Renee interviews author Amy Sweezey

Tags

author, books, children, inspiration, Michigan, weather, writing

You may recognize Amy Sweezey as the broadcast meteorologist who works for WESH-2 in Florida. But she’s also written an award-winning, nonfiction children’s book that discusses weather forecasting in great detail.

Tell me about your background. Where you grew up, where you live now, education, work experience? Share some interesting things about yourself that we should know about.

I grew up in Michigan (for the most part). I was born in the Upper Peninsula (which makes me a Yooper) and then lived south of Ann Arbor for many of my childhood years. I moved to Central Florida in 2002 for the job at WESH. After college graduation from Loyola University Chicago, I worked in South Bend Indiana and West Michigan before moving to Orlando with my husband. Our 3 kids were all born in Florida and are now in 10th, 8th and 6th grades. I homeschool them part-time which works out great with my wacky work hours. Since I wake up at 2 AM, having my kids home 2 days a week allows me to see them more.

What inspired you to write this book? What is the story behind the story?

For many years as part of my TV job, I have spoken to school kids about weather. It often comes with the territory of being a meteorologist — Teachers call the local weather expert to share with their students. I don’t know how the tradition first started but, for me personally, I speak at about 30-40 schools each year. Writing books about weather was a natural transition from homeschooling my own kids along with teaching other school-age kids about weather. My first book was conceived when my Florida-born children were learning about the seasons, but didn’t understand words like “snow” “blizzard” or “ice” when reading about winter. I decided Florida kids needed their own winter weather story, so I wrote It Never, Ever Snows in Florida about a little boy named AJ who had never seen snow. My second book, Let’s Talk Weather,TV Forecasting: Behind the Scenes is nonfiction and focuses on how I do my job. It’s all about the tools and instruments I use for forecasting. It explains the science behind the weather to 3rd-5th graders.

What has been your biggest challenge or obstacle?

Knowing HOW to get a book published has been the biggest challenge. I chose to self-publish both of my books, but there are many pros and cons to traditional publishing versus self-publishing. It’s much easier to get a book published when you do it yourself — but it also raises a lot of challenges when you don’t know what you are doing or where to start!

What has been your biggest “aha” moment or success?

I was pleased to win a gold medal from the Florida Authors & Publishers Association in 2018 for Let’s Talk Weather. I’m not sure if it qualifies as an “aha” moment but now that my book has been published for almost 2 years I ask myself, “What took so long?” I wish I had published years ago.

What authors do you like to read? What books have had a strong influence on you or your writing?

I absolutely love to read! I used to devour anything I could get my hands on, especially fiction and historical fiction. Now that I have 3 kids and wake up at 2 AM for work, I have a really tough time finding the time to read. If I have time, I don’t always have the energy. Audio books and podcasts are in my wheelhouse now — which I can do while driving and not fall asleep! I still love fiction books, but I enjoy non fiction inspirational and motivational books more now than I ever have: Quiet by Susan Cain (I’m an introvert); The Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates; anything by Brene Brown. I also read a lot of children’s books — not just about weather. I believe you need to stay immersed in your genre if you want to successfully emulate it.

Do you write every single day? Any writing rituals?

I tend to write every day — but usually it’s for work, not for fun. I write a lot of social media posts and website updates. My daily writing is forecast based. My blog posts are much more fun to write — but I usually take a long time putting those together. I write and re-write and write again, then fix and change, and write some more. Even a blog post that’s only a few paragraphs long can take me days or weeks to polish. Part of it is because I’m a perfectionist, part is because I’m a grammar fanatic, and part is because I try to catch and change anything that might be worded controversially. Being in the public eye, specifically in a journalism/media field, requires a certain amount of care in being politically correct. Everyone always has a problem with SOMETHING you say or write, so I try to head off as many of those comments and criticisms right from the start.

What are your interests outside of writing?

With three kids, part-time homeschooling, a 2 AM job start, and two books under my belt, I don’t have much time for anything else. I enjoy the beach and sunshine (hence the move to Florida). I love meaningful conversation with true friends about things that matter. I like watching movies with my husband and I enjoy good food. Exploring new restaurants with my family, rather than always visiting the same place every time, makes for a fun, yet simple, adventure.

Share some tips for other Authors or Aspiring Authors: What would you do differently? What would you do the same? Please share anything you think would be beneficial to those reading this.

Everyone says, “write what you know.” I agree wholeheartedly. The best writing comes from the heart. It’s real and authentic. Don’t just self-publish your book because YOU think it’s good. Get some feedback. Ask for critiques. Pay for professional editing from someone who has written books of their own (which you have read and admire). If you want your book to be successful and be something that people want to read, take the time to get it right. Don’t rush to the printer too soon. Once it’s done, it’s done.

