Bark & Breakfast

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author, dogs, Family, Home, inspiration, Life

My favorite houseguests have fur.

My own beloved pooch died one month short of her seventeenth birthday and left a void in my life that nothing could fill. When a neighbor asked if I might help with her dog-sitting business, I happily agreed. With a few stipulations – pets must be non-shedding and under 30 pounds – I’ve played hostess to a number of furry houseguests when their parents go on vacation.

Each time they arrive, they run to me, tails wagging, crying with joy, covering my face with kisses. They are ecstatic to spend time with me.

My own children never greeted me with such enthusiasm.

(Full disclosure: They greet anyone we meet on our walks with the same exuberance, but I am not a jealous person. I can share the love.)

Dogs love to lounge in my lap or sleep at my feet as I tap at my computer keyboard. They make eager editorial assistants and never criticize my work. For a few magical days, they are my biggest fans, my new best friends.

I’m sad, of course, when they leave and my house feels empty again. But I know they’ll probably return for another visit…the best houseguests usually do.

 

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

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Santa says avoid stress

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Christmas, Family, Health, Holiday, inspiration, Life, relationships

Ideally, the holidays should to be a time of thankfulness, reflection, and celebration. Yet the idealistic visions of a perfect holiday are often marred by tensions and stress. Financial pressure, over-commitment and unrealistic expectations are among the culprits. However, I’ve discovered a few adjustments that can bring joy and peace to the season.
-Have realistic expectations. Magazines, The Hallmark Channel, even commercials depict elaborate holiday decorations, spotless homes and amazing meals. All of those images push us toward unrealistic expectations of ourselves and everyone else. Instead, do what is realistic for you without feeling guilty, lazy or inadequate.
-Be flexible. You might have to make concessions about when and where celebrations occur to avoid stress in families. Be willing to get together on a different day before or after the holiday if need be. The actual day isn’t as important as the opportunity to gather in a relaxed, unrushed atmosphere.
-Downgrade décor. Just because neighbors or family members decorate excessively doesn’t mean you can’t opt for a different experience. Simple decorations are just as festive (and perhaps more peaceful) than over-the-top extravagance. Include a few items that are special to you or your children, but don’t feel obligated to go overboard.
-Don’t break the budget. Gifts, parties, decorations and travel create a lot of financial pressure during the holidays. Your budget may require reducing the number of gifts you give or finding other ways to cut costs. Ignore the retail hype that plays on your emotions and avoid the temptation to buy with credit cards. Your stress level will skyrocket in January when the bills arrive.
– Just say no. A full holiday calendar equals exhaustion. Consider the logistics before accepting too many invitations. Leave holes in your calendar for quiet evenings at home or impromptu gatherings. You’ll be glad you did.

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

Dignity versus Safety

Tags

aging, Family, Health, Life, Parents, relationships

We’ve watched Mom lose her memory, hearing, financial prowess and driving skills. But we’ve also tried not to become overly controlling in her life.

Yet there are few options when a 93-year-old parent doesn’t use good judgment, suffers from loneliness, confusion and becomes an easy target for predators. She insists that she “wants to die in my own home,” yet refuses to allow us to hire any assistance.

Like many adult children, we have begun to walk a tightrope between overstepping boundaries and ensuring that she makes it through the day by giving her medications, paying bills and preparing meals. For more than a year there were telltale signs suggesting that we must take more assertive action: When we noticed that Mom could no longer differentiate between advertisements and legitimate bills, we took over her finances.

Occasionally, she has lucid moments and we enjoy them, too. For a brief time, we have our mother back.

Most days, when debating whether we should intervene in her life, we try to give her the benefit of the doubt. All living involves some risk. We can’t rob Mom of her dignity in the name of safety.

 

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

Renee interviews author Pat Stanford

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author, Brain, Family, Health, inspiration, Life, writing

Pat wrote about her sister in Fixing Boo Boo: A Story of Traumatic Brain Injury, which won a gold medal in the Florida Authors and Publishers President’s Book Awards. It’s an inspiring story of one family and the struggles they face when a sibling with a brain injury comes to live with them. Sadly, Pat’s experience resonates with nearly 9,000 families in Florida, who devote their lives to caring for brain-injured loved ones every year.

