Author: Linda
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Susan B. James
My life is filled with love and laughter thanks to the amazing people I get to hang out with. As well as being awesome, they’re creative, talented, generous, and fun! I thought you might like to meet some of the authors I know, so I’ve asked them to come and give us a behind-the-scenes look at what they’re passionate about. I have to warn you though – creativity is contagious!
My guest today is Susan B. James, author of Time and Forever, and adult time travel novel and several children’s books. Susan is a fellow Soul Mate author whom I met in NYC! We went to Sardi’s restaurant and ate from the actor’s menu!
Meet Susan (she’s the one on the left)~Susan is an actor, writer, and a dreamer. Lots of those dreams came true.
Almost forty years, two children and a few grandchildren later, Susan’s pursuing old and new dreams. And new dreams are coming true. Time and Forever, her debut romance was a finalist in the 2015 Golden Quill for Best First Book and in the RONE Awards for best Time Travel Book (Congratulations!!)
Susan still acts whenever possible as Susan Berger, writes children’s books as Susan J. Berger and Second Chance romances with a touch of magic as Susan B. James. She’s busy revising Kate’s Hero (One four leaf clover. Two stubborn people. An elderly matchmaker with second sight. And a leprechaun with a mission. What could possible go wrong?) and Maybe This Time. (Another time travel romance.) A confirmed bookaholic, she is grateful to all the writers who enrich her lives with their stories.
Can you tell us about your life as an actor? What projects were you involved in? How did you start? S: I did my first professional season of summer stock when I was fifteen. I was in love with every part of the production: the acting, the sets, the costumes, the props. I majored in Theatre in College and Graduate School. It wasn’t till I left college that I decided I wanted to pursue the acting side of it exclusively. I did a lot of repertory theatre, the National Tours of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and You’re a Good man, Charlie Brown and finally my dream job – a Broadway musical – The Robber Bridegroom in 1976.
The next year my husband and I moved to Los Angeles to pursue film and TV jobs. We did some theatre out here and then I got pregnant and Barry got the film Urban Cowboy. I decided that I didn’t want to pay someone else to raise our kids, so I stopped looking for acting jobs. I was on M*A*S*H and a couple of films during those years.
After we divorced I went back to looking, but it was difficult. I did a lot of improv and some very fun plays. I did end up on Hannah Montana in one episode, and this year I will be on Tim and Eric’s Bedtime Stories on the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. I think it is supposed to air in October. I’ve done several small independent projects. I’ve been studying improv again at Upright Citizen’s Brigade and also musical improvisation, which is wonderful fun.
That is very cool! I’ll have to look for the upcoming episode. Any advice for someone interested in pursuing acting? S: If you want to act, go to school. Work in Community theatre. Since both Barry and I were character actors, we got to play better parts in college. We had to age several years to be cast into those roles in the professional world. If you are serious about film and television, go to a good improv school.
I’ve always loved the quick wit of improve. You’ve started writing. How did that evolve? S: When I started writing, I concentrated on children’s picture books and one middle grade novel. My first picture book, which I wrote with my then ten-year-old son, Christopher Corbin, was published on his twenty-fifth birthday. I’ve always loved romance, but I never considered writing it until I wrote Time and Forever during NaNoWriMo. (I cannot recommend the NaNoWriMo adventure highly enough.)
I am the kind of writer known as a pantser. I didn’t know what was going to happen in the book, until my fingers and my brain connected. Then came three years of rewriting it. I’ve always loved time travel books, but I never thought I would write one. I did a LOT of time travel research during revision. As a writer, you get to make your own world, and your own time travel theory. The only hard and fast rule is that it must be believable to the reader.
A great way to be creative! You created an audiobook for Time and Forever. What was that process like? S: A member of my son Christopher’s musical improv team, Meaningful Touch read Time and Forever and loved it so much that she offered to narrate it. Stephanie Bentley is a professional narrator for ACX – audio book creation. She guided me through the process of setting up and account and hiring her. I was thrilled with the result.
