contest, which was loaded with great ideas, by the way, but this was the title that he felt really captured the story. And it does. I am thrilled. If by chance you did, however, enter it and I didn't notice, then I want to give you full credit, so let me know.

Now I just need to find out when this baby is finally getting released. I'm d
ying for a release date.

In the meantime, in between my family, callings and my writing, I have been doing something so fun and crazy I wanted to tell you about it. I've been doing Zumba and after attending a certification, have become a certified Zumba instructor. Yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks. If you live in my area and want to come and attend one of my classes, let me know and I'll get you in. Life Centre Athletic Club on 13th and 97th in Sandy. If not, go check out one of these classes where you live. You will thank me forever! And if I ever get good enough that I'm not embarrassed to show how I look doing it (it takes time to get your hips to cooperate) then I will post a video of it. SO, SO, SO fun!

Friday, October 9, 2009

Interview with Laura Bingham author of Dare to Dream


Älvor

By Laura Bingham

Erin and her twin brother, Bain, never expected to find that the cabin in the woods near their home is actually a secret entrance to a magical world. Surrounded by pegasi, dragons, and fairies, they discover new powers within themselves and a secret they have unknowingly been preparing for: they are training to become elves. Now they are faced with the decision to stay in this magical world or return home to the life they knew.

A spellbinding tale of fantasy and fairy tale, Älvor draws you into an enchanting world of all things magical.

About the author:

Nearly a native of Idaho, Laura was born in Iowa and moved to Idaho at age four. She graduated from Ricks College with an Associates degree and from Boise State University with a Bachelor degree in Biology as well as certification to teach all science subjects in secondary education in the state of Idaho. In her backyard stands a dance studio where she teaches youth of all ages the lesser known, but much loved sport of clogging.

Her grandparents and other relatives live in the beautiful Pennsylvania hills where she adores visiting. She lives in Boise with her husband and five young children, including her own set of boy/girl twins.

Here is my interview with Laura:

M.B.: When did you first know you wanted to be an author?

Laura: It was a couple months into writing Alvor that I realized how much I loved doing it.

M.B.: What was the pathway like for you to get your first book published?

Laura: After editing and revising extensively, I chose to try small presses first, and within a few months I received a contract.

M.B.: Were you ever discouraged along the way? If so, how did you deal with it?

Laura: The most discouraging part was giving up what might have been opportunities. When I signed my contract, my manuscript was in two big New York publishing houses. But, I have no doubt that this is the right path, even when it isn’t easy.

M.B.: What is your writing schedule like?

Laura: I usually write in the afternoons for a couple hours. Sometimes I get time on the weekends.

M.B.: Where do your ideas come from? How do you know the idea is
good enough to write a book about it?

Laura: The idea for Alvor fell into my head late at night, about five minutes after I told my husband I wanted to write a book, but needed to know what the whole thing was going to be about. Is it good enough? How does anyone ever know? If you love it, then it is.

M.B.: What words of advice do you have for other writers who desire to
have their manuscripts become books in print?

Laura: Keep revising and editing. Research the publishing houses and agents who represent your genre. And, most importantly, don’t give up. You have more than one story to give the world.

M.B.: What is your process of brainstorming a story? Do you just sit
down and write, waiting to see what happens next? Or do you outline
first?

Laura: For Alvor, I wrote some notes down, but mostly character descriptions. I did make notes about the story, but not an outline. Since then, my work has started with an outline, but I’ve deviated from the original idea so much that the outline is obsolete. Most of the story happens as I write it.

M.B.: Do you ever experience a snag in a story, a form of writer's
block? If so, how do you deal with it?

Laura: I usually get stuck with which way the story will go, kind of like Choose Your Own Adventure. I almost always talk to others and get their opinion if I’m not sure which way the story needs to head.

M.B.: Do you need absolute quiet to write? Do you listen to music when
you are writing?

Laura: I love quiet, but I learned that it’s not the noise that matters as much as whether the noise means my attention is needed somewhere else.

M.B.: What kinds of inspiration do you use during your story creation periods?

Laura: I love my characters- so I guess they inspire me.

M.B.: Who has made the greatest difference for you as a writer?

Laura: James Dashner. I look at what he’s done and I know that I can build a career too. His style of doing things works well with my personality, and because he’s a genuinely nice guy, I’m not worried that writing will change who I really am.

M.B.: Do you use a critique group during the writing process? Why or why not?

Laura: I don’t let people critique my work until I’ve written the whole thing. I don’t want to feel discouraged about a story while I’m in middle of loving the ride- I don’t want to become disenchanted before I get to the middle of the book. After I’m done putting the whole thing together, I let others tell me where my faults are.

M.B.: Which of your books is your favorite, and why?

Laura: The Harry Potter series taught kids not to be afraid of novels and entertained adults at the same time. I admire the wave of reading that followed in the wake of J. K. Rowling’s books.

