Meet and Greet for GUTGAA

I am participating in a blogfest called Gearing Up To Get An Agent or GUTGAA. There is a box on the right if you want to check out the GUTGAA blogfest site.  I thought it would be fun.  As far as trying to get an agent goes I haven't done much in this area yet and since I am always trying to stretch myself, I'm in.  So below you will see a mini bio and the answers to some questions I need to answer to participate!

About Me:

I am a wife and mother of 2. My house is usually filled with high school and college kids eating, swimming and consuming large quantities of Starbucks. Up until recently I was a closet writer. I never told anyone including my husband that I heard voices in my head. You know, the kind that become full blown characters?  Not the kind that tell you to do bad things.=) I'm kind of a late bloomer when it comes to all this even though I have been writing my whole life.  I never wanted to show anyone and then when I finally did I was hooked.

Reading has always been my activity of choice and my escape.  I love books, characters, a good story and there is nothing better than an amazing hero.  I am a nerdgirl from way back.  I love superheroes, Harry Potter, and musicals. I have a lot of useless information in my head. Trivia that means nothing to anyone but occasionally comes in handy when watching Jeopardy.

I am not complicated and I spend a ton of time on my computer attempting to get my characters to do what I want while they spend their time showing me why it's better when they are in charge.

-Where do you write?

I am blessed to have an office that is off in a corner of the house across from the laundry room. You would think it would make getting the laundry done easier but instead the laundry in there continues to multiply at an alarming rate.  Sad but true.

-Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first thing you see?

My bulldog Brutus.  Snoring away as usual.

-Favorite time to write?

I am a morning person so always earlier is better.  In the evening even simple decisions like what to watch on TV becomes difficult so I usually go to bed and read.

-Drink of choice while writing?

I used to be a soda addict.  Pepsi, Coke or Dr. Pepper out of the fountain was it!  But I have lost 40ish pounds in the last year or so and soda is out now.  So Unsweetened Iced Tea is my drink of choice now or water with some Energy Mio is good too!

-When writing , do you listen to music or do you need complete silence?

Complete silence is the only way I can write.  I do listen to classical in the car when I am plotting or dealing with a tricky point I am trying to resolve.

-What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?

I just finished my first book and I'm not sure where the inspiration came from but I remember wondering what it must be like for a family who has lost someone to a serial killer.  What happened to them after?  Especially the siblings.  That is what my main character is dealing with. The loss of her older sister and the fear and scrutiny that comes with such a public situation. Then of course the real trouble starts when she realizes the killer is after her next.

-What's your most valuable writing tip?

As a new writer I am not sure if anything I know would be valuable but I think the best thing a writer can do is make the writing a priority.  Set aside time everyday to write and take your writing seriously.