Tag: storytelling

Interview with Prolific Playwright

Headshot.TS.259x300TS: Adam Szymkowicz, a published playwright and employed by The Juilliard School, asked to interview me, while wearing my playwright hat.  I was happy to oblige and hope that you will visit his blog to read the entire article.  Most of all, I hope it entertains you.

INTERVIEW * Trisha Sugarek, Playwright, director, actor * by Adam Szymkowicz

AS: What are you working on now?

Transgendered teensA ten minute play, for the classroom, about transgender teens. I have written 26 of these scripts addressing real life issues in a teen’s life such as, Bullying, running away, drugs, teen dating violence, cutting and suicide.

 AS: Tell me, if you will, a story from your childhood that explains who you are as a writer or as a person.

As a writer: I grew up, before television, at my mother’s knee. She told wonderful stories of her growing up, in the wild forests of Washington state, with her 13 siblings. I have written 3 stage plays and 2 novels based on these true stories. Continue reading “Interview with Prolific Playwright”

My Momma Always said, Life is Like A Box…. (part 7)

Words.….a Box of Words.  this popular series is for all of you out there that love the English language as much as I do.  Especially stumbling over a word I have never heard or used.  I am fascinated with the origin of words such as:

 

Forest Gump, WordsCracker,  I’ve only heard it used as a derogatory term for Caucasian people. To imply an ignorant hillbilly or worse depending upon who was using it. (Well, yes, the obvious generic term for those tasty, crunchy squares that we can’t resist.)     When in fact it is an endearing term used for the COWBOYS of Florida (past and present)  who are adept at the use of a whip.  The cattle in Florida are trained to obey the ‘crack’ of the cowboy’s’ whip and hence the term ‘cracker’.  Did you know that Florida has the largest number of cattle in the USA?  You’d of thought, Texas.  But you’d be wrong.

Beeline, “I made a beeline for the car, Continue reading “My Momma Always said, Life is Like A Box…. (part 7)”

Interview with Jennifer Ryan, Author (part 2)

Part 2  An Interview with NY Times best selling author, Jennifer RyanJ.Ryan.photo

Q. Who or what is your “Muse” at the moment ?

A. Let’s just say I’ve got a very active imagination….an idea sparks from a song, a show, a book, a conversation with family and friends, seeing a couple on the street, overhearing a conversation in a restaurant…I can find a story in just about anything. Once that spark hits, my mind takes off.

Q. When did you begin to write seriously?

A. In 2005 when my 2 kids were in school and I had some free time. I learned I was pregnant with my daughter and not going back to work anytime soon, so I turned to writing as something to fill my time, give me a sense of accomplishment, and doing something that was just for me that I loved.

Q. How long after that were you published?

A. It took five years and a lot of rejections from publishers and agents. Believe me, I have a stack of them, but I kept at it, always learning and honing my craft. I kept submitting even after those rejections with the hope that I’d find that person who loved what I wrote. I found several and used their support and encouragement to find my publisher. Continue reading “Interview with Jennifer Ryan, Author (part 2)”

Interview with Author, Jennifer Ryan

TS:  To say that Jennifer Ryan writes ‘romance’ novels would be doing her a disservice.  Her good, solid stories are about good, solid people with a little romance and some modern day ranch life and cowboys is more accurate.  I love her stories and so when she agreed to this interview I was thrilled!

J.Ryan.photoQ. Where do you write? Do you have a special room, shed, barn, special space for your writing?  Or tell us about your ‘dream’ work space.

A. I have two writing spaces. My “office” is in my kitchen. I love the little table in my breakfast nook with the windows all around looking out at the backyard, pool, and garden. The second place I write is off the kitchen in the small living room. Sometimes I just want to sit on the sofa with my feet up, a movie on the TV I’ve seen a dozen times ten times turned down low in the background, and type away, lost in the story.

Q. Do you have any special rituals when you sit down to write? (a neat work space, sharpened #2 pencils, legal pad, cup of tea, glass of brandy, favorite pajamas, etc.)