It’s very exciting to have it on audio too. If you had to pick a song to be your theme song what would it be? S: Time after Time by Cyndi Lauper.
Of course! What would you pick as a superpower? S: I always wanted to be rich, thin, and telepathic.
Haha – sometimes it does take a superpower to be thin. What’s your favourite dessert? S: If I were to die tomorrow, I would want a slice of the Nickle Diner’s Smore’s Cake before the event.
I read Time and Forever and really enjoyed it! It was fun being transported back to 1969 and reminiscing about the music and the culture. Here’s what it’s about:
1969. Love was free, man walked on the moon, and Sherry and Lorena found the loves of their lives. Sherry shared a kiss that dreams were made of, with a stranger on the tube in London. And ran away. Lorena found the love of her life in Los Angeles and married him.The present. Sherry’s a successful businesswoman with two grown sons. Lorena’s an actress on a popular sitcom. Sherry’s husband dumped her for a younger woman eighteen years ago. Lorena’s husband died of cancer.
Sherry wants a second chance at Love. Lorena doesn’t believe that’s possible. But when a glitch in a Virtual Reality Adventure game sends them back to the real 1969, anything can happen.
Here are the buy links:
eBook | Audio Book (It’s 1.99 on Audible if you own the 2.99 eBook) | Paperback
Susan loves to connect with readers:
Twitter https://twitter.com/susanjberger
Her Romance author blog is SusanBJames
Her children’s book world blog is Pen and Ink
Susan, thanks so much for stopping by today! I’m so happy I met you in NYC 😀 I’m looking forward to your next time travel novel, Maybe this Time! Happy reading everyone 😀
For an excerpt from Time and Forever, click READ MORE.
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Lend me your ear
‘Tis the season for coughs and colds – and I spend quite a bit of time drawing pictures of ears to help patients understand what is happening in an ear infection. So I thought I’d share it with you. These images are from UptoDate – a great resource for accurate evidence-based medicine! 😀
Here’s what a normal ear looks like: the outer ear, the canal (where wax builds up), the tympanic membrane (vibrates so we can hear sound and sends the vibration through the 3 bones and then off through a nerve to the brain), and the Eustachian tube (connects the middle ear to the back of the throat so any fluid in the middle ear can drain out).
The space behind the tympanic membrane is usually filled with air, but with a middle ear infection, often the Eustachian tube is blocked (from allergies or with inflammation from a cold) and fluid accumulates. Then bacteria can infect the fluid. When I look at an infected ear with an otoscope, the tympanic membrane is red and bulging (ouch!). And since it can’t vibrate well, hearing is often affected too.
Swimmer’s ear (otitis externa) is an infection in the canal – and instead of antibiotics by mouth, it can usually be treated by drops in the ear.
Handy Tips – wash your hands before eating, cough into your elbow, and don’t poke cotton swabs in your ears!
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Cover Contest 2015!
Perfectly Honest is in the running for the authorsDB Cover Contest – Humorous category! I’d love your vote!! You don’t need to sign in or have an account to vote 🙂
Vote here:
https://authorsdb.com/2015-cover-contest-results/17934-perfectly-honest
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Stephanie Berget
My life is filled with love and laughter thanks to the amazing people I get to hang out with. As well as being awesome, they’re creative, talented, generous, and fun! I thought you might like to meet some of the authors I know, so I’ve asked them to come and give us a behind-the-scenes look at what they’re passionate about. I have to warn you though – creativity is contagious!
Today’s guest is Stephanie Berget, author of Radio Rose and her upcoming release Gimme Some Sugar. She writes about cowboys because she knows them well!
Meet Stephanie ~Stephanie Berget was born loving horses, developing a lifelong love of rodeo when she married her Bronc Rider. She and her husband traveled throughout the Northwest while she ran barrels and her cowboy rode bucking horses. She started writing to put a realistic view of rodeo and ranching into western romance. Stephanie and her husband live on a farm located along the Oregon/Idaho border, where they raise hay, horses and cattle, with the help of Dizzy Dottie, the Border Collie, and two Munchkin cats, Magic and Martin.
