Fun Article Questions!

Hi all! I was asked to answer questions for an article by my fellow (and amazing) author Veda Boyd Jones, and I thought I'd share my reply with you! (Since there is still no news...) The article will appear in Children's Writer sometime soon. (The date is not locked in as of yet.) Enjoy! 1. I am currently reading DANCE OF SHADOWS by Yelena Black, which is beautiful and compelling. The book I've read that constantly simmers in my subconscious is THE LIFE BEFORE HER EYES by Laura Kasischke. A novel centered around a character's brief life and untimely death, TLBHE is what I call a 'perfect book'. It's theme of what-would-you-think-of-in-your-last-moment-on-earth haunts me, but also reminds me to live every day in a loving, purposeful way. The writing is incredible - each page is an indulgence for me as a reader. Kasischke is a poetic master. 2. I primarily read Young Adult books, but I mix in a lot of adult books, both fiction and non-fiction. And with five grandchildren in my familial mix, I find I'm reading aloud about kittens and puppies one minute before curling up with a delicious mystery (those are just for me) the next. The truth is, my reading is nothing short of eclectic. Which suits me because I love it all! 3. Why do I read the types of books I read? I think I devour a rainbow of books because there are many sides to me as a person. Reading about history fascinates me since today is interconnected with yesterday, and I live for those 'aha' moments when a causality clicks into place. I love getting lost in a romance or pitting my mind against the author of a great mystery. (Kudos to the writer who can fool me - a fist pump when that happens!) I find I get completely and emotionally drawn into an author's alternate world: when Rue died in THE HUNGER GAMES, I wept through an entire box of Kleenex. I'm talking a Mount Rushmore pile of crumpled white tissue by my side, which was doubled when I read the epilogue of MOCKINGJAY. Every day I plow through our newspaper (I also keep up online) so that I can grasp our political and international landscape, but at the same time I'll confess to gobbling up each installment of TWILIGHT, actually standing in those long midnight lines. So for me, reading is like a well-balanced meal - I eat my veggies, but I always include dessert! 4. Yes, I belong to a book club with my daughter. It's so much fun to unpack the meaning of a book with others! Plus (surprise!) I love to talk. But I clamp my lips tight when someone describes a passage that particularly resonated with her, because as an author I make it a point to listen to what touches a reader. That's an author's gold! 5. My favorite magazine is Psychology Today, but I loves me some People Magazine (gossiping about celebrities doesn't count, right?) as well as assorted news magazines and The Denver Post. 6. I read every chance I get. Since I have the privilege of working from home, I actually have to resist temptation and keep my eyes on my computer screen instead of my Kindle/hardcover/paperback novels stacked high on my desk. They sing their siren song while I try to create my own novels, and, oh, my, not reading them is like constantly dieting (I have to do that, too!). Reading is my candy - I must force myself to regulate. On a side-note, the Kindle Paperwhite saved my marriage, since it allows me to read discreetly in bed without disturbing my poor husband. (Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever gone to sleep without reading first.) I find listening to another author quiets the 'writer's voice' yammering inside my own head. The only downside is that I've been known to buy a sequel in the wee hours because I just have to know what happens next in a series and downloading on Kindle is so easy. The electronic book store is always open! 7. Since I've completed book five and am currently writing book six in my forensic mystery series, I would say THE CHRISTOPHER KILLER, THE ANGEL OF DEATH, THE CIRCLE OF BLOOD and THE DYING BREATH. 8. Reading is like breathing to me - I'd die without it! On Mar 10, 2013, at 11:18 AM, Veda Boyd Jones wrote: I've been assigned an article for Children's Writer: Reading Habits of Successful Writers. We've all said if you want to be a writer, you must first be a reader. So... 1. What are you currently reading? What's the last book you read that's still in your mind? 2. Do you read primarily adult books or books for children? 3. Why do you read the types of books you read? 4. Belong to any book clubs? 5. What about magazines and newspapers? Do you read the Wall Street Journal for financial news or People for the latest celebrity gossip to use in a book? 6. When do you read? Special time set aside or on the fly? 7. What book would you like marketed in parenthesis behind your name? 8. Any other comments about reading?