\n Welcome Mary Ann\n<\/p>\n
| \n What makes this a \u201cmust read\u201d and why?<\/strong><\/span> \n While everyone doesn\u2019t face the same problems Mandy and Erik do, we all face harsh griefs and terrors in life. By vicariously living through Mandy and Erik\u2019s struggles, readers can gather ideas and strength for coping when hard times come.<\/span>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n What do you do when you\u2019re not writing?<\/strong><\/span> | \n I teach preschool and Sunday School, sing with two choirs and occasionally sing with a civic theater musical. I enjoy reading mysteries. Cooking and baking. Pet care takes a lot of time, with a dog, two cats and two guinea pigs, all of whom enjoy quality petting sessions and frequent snacks. For exercise I like to walk in nature and swim. Playing with our four grandchildren is one of my favorite things. And, of course, I spend too much time on FaceBook and watching T.V. Occasionally I clean the house and work on the yard.<\/span>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n What is the hardest part about writing?<\/strong><\/span> | \n For me it is overcoming procrastination. If I have a specific deadline for an editor, I can work hour after hour into the night to get it done, letting other tasks slide. But for many, many years I didn\u2019t have an editor waiting, and it was easy to let the writing be the work that got put off. Easy to \u201cjust check Facebook a minute\u201d before opening the Word document, and losing a precious hour. Easy to say yes to too many projects at school and church, instead of keeping writing a priority. I still need to work at creating quiet space in my life so that I can hear the ideas when they bubble up, and note them when they do.<\/span>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Do you have advice for other writers?<\/strong><\/span> | \n If you love writing, keep working on it even when no publishers seem interested. As Martina McBride sings in \u201cAnyway,\u201d \u201cDo it anyway.\u201d When an opportunity suddenly shows up, you’ll be glad you have a project to share. Mandy\u2019s Song was rejected by publishers for many years—I haven\u2019t counted how many times—but I kept learning and kept revising it, and now it\u2019s finally out. \n Attend writers’ and book conferences, and seek out writing friends. Friends help lift you up out of rejection despair, and rejoice with each little victory. Critique group meetings give you deadlines before you have an editor. Writing friends \u201cget it\u201d when your family and other friends don\u2019t. \n Finally, Julia Cameron\u2019s exercises in \u201cThe Artist\u2019s Way\u201d helped me in many ways. Whether it\u2019s grief, discouragement, fear or lack of self-confidence, obstacles impede us from getting the writing done. I’ve learned to be gentle with myself after a death in the family, for example. My inner artist is stunned for a while, and doesn\u2019t have the joy needed to create. Be kind to yourself when needed, and firm when that\u2019s needed, as well.<\/span>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n | \n How can readers connect with you?<\/strong><\/span> \n \n <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n \n |