Renee Garrison is the award-winning author of The Anchor Clankers. To suggest an interview, email her at rgarrison@bestversionmedia.com

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Renee interviews author Cara Cobb

Tags

author, Culture, inspiration, Religion, Writer

Cara Cobb is a resident of Cassadaga, Florida, a small community known for having a large number of psychics and mediums. She’s written a memoir about her life in a religious cult.

Tell me about your background. Where you grew up, where you live now, education, work experience? Share some interesting things about yourself that we should know about.

My mother, a wealthy young Hungarian, was engaged to be married to a Nazi officer after WWII. Unfortunately for her, after the Allies won the war, the Americans allowed the Russians to first enter the cities that had been sympathetic to the Nazi cause. As our then allies barged through these marked cities, they plundered, raped and murdered the innocent populace.
My grandfather sent my mother and her two sisters out of Budapest ahead of the onslaught. They eventually trekked their way into Southern Germany, where they settled in a refugee camp high in the Bavarian Alps.
At the foot of the mountain was an American base, temporarily commandeered by a sergeant, an imposing New York Jew with a big heart, my father.
The Hungarians were hungry, cold and lacking in water and milk for their children. They needed help but were afraid to approach the Russian allies camped below. No young men were available to solicit the Americans, so the decision was made to send a beautiful woman with a big mouth.
My mother walked into the American camp— The rest is history.
I was born in Germany (February 14, 1952) and raised in the military. As we traveled, my mother insisted that we learn the language, participate in the culture and eat the foods of each locale.
After graduating from Berlin American High School in 1969, I married a GI from Hollywood, Florida. We returned to the states and settled in South Florida, where our first child was born in 1973 and I obtained an AA in Elementary Education.

What inspired you to write this book? What is the story behind the story?
My father-in-law was a founder of a worldwide religious organization. My husband and I became very involved with the group and migrated to Fitzgerald, Georgia, to establish a community of “like believers” in 1978. Due to marital issues, I left my husband and the community in 2009.
My book, We Walk on Water, is a memoire of my 30+ years in the Move. My life there was unique, interesting and fulfilling. We gardened together, raised animals, birthed our babies at home, taught our own children and lived apart from the “world.” I left with no documented work experience to begin a new life at age 57.

What has been your biggest challenge or obstacle?
After leaving the Move, I learned of sexual, physical and financial abuse within the group that had been covered up. After my in-laws and mother passed, I decided to document my own experiences with candor, humor and love as an expose of this little-known, world-wide group.
The Move is the subject of a recent People’s Discovery Investigates Cult series for which I was interviewed. It is presently available on Amazon Prime Video and other venues.

What has been your biggest “aha” moment or success?
My biggest “aha” moment was when the UPS man delivered six boxes of my book to my door-step. I measure any success by the reactions of my readers, some of whom are former students from whom I have not heard in decades calling or writing to tell me how much my book means to them or how I have positively impacted their lives.

What authors do you like to read? What books have had a strong influence on you or your writing?
Books that have influenced me….. hmmmm, starting as a child with Edgar Allen Poe, Inspector Maigret and most recently, Educated by Tara Westover and The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff. And I love Bible stories, especially the ones they don’t read in Sunday school.

Do you write every single day? Any writing rituals?
I do not write every single day. I keep an electric typewriter open to type quick thoughts or reminders of things to add to stories later into my laptop. When I do serious writing, I usually go in spurts, having to stop every so often to “clear my palate” with housekeeping, errands, phone calls and such.

What are your interests outside of writing?

Outside of writing, we are very social and enjoy entertaining friends. My partner and I are yard-sale and thrift-store junkies. He owns several properties (three of which we use, the others are rentals) and we fill them with found art and unique furniture pieces. Oh, we also have a mannequin population in our Cassadaga home that I enjoy posing and dressing. In addition, I have three children and six grands (although, I see only one regularly).

Share some tips for other Authors or Aspiring Authors: What would you do differently? What would you do the same? Please share anything you think would be beneficial to those reading this.

If you are a writer, you know you are a writer. Write!!!! Keep a journal, write little stories. When I went into the religious group, I burned much of my youthful writings. I do regret that, although I have retrieved much from memory.
Yesterday, a writer friend gave me a profound insight. “Pretend you and I were driving to Winn Dixie together. What would you see? Cars, stop signs, street corners. Now pretend we are walking the same route to the store. What would you see? Perhaps a dead bird on the side of the road, perhaps a lost shoe, maybe an abandoned kitten. Write as if you are walking.”

 

Renee Garrison is the award-winning author of The Anchor Clankers.