Thursday, August 25, 2011

Aspiring Author Thursday: Introducing Abby Fowers

Oh, Abby. Where do I begin? You are so full of awesome! :D  I was so excited when I found out she was writing books. We grew up pretty close to each other and it has been SO much fun hanging out with her and reading her work! :D  Anyway, check out her blog and give her a follow. She is so awesome!



When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?

Oh goodness... I guess I showed signs of it ever since elementary school. I loved writing stories for school and always did well on them. The desire and love for reading and writing just grew from there until one day I just couldn't deny it any more. I had to go for it. It was probably during high school or shortly after when I REALLY KNEW that I wanted to do it though.

I love it how so many writers knew they loved to write way back in elementary school. I can honestly say I wasn't one of them. I wish I had been! :)

Do you have a writing schedule, or do you just sit down whenever you get a spare moment?

I am working on a writing schedule. It mostly comes around nap time and bed time. I get more accomplished when my kids are asleep. However, my writing time will be cut in half once school starts because I have to fit homework into the schedule too. Ugh. I wonder if it will be worth it. Hopefully I can manage time for both.

I can't believe you do all you do. You are freaking super-woman!

Could you tell us a little about yourself? Random facts? Hidden talents?

Oh gosh, you should probably ask someone else this question. LOL. Um, I definitely have the gift of gab. I have been given the Gabby Abby award by more than one teacher. Luckily they still liked me through all my talking. I have tried to crochet but can't manage to do anything more than a washcloth. I really love photography. I even went into business with it for a while but then decided that it took all of the fun out of it. So now I keep it all hobby and all fun.

LOL! Gabby Abby. It fits you! ;)

If you were stranded on a desert island, what is one thing you couldn't live without? (Besides your family and a laptop of course.)

Chocolate. Seriously, if I don't have chocolate on a regular basis then bad things start to happen. If life ever gets really ugly, my husband gets a scary phone call warning him that he better bring home Haagen Dazs chocolate peanut butter ice cream. I never really choose just PLAIN chocolate. (Where's the fun in that?) I love chocolate with peanut butter and chocolate with nuts. YUM! And if I didn't have it to help me through my loneliness on the island, I'd have to see how long I lasted in the ocean. :) Also, one of my favorite sayings is... "There is nothing wrong with me that a little chocolate can't fix."

Chocolate ice cream with nuts is the best. I'm also a huge fan of chocolate brownie. Drool ...

What is one book you could read over and over and over?

Just one? Hmmm, right now lets just say the HUNGER GAMES. I don't think that book (or that series) will ever get old. Brilliant!

I'm in love with those books too.

What book are you dying to read this year?

I am really dying to read about anything that is NOT on my English reading list this semester. However, I am excited to read NEXT DOOR BOYS by Jolene Perry, INHERITANCE by Christopher Paolini, THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett, and a new book I just won by Donna Hatch, called QUEEN IN EXILE. (I know that's more than one, but is there ever really just one?)

Shout out to Jolene! I LOVE HER!! :D And her book does look awesome. How long have we waited for Inheritance to come out? Hasn't it been like years? Grrr.... I am excited to read it though. :)

What genre do you write and why?

The cursed question! I like too many things! Okay, I write children's books, but when it comes to MG or YA I LOVE fantasy and dystopian. That's just how my brain works, but there is always something else lurking in the shadows waiting to make it's way into my laptop!

I so wish I could write middle-grade. I can't nail that voice though. :P

Do you have any writing rituals? Music, silence, eating, etc.

Silence is best for me right now, but music also inspires me. I am going to experiment with some film scores and see if it's for better or worse.

I love film scores. Try Inception's. I LOVE it.

Where do you come up with your ideas? Dreams, while driving, etc?

Mostly just from life in general and day dreaming! I am a huge day dreamer. I also get a lot of ideas from songs or just from being with my kids, listening and paying attention to other kids and what is going on in their lives and what moves them. However, a lot of my day dreaming happens while driving. Just ask my husband. All of a sudden I will pop out with some out of the blue question like, "What's a short sword called? Not a dagger... that's a knife. I want it to be a sword, but a short one." The look on his face is priceless.

Ha ha ha!! It's so fun to surprise the hubby with a random question or fact. Hilarious.

Any advice for other aspiring authors?

Don't give up. Breaking into the writing business isn't easy. And I think with the economy agents and publishers are being extremely picky. So don't give up. Just be open and learn from your mistakes and continue to practice and make your writing better. ALSO, don't give in to peer pressure. Write the novel that YOU want to write and that you will be proud of, because at the end of the day, that's all that really matters. (This doesn't mean you can't still learn from your critique group and use their advice. They are SO important!)