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 was born in Philadelphia, simply because that was the nearest hospital to my father’s farm in New Jersey. When I was a year old, my father and grandfather bought land in south Florida, wanting to farm year-round, so I grew up in the town of Delray Beach, which is now quite the artist’s colony. After two years at Palm Beach Community College, I transferred to Florida State University, where I received my B.S. in Secondary Education, a degree I never used, since I ran off and joined the Air Force.
Most people don’t realize that I cut my teeth, so to speak, on writing poetry which I have been doing pretty much since I could hold a pencil. This came naturally enough since my mother wrote little ditties and sometimes serious poems in a little “write in book” that had blank pages. I will have a collection of mine published by year’s end.

What inspired you to write this book? What is the story behind the story?
After my sister passed away in 2012, I was left with notes that every caregiver most likely keeps. These are lists of medications, who you spoke to and when, emails back and forth between my husband and me, and between doctors’ offices and both of us. Then there was the saved information for just about anything that could and probably would eventually have to be dealt with. In cleaning out my computer files, I was going to delete them, but then really started looking through them and thought maybe someone else could benefit from them. I started organizing them into a timeline of sorts and thought I’d write a memoir about my experience with brain injury. My critique group wanted dialogue “to move the story along” and after arguing with them that that would make it fiction, my creative non-fiction book was born.

What has been your biggest challenge or obstacle?
The biggest challenge was thinking “Why am I doing this? Boy, this is stupid – no one is going to read this thing.” Well, apparently, there are people who were helped because I get comments at festivals and signings, thanking me for writing something they cannot do and that is to let others know they aren’t alone in their struggle. So basically, my biggest challenge was…me!

What has been your biggest “aha” moment or success?
That would have to be when I received the gold medal at the Florida Authors and Publishers Association President’s Book Awards. I thought I would get the bronze, but someone else’s name was announced. I was in shock when the silver medal was announced and it wasn’t me. I looked at a friend at the dinner table with a sort of silent scream because I knew I had the gold. Talk about taking doubts away about writing ability!

What authors do you like to read? What books have had a strong influence on you or your writing?
I love all books and – both fiction and nonfiction. I try to read at least 60 books a year and track it on Goodreads. Nonfiction include “technique books” for improving writing skills and then I also read biographies. I am currently reading the biographies of all the presidents in order. Being a Civil War nut, I also like almost anything written on that subject.
Fiction I like to read is more of the Action-Adventure type – think Clive Cussler – and that is what I will want to write when I am finished with the follow-up to Fixing Boo Boo.

Do you write every single day? Any writing rituals?
Ummmm…I write most days. I tend to binge read and then binge write. I don’t have any rituals aside from always having a little notebook with me, just in case a thought strikes me.

What are your interests outside of writing?
I have a rose garden I tend to when it isn’t so blazing hot. My husband and I have a boat that we take out in Apalachee Bay for fishing and sometimes snorkeling for scallops, reading (duh), art museums, which sometimes inspires me to draw and paint, something I used to do a lot more of. I used to be OCD about cleaning, but this writing thing has pretty much cured that.

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.
What I’d do differently – Not waste as much time thinking that what I write isn’t good enough and just write better, using some sort of guideline. While I’m not an outline kind of girl, if I had something more than the timeline in place, it would have helped. Also, I would have studied what to do before the book was published – what marketing works and what doesn’t. Do some advance work like social media marketing, creating a buzz about it and then, what to do after the book was published. I had no idea that I’d be putting myself out there one on one and talking to people. But, I can tell you, having been an insurance agent, I would have to say this is easier and a LOT more fun!
What I’d do the same – I was writing for a specific audience and they are getting the message, but others are also finding out what it was like living with a brain-injured person.
I would also still have a critique group – these people were the reason my manuscript ever got finished. Not only were they expecting me to write, they gave me (mostly) positive criticism about what did and didn’t work.

