Tag: spotlight

Writing spotlight # 5

Posted on by T. Maxwell-Harrison

I had the chance to talk to an aspiring writer. She took the time to talk about her writing and her WordPress story a little. I was glad to meet her. She goes by the name LevBossBabe.

Hi there! I am a beginning writer from the Bay Area. I write during downtime at my job. I have no books out yet, but that is the dream! Currently, I am writing a satirical, fictional blog called Lev: Boss Babe. It is a comedy that plays on start-up culture and office hierarchies. I reflect often on the drama that comes when we realize how much time we spend working and what that does to how we see ourselves and how we see others. You can find it at Princessmushroom.com.

What are your favourite books?

I am a huge sci-fi nerd even though I am not writing anything related to the genre: I love Neil Gaiman, the Game of Thrones series, Harry Potter, Dune. I love productivity books like Atomic Habits, Getting Things Done, and The Life-Changing Joy of Tidying Up. I am currently reading Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut.

When did you know you wanted to be an author?

There was never a time where I didn’t want to be a writer. As a child, I was a precocious reader, starting with A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket.

What is your favourite part of the writing process? What is your least favourite and how do you get through it?

I love those chapters that I just seem to spit out without effort. Dialogue is important to my stories, especially inner dialogue as I jump between perspectives.

Sometimes, it can take a month to write a chapter because nothing seems good enough. I keep it pushing during those times—I made a promise to write at least 20 minutes a day, and I keep it pushing even when I feel I am putting out crap!

What is your writing routine?

I am fortunate in that I have a lot of downtime at work. I write at least 20 minutes a day, but I don’t hold back when I get into a flow state and can write for hours! Professionally, I am an administrator, so I am used to creating systems for work. I do the same with my writing: I have “funnels” for chapters, characters, and the plot in general.

How do you balance writing with the rest of your life?

I categorize goals and create weekly goals within those categories aka Getting Things Done by David Allen. I always bring my kit: my notebook, laptop, calendar, paper container (not a binder!), and fancy pens wherever I go. I try to gamify all my tasks and goals to make them as satisfying as possible to complete. Finally, I am a HUGE list-maker and reflect on my goals once or twice a month to see where I can grow.

What inspires you? How do you beat writers block?

To be honest, I feel that without writing and storytelling, my life is meaningless. I don’t enjoy working and don’t care about having a career. Even if I was the last person on the world, I would write: it gives purpose to my pain and accentuates delight.

How do you keep consistent/write a lot?

See 6. I have a journal where I reflect on my habits everyday. I found that 20 minutes works for me: If flow is going to happen, it will happen in that timeframe. Also, I am incredibly blessed to have a pretty slow and flexible job with a short commute.

Also, I have learned to accept bad writing days for what they are—temporary. On those days, I write on the backs of envelopes or scraps of paper just to get something out. I only require at least 20 minutes a day, so if nothing comes out after that time frame, I don’t torture myself. Self-kindness goes a long way on bad brain days!

Does anyone read or edit your work before publication? If so, how did you find them?

My boyfriend  I am always up to making writing friends!

Can we have a sneaky look at your future plans?

Yes! I plan on developing the backgrounds and plots of the co-workers in the office! There is also a huge drama unfolding in the company… the only hint that I will provide is that it is inspired by true and recent controversies in Silicon Valley.

Finally, what advice would you give to other writers?

I have only 5 subscribers so far so I am not sure I would be considered an inspiration. Maybe one day! 😊 But I can’t imagine spending my free time doing anything else, and I treasure my small and humble beginning right now. I look forward to building a community of people who just love a good story.

https://princessmushroom.com/2021/07/21/1-the-reckoning/

Author Spotlight #4 Angela Suttner

Posted on by T. Maxwell-Harrison

Angela Suttner took the time to discuss her writing with me and how she wanted to raise awareness of such an important topic: bullying. I was excited to hear about her writing journey and what it meant to her as she had a unique story to tell. I’m sure you will all enjoy reading as much as I did.

Hi, my name is Angela Suttner, I’m 44 years old, a wife for almost 24 years and the mother of four wonderful sons. I grew up in a very small town ( pop 300) so creativity as a kid was a must to have fun!

My husband and I raise our children in the outskirts of a small river town, where we still reside. I love nature, animals and I have an obsession with weather. I’m one of those people who would love to go on a tornado chase!

I’m also a bereaved parent of five years & (almost) 5 months since we lost our second born son, Kenny. I now spend my time raising awareness and prevention against bullying and suicide ( bullycide). My hope is to help anyone who is dealing with bullying or knows of someone who is. To honor our son by saving a life, that is my ultimate goal.

Where do you live?

I live in a small river town, Glasgow, Missouri.

Why are you a writer?

As a young girl I wrote stories and poems a lot. Instead of a journal or diary, I expressed my feelings through creative writing.

I co-wrote this book to honour my son and I wanted his story told to help others. There are so many articles about my son available but I felt like Kenny, who he was, was never really talked about much. So I decided to write Kenny’s book! Kenny’s story needed to be told!

What do you enjoy about writing?

Writing is freeing in many ways for me!

Writing for me is like sitting with an old friend and just purging all that’s stirring in my mind. Writing has been a major outlet for me while struggling with the grief of losing my son.

Tell us about your most recent works

The book that I co-wrote with my dear friend Lindsay Schraad, Where The Trail Ends: The Kenny Suttner Story, was released October, 2020.

Telling my son’s story was extremely difficult and some days I wasn’t sure I would be able to complete it, but I knew in my heart I needed to accomplish this goal for Kenny, myself and with so much hope of helping others.

I also maintain a blog post. There I talk about day to day struggles with loss, grief and bullying /suicide.

If you could write a book in a new genre, which would you choose?

Supernatural

Do you have any role models or people who inspired you to write?

My biggest supporter who inspired me to share my writing with the world is my co-author, Lindsay Schraad. Without her I would have never had the courage to share my son with the world!

Are you working on anything at the moment?

I am, I have a good start on a new project about the paranormal and hauntings based mostly on my own past experiences.

Where can people buy your books?

Where The Trail Ends: The Kenny Suttner Story, is available on Amazon, paperback and kindle.

What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?

My advice would be to just keep writing.. I know I had days when I doubted myself, questioned whether or not our book would be well received. But I can honestly say that once the book was released the sense of relief was amazing. Accomplishing something I set my mind on was an award in itself.

My hope is that Where The Trail Ends: The Kenny Suttner Story ends up in the hands of those who need to know they are not alone.

Where the Trail Ends: The Kenny Suttner Story https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08M2HBCYT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6WYTAPZYAFDEZWPN4K1B

Angela was happy to be a part of this interview and I thank her for her time. I am so grateful that we have authors who are raising awareness for important issues, because we need that now more than ever. You will enjoy her book and I encourage you to support this. Thank you for reading and as usual have a wonderful day.