What’s involved in barrel racing? How did you get started with it? S: Barrel racing is a rodeo event for women. The horse and rider attempt to complete a cloverleaf pattern around preset barrels in the fastest time possible. My folks are city people, but I have loved horses as long as I can remember. I was lucky enough to have some very knowledgeable barrel horse trainers help me early on. I married a Bronc rider and we’ve rodeoed and trained barrel and rope horses ever since.You have the best collection of quotes on your twitter feed and some fun memes on your Facebook page. How do you balance writing with managing a farm and still make time for the social media posts? S: Ah, social media-the bane of a writer’s existence. Setting a certain time to write helps. I’m not much good at word counts, but I try to write every day.
How did you learn about farming? S: My husband has a farming background. In 1990 we bought a hay and cattle farm in a small Idaho town and the rest of my training was on the job. At one time, I raised over sixty day old calves a year, bottle feeding them until they were old enough to eat hay and grain.
Do you have a favourite quote or piece of advice? S: I have two. Do you want to be right or do you want to have peace? and What would you do if you knew you would not fail? I keep coming back to these two and they’re always dead-on.
I love that. Especially the second one – imagine the possibilities if failing wasn’t an option! What’s your favourite thing about writing? S: I love watching characters come to life, see their personalities come alive. In my latest book, Radio Rose, people kept jumping from my brain to the page. I never knew who was going to show up next. So much fun.
And Rose is a fun character! If you had to pick a song to be your theme song what would it be? S: Cowboy Take Me Away by the Dixie Chicks
What would you pick as a superpower? S: I’m scared of heights, but I’d love to be able to fly.
What’s your favourite dessert? S: Cheesecake with cherries on top. There’s nothing better.
I’ve read Radio Rose and I loved it. The opening scene is really funny! Here’s what it’s all about: Radio Rose knows Martians aren’t real.
As a DJ for a late night talk show about aliens, she’d never admit to being a non-believer. Talking to crazies all night isn’t the perfect job for most people, but she’s happy with her solitary life. Until a middle of the night car crash and a blow to the head has her temporarily mistaking a stranger for a real life extra-terrestrial.
Adam Cameron, raised by his narcissistic grandfather for most of his childhood, made his escape from Tullyville, Colorado the day he turned eighteen. Forced to return ten years later for the reading of his grandfather’s will, he’s about to be pulled into a contest for a vast fortune and the future of a town he’d just as soon forget.
The small town of Tullyville is right next to Trinidad, Colorado, known as the sex change capital of the world, something neither Rose or Adam realized, but use to help their cause.
Relationships aren’t one of Rose’s strong points. Hell, she mistook the hot stranger for an alien the first time they met, but Adam needs help and she’s the woman to help him–maybe.
In a town filled with new found friends, Rose has to decide how far she’s willing to go to trust the loner.
It’s a fun read. HERE is the buy link for Radio Rose.
Stephanie loves to connect with readers.
Facebook Twitter @stephanieberget PinterestStephanie, thanks so much for stopping by today! It was a pleasure meeting you. I can’t wait for your next book – Gimme Some Sugar. I saw the cover and wow – it’s looks great!! Happy reading everyone 😀
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Old to New Jewellery
I recently read an article in the newspaper about how vintage jewellery is trending (or as my Mom would say ‘all the rage’). My Mom (I know ‘mom’ shouldn’t have a capital but it just seems so much more respectful) saved some of my Grandmother’s jewellery, and she offered it to me. I loved the gorgeous earrings!
They were the old clip-on style. I tried to wear them and holy cow, they are so not comfortable. Our grandmothers’ generation were a hardy bunch!!