A. I’m a creature of habit. I write every day. For the most part, I’m focused on the work, the story, my characters. But I do love to have a cup of tea, cookies or chocolate. I’m pretty sure I keep the Hershey’s company in business.

Q. Could you tell us something about yourself that we might not already know?

A. I started writing when I was pregnant with my daughter Jenna. I named the heroine of my first book, Ryan.photo..32.58 (Small)Saved by the Rancher, after her.

Q. Do you have a set time each day to write or do you write only when you are feeling creative?

A. With 3 kids, I need to stick to a schedule (that whole creature of habit thing). During the school year, I sit down to write after I drop the kids at their respective schools. I work until 11 AM, hit the treadmill, shower, have a snack, then back to work until it’s time to pick the kids up from school. I eat lunch in the car while I wait at each school. Once home, it’s snack time for the kids and homework. I work until dinner. Cook. Then if I’m on a roll for the day, I’ll work into the evening. Other nights, I’m on the couch with my husband watching one of our favorite shows. On the weekends, I work from the time I get up through the evening with short breaks for meals and doing stuff with the kids. There’s a lot of stops and starts, but I’m used to that. Life happens, but I love seeing the story in my head come together on the screen.

Q. What’s your best advice to other writers for overcoming procrastination?

A. Oh, how I love to procrastinate. That’s why I’ve set up a routine. Some days I write for hours. Others I may only get an hour done. The thing is, I make time for it each and every day. Even if I only get a few lines or paragraphs down, I’ve made progress. Over time it adds up.

Cover.J.Ryan..ScanQ. Do you ‘get lost’ in your writing and for how long?

A. Yes. I love those days. The story seems to fly across the page – though it takes hours. The satisfaction I feel from a day of great writing can’t be described. It’s such a relief to have the story out of my head and on the page. If my husband is off with the kids hiking or dirt biking, I can write all day without interruption.

Q. Who or what is your “Muse” at the moment ?

A. Let’s just say I’ve got a very active imagination…..
Don’t miss Part 2 on Tuesday

and….Coming Soon! my REVIEW of ‘Her Lucky Cowboy’ released later this month!

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DON’T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS featuring INTERVIEWS with  best-selling AUTHORS!     Jennifer Ryan,(Aug.), Grant Blackwood (Tom Clancy) Sept. and Julia London.
Don’t Miss it!  A bonus Interview with Iconic comic book writer, Chuck Dixon, in September.
Coming Soon! Don’t miss my Reviews of Sue Grafton’s ” X “ , the newest Kinsey Millhone mystery  and Jennifer Ryan’s newest release.
To receive a free audio book and my  blog, blogs, blogger, writer, author, playwright, books, plays,fiction  sign up!  On the home page, enter your email address.  I love comments!  Take the time to write one at the bottom of the post.

Tom Clancy * Under Fire by Grant Blackwood * A Review

reviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writing Rating: 5 out of 5 quills A Review  UNDER FIRE by Grant Blackwood
for Tom Clancy

When I interview Grant Blackwood later this year, my burning question will be:  ‘how do you write so well that we believe the iconic Tom Clancy is really the one putting pen to paper?  These authors who write after the death of a beloved writer, like Ludlum, Parker, Fleming or Clancy, are really talented.  To be able to put their unique ‘voice’ on the shelf and write so successfully for another author?  It boggles this writer’s mind!

I’m the first to admit that espionage, shoot ’em ups are not my favorite pleasure read.  But UNDER FIRE engaged me from the start with its beautiful balance of modern politics, terrorist groups, and organizations like the CIA and even more covert groups. The story moves at a good clip and I didn’t want to skip ahead.  Continue reading “Tom Clancy * Under Fire by Grant Blackwood * A Review”

‘Writers! Never Give Up!’ said the mouse ….

courage, writing, creating, writers, bravery,      Sometimes the business of writing is like the mouse trap; ready to snap our heads off in an instant!  Like this brave little mouse, never give up on yourself.  Believe in yourself and your writing and  put your helmet on and get back in the game!

(A year and a half later visitors are still reading this post, so I thought it deserved another airing.)

