Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Sometimes I feel like the old expression…Jack of trades and master of none. Many long years ago I graduated college with a BS in Nursing. I’m currently a school nurse in a small K-12 school which pays the bills but writing fuels my soul. I am a Life Coach and Motivational Speaker as well as a Mother, Grandmother, and cycling enthusiast. In my spare time I enjoy reading and what I call porch gardening and just spending time outside. I also have what’s called a zipper head…the term for someone who has had surgery for Chiari I Malformation, a condition where the brain doesn’t quite fit into the skull. I currently have one published book and one on the publisher’s editing table that I hope will be released by the end of the summer.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I first started writing after my youngest daughter got married and my nest was officially empty. I was actually excited about the prospects of my life without the sense of fulltime responsibility for my daughters but I realized that not all women feel that way. I had just completed my Life Coaching training and had always wanted to write so it seemed like the perfect time and the perfect subject. My first attempt was writing a book of exercises designed to help women find themselves. It was a great concept. The only problem was…it was dry and boring. It seems like every chapter started out…find a quiet place…make a list…blah…blah…blah. One day as a fluke I named my nest Bertha and the rest as they say is history. Bertha became quite a character in lime green spandex and high-heel sandals and she quickly took over my writing and my life. Those boring chapters became fun stories about Bertha on a soapbox and I assure you…she is anything but quiet!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I wrote most of Bertha-Size in long hand in my journal but have since transitioned to writing on the computer. I usually write early in the morning when I’m fresh…I’m just not very creative at night.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
All of Og Mandino’s works but especially…The Greatest Miracle in the World. He wrote self-help embedded in a delightful story which greatly influenced how I write. Esther and Jerry Hicks and the teachings of Abraham impacted me greatly and there is a lot of Law of Attraction principles in Bertha.
What are you working on now?
As I mentioned, the Bertha sequel is awaiting edits but I have started a novel which is also about personal transformation.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Oh…I’m the hesitant promoter! For me I’d have to say that it’s making connections on social media…doing interviews like this as well as radio interviews.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Take time for yourself. It’s so easy to get into a frantic mindset that it all has to be done today that we forget to do the things that nurture us. And from experience…don’t quit your day job until you have a steady writing income that will support you. Yeah…that was messy!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Don’t be like the Spaniards and kill all the Indians.” I’m not sure where she got this…probably made it up…but I remember my Mama telling me that when I was in high school. Basically she was reminding me to be kind to others that life isn’t about…conquest.
What are you reading now?
Reveal…A Sacred Manual for Getting Spiritually Naked by Meggan Watterson
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m thinking breakfast…oh wait…that wasn’t the question. I’m excited about the Bertha sequel (as yet unnamed) and there may be a third book to follow as well as that novel that’s been bugging me for several years now. I’m also ready to expand the coaching and speaking aspects of my career.
What is your favorite book of all time?
The Greatest Miracle in the World
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