So I asked my awesomely talented glass artist friend, Florence Niven if she could make them into earrings for pierced ears. And Florence, being awesomely talented, said yes! She removed the clip part and glued a new hook on the earring. And voila!! I could wear them. I really love them – and hey I’m trendy 😀
And guess what – about six months later I found a necklace to match at a clothing store!Tip from Florence: That was a fun project Linda. For anyone else wanting to try it I used E6000 jewelry glue available at Michaels to adhere the jewelry bales once the old clips were removed.
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Peggy Jaeger
My life is filled with love and laughter thanks to the amazing people I get to hang out with. As well as being awesome, they’re creative, talented, generous, and fun! I thought you might like to meet some of the authors I know, so I’ve asked them to come and give us a behind-the-scenes look at what they’re passionate about. I have to warn you though – creativity is contagious!
Today’s guest is Peggy Jaeger, author of The MacQuire Women Series, published by The Wild Rose Press. Peggy and I both attended the RWA conference in NYC. It turns out she writes contemporary romance, is also in the medical field, and is married to an ophthalmologist – a twin!!
Meet Peggy Jaeger~Peggy Jaeger is a contemporary romance author who writes about strong women, the families who support them, and the men who can’t live without them.
Her current titles, available now, include SKATER’S WALTZ and THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME, books 1 and 2 in her 6-book The MacQuire Women Series, published by The Wild Rose Press.
Tying into her love of families, her children’s book, THE KINDNESS TALES, was illustrated by her artist mother-in-law.
Peggy holds a master’s degree in Nursing Administration and first found publication with several articles she authored on Alzheimer’s Disease during her time running an Alzheimer’s in-patient care unit during the 1990s.
In 2013, she placed first in two categories in the Dixie Kane Memorial Contest: Single Title Contemporary Romance and Short/Long Contemporary Romance.
A lifelong and avid romance reader and writer, she is a member of RWA and her local New Hampshire RWA Chapter.
Peggy invited me to her blog in August and had some great interview questions, so I had her answer them too!
Part 1: The Writer Questions
- What drives you to write? Writing, to me, is just like breathing. I can’t NOT breath – I’d die. If I didn’t write something everyday, I really do think I’d die…just a little.
- What genre of Romance do your write, and why? I write only contemporary because I like the here and now of it. The present is immediate and familiar.
- What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why? In addition to loving contemporary reads, Regency is my second – a close second – love. So much was forbidden to women – the right to vote, voice an opinion, own property, etc, and yet, each well written Regency novel has at its core a strong willful woman who can and does flaunt the conventions of the time for love. Gotta love that.
- What’s your writing schedule? Do you write everyday? I retired from my paying job in April and since then I have written every single day, which was my ultimate fantasy in life. A day without writing for me is a wasted day, and I might as well spend it in a coma. I usually can get about 6-10 hours at the keyboard 5 days a week and then on the weekends I routinely do 3-5 hours each day. This includes working on WIPs, my website blog entries, and my blogs for visiting websites.
- Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. I live in a four-story house set in the woods in New England and I have a finished attic, which is where my writing loft is. No one is allowed to enter without first knocking on the door if it is closed. Ever. My desk is large and wraps around me and sits in front a huge window that overlooks my wooded property. As I write I get to watch the seasons change, the birds come and go, and when it rains, I get to enjoy the sound. But the best sound is the sound of silence.
- Are you the kind of writer who needs total quiet to compose? I need quiet to think. That’s why the attic was a perfect place to set up shop. It’s far enough away from everything and everyone in the house. When the door is closed, the room is practically sound proof.
- Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? I can’t. If I listen to music I tend to sing along…and then I go on YouTube and call up the videos for the songs and watch them…and I never get anything done. I wasted two hours one day because Lady Marmelade was stuck in my head and I watched the video for it at least 20 times.
- How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current WIP? FIRST IMPRESSIONS is the 3rd book in my MacQuire Women Series. Book 2 was THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME and that book had a twin as its protagonist, so when I started plotting out the third, I knew I needed to tell the twin’s story. Padric Cleary is introduced in book 2 and plays a large role in his twin sister’s life. When she found her HEA, I felt he deserved the same.