What prompted the idea of the helmet?  (what prompts you to write? and about what?) Did the little mouse see his grandpa die by mouse trap?  (are you writing about something you heard, saw, witnessed?) Where did the mouse get the helmet? And how did he know that trap-bar hitting hard surface of helmet equaled safety?  (are you researching your facts thoroughly?)  Or did the mouse listen to a folk tale at his mother’s knee, passed down from generation to generation, about a brave ancestor who foiled the mouse trap?

Like the piece of cheese, it will all be worth it in the end.  Continue reading “‘Writers! Never Give Up!’ said the mouse ….”

Coming Soon! Interview with a comic book writer legend…

Big Bang Theory
Comic Store – The Big Bang Theory

I want to run into Stuart’s comic book store and yell, ‘I’m interviewing Chuck Dixon!’

COMING IN SEPTEMBER! My Interview with iconic, comic book writer, Chuck Dixon. Writer for Batman, the Avenger, and many more legendary characters. He also wrote for many years for the TV hit animation, The Simpsons.

a.Dixon.BATman.CoverWhen I asked him,  Chuck, you are such an icon in the comic book and animated TV world. What inspired you to switch from that genre to writing fiction?

Chuck:  “I simply got tired of waiting for someone else’s permission to write. The possibilities offered by digital publishing are endless. Continue reading “Coming Soon! Interview with a comic book writer legend…”

INDYFEST Magazine Interviews This Author

INdyFest MagazineWriter At Play: A Talk with Trisha Sugarek
By Raphael Moran

Here at Indyfest, we try to put the spotlight on some of the most unique voices in the indy publishing universe. Trisha Sugarek is one of those voices. With four decades worth of writing credits to her name, she has a huge diverse line of works on her resume, ranging from plays to mysteries to children’s books. She’s done it all by herself and has been blazing through the publishing world. She also runs a successful website dedicated to the art of writing. Plus, she’s interviewed some of the biggest names in the publishing industry. I had a chance to pick her brain a little to find out about her success in self-publishing, and all matter of other things.

IM: What are some of your major hardships in self publishing?

TS: No major hardships. I have complete artistic control with content and the cover artwork. Exposure is difficult when my true crime mysteries (for example) are competing with a half-million other mysteries. Social media can be the best marketing tool in an author’s toolbox. Self-publishing used to be a dirty word… Continue reading “INDYFEST Magazine Interviews This Author”

‘Blue Prints’…A Review

reviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writing  REVIEW  5 out  of 5 Quills     ‘Blueprints’ by Barbara Delinsky

Everyone across America loves the ‘how to’ TV shows.  How to flip it, how to gut it, how to cook it, how to not be the worst cook, how to lay tile, how to create curb appeal, how to love it or list it….there is something for everyone.

‘Blue Prints’ by Barbara Delinsky, will take you ‘back stage’ to experience all the intrigue, the politics, theBlue Prints by Delinsky back stabbing of a popular. home improvement reality show.   The joy of her writing is she quickly tells about the many characters and before we turn too many pages, we care about all of them and are rooting for them. Continue reading “‘Blue Prints’…A Review”

Two Authors, One Book…(part 2) My Interview with Thorne and Cross

Thorne.pic.2 TS: This is one of the most entertaining and humorous interviews that’s been my pleasure to do.  Enjoy!

Q. Do you have a set time each day to write or do you write only when you are feeling creative?

A. We work 8-to-10 hours per day six days a week. We start in the morning even though we both hate mornings, and work until we’re called for dinner. Writing is a full-time job. If we only worked when the mood struck, we’d never get anything done. Discipline is everything for a serious writer. No excuses.

Q. What’s your best advice to other writers for overcoming procrastination?

A. Give it up or just buckle down and do it. You wouldn’t procrastinate going to a job where you worked for someone else – when you are your own boss, you must be even more disciplined.

Q. Do you ‘get lost’ in your writing and for how long?

A. It’s a bad day if we don’t get lost in our work. Getting lost means it’s going great. It can last for a couple hours to all day. We never know.

Q. Who or what is your “Muse” at the moment ? Continue reading “Two Authors, One Book…(part 2) My Interview with Thorne and Cross”