Hi everyone. Hope you’re having a great day. Sort of dreary and wet here in Southern Indiana. but, I do want to share with you my author questionnaire on Jen Selensky’s blog. It was fun to be asked questions that I don’t often think about. Anything to get the cobwebs out of my head, right? Here goes.
Author Questionnaire
How old were you when you knew you wanted to be a writer?
Tough question. I was always an avid reader, wrote some poems, loved English class and enjoyed writing reports. My first official thought was when, as a senior in high school, I won a writing contest about the personal and political life of Thomas Jefferson. We had a brief time to study his life after signing up. Then I, with others, sat in a room in the library and wrote non-stop for several hours. To my surprise – I had pretty much forgotten about the essay contest – I heard my name called and went on stage during awards day to collect a certificate and…drum roll please…a check.
I wrote many poems of angst as a teen and poems and stories as an adult. I just never imagined that I could do anything with them. Now I want to write all the time, but life gets in the way a bit.
Who are your favorite authors?
Eudora Welty – I love her voice
Mark Twain – amazing
Shakespear, of course
Leo Buscaglia
Henry D. Thoreau – I wrote a major paper based on Walden’s Pond in college.
Jodi Picoult…and many more
What are your greatest sources of inspiration?
Everything, really. Pictures, nature, an interesting word, or something sad often inspire poems.
Real life with a twist or a twisted real life – the twist is usually what makes the story inspiring.
Historical figures and chaotic eras that make me want to read more. Just yesterday, a print about two people, hanging in a college gallery, has inspired a future book. No one and no thing is safe from becoming part of a story.
What genre(s) do you write?
I don’t want to be stuck in a particular genre. I love humor, and cultures that elicit both humor and tragedy. But, I am currently working on an historical novel. And, I want to experiment without feeling held back in a slot.
Do you have any current or future projects?
I am currently working on my first historical novel and have another in mind. My goal, someday, is to write a non-fiction on mental health/healthy living. I have starts on many stories, so the possibilities are endless if I can type fast enough.
Do you have an author website?
I guess I need to put up an official author website, but I hate technology, so that’s a bump in the road.I have a blog, Brendawriting.Wordpress.com where I write about anything that inspires me from crab poop to a favorite teacher, and I have an Author Page at amazon.com where you can find out more about me and my books. Please check it out.
Where can people find your work? (to purchase or just to read)
My work can be found on Amazon. See my author page there. Also, I’m at many book fairs and author events around Southern Indiana and Louisville area selling books to all takers.
If you could feature just one title, what would it be?
Gracie and Marge: Kicking the Bucket Together. My first novel.
I love these characters and the messes they get into. You’ll find lots of humor, but also a statement about older people who still have a lot of life to live and inspiration to share with others.
I’m also proud of my collection of short stories, Life in Its Own Frame of Reference, based on some truth, a lot of fiction and just some dark stuff floating around in the deep recesses of my mind.
Do you have any pseudonyms?
I am who I am…whoops, I might have one pseudonym…nuff said about that.
Do you have any other hobbies besides writing?
There is so much to enjoy in life. I think everyone should have one or more things they enjoy, aside from work or their main passion (writing). I love to dance, play pickle ball, make wine, work with glass, easy hiking, walking, biking (the kind with pedals), reading, karaoke, zip lining, time with friends and family and more.
Tell us something interesting about yourself.
I am not technologically inclined, but I do my best. I love to laugh at good humor, not usually associated with anything techie. I am a grandmother, mother and wife. I enjoy all those parts that have added to who I was before. I feel blessed every day in spite of some occasional stormy clouds.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
Hmm. I retired as a psychotherapist but continue to teach in the field at a local community college.
I enjoy traveling and anything that has to do with the beach.
And, my words of advice for anyone interested in starting or improving their writing is to join a good writing group. Other writers will encourage you and help you grow as a writer.
Thanks. This has been fun.
Brenda Drexler
Brendawriting 