Great advice. :)

Random Writing Question: If you could meet any character in a book, who would it be and why?

I was going to say Dumbledore because he's brilliant, but I'm going to have to go with Mr. Darcy from Pride & Prejudice, but ONLY if he'll choose me over Elizabeth Bennett. Mr. Darcy is SEXY and as of this evening I am taking SEXY Darcy over brilliant Dumbledore. Sad but true. :)

Thanks so much Chantele! This has been fun!
LOVE your answer! Mr. Darcy is totally hot. I'd take him over Dumbledore as well! ;) And thank you so much for letting me interview you! :)

Also, I've been interviewed over at Kristin Lynn Thetford's blog. Click here to check it out. :)

24 comments:

Jade @ Chasing Empty Pavements said...

I love Abby too! She is super amazing and sweet. I can't wait to read her future book someday!

Jessie Humphries said...

I am glad to know Abby a little better. I feel like we are becoming besties and I have never even met her! Thanks for the fun interview:)

Michelle Merrill said...

Great interview! And I'm SO excited for Inheritance to finally come out. It has definitely been too long :)

Abby sounds like fun! I'm headed to her blog now.

Angela Cothran said...

I totally jealous that you know Abby in real life :) She is so funny and sweet. I loved her answers. Thanks for the interview :)

Maggie said...

Oh, the mixture of peanut butter and chocolate is my own form of heaven!

Jenny S. Morris said...

I'm going to join in the Abby is AWESOME party. I love the Gabby Abby, I'm sure your teachers loved you.

Abby Fowers said...

Thanks everyone for the support - you guys are so awesome and sweet! I couldn't make it through this without all the support that everyone gives.

Chantele, thanks so much for letting me be interviewed on your blog! It was super fun and I am feeling "special" today! YAY!

I know guys...We have all been waiting for Inheritance for way too long! I wish the time would move faster... we're almost there!

Katie Dodge said...

I agree about the chocolate thing. When I'm desperate and don't have anything in the house, I melt chocolate chips and a some peanut butter together. So. Good.
Well done Abby and Chantele! Can't wait to see you all!:D

Sarah Tokeley said...

Chantele, I think it was you that introduced me to Abby in the first place, so thanks for that.

And a gal that likes chocolate and peanut butter together is my kind of gal!

Abby Fowers said...

Glad we're all chocolate lovers Katie. I'll make us a yummy treat for our next get together. (ok, not tonite but the next one!) ;) lol

Shari said...

Nice to meet you Abby! Hi Chantele. I'm a fellow Campaigner. Hope to get to know you better over the next few weeks!

Ruth Josse said...

Yay Abby! She is sooo nice and I love her enthusiasm. It's contagious!

Abby Fowers said...

Nice to meet you too Shari! The campaigning stuff is great! Thanks Ruth! You are too cute!

Samantha May said...

I love Abby's blog! This was a great post :)

Samantha

Jolene Perry said...

Abby - You're so sweet. Just for that I'll send you one in the mail :D

THANKS CHANTELE!!

We all meet such awesome people here, and WAY fun to get to know more about you Abby!!

Anonymous said...

Your writing schedule sounds a lot like mine. Great interview!

Anonymous said...

It's so hard to fit all those things into life. Good on you for making it work!

Abby Fowers said...

Thanks everyone! And Jolene if you are for real I will throw a party! Whoot-whoot! I am WAY excited for that book to come out and always love to do a shout out for a fellow author!

Small Town Shelly Brown said...

I used to like Abby...
Now I LOVE ABBY!

You are so darn cute!

Cally Jackson said...

Great interview! Abby, I love your advice to fellow writers - be true to your own story. I'm going to take this on board as I enter the world of beta reading. I haven't read Hunger Games yet (yes, I live under a rock) but I want to and this just makes me want to read it even more!

(By a fellow campaigner!)

Kristin Baker said...

Abby's so much fun! And I'm totally showing up at her doorstep one day with chocolate and peanut butter.

Carla said...

Great interview! I just "met" Abby and agree--she is amazing! I loved the Hunger Games too!

Carla

Abby Fowers said...

Ah, Shelly- give me a scare! lol

Cally - you definitely need to read Hunger Games. It's wonderful.And being true to your story is so important. I'm excited to be campaigning with you!

Kristin - you bring the chocolate and peanut butter and I will bring you some crazy tights! :)

Peggy Eddleman said...

Hahaha! I love that the answer to what book are you dying to read this year was anything that is NOT on the English reading list! Funny how something being required takes all the fun out of it.

Great interview!