JWT Book Adventures Interviewed Me!

The current book I’m working on is Parlor Poetry: A Victorian Versification Abecedary. There are 27 topics: each letter of the alphabet, plus the ampersand. The overall theme is the Victorian Era. Hopefully, it will both entertain and enlighten. The pages will be printed in color, and it features original artwork by Olivia Wylie. It’s almost completed and I’m absurdly happy with it.

This one is a stand-alone… but who knows what I’ll do in the future? I never say “I’m done” and actually mean it.

I like to challenge myself. As a foodie, I decided I needed to write a cookbook. Steamed and Steamy: Recipes From the Steampunk World of Industralia is what I call a “literary cookbook”. It’s based on scenes and foods from my fiction books. I included excerpts from the stories with the recipes to give them context. I had so much fun creating it that I made another cookbook, based on one particular vegetable: Cabbage! Why? Again, for the challenge. I wanted to see if I could gather in a wide variety of recipes from my own collection, as well as contributions from family and friends. I think Shredding It: A Cabbage Cookbook came out well! We even managed a couple of dessert recipes.

Tom Robbins. Always and forever. While I admire (and sometimes emulate) other writers, Tom reminds me that I don’t have to write mainstream. But I do need to write passionately, and if that means absurdly, so be it.

A craving to turn the stories I tell myself into a reality that others can pick up and read. Also, I get really cranky if I don’t write regularly. Ask my husband if you don’t believe me.

I wrote my first poem in second grade. It was published in my school’s annual creative writing booklet. I’ve always loved reading and writing; any sort of wordplay will always give me joy. It’s been that way for me since I was old enough to start to understand words. Ironically though, I was middle-aged before I actually published a book.

Heck yes. The Flight To Brassbright is the first of at least four novels I have planned in “The Brassbright Chronicles” series. The second, Down the Tubes, is written but in heavy, intense edits. The third, The Hidden Doors, is about halfway written. The fourth, Off the Rails, is still just a brainstorm. I keep getting distracted by cookbooks, writing short kid’s stories, and real-life interruptions, but I will get there. Just don’t ask me when.

I’m currently completing Parlor Poetry: A Victorian Versification Abecedary. It’s in final revisions and formatting and I hope to have it published very soon. This is another one of my challenges to myself: A poetry book! If anyone want to know when it publishes, signing up for my monthly newsletter, “Postcards From Industralia” is a good way to stay informed. https://www.brassbrightcity.com/newsletter/