- Which comes first for you – character or plot? Character…always. I can’t think up a story if I don’t know who the story is about.
- What 3 words describes you, the writer? Persistent/Tortured/Dedicated
Part 2
The Person Questions:
- Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing! My left eye is way smaller than my right because of an accident I had as a child and the numerous surgeries I’ve had on both of my eyes. 2 retinal detachments and cataract surgeries., to be precise. It’s extremely noticeable in photographs, which is why I absolutely hate to have my picture taken.
- Who was your first love and what age were you? Believe it or not, the first time I actually fell in love was with my husband and I was 23. I was engaged prior to meeting him and when I met my now husband I realized I never did love-til-the-end-of-time that other guy. Good thing we broke it off!
- If you could relive one day, which one would it be? The day my husband told me I was having a baby. He knew before I did!
- Do you like a guy in boxers, briefs, or commando? Love boxers….adore commando.
- If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it beauty item, what would it be? My eyebrow pencil. I have white eyebrows and when I don’t pencil them in I look like the Mona Lisa. Only not as pretty as she is.
- What three words describes you, the person? Loyal/Tortured/Anxious
- If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be? “I Will Survive” the Gloria Gaynor edition
- If you could hang out with any literary character from any book penned at any time line, who would it be, why, and what would you do together? Elizabeth Bennett because I really want to know if she loved Darcy for Darcy or because she wanted Pemberley and we’d sit on my porch, drink Pomegranate Cosmos and just hang. And if Lizzy is busy that day, I want to follow Eve Dallas around for a shift.
Bonus round
I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:
- Favourite sound: the rain falling outside my attic window – with the window open.
- Least favourite sound: dogs barking
- Best song every written: Secret Agent Man by Johnny Rivers – and see: like I told you, I went immediately to YouTube and called it up right as I wrote this!!! Listened to it 5 times.
- Worst song ever written: You Light Up My Life. Cringe-worthy
- Favorite actor and actress Diane Lane; Matthew MacFadyn
- Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? Jane Austen – I want to get inside her head and find out if she ever had a true love.
- What turns you on? Biting wit
- What turns you off? Cruelty of any kind
- Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date: “Is that your real hair?”
- What’s your version of a perfect day? Up; go to the gym for 2 hours; shower; write 8-10 hrs; fix dinner; read. I’m so easy.
Here’s a bit about First Impressions ~Family Practice Doctor Clarissa Rogers’ first impression of Padric Cleary is biased and based on gossip. The handsome, charming veterinarian is considered a serial dater and commitment-phobic by his family and most of the town. Relationship shy, Clarissa refuses to lose her heart to a man who can’t pledge himself to her forever.
Pat Cleary, despite his reputation, is actually looking for “The One.” When he does give his heart away, he wants it to be for life. With his parent’s marriage as his guidebook, he wants a woman who will be his equal and soul mate in every way.
Can Pat convince everyone – including Clarissa – she’s the only woman for him?
Buy Links:
Peggy loves to connect with readers ~
Website/Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | The Wild Rose Press Author Page
Thank you so much for visiting today Peggy! It was a pleasure learning more about you. I really enjoyed reading The Skater’s Waltz and look forward to the other MacQuire Women books! Click on READ MORE for a excerpt from First Impressions.
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Angela Scavone
My life is filled with love and laughter thanks to the amazing people I get to hang out with. As well as being awesome, they’re creative, talented, generous, and fun! I thought you might like to meet some of the authors I know, so I’ve asked them to come and give us a behind-the-scenes look at what they’re passionate about. I have to warn you though – creativity is contagious!
Today’s guest is Angela Scavone, author of Love by the Book and her latest release, A Journey Home. She is another Soul Mate Publishing author, and I was so excited to learn that she’s from Ontario, too!
