Blog Tour Award!

I can’t imagine a time when a rush of emotions — gratitude, surprise, wonder, awe — won’t wash over me when fantastic bloggers nominate me for an award. A warm thanks to my fellow writers, Mandi and Ameena!

Rules:

• Compose a one-time post on a specific Monday (date given from your nomination — I was given March 23rd 😛 got it in right on time)

• Give them the rules and a specific Monday to post by – lets go with Monday March 30, 2015

• Pass the tour on up to four other bloggers.

• Answer four questions about your creative process which lets other bloggers and visitors know what inspires you to do what you do.

INTERVIEW TIME

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT:

• This (lol) and another chapter in my YA contemporary, which involves a neurotic teen who suspects a teacher of being a pedophile.

HOW DOES YOUR WORK DIFFER FROM OTHERS IN YOUR GENRE:

• Oh, wow, um . . . I don’t necessarily compare or contrast myself to other writers. I just transcribe a segment of my characters’ lives and learn along the way with them. I take what I do seriously, but still have fun with it, and don’t expect anyone else to do the hard work for me. I read, watch, listen, dream, invent, reinvent, twist, and turn. Like many, if I see something or someone go right, I’ll explore the left path. I’m not worried about being different; I’m concerned with bringing more attention to certain things, letting more voices be heard, and plowing more of the fiction field.

WHY DO YOU WRITE OR CREATE WHAT YOU DO:

• I write because I don’t understand certain things that I want to understand. I write to delve deeper into the things I know. I write to soar above and crash below. I write to see, feel, hear, taste, touch, speak, connect. I write because these words, these characters, these plot points mean something. I write to create and destroy. I write because I can’t not write. It isn’t always fun or easy. It can be downright torturous sometimes. But I have things to share through my written works.

HOW DOES YOUR WRITING/CREATIVE PROCESS WORK:

• Pre-writing: Inspiration or the perfect ideas can come from anywhere — but one consistent factor for me is water. Whether it be washing the plates, swimming, or taking a shower, I get a lot of ideas, plan out a lot of ideas, and work through a lot of writing ruts by being immersed in water.

• Drafts, Edits, and Revisions: I wish I could say I always free write and put off editing until the second draft, but I’d be lying. I connect the bones, add the internal organs, put in the muscle and fat, replace those muscles and fat, replace them again, then add the skin, cut the thing open to replace some of those organs, and then sew it back up. That’s when it really gets fun — when I can put my creation on a treadmill (put it through an intense stress test), work out the kinks, and finally dress it up. Call me Dr. Frankenstein.

• Throughout the process: I get help/constructive criticism from beta readers, freelance editors, and authors.

MY LOVELY NOMINEES:

It’s my pleasure to pass on this award to you . . .

• Our Rumbling Ocean

• Millie

• Jin Okubo

• Y. Zheng