Topic: Author Interview
Carol Parsons the person:
1. What three words do you think describe you as a human being?
Sensitive, Loving, Friendly
2. How do you think others would describe you?
(I asked my daughter and she said (can you believe it?): Smart, nice, friendly
3. Please tell us what you are most passionate about outside of writing.
My kids, my family, animals
4. Do you have any pets? If so, introduce us to them.
I have a pet rat named Happy Feet. He is white with pink eyes. I saved him from being snake food.
5. What is your most precious memory?
After my first novel came out, I started lecturing at schools. Some newspapers got wind of it and came there to interview me and talk about my book. I was selling quite a few books then and lecturing at a lot of schools. My mom, sister, and kids were really proud of me. I think that's my best moment so far.
6. What is your most embarrassing memory?
When my son was a baby and my daughter was three, we were out in the yard so she could play. I was holding my son in my arms. I was wearing a skirt with an elastic waistband at the time. My daughter came up to me, yanking on my skirt, "Mommy. Mommy..." She yanked so hard that both my panties and my skirt came down. I had to gently lay my son on the ground so I could pull them up. I have no idea if anyone saw.
Another time I was working on the military base. I wore another skirt and walked out of the building. The wind caught my skirt just right and it flew up. There was a bunch of Army guys right across the road laughing at me. You'd think between the two, I'd learn to give up skirts. J
7. If you weren't a writer, what would you be doing with your life?
I am in college to be an elementary school teacher. I am pretty sure that's what I want to do with the rest of my life.
8. In two paragraphs or less write your obituary.
I hate to be superstitious, though I admit that I am, but I feel like if I write this, it will happen a lot sooner than it's supposed to.
Carol Parsons the writer:
9. Can you describe the time you realized you were indeed a "real" writer?
I think when I considered myself a "real" writer was when I was first published with the Bay City Times. I had been published many times before, but that really did it for me.
10. What is going on with your writing these days?
I have two children's novels out ("Mystery at Eagle Harbor Lighthouse" and "The Winchester Mystery") that I am selling to schools. I am also working on a third novel about killer raccoons with laser eyes called "The Final Stare". I just started writing articles again that I hope to get published.
11. What are your future goals for your writing?
I really want to be able to make enough money to live on with my writing.
12. Can you describe a typical writing day for you?
I went quite awhile without writing after my last novel was published. I've been studying a lot for school, and trying (and succeeding) in getting straight As in school. So I have been concentrating on that more than my writing lately. Since restarting writing, I write for an hour or two during the day and a little while at night after my kids are in bed.
13. Why do you write?
I love to tell stories. I love to write anything at all. Mostly I love to impress people with some of the things I write.
14. What writer most inspires you? Why?
When I first started writing, it was Danielle Steel. I read a lot of her books and kept telling myself that I could do that. That was my dream. As I've gotten older and started writing children's novels, my new inspiration author is J.K. Rowling. She started out a broke, single mom, as I am, and used her writing to become "rich and famous". She has lived out my dream, and I use her to tell myself that my dreams can still come true and never to give up hope.
15. How do you define your writing?
I think I can tell a good story. I keep people interested for the most part. I do think I still need to work on the flow of my writing, and character building.
16. In one sentence-what do you want people to say about your writing in fifty years?
My favorite thing has always been people say, "Wow!" That's what I hope they will still be saying then.
Carol Parsons the details:
17. Can you tell us where to find more information on you? Website? Blog?
http://my.voyager.net/~cinders/Mystery1.htm and http://www.wingsepress.com/
18. Is there a place where readers can reach you?
cinders@voyager.net
19. Can you list all your book titles so people can look for them?
Mystery at Eagle Harbor Lighthouse
The Winchester Mystery (both at http://www.wingsepress.com/)
20. For new readers-what can they expect when they read your book(s)?
A fun mystery that teaches a little bit about the past.
In conclusion:
21. Take as much space as necessary to speak to our readers-what would you like them to know about you and your writing?
I have been writing ever since I can remember. I was very young. I always wanted to tell people stories. When I was real young, I would tell my friends stories and tell them it was a dream that I had. As we grew older, I told them I made it up. After that, they wanted me to tell them stories. When I started putting them on paper, my friends and family liked them. My favorite thing for people to say about my writing was, "Wow!" Ever since the first, "Wow", I knew that I would always write.
My dream is to become a "rich and famous" novelist, though being able to pay all my bills would be good enough. I have never given up this dream, and I never will. The best thing I could ever tell anyone is not to give up, no matter what anyone tells them.