Meet Angela ~
Angela lives in Ontario, Canada sharing her home with her father and her two much-loved pups (and one evil cat). She currently works for the Board of Education behind the scenes supporting and analyzing student data, however, in her spare time, apart from her avid love of storytelling, she likes to read, spend time with family and friends and concoct dairy free recipes from scratch. Sometimes she wins some and sometimes she loses some – tofu, banana and peanut butter pudding we are looking at you.
Angela, when did you start writing? A: I started writing when I was young, quite young. I loved reading and losing myself in stories, then I started coming up with my own stories so I wrote them down and read them over and over.
The best stories are always enjoyed more than once! What genre of romance do you write? A: I write contemporary romance, it’s what I read most so I feel comfortable writing in that genre.
Do you write everyday and do you like complete silence or do you listen to music? A: Right now my writing schedule is non existent. I work for the local school board here and since it is September I am swamped at work during the day, so when I get home I’m absolutely exhausted unfortunately. However, come October things should settle down and I’ll be able to start focusing on writing again in my off time. I write mainly in the evenings and on weekends in complete silence. I can’t concentrate if there is noise … I’m not stealthy enough to focus with noise happening 🙂
I’m the same. Any advice for someone who would like to write a novel? A: Write. Don’t think about it, don’t wait until it’s “the right time” just write it. Who cares what the first draft looks like that’s what the editing phase is for.
What would you pick as a superpower? A: Super strength. Wouldn’t it be great to know that you could pick up a car?? Come on! That would be awesome!! 🙂
I totally agree. So I could straighten out those cars hogging two spots! What’s your favourite dessert? A: Apple Crisp! I love Apple Crisp! mmmmmmmmmmmmm
I read Love by the Book and loved it. It’s very funny! It’s about a wife who is trying to rekindle the romance in her marriage by surprising her husband with romantic encounters echoed from the romance novels she is reading. She starts to blog about it, and the blog posts are hilarious. And despite not always working out as planned, the two laugh and love together. 
I’m looking forward to reading A Journey Home. Here’s what it’s about:Stephanie Tyler’s sole job is to fly overseas to war torn areas of the world to retrieve and escort the bodies of fallen soldiers back home to the United States. It is a tough and emotional job but she is honored for the privilege. Her duty also helps her to escape her past and her failed marriage.
But those flights have become increasingly more dangerous and she is forced to have a partner accompany her. Much to Stephanie’s surprise and dismay, she is partnered up with her ex-husband, Captain “D.A.” Douglas Aston.
From the moment Captain D.A. enters the scene, he irritates her. It could have something to do with the fact he slept with her best friend while they were married. As they go on several missions together, Stephanie is forced to be courteous and professional with D.A. even though the very sight of him irritates her beyond comprehension.
Then, Stephanie’s cheating, husband stealing, ex-best friend is killed in Afghanistan and Stephanie and D.A. must escort her body home. While executing this difficult duty, a myriad of conflicting emotions makes Stephanie ponder how short life really is . . . and to question her own ability to forgive.
Sounds intriguing! HERE is the buy link for A Journey Home.
Angela loves to connect with readers.
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/angela.scavone.52
Twitter https://twitter.com/busterwhyte
Good Reads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6683076-angela-scavone
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/busterwhyte/
Angela, thanks so much for stopping by today! It was a pleasure meeting you. Congratulations on your latest release – and happy book sales! Click on the READ MORE button for an excerpt of A Journey Home.
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Visiting Robyn Bachar!
What flavour is my writing? Author Robyn Bachar wanted to know! 😀 Check out my interview with her HERE -
Multi-talented Wendy Reynolds!
My life is filled with love and laughter thanks to the amazing people I get to hang out with. As well as being awesome, they’re creative, talented, generous, and fun! I thought you might like to meet them so I’ve asked them to come and give us a behind-the-scenes look at what they’re passionate about. I have to warn you though – creativity is contagious!
Today’s guest is multi-talented Wendy Reynolds! I met Wendy when we struck up a conversation at a writing workshop – and I’m so happy to have met her. She has the most amazing photos of flowers on her Facebook page, shares yummy recipes, writes short stories, and has a very cute pooch, named Boone!
