20 Questions
(Author Interviews)
Brought to you by
Book Nook Nuts
1.Where do you write from?
I sit in the left side recliner of my double recliner leather couch…in the living room where I have a full view of outside. (sliding glass doors)
2.When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I had some wonderful English teachers in high school who shepherded me along the way. I began writing poetry in 1971 and stopped writing poetry the day my fiancé committed suicide in 1980. I wrote my first published book in 2013.
3.How long does it take you to write a book?
Oh, gosh…sometimes a month…sometimes a year. This final book I’d hoped to have published Valentine’s 2016, but for some reason it didn’t happen until just now.
4.Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
The ideas for Bittersweet…and The Acorn Hills series…are from life. By that I mean, people I’ve met, places I’ve visited or lived, and things I’ve lived—with a whole lot of imagination tossed in! lol
5.When did you write your first book and how old were you?
I wrote and published my first book in 2013…3 years ago. I was 57 years old.
6.What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I am a Jill of many trades…I design and create jewelry, crochet and knit, am an advocate for Multiple Sclerosis, public speaking, online promoter for an international radio station, and love playing the counted cross stitch game on Facebook…and the jig saw puzzle game on my Kindle.
7. What Genre do you write?
My series is romance and life issues for the over group. I tried naming it, but I can’t use “seasoned” because that term means 35+. The word “mature” doesn’t sound right. “Salt and Pepper” is a possibility…so not sure what to call it. I’ve also written contemporary romance, paranormal romance, poetry, and self-help.
8.How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
Including Special Occasions, I have written 13 books to date. My favorite book I’ve written so far is Moonlight & Music…followed closely by Ethereal Authority.
9.Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
I have a dedicated group of readers who are very interactive and I’m so thankful for that. They were ready to lynch me with the ugly cries they had in books 5 & 6…and I’m sure I will hear about them with this final book as well!
The readers have been very kind and liken my writing style to Debbie Macomber. Very humbled by those words.
10.As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
As a Freshman in High School, I was sure I’d become a florist…I had a crush on the son of the local florist. Lol. By the time I was a Senior I wanted to go to Pasadena, California and attend college to become a lab tech…I did neither.
11.Tell us about your current project.
I am currently working on a daily meditation book titled Medication for Your Soul. It is fun for me to take quotes from well-known philosophers and put my own thoughts with them, ending with a reflection for the day.
12.How do you handle writers block?
Not well…not well at all. I swear Jillian and Richard, the main characters in book 7 of The Acorn Hills series, took a 6 month vacation in Barbados! The more I wanted Jillian to talk to me so I could complete this book, the less noise happened. When the characters won’t advance you, you roll with it. I tried working on other writing projects, but started an afghan instead.
13.What one subject is TABOO in your writing?
Because of my personal preference, I cannot write BDSM or M/M, F/F, or MMF/FFM. I’m not saying they are wrong…but they are wrong for me.
14.If there was one book you wish you'd written, which would it be?
The one that hasn’t been published. Each writer has his/her own original style (hopefully…although I have had an author in my baby writer stage steal my ideas and turn them into a book) and to take that away from that person isn’t right. I want to be known for what I do, not what someone else has done or will do.
15.What is your biggest pet peeve?
Dishonest and disrespect. They go hand in hand.
16.Is there one current tv show that is a "can't miss" for you?
Only one? I have one each evening…lol Dancing with the Stars, Fixer Upper, Treehouse Masters, Holiday Baking Championship, Forged in Fire, Cook or Con, Say Yes to the Dress.
17.Who was your greatest influence?
My greatest influence has been the wisdom from my Sophomore English teacher, Jan Liharik. Back then, she was Miss Smollack. Today she serves as my mentor, my big sister, and my friend. I always consult her when writing (story lines, characters, articles, etc.)
18.How do you choose your book covers?
I have a phenomenal team who knows how to put what’s in my head on paper. Friends who love to help make it easy when I call and ask them to consider being a cover model. My photographer, Anna, can shoot anything and make it look good. My cover artist, Brenton, is my older son’s best friend, and knew just what to do to set the mood for the series as well as the other books. The only cover I designed was for the MS book.
19.Something personal about you people may be surprised to know?
When I was 16 I wanted to join a convent. I’d begun talking with the local priest about it. I studied and studied and spent so many nights on my knees with a rosary in my hand. I’m not sure where that thought went, but later in life it was transformed into ministry through teaching adult women’s Sunday school. Now, it has transformed again into educating others about Multiple Sclerosis and about how we can stay positive in a negative world.
20. How would a reader find you online? IE: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Street Team, Reader Group.
Twitter https://twitter.com/mallidalli
Websites www.graceaugustine.weebly.com
1 Comments
Thank you so much for hostessing me on your blog today. I greatly appreciate it.
ReplyDelete