Amok in Questions: GottaWriteGirl

Susan at GottaWriteGirl tagged me. I’m not sure what being tagged means, but I’m willing to play along. If you haven’t seen Susan’s site, check it out. http://www.gottawritegirl.com/. It’s a must read for children’s authors (like me) in pursuit of that first book contract. I’m tagging some writing friends to join the game: Gina Hagler, http://ginahagler.blogspot.com/, Mary Bowman-Kruhm http://marybk.blogspot.com/, Lois Szymanski http://loisszymanski.blogspot.com/, Cynthia Lord http://cynthialord.livejournal.com/. 1. What do you do before bedtime? As soon as the kids turn their lights out, I read. On my bedside table now: a book of Tolstoy novellas. I’m up to “The Cossacks.” My favorite piece was “Happy Ever After” because of its insights into marriage. Just finished Kevin Crossley-Holland’s wonderful Arthur series.

2. What is your favorite sound? “I’m afraid even I really just don’t know” -- my kids (ages 8 and 11) quoting Monty Python sketches. Makes me feel like I'm being true to myself as a mom.

3. What were your childhood fears? Being “It.” Playing Truth or Dare with mean girls.

4. What place have you visited that you can't forget and want to go back? England. We used to visit our grandparents there every year until I was in high school. Have you ever seen the movie “Shadowlands” with Debra Winger & Anthony Hopkins? It’s about Narnia author C.S. Lewis and his marriage to an American poet. I was bawling before the opening credits ended. The rolling green landscape did me in.

5. What has made you unhappy these days? Mean people. See #3. They never went away. I’m just better at dealing with them. 6. What websites do you visit daily? I find technology overwhelming. Keeping up a blog takes up a crazy amount of time. I still read a print newspaper every day. Does that count?

7. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is? Susan and I met briefly at the MD/DE/WV SCBWI conference. She’s cute. She’s enthusiastic. She’s determined to reach her goal of seeing her YA novel published. What’s not to like?

8. What’s the last song that got stuck in your head? Seal’s cover of “Lips Like Sugar” on the 50 First Dates Soundtrack. (Susan -- you're mention of Elton John's Sugar Bear triggered this.) The original song is by Echo & the Bunnymen. I loved them in high school. Now, their music is kind of scary and jarring. But I love Seal’s version and this entire soundtrack. Modern reggae-style remakes of 80s tunes? Totally Rad.

9. What’s your favorite item of clothing? I have a blue ¾ sleeve t-shirt that looks sort of like clouds. It’s got some Asian-inspired artwork on it. I love it. I would wear it every day, but that would be gross. 10. What is your dream for the future? I’ll quote GwG’s “To publish my first YA (or any) novel.” I’m five years into this adventure, with magazine credits under my belt. Still working toward that first contract. Thanks for the game, Susan. (Find Susan's response to these questions here: http://gottawritegirl.blogspot.com/2008/09/game-on.html) Writing Exercise (Middle School and Up)

Ask your fiction character the above questions. You are the tagger. He or she is the tagee.

An alternative for kid lit & YA authors: what would happen if your character played "Truth or Dare" with a mean girl?