 

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

Renee interviews author Lee Ann Mancini

Tags

author, books, children, Family, inspiration, Life, Religion, writing

Award-winning Christian children’s author Lee Ann Mancini writes whimsical stories, with characters who pray to Jesus, giving thanks or asking Him for guidance. She hopes that her books, including A Servant Like Jesus: Adventures of the Sea Kids , I’m Not Afraid!: Adventures of the Sea Kids, What a Bragger!, and Fast Freddy: Adventures of the Sea Kids will help children learn to be loving, kind, and Christ-like.

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 Aurora, Ohio, a small suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. I now live in Boca Raton, Florida with my husband of 30-years and I have two grown children. I met my husband when I was a rental manager at Kelly Tractor. I rented my husband earth-moving equipment! I started out as a receptionist, and after seven years I was the rental manager. After we were married, I sold real estate for a while until the birth of my son. After that, I was a full-time mom and volunteer for their schools and a few outside organizations. I have an AS degree-paralegal, a BA in Religious Studies, and three Masters in Biblical Studies. I received my BA and Masters in my late 40’s and early 50’s! It’s never too late. I started my publishing company and writing my books in my 50’s as well. A few of my children’s stories I wrote when my children were little, but always had a desire to have them published.

What inspired you to write these books? What is the story behind the story?
I wanted books that helped children see how to be loving and kind to others, and to pray to Jesus asking guidance or giving thanks during a difficult situation. I could not find any of this type of book when my children were little. It is my mission to create products for children under seven that help them to build a strong foundation in Jesus and to learn how to be loving, compassionate and kind to others.

What has been your biggest challenge or obstacle?
Learning how to become a successful writer and publisher. I knew nothing about the industry. The biggest obstacle is finding the time to do it all. I am an Adjunct Professor at South Florida Bible College and Theological Seminary, and I volunteer on a few other boards.

What has been your biggest “aha” moment or success?
Receiving my first award from IBPA and since then receiving over 25 awards for the series. Also, I sent out a questionnaire to the local Christian elementary school teachers with a galley of my book to get their opinion if they thought this was a book that should be published and/or any suggestions that they may have. It was an excellent conformation that what I was doing was the will of God. They were so kind to make some great suggestions and told me they, and the children loved the book and hoped I would publish it and write more like it!

What authors do you like to read? What books have had a strong influence on you or your writing?
I love Max Lucado and anything that deals with Christian Theology. I have a vast amount of children’s books in my collection, some from when my children were young and also many from recent authors.

Do you write every single day? Any writing rituals?
I write every day for many different reasons (blogs, magazine articles, my new book). My ritual is to pray often and always before I write!

What are your interests outside of writing?

Jogging, teaching, going to my lake house and reading. I am currently working on a book for parents that will help them raise little ones to love Jesus like they love Mommy and Daddy.

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.
I think the biggest thing is to know your audience and your competition, but most importantly, write from the heart because you love it. Don’t expect to become wealthy or have your book turned into the next movie. Understand the industry and connect with other organizations like the Florida Authors and Publishers Asso. If you decide to self-publish, educate yourself! Double check everything! Learn the business! And pray often!

 

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

Renee interviews author Rosemary Gard

Tags

author, books, Family, inspiration, Life, lifestyle, writing

Rosemary Gard never intended to write a series of books about Croatian immigrants. She simply wanted to write a history of her family for her adult children. At 80-years-young, she continues to delight readers with “Danica’s Destiny,” published last year, and frequent speaking engagements. (How many women can say that their portrait – with three friends in evening gowns – hung in the entry of the Chicago Playboy Club?)

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 was born and raised in Gary, Indiana, when it was known as the melting pot. Croatian was my first language and I grew up in that ethnic community. I was the Croatian Queen during the Gary Golden Jubilee in 1956. Tom Harmon, father of NCIS actor, Mark Harmon, was Grand Marshall of the parade! I finished high school, but my Croatian parents felt an education was wasted on girls. I was sent to Communist Yugoslavia for three months to my father’s village outside of Zagreb, where I lived the life of a peasant girl. Later, I lived in Vicenza, Italy, (near Venice) for a year with my G.I. husband.
One summer I worked for a local newspaper, interviewing interesting people. The editor of the paper helped me greatly with my writing and word usage. Even while my husband and I owned a Coffee House and an Art Gallery, I continued to write – most of which I threw away.
My husband and I are antique appraisers for attorneys and individuals. I’m also a jewelry designer and sold my pieces in stores from Martha’s Vineyard to Davenport, Iowa.

