Please Welcome The Newest Activity Leader!

Introducing the newest Activity Leader

Lady Editor

Lady Editor and I will be teaming up together to bring you new contests, and other fun things to do! You'll be seeing new columns that will hopefully help you with your stories. Now if you have anything you'd like to see from us feel free to contact us and we'll talk about it! We're very excited about the upcoming things that will be happening and look forward to helping you!

Here are some questions that Lady Editor answered so this way you can know all about her!

1.Where did you grow up?

I grew up in the mountains of North Georgia. I’ve never really loved the city (I lived in Griffin, GA for about two years); so I will probably stay where I am until the day I die.

2.What is the first thing you remember that perked your interest in writing?

My Dad was always attempting to write this or that, so he pretty much encouraged me from a young age. I always wanted my Dad’s attention, so to have him read my work always seemed to perk me.

3.Did you go to college/university?

I have recently attended Appalachian Technical College; I plan to further my education as I continue on in life. I want to attend North Georgia College, which is a four year institution that my great-grandmother went to.

4.If so, what was your major?

Accounting and Administrative Office. My Dad said that they were hard, so I wanted to prove what I was made of. I graduated this June with two diplomas, two degrees, and two certificates; my GPA was 3.94 (I made two B’s).

5.Outside of college, how have you educated yourself beyond secondary school?

I am addicted to reading anything and everything history. I can pick up a book on anything ranging from the Amazons to the Zeppelin and be remarkably enthralled. If there’s a chance that I can learn anything from reading something, I want to learn it.

6.How's the weather?

Oh, a wee bit chilly, since it’s dark outside, but predict that the sun will liven things up in a bit.

7.What's your favorite color?

Black. It goes with everything, so I like to wear it as often as possible. Also, some of the most beautiful creatures are black, so that’s definitely a big plus. I love animals.

8.Food?

I like many kinds of food, but if I have to answer I will definitely go with a good, ol’ juicy hamburger.

9.Pastime?

Other than writing and reading, I enjoy spending my time any way possible with my family. Whether it’s playing a video game, arguing politics, or watching something on TV, being with them is always a treat.

10.Music?

I enjoy listening to classical music, such as Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven; I also enjoy classic rock, such as The Eagles, The Beatles, The Supremes; I also like country, such as Dolly Pardon, Reba McEntire, and Alan Jackson; and I also like some so-called modern music as well, such as The Veronicas, Coldplay, and Josh Groban. I wouldn’t necessarily call Josh Groban modern, but he hasn’t been around that long, so I figure: might as well.

11. Writer?

Ooooh. Toughie. Alive, I would have to go with Dean Koontz, Michael Crichton, or Nicholas Sparks; Dead, I would have to go with Daphne Du Maurier, Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, or J. R. R. Tolkien. Mainly, I read old literature, but I’m always open to reading new literature.

12. TV show?

Currently, I’m enjoying Fringe, starring Joshua Jackson. I never would have thought that I would enjoy a Joshua Jackson show! I also like Dr. Who, with David Tennant. His character fueled my NaNoWriMo last year.

13 .Movie?

My favorite movie of all time would have to be The Wizard of Oz or Its A Wonderful Life. I’ve been watching them for years and years and I still enjoy them.

14. Book?

A tossup between “Jamaica Inn” by Maurier and “And then there were none” by Christie.

15.Poem?

“When I have fears that I may cease to be” – John Keats

Info about your Writing :

1.When did you first begin to write?

I began writing when I was very young…so young that I don’t know if I were born writing, to be honest. I remember writing a story at the kitchen table with a few of my sisters (who also enjoy writing) about a princess being turned into a rabbit and her mother coming in and tossing her out the window. For some reason, my sisters laughed at this. I still don’t understand what was so funny.

2.What kind of stories do you prefer to write?

I prefer to write anything that happens to pop into my mind; can’t say as though all of what pops into my mind is worthy, but it’s best to write it than to have it pop into my mind again.

3.Fiction or non-fiction?

Fiction is usually the way to go, since non-fiction requires research. I have nothing against non-fiction, since I read history books all of the time, so maybe one of these days I will write something that could fit into the non-fiction category.

4.Have you published anything?

No. I keep hearing that I should, but when I write it is for pleasure—not in hopes of being published. Sure, it would be fine to be published, but I simply don’t feel as if I’m ready.

5.What is your reaction when the muse visits? Drop everything and write it down or tuck it away in memory and write it later?

Depends on if I’m in range of something to write it down on; if not, I will have to save it for later. My muse tends to bother me at work, when I’m busy; but he always calls on me again later.

6 .Do you consider yourself a spontaneous writer or do you tend to plan things out in advance?

Pfft! Plan? Me? I love the spontaneity of the moment! Do you plan loving someone? No. It just happens, and, in that, lies the difference between enjoying life and wishing it were over before it had actually begun. Life is spontaneous; I attempt to capture such spontaneity.

7. How does reading other authors affect your writing skills?

Ooooh. My Dad has always said that writer’s read, so I took his advice and have proved that he is right. I can study other writers; understand why they used a simile here, a simile there; a semicolon here, a semicolon there. Why did they describe the scene this way? Why not that way? After all of that, I look at my work and wonder if there is indeed a way to improve it.

8. When you sit down to write something is it fun or work?

Fun! I can’t force my muse to work, I know. I’ve tried that before. What usually comes out then is gobbledy-gook. We usually meet in the morning before work, or in the evening after work—sometimes we even have an occasional office romance. If I force my muse, he’ll just stop altogether and we won’t meet up for hours upon hours later—maybe even days.

9. How do you get past writers block?

Oh-ho! With me, I take a break from writing and find myself something to read. Usually I’m inspired by what I read, especially if I learn something while reading, so I write a story revolving around what it is that I learned.

10. What feeds your desire to continue writing?

Well, I hate to say this, but: I hear voices. Yes. Voices. They are so quiet and I know that I’m the only one who can hear them, so I feel that the only way to quiet them down is to write what it is they’re telling me to write. On top of voices, I have images play in my head; and I have dreams that are so interesting that I must write them down, lest I forget them.

11.Who are your influences?

My influences are my Dad, although he will probably never be published; and Stephen King, who I read only very little of but admired once I read “On Writing.” He had so many rejections from publishing companies, but he didn’t stop because he loved to write. I love to write; being published comes second.

12.How do you know when your story is finished?

To me, a story is finished when the voices die away and fades like the breeze over a hill of emerald green—never to be heard again.

General things about you

1.Hobbies?

I enjoy reading, writing, hanging out with my family, and attempting to understand the world around me in as three-dimensional of an aspect as possible.

2.Pets?

A Chihuahua, Daphne. She’s simply adorable!

3.Talents?

Well, I feel that writing is one of them. Also, I can fake numerous accents and make people laugh.

4.Jobs?

I am currently working as an Administrative Aide with the Adult Education Department at Appalachian Technical College. Before that, I was a work study at the college. I’ve never worked anywhere else.

5.What advice would you give to growing writers?

The only advice I feel that I can give is: never give up. Even though the road ahead may seem foreboding at times and you feel weary, there is a story to be written—you have only to call out to it. Once you do, you will need only to keep its company until you find another story…and then another…and then another. Who knows, you may also befriend a poem or two and maybe even a novel. Just don’t give up. Never give up.

Thank you Lady Editor for all of your help and dedication to Storywrite!