M.B.: Any final words you would like to share

Laura: You never know what you can do until you try. Don’t be afraid to find your dreams, and live them.

M.B.: Where can our readers go to find your books and order them?

Laura: Go to Barnes & Noble, B. Dalton, Deseret Book, Seagull Book or online at www.Amazon.com www.b&n.com www.hastings.com

http://alvor-daretodream.blogspot.com/
www.laurabingham.com

Friday, October 2, 2009

Interview with Anna Jones Buttimore, author of

Even though I've never physically met Anna, I feel as though she is a dear friend. I'm so excited to post this interview of her, especially for those who haven't had a chance to get to know this incredible woman and her amazing books.

Anna's bio:

I was born in Essex, England, and went to University in North Wales (English Literature, 2:1 hons) where I met my first husband, Ioan Jones, who was briefly a Church in Wales Vicar. We had three daughters but divorced in 2004, whereupon I moved back to Essex with the girls. I married Roderic in August 2006. I have worked for LawCare (www.lawcare.org.uk) since 1998.

Religion-wise, I was raised in a Christian family and became a born-again Christian at the age of 14. I went to a variety of churches, mostly Anglican and/or Evangelical, for the next twenty years or so, but eventually became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

My favourite writers are Kerry Blair, Terry Pratchett and Bill Bryson. If you're as fascinated as I am in the difference between British and American culture, Bill Bryson's Notes from a Small Island and Notes from a Big Country are essential reading, and so funny!

I love anything to do with science fiction and fantasy. My favourite film is Galaxy Quest and I love Stargate, Star Trek, and pretty much anything with aliens in it. I enjoy:

bullet

having long, very hot bubble baths and then sleeping for ten hours or more

bullet

Radio 2, especially Terry Wogan, Steve Wright and Chris Evans

bullet

eating - especially curry and chocolate

bullet

staying in nice hotels, preferably with a good pool and spa

bullet

going to the Temple

bullet

cross-stitch, although I'm not very good at it

bullet

going to Florida. Planning to be a snowbird one day.



Easterfield is Anna's newest release. Here's a synopisis of the story.
When Mr. Wilson, a Mormon missionary, arrives in the rural English town of Easterfield, Lancashire, in 1850, Catherine Waters finds herself intrigued by both the message he brings and his relationship to her reclusive and aristocratic neighbour. Through Mr. Wilson, Catherine is drawn into the strange world of Easterfield Hall, where both her cousin and sister find forbidden love, and Catherine uncovers secrets that change her entire outlook on their peaceful life. After Mr. Wilson is called back to Utah, the dashing Dr. Davenport is on hand to offer love, security, and help in piecing together Catherine’s fragmenting life. As she experiences gut-wrenching fear, hopeless love, and the loss of all she once thought important, she learns that the things that really matter are eternal.






My interview with Anna:

M.B.: Tell us about your current release and where you got the inspiration for it.

Anna: Easterfield is my first foray into historical fiction, and came about because I was re-reading all the Jane Austen novels and realised that they were written shortly before the restoration of the gospel. I wondered what would happen to the characters and societies described if an LDS element were introduced. I realised that I had to find that out for myself, and Easterfield is the result. It is shamelessly intended to be a Mormon Jane Austen novel, and I make no apologies for that.

M.B.: When did you first know you wanted to be an author?

Anna: I loved books and was forever writing stories as a child. I wrote my first novel, about squirrels, at the age of 10, and always told people that I intended to be an “authoress” when I grew up. My mother says she always knew I would study English at University. The richness and power of well-used language is awesome, and my studies taught me to appreciate how evocative good writing can be, and to know it when I see it. Unfortunately, producing it is not as easy!

M.B.: What was the pathway like for you to get your first book published?

Anna: As it is for most authors, it was paved with rejection letters. When I joined the church I was thrilled to discover that there was a whole genre of LDS fiction, and thought (wrongly) that it might be easier to get published in that niche market than nationally. However, I knew very little about the church and my first attempt – about a Sister missionary who falls in love with a guy she is teaching – was completely unacceptable, and was rejected. However a lovely editor at Covenant, Valerie Holladay, liked my writing style and told me not to give up. She also suggested that I read some LDS fiction first! She came up with some ideas and the result was my first novel, Haven, published in 2000.

M.B.: Were you ever discouraged along the way? If so, how did you deal with it?

Anna: Always, and I still am. After my second book, A World Away, was published, I had several manuscripts turned down. That wasn’t easy to bear, but the standard had to be kept up. Even now, I worry that Easterfield isn’t doing as well as I’d like, and I haven’t had much feedback from readers yet. That’s the problem – you achieve the ambition, and suddenly want more. Not only do you have to get a book published, but now you have to keep on getting books published, and they have to do well, and get good reviews, and you have to sell the movie rights... I try to remind myself that I write because I love to write, not for the fame, glory and money (!).