What inspired you to write this book? What is the story behind the story?
I decided to fictionalize the facts and the book, “Destiny’s Dowry,” won my first award. That first book started what is now a series of seven, including “Destiny Denied,” “Destiny’s Dance,” “Destiny Delivered,” and “Destiny’s Design.” Each follows the lives of the characters in the previous books. These are stories of people from the “Old Country” and how they lived going back to 1892 in, what is now, Croatia. The last book, “Stefan’s Destiny,” is currently being edited.

What has been your biggest challenge or obstacle?
When I start to write, the characters take over and tell me their story. I do not work from an outline. The first paragraph of each book, sets the tone for the story. When I start to write a book, I have no idea how it will end. The journey is interesting to me.

What has been your biggest “aha” moment or success?
My biggest “Aha” moment was when I won the first of my three awards. Then I knew that I was a writer and any rejection slip I had received in the past no longer had any effect on me.

What authors do you like to read? What books have had a strong influence on you or your writing?
In the past I have read, Ayn Rand, Faulkner, Studs Turkel, (who stopped in the coffee house we owned in the 1970’s) Louis Adamic and many writers you may not be familiar with. I never read books while I am working on a novel, I feel it interferes with my writing flow and even my writing style.

Do you write every single day? Any writing rituals?
I do not write every day. However, once I start a book, I continue every day with it. I sometimes delete entire chapters because my characters are going in a different direction. You see, my book characters are based on real people, people who were part of my past, so I know what they would think and feel in a given situation.

What are your interests outside of writing?
Travel and collecting all forms of art, from Primitive African to Modern Mid Century and current. My husband buys out estates to resell. Recently I was interviewed for the Chicago Tribune, and the journalist said (as do many others) that our house looks like an Art Gallery or a museum.

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.
I feel that wanting to be a writer is not something you decide to do. You either are a writer or not. It is in you to write stories, anecdotes or articles. Almost every writer I’ve met has written or told stories going back to their childhood. The best advice I was ever given was from a New York literary agent. He said to study people. Watch someone from across the room, a stranger. By the way they sit, behave, etc. you can get an idea who they might be and even of their personality. For me, this has been great advice.

 

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

Renee interviews author Melody Dimick

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author, books, Family, inspiration, relationships, school, writing

Melody and I met in a café writers’ group, where I discovered that she is President of the Florida Writers Foundation, Inc. a non-profit corporation formed to promote literacy, as well as enhance the writing skills of children, youth, and adults. Foundation volunteers visit elementary schools for reading days, sponsor poetry contests, donate books to underprivileged schools, and contribute funds to middle school writing contests. Her new book, “Backpack Blues: Inspire the Fire Within,” is a young adult story in verse.

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 on a poultry farm and graduated from Beekmantown Central School in the Plattsburgh, New York area. I am a Castleton State (now Castleton University) graduate. I met my husband, a Vermont native, while studying there. I taught at Northern Adirondack Central School, DeLand High School, and at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh. I am the proud mother of one son and live in Central Florida with my husband (and fellow writer,) Barry.

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

Three things inspired me:
• First and foremost, poignant essays from former students. As a teacher, I found my students believed their problems were singular, and they struggled alone.
• Second, Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters provided a format. My students loved reading and performing some of the poems from this book.
• Third, issues in the news and our society. For example, the spreading of the human trafficking of teens, the violence on school campuses, and the high rate of divorce and its effect on children.

What has been your biggest challenge or obstacle?
Finding the elusive agent and writing the New York Times Bestseller.

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

Obtaining both a copy and content editor taught me how to better revise my books. My biggest “aha” moment came when I read their criticism. Chosen to speak on the First Books Panel at the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Miami Conference spelled success for me. Winning a Royal Palm Literary Award, being a finalist in this year’s contest, and being asked to serve as the president of the Florida Writers Foundation are also big moments in my life.

