Blogfest 2009

My books have been banned, sometimes overtly (like a school board refuses to allow them on reading lists, despite the request of teachers) or quietly (like when the powers-that-be refuse to order the book because of its “edgy” content, but don’t make a public issue of it). I prefer when the book banning is made public, because then I can defend the book and the teens’ right to read it, and so can others.

Give up writing, you mean? Never. It’s the other things, the things that get in the way of writing, that I’d like to give up, like cleaning the house, going to work, buying groceries etc. I’d never give up writing, because it’s my favorite thing to do, next to being with my loved ones.

Great question!  I’d love to be able to teleport (like in the movie Jumper) and time travel at the same time.  I’d just think of a place and a time period – and bam! – I’d be there.  I would love to visit ancient societies, to be present at momentous historic events, and even to hang out with my grandparents when they were teens!

I’m sure I wrote a lot of stories in my early years, but the one that stands out in my memory is a short story I wrote in grade six called, The Obsession. It was about a woman in her twenties who gets stalked and kidnapped by a madman, but manages to escape. At the end of the story, it’s clear that he’ll be back… I realize that’s a disturbing topic for a sixth grader but I got an A+ on it, and that motivated me to keep writing.