Today we have something special! This is the first time Read Another Page has interviewed another author! So I hope you will all join me in welcoming Kate Willis from Once Upon an Ordinary!
Hi Kate!
Welcome to Read Another Page. I’m glad you could join me today. Let’s sit down and get started shall we?
Rebekah, I am so excited to be here! Thank you for having me. 😉
I’m glad it worked out. First off, could you tell my readers just a little bit about yourself?
I’m an ordinary homeschool graduate who loves God, family, and creativity. I’m inspired by red shoes, a good story, little children, and chai tea. Basically, beautiful things. 😉 I’m the third of eight children, and I have four nephews who delight me to no end. I always have a project in the works, and I keep my readers updated on my stories and my crazy life on my blog Once Upon an Ordinary.
Your blog is such fun to read! Now, as a writer, if you had the chance to go and spend two weeks anywhere in the world, where would you go? And why?
Hmmm… I would have to say the UK. It’s a little bit of a “literature capital” for me since so many of my favorite authors are from there. The weather is also amazing for writing, so I think I’d work on my projects some there too. 😉
That would be an incredible experience! Just think of all the places you could visit and all the ideas you might find! When you hear the word “January” what things come to mind?
January brings to mind new beginnings, plans, and family birthdays. 😉
Ah yes, the usual thoughts of a new year. But family birthdays sounds fun! I’m sure you have many ideas for stories. Have you ever had to deal with which story to work on first? How do you handle that situation?
Yes, I have many ideas! I’ve been in that fix for a couple of weeks now as I’ve begun a new writing year. It’s a delicate balance for me, but I like to schedule my stories like a cook making sure everything ends up done at exactly the right time.
For instance, this month I’ve been writing the first draft of the sequel to The Twin Arrows. Once that is done, it will go away for a month or three to “rest” while I work on revising my novel “Kiera”. In a while, I will switch back again to look at the manuscript with new eyes. 😉 It’s rather tough sometimes when I have a particular project I’m looking forward to, but I’m working on something else instead. I’m tempted to work on what’s easy or fun. 😉
Great way to stay disciplined in your writing. Staying focused on just one story can be difficult. I know it’s January, and many places are experiencing cold weather, but if it were not cold, where do you like best to write? Indoors? Outside? Do you have a special hidden cabin somewhere that you go to write?
I prefer writing indoors since I like being around my family, and I find the constant change of the outdoors distracting. (I do write outside sometimes to switch things up if my brain is dull.) 😉 Right now I’m sitting between the couch and the wall in what I fondly call my “kingdom”.
I have a hard time writing outside too. And since you don’t have a hidden cabin to go and write without distractions, what is the biggest distraction for you when you are writing? Social Media? Goodreads? Family members? Dreaming of chocolate? That book that you want to read? Your mind wandering to who-knows-where? Something else?
One of the biggest distractions for me is social media, but another huge one is multi-tasking. When I get on the computer, my brain automatically reminds me of everything I need to do, writing related or not. I’ve actually found myself working on three projects simultaneously before and realized none of them were getting my full attention. 😉 And yes, being hungry (or even just “snungry”) is very distracting. 😉
I wonder why computers do that to us? Shouldn’t they just keep us focused on the project at hand? Oh, well.
And one last question. What book have you read recently that made you read another page?
It’s been a very good book year so far, but I highly enjoyed Wings of a Dream by Anne Mateer. It was a sweet book with lovable characters and an interesting storyline. 😉
(Link in title goes to Kate’s review. Cover image goes to my review.)
I actually just read that same book since you had enjoyed it so much, and I wanted to read another page, after another page, too. 🙂 Any last thing you want to share, Kate, before you have to leave?
Thank you so much for having me, Rebekah! Those were some very fun questions! 😉
Thanks so much for coming by! *hands over a box of chocolates* I so enjoyed getting to visit with you, Kate!
Great review, ladies! 🙂
Thanks, Angela.
What an interesting interview. It is very informative,too. Thank You for the interview of Kate.
Marilyn
My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it.
Thank you for having me, Rebekah! 😉 This was such a fun and unique interview!
It was my pleasure! Thanks for being willing to come and visit.
(I just wish we could do it in real life.)