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

I’ve been accused of reading everything, but the toilet paper roll. Janet Evanovich influences me to incorporate humor, even in serious writing. Carolyn Keene influenced me to write a series. I gobbled every one of her Nancy Drew mystery books when I was in middle school. The literary quality of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden helped me learn to use figurative language in my books. John Griffin, Carl Hiaasen, Daphne DuMaurier, Pearl S. Buck, Marge Piercy, Langston Hughes, Emily Dickinson, Dorothy Parker, and Maya Angelou influence me. Stephen King’s On Writing challenges me. Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird taught me how to use similes, metaphors, and personification. Workshops conducted by Darlyn Finch Kuhn, Elizabeth Sims, Lorin Oberweger, Madeleine Kuderick, Adrian Fogelin, Alma Fullerton, and Peter Meinke pushed my writing forward. My good friend and mentor, Peggy Miller (Margaret Wolfson) taught me a new poetry form. Her poetry encourages me to aim for brevity.

Do you write every single day? Any writing rituals?

After starting the coffee pot and putting a load of laundry into the washing machine, I turn to my computer every single day. I write until my husband Barry and I have breakfast. I return to the computer after breakfast and write until lunchtime (about 2:00). I’ve never written with a pen or pencil, except when forced. I used a typewriter before I started using Word.

What are your interests outside of writing?

Pickleball, playing Pinochle with my son and his lovely wife, traveling with my husband. My ultimate goal is a trip to the Canadian Maritimes. Going out to dinner with my college roommate and her husband once a week and watching a play at the Shoestring Theatre or at my friends’ house after dinner. Since my family owns a Sugar Bush (maple trees), I value trees. You may call me a tree-hugger. I feel like crying when someone cuts a live oak tree.

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.

• Attend writing conferences—make them mini-vacations.
• Learn what a platform is and get one.
• Join writing groups.
• Read as many books as you can in your genre.

 

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

To suggest an author interview, email her: rgarrison@bestversionmedia.com

Precious metal

Tags

children, Family, Home, inspiration, Life, relationships, wedding

There’s something startling about seeing a wedding ring on your child’s hand – a hand that never wore a high school or college ring, or jewelry of any kind.

It is a larger version of the pudgy little hand that so often reached for mine. The same toddler’s hand that dragged a chair across my kitchen floor to reach the counter and put pieces of bread in the toaster. (C’mon, we let him use a toaster, not fire up a barbeque grill.)

Today, his fingers are longer and carry more responsibility. They nurture a career, a home and a wife.

And now, they wear a ring.

 

 

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

 

 

Renee interviews author Angelina Assanti

Tags

Family, Health, Humor, inspiration, Life

Angelina and I laughed over a cappuccino together during the Florida Library Association’s Annual Conference near Walt Disney World last month. Her quirky sense of humor (full disclosure: my family is from Boston) should serve her well as President-Elect of The Florida Authors and Publishers Association.

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’m from a small town in Massachusetts that no one has ever heard of. I just tell people I’m from Springfield because everyone from New England knows where that is. I moved to Florida to attend college in Orlando, where I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business. I live in Fort Myers now. I went back for my high school reunion and was reminded how funny everyone is up there. Sometimes when I give a speech in Florida, people don’t know I have a background in radio and stand-up comedy and I deliver a funny line straight and they don’t know if it’s a joke or not. (Massachussians always get it.) I write the copy for the shows and always loved writing. I just never thought it was an actual career option. I’ve had several regular jobs in my life, but I would get bored and quit. I’m a quitter. My parents can’t believe I finished a few books. I guess I quit being a quitter.

What inspired you to write this book? What is the story behind the story?
I got cancer a few years ago and went I went to the bookstore at the cancer center and asked for a funny book. The woman I asked looked at me like I was an alien and snapped, “No one wants a funny cancer book!” I’ll never forget her saying that to me. I proved her wrong. What a sucker! Not only did Thank God I Got Cancer…I’m Not a Hypochondriac Anymore! go on to win several awards and become a #1 bestseller in three categories on Amazon, but that very same cancer center carries the book and a few months ago, they gave me a beautiful, large crystal award for it. The pages in this book are literally ripped from the journal I kept while I was in treatment. I was never close to anyone who had cancer, so I wrote it like a playbook for cancer.

