Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in Maryland, studied Vodka in Russia, met my husband in Mexico, and now live in Idaho. I’m the author of THIS LITTLE PIGGY WENT TO THE LIQUOR STORE, MOMMY HAD A LITTLE FLASK, and HAIR OF THE CORN DOG (Jan 2014). I’ve also coauthored DRINKING WITH DEAD WOMEN WRITERS and DRINKING WITH DEAD DRUNKS with Elaine Ambrose. I’m a former Writer-in-Residence for the city of Boise and created the radio show “The Writers’ Block” on Radio Boise. My work has been published in Artocratic, Folio Literary Magazine, Cloudbank, Treasure Valley Family Magazine, Idaho Magazine, and traveler’s tales anthologies, among others.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My last book published was MOMMY HAD A LITTLE FLASK. It’s non-fiction humor and the second in a series called Tales of Imperfection. I was inspired to write about family life when I became a parent and was exposed to the horrific world of parents telling other parents how to raise their children, whether or not to breastfeed, home school, the list goes on and on. I found the amount of advice, often a masked way of saying “you’re doing it wrong” appalling. My philosophy is to do the best I can and laugh every day. My hope is that a frazzled mom reads one of my stories with a glass of wine at the end of the day and feels better about herself.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When I’m writing a first draft, I write 5,000 words a day. I had to work up to that, now it seems normal, but other writers find that unusual. I don’t have an office, but write at my kitchen island or in bed.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Laurie Notaro, David Sedaris, Sloane Crosley. I’ve met (and embarrassed myself in front of) Notaro and Sedaris, but not Crosley.
What are you working on now?
I’m finishing up HAIR OF THE CORN DOG which should be out in January. It’s with beta readers now. This is the third and possibly last of the Tales of Imperfection series. After that I plan to continue in humor, but perhaps replace the drinking element with travel. The mommy/drinking humor market is saturated (in booze). I love to travel with my family. We spent three months in Mexico, even enrolled our small children in school there. This makes for great material and I’d like us to continue traveling, perhaps to places we haven’t yet visited.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Word-of-mouth and Amazon. Amazon is such a double-edged sword. As authors we’re supposed to champion the indie bookstores, and we do, but we’re also caught between a rock and a hard place in that Amazon is often the only means we have to actually earn a living from our writing. Word-of-mouth is huge. It doesn’t matter how many tweets you put out there. If someone likes your book enough to tell a friend about it, you’ve hit the jackpot.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be tenacious. Want it and work hard for it. Don’t read your reviews. Don’t engage in social media while drinking. Be kind. People respond to honesty much more than gimmicks. Learn to be selfish when it comes to your writing time.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You can’t edit a blank page. You’re only as good as your last book. In five years, you’ll be five years older. Do you want to be five years older with a book or without one? You choose.
What are you reading now?
Right now I’m reading Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl and Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game. I love Gone Girl. Ender’s Game, not so much. I also just finished The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter. It was a Gothic coming-of-age by a departed British writer. A completely different style and voice. I loved it, it was different (if you like Flannery O’Connor, give Carter a try).
What’s next for you as a writer?
Now that I’ve had some success as an indie author, I’d like to pitch my next series to traditional publishing. I’ve never ruled that out entirely and I’d like to have as many and as varied experiences as possible. It’s a wonderful time to be a writer. I also have a lot of conferences, book clubs, workshops and readings lined up. Show me a crowd and I’ll show you a microphone hog. I love live performances.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor
Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger
The Shell Collector by Anthony Doerr
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
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