Welcome Astrid, hey guys look who’s back!

T:  Good Morning Astrid thanks for joining me this morning/evening. I hope the coffee is strong enough?

A: It’s great! Thanks.

T: I promise for this set of questions I’m going to keep things fun and light (well light for me) so let’s get started.

A: Awesome, I’m ready!

T: How did you start writing?

A: I wrote my first book in kindergarten, does that count? I didn’t really start writing in earnest (besides horrible teenage angst poetry) until about 2003 when I wrote on and moderated a creative writing workshop website.

T: Favorite Eighties movie?

A: Definitely The Last Unicorn (also an AMAZING book)

T: Favorite comic book?

A: I can’t say I have a particular issue or anything, but I’m a fan of the X-Men comics and of Black Widow’s stuff as well.

T: How often do you write?

A: I *should* write every day. When I’m working on a novel I try to, although sometimes it doesn’t happen. If I don’t have a deadline though, I just kind of write when I feel it, so every few days or something.

T: Do you still go to Dragon Con?

A: I didn’t go this past year because we opted to go to Hawaii and stay with my daughter instead. (Hard  choice, I know.) Not sure if we’ll go this year since I’m doing Penned Con around the same time. I miss it though.

T: What did you do prior to writing?

A: A million things. Mostly momming. I’ve done a lot of cell phone tech support both for LG and Verizon.

T: When do you write?

A: Mostly in the morning after my son goes to school while it’s quiet. I’m super sleepy but that almost puts me in a dream state.

T: Where do you write?

A: In my recliner in the living room with a cup of tea and a blanket over my lap (and a cat in my lap often too, which makes typing complicated).

T: Do you do anything special for release day?

A: Try not to be too nervous? I didn’t really for the first two. I’ll probably organize a Facebook party this time. And maybe a real party for the next day to get drunk ad celebrate being done with the Freefall Trilogy.

T: How do you blind writing, with everyday life?

A: I really don’t. I can’t really write when anyone else is home. At most I can write in my notebook. Editing is a little easier, but I usually still take it in the other room to do it and turn up the classical music (which is reserved for editing time).

T: How did you come up with your Sara and her story?

A: Sara’s story started out as a writing prompt actually. I think it was something like “A broken watch and a hug that lasts too long” — the watch ended up being edited out, but if you pay attention you can find the hug that lasts too long. The rest just kind of happened organically.

T: Does writing interfere with family time?

A: I try not to let it. Family comes first, and books come second.

T: What pets do you have? Names, ages etc.

A: I hate 2 dogs and 2 cats. The oldest dog is Muffin, a cocker-pekingese mix, and she’s 16, the other is Harley, a black lab-blue heeler mix, and he’s 7. Then the cats are from the same litter and are 10 years old – Rhapsody (the grey cat) and Fugue (the black cat).

T: What inspires you?

A: The most random things. It can be a song lyric, or some little phrase in a poem or story, or an image I see in a movie, or any number of things.

T: What do you do for relaxation?

A: I loooove getting a good massage. In lieu of that I’m all about laying in bed and reading.

T: How long does it take you to write a novel?

A: Depends on the novel. At Death’s Door only took a month to write the first draft. World on Fire has been a year long expedition.

T: What comes next?

A: Next comes Skyler, who gets bought as a child by a second-in-command of a crime syndicate and ends up being trained as an assassin. Her adventures will go on for several books I hope.

T: Well Astrid that’s I have for you today? Until next time thanks again for joining me, now get back to work and write your next book.

A: Thanks for having me!!