What has been your biggest challenge or obstacle?
I hate to sound like a jerk but looking back, I didn’t really have many obstacles. I joined a writing group in 2012 when I realized I wanted to write a book and got lots of sage advice from people who had been both traditionally and independently published and asked people questions. I wasn’t afraid to admit I had no idea what I was doing. The writing community is very strange in that they want to help other writers succeed. You don’t find that in many professions. So, I’ve heard. I never stayed in one long enough to find out.

What has been your biggest “aha” moment or success?
I’ve had a few but my favorite was in 2014. I was writing a book about recovery and Betty Ford allowed me to tour rehab and talk to the counselors and residents. They made me promise in return that I would write an upbeat, funny story about recovery. No pressure, there! I did win a national award in humor for Mark Taylor’s Checkered Past: Recovery Road (The Lottery Heiress) (Volume 2) the next year. Many people have contacted me and asked me when and where I went to rehab because they wanted to know I was in with them. I reply that I only did the research there and am not in recovery. I know that seems strange but people thinking I was in rehab is the compliment of my life!

What authors do you like to read? What books have had a strong influence on you or your writing?
I love anything by Dave Barry or Nora Ephron. I miss her. She was a great storyteller.

Do you write every single day? Any writing rituals?
I don’t write in my manuscript every day. I do however carry a journal with me at all times and write in that every day. I used to keep digital notes in my smart phone until it crashed on me one day and I lost everything. I don’t chance it with technology anymore. I have heard several authors tell me their writing rituals but I’ve never heard any author have the same ones. We are all unique in our processes.

What are your interests outside of writing?
I used to be heavily involved with a rehab for homeless people but the cancer book has become the focus for my life right now. It’s hard to go through what I went though and come out the same person. When you’re in cancer treatment with the same people every day, some who are terminal, you wonder why it wasn’t you. It’s important for me to take the message out that early diagnosis saved my life and I had no symptoms of cancer. It was found on a routine exam. In Florida, someone is diagnosed with cancer every five minutes, so it’s important for people to know there are more survivors now than ever!

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.
The first thing you need to do is join a writing group. I recommend you go to an actual group and not an online one. You need to network and meet people. That’s a huge missed opportunity in the writing business. The second thing to do is hire a professional editor. I can’t tell you how many people tell me, “Oh, I don’t need an editor, my spouse said it was good.” An editor will tell you the truth but they will also know how to analyze things such as continuity problems, character development, point-of-view issues, etc. Your spouse will lie to you and say your manuscript is perfect to avoid being smothered. Then, hire a copy editor. They will make sure there are no glaring mistakes in the actual book format. You don’t want the same person doing those two jobs and most people don’t know that.
I wouldn’t say I’d do much differently than I did. One thing I do (that most people I know won’t do) is I travel two hours every month to go to one of my writing groups. It is filled with NY Times and USA Today Bestsellers. If you want to be successful as an author, you have to be with people who are more successful than you. They don’t mind sharing their knowledge. You can’t expect everything to come to you. You have to be willing to go after what you want. Lastly, I know an author who was in her 70’s when she wrote her first book and she has had several made into movies. It’s never too late to go after your dream!

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

Renee interviews author Nancy Beaule

Tags

author, books, children, Family, food, inspiration, writing

I met Nancy at a Writer’s Conference in Tampa Florida, and was impressed with her entrepreneurial career prior to writing her first children’s book. She’s working on a new young adult novel – welcome to MY genre, Nancy!

Tell me about your background. Where you grew up. Where you live now. Education. Work Experience. Share some things about yourself.