Wendy, how did you get interested in photographing flowers? W: Although I can’t specifically remember (Old Timer’s Affliction, you know!), I have been interested in photography since I was a little kid. The interest in flowers, I think, coincided with two things: getting a new camera that was capable of capturing great macro photos, which is what I really like best; and joining Facebook. I started sharing the photos on my Facebook wall and my friends seemed to really like them. Nothing like a little positive reinforcement to fan a little flame of interest into a full-blown obsession!
Sounds like me and writing 😀 Are the flowers all from your own garden? W:You bet! I love heading out to my garden early in the morning with a cup of coffee and snipping off a few flowers here and there while the dew is still clinging to their colourful petals. Then, I set myself up in the kitchen and decide which flowers will go where and in which vase. (This is a very important part of the process! We have a fantastic collection of vintage vases, jugs, and jars that we’ve amassed over the years from auctions, flea markets, yard sales, and my mother’s cupboards. I love deciding upon the perfect vessel for each little posey.) Then I take the photographs in various places around the house. It’s a wonderfully creative way for me to start my day.
And a lovely way to share the collection. What equipment do you use? W: Well, my cameras are pretty basic. I have a pretty old Fuji point-and-shoot that takes the great macro shots, and a newish Canon DSLR that has a nice zoom lens on it. I never use flash because it makes the flowers look phony and overexposed. The lighting depends on the location in my house that I’ve selected for each posey. For example, my kitchen has a south exposure so it gets really nice light in the morning. Time of day and the angle of the sun are really important. Long, low sunbeams always make for better photos. So I tend to take photos either early in the morning or in the early evening. I sometimes play around with artificial light in the evening, which is kind of fun, but not always successful!
And since it’s everchanging, adds to the art of it. You post them on FB, but have you ever put them in a book or had a showing? W: Just Facebook. I really don’t think the photos are good enough, technically, for broader public display, although I know that, creatively, they are often expressive and reflective of my love of flowers. (At least I hope so!)Yes they are, and I think would make a lovely album! Do you have any advice for someone interested in starting out with photography? W: It’s become an overused concept, but it’s like anything else – find your passion! And get to know your camera. For many years before I bought the bigger and better DSLR, I used that little, very unfancy point-and-shoot, and I learned what it could do well and what it wasn’t so great at doing. It took great pictures for me once I figured that out. I took a few courses, too, and read things – it’s good to have a basic understanding of technique, although I have to say I think a sense of creativity wins out every time in that contest!
If you had to pick a song to be your theme song what would it be? W: Definitely, my theme song is a silly Gershwin song that got its start in the late Vaudeville era. My mother used to sing it to me all the time. It’s called “A Sunny Disposish” (for disposition) and the first couple of lines are “A sunny disposish will always see you through, When up above the skies are black instead of being blue” and goes on from there. It reminds me of my wonderful 86-year-old mother, and her cheerful attitude towards life, which is the only attitude to have, right?
Yes, definitely! I think it pays off to focus on the positive. What would you pick as a superpower? W: Hmmmm … it’s not exactly a superpower, but I’d like to have a clone! There are always so many interesting things I’d like to do and never enough time to do them all. Even though I’m now semi-retired and don’t have as much of that pesky paid employment to worry about, there seem to be even fewer hours in the day. Now, how on earth did THAT happen?!Haha – sounds like the perfect place to be. What’s your favourite dessert? W: Hands down my friend, Donna’s, Lazy Daisy Cake! It’s a simple white cake that has a brown sugar and coconut broiled topping. I always ask her to make it for me, either for special occasions like my birthday or for times when I need comfort. And she is such a great friend that she makes it for me whenever I ask. Which I try not to do every single day!
Dessert and a friend to share with it – the perfect combo 😀 Thank you very much, Wendy for sharing your love of photography! Can’t wait to have you back to share your love of writing, or cooking, or gardening, or Boone! Stay busy everyone!