M.B.: What is your writing schedule like?

Anna: Terrible! I have three young children, a job and a calling, so I have to limit myself to an hour and a half on the computer each evening, otherwise nothing else would get done. I’m not at my best late in the evening either, and, like many authors, I am an expert at playing Solitaire and fiddling with Facebook when I should be writing.

M.B.: Where do your ideas come from? How do you know the idea is
good enough to write a book about it?

Anna: Many of my ideas have come from the suggestions of other people. Haven and A World Away were suggested by my editor at Covenant. Easterfield was my idea, although you might say that a certain Miss Austen inspired it. The book I’m currently working on came about as a result of a conversation I had with a drugs-squad officer at Bangor police station many years ago when I was working in the Estate Agent’s office next door. Two others I have in progress were ideas suggested by friends. I evidently have no imagination!

M.B.: What words of advice do you have for other writers who desire to
have their manuscripts become books in print?

Anna: Other authors have probably mentioned that reading as much as possible is essential, as is drafting again and again, and developing a thick skin. So my single nugget of advice would be to put the Thesaurus on your toolbar and use it often.

M.B.: What is your process of brainstorming a story? Do you just sit
down and write, waiting to see what happens next? Or do you outline
first?

Anna: I tend to just sit and write, starting at the beginning, and see what happens. Occasionally I’ll get an idea for a chapter, or a segment, and will write that and try to connect it up with what I already have. I never have any idea what is going to happen, which can be a problem. I know, for example, that in the book I am currently writing my hero and heroine are going to get trapped in a cave. What I don’t know is how to get them out again.

M.B.: Do you ever experience a snag in a story, a form of writer's
block? If so, how do you deal with it?

Anna: Frequently! See above! Occasionally I need to pull the whole chapter and go back to the drawing board, but other than that I try to move on to other parts that are working, or go back to the beginning and revise what I have until the solution comes to me.

M.B.: Do you need absolute quiet to write? Do you listen to music when
you are writing?

Anna: I live in a house with children, so I don’t get absolute quiet, and I also love to listen to music when I work. Often the music provides additional inspiration. I particularly enjoy listening to heavy rock music, but when I do so the story tends to get overly dramatic! One book I have been working on for years is entirely inspired by the music from the first two Queen albums.

M.B.: What kinds of inspiration do you use during your story creation periods?

Anna: Contrary to popular belief, I don’t base my characters on people I know, but I do find myself writing about things that happened to me, places I have visited or subjects close to my heart. For one book I am working on I gathered lots of my single girlfriends together to discuss their experiences of being single, and the dates they had been on. We drank hot chocolate, ate luxury ice-cream and popcorn, and had a wonderful and very fun evening, and I got so much material for that book that I’m really looking forward to writing it. One of my friends was even proposed to in the back of a hearse!

M.B.: Who has made the greatest difference for you as a writer?

Anna: I’d like to say the encouragement of my family and friends, but while they have been very encouraging the most difference has been made by the community of LDS authors, such as your good self, and other dear friends like Kerry Blair, Gale Sears, Sian Bessey and Cheri Crane. Living out here in the mission field I don’t get to do book signings or even see my books on shelves in the shops, so these contacts with the LDS writing community are crucial.

M.B.: Do you use a critique group during the writing process? Why or why not?

Anna: No, never thought of it. But I don’t know that I would want to either, it might be terribly off-putting to have a load of people tell you to your face why they hated your work of literature.

M.B.: Which of your books is your favourite, and why?

Anna: Easterfield. I actually picked it up and read it the other day, and enjoyed it even though I knew where all the mistakes were and what was going to happen in the end. Also it was so easy and fun to write, and I loved writing in the old-fashioned language. Plus I think the publishers did a great job on producing it, with a lovely painting on the cover, and the English spelling retained.

M.B.: What are you working on now?

Anna: Several things. I’m struggling through a thriller about a New York cop who falls in love with a Welsh single mother, which is my first non-LDS book. I am also writing a comedy about four single women competing to find a man, and I have two books currently being considered by publishers, one about an LDS couple who find themselves on the run during their honeymoon in Majorca, and the other is the third in the Haven series.

M.B.: Any final words you would like to share

Anna: It’s a great privilege to have been published, and to be able to create work that other people would actually want to read, so Thank You to everyone who has ever bought any of my books.

M.B.: Where can our readers go to find your books and order them?

Anna: In the US, Deseret Book, Seagull, Amazon.com and the usual suspects I think. Not living there, I really don’t know! Here in the UK there are only two LDS Bookstores near the London and Preston Temples, and I haven’t seen it in the London Temple store, but it may be at Preston or online at www.ldsbookuk.com.

You can visit Anna at: Blog: www.buttimoresbooks.blogspot.com,
Web-site: www.annajonesbuttimore.com