I was born in Lewiston, Maine, a mill town with a population of about 36,000, although it is the second largest city in Maine. My claim to fame is that I grew up a couple of towns away from Stephen King and was born in the same hospital as Patrick Dempsey!
I graduated from Monmouth Academy and worked as an administrative assistant for 12 years before starting my first business, a print shop. I sold the printing business in 1993, then invented a product called the Pie Saver, which are foil rings that prevent pies from burning (based on my previous frustration of cutting strips of foil, only to have them fall off!) We made them in Lewiston for ten years and were in most of the Wal-Mart distribution centers. It was an exciting time, with many highs and lows – similar to Chutes and Ladders! One time I was on QVC and had to do a live demonstration on a table outdoors, next to the ocean. The wind kicked up and was blowing the foil rings all over the place. I had only 3 minutes to do the spot, (it was very nerve-wracking) but we sold out anyway.
I sold that business in 2006 and went on to create a new food called Pizzania, a hybrid of pizza and lasagna. Kids and teenagers loved it, and I felt it would be a perfect new frozen food item in supermarkets. We had some success getting it into Sysco and other distributors, however, producing small batches and delivery from Maine was cost-prohibitive and required too much capital to sustain a frozen food business.
And now I have published four children’s books, geared toward ages 3 – 10 (K – 3rd grade). My background is a bit uncommon for an author, but being an entrepreneur has given me the opportunity to wear many different hats along the way.
My husband and I (married 42 years) are now snowbirds, living in Florida during the winter months and spending summers at our camp on Tacoma Lakes in Maine. We have two children, a son and his family in Maine and a daughter and her children in Orlando, so feel blessed we spend equal time with each family, and especially the grandchildren!

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

I have always believed in healthy eating, especially amongst children. I’ll admit I cringe when I see a family with kids in the grocery store and their cart is piled high with junk food. I believe in the 80/20 rule, both for adults and kids — if you eat right 80% of the time you can still indulge in something sweet, or whatever treat you enjoy. For instance, I live a healthy lifestyle, but don’t take my daily ice cream away!
I started writing for my grandchildren and came up with a carrot named Chompy who gets super-power eyesight from drinking Chompy Juice, made from carrots. The kids love the exciting adventures of Chompy and his Munchy Bunch pals, especially the evil Candybar. The books also have a subtle nutritional message (carrots give super eyesight; Candybar loses a tooth from eating jelly beans, etc.). I sometimes bring a food group wheel to schools, which is very popular with the kids. They spin the dial and place the food they select into the proper food group.
I am also currently writing my first YA novel, a romance mystery based on a summer camp in Maine in 1972.

What has been your biggest challenge or obstacle.

Marketing! I am a natural introvert, so networking is a struggle for me. I am most comfortable in my office writing, rather than going to meetings or attending social functions. I know I am not unique to this challenge, as many writers are introverted. But I keep working at it!

What has been your biggest “aha” moment and success.

I would have to say when one of the schools made Chompy Juice for all of the kids, and they were pretending their eyes were bugging out. They were so excited about the stories and telling me how much they loved them. It was fun.

What author do you like to read? What books have had a strong influence in you and your writing.

For fiction, I like mysteries by James Patterson, Nicholas Sparks, John Grisham; I also love biographies such as John McCain’s “Faith of my Fathers” or Christopher Reeves’ “Nothing is Impossible,” – I find peoples’ stories fascinating!

Do you write every single day? Any writing rituals.

Almost every day! I created my own reward system — if I have time to watch a favorite TV show, then I have time to write; in other words I can’t watch the show until I have written a certain number of words each day. I also think about the characters and story of my YA novel, even when I’m not writing.

What are your interests outside of writing?

I love nature and anything outdoors — fishing, camping, swimming. I go on every roller coaster with my grandson, even went sky diving for my 50th birthday! Also enjoy baking, reading and anything with the grandkids.

Share some tips for other authors or aspiring authors. Please share anything you think would be beneficial to those reading this.

I started my writing journey two years ago and took very helpful on-line courses through “Writestorybooksforchildren.com” — They occasionally offer deeply discounted rates, so I took advantage of those rates at the time. I also find a book called “The Emotion Thesaurus” invaluable — it’s becoming dog-eared so we know it’s getting used. I also got my first book illustrated very inexpensively through a site called Fiverr.com — they offer all kinds of services starting at only $5.

 

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