Hey gang! Okay, so by now, you've read EVERY story in Jenga's Library...right?
Have you ever wondered.... "What was that author thinking when (s)he wrote that??? Or HOW did that author pull that off? I know I have, and that's why I started these interviews. I have a great deal of respect for my fellow authors, and I hope you do too. They're all wonderful people, creative and full of ideas....
So what is this all about? Well, some of you are too shy to ever write and ask questions, but you're curious about the person behind that fabu fic. Author Unplugged will be bringing you some of the best PR authors around, kicked back and talking about all sorts of things!
We've got another super author here tied up and gagged...er... waiting to tell all of you how she REALLY feels about the wonderful world of PR.....(just kidding, guys!)
So, sit back, put your feet up and put on your fave tunes...and get ready to find out just what makes a person sit down to write a PR fic (and no, not all of us are insane.....*grin*)
So, who's in the hotseat this time? Well, a couple hints. She's addressed the subject of Tommy and Billy not getting along, she's written about the team in the future and taken a look into how the original team got together before they were Rangers. She's a VERY versatile writer!
Who is it? Want to get a glimpse into her world? Let's say hello to......
Ready to get inside her head?
What first got you into PR?
My nephew, Dalton, was four, I think, the first year the Power Rangers
were on. It was the Christmas when
everyone wanted Power Ranger stuff and very little was available. My
sister, Kim, managed to get him the
video of the pilot episode, and of course, we had to watch it that
morning. Several times, in fact. I got a huge
kick out of it, it reminded me so much of the type of shows I watched
when I was a kid. I was hooked from then
on.
What or who first interested you in writing PR stories? Where do you think
your inspiration comes from?
Last summer, in June, I finally got internet service. It was probably a
month or so before I found any Power
Ranger fan fiction, and then it was a few scattered stories on smaller
sites. The first really awesome story I
found was "Clone Wars" by Stephanie Moffett. I remember reading it and
thinking to myself, "I don't believe it.
An adult caliber story about the Power Rangers." I was thrilled with
it. It encouraged me to find bigger fan
fiction sites, and soon after I found "The FanFic Shoppe" and its huts,
"Jenga's Library", "Paladar's" and "The
Angel Grove Youth Center". I spent most of the summer hunched over my
computer, reading until my eyes
crossed. I told my friend, Lorie, about the stories. She listened very
patiently, having no interest in the Power
Rangers, but being an excellent friend. She was the one who said "Why
don't you write one?" I hadn't written
for fun in years, but I couldn't shake the idea. It was early fall
when I started "Strangers with Familiar Faces".
Lorie was the first person to read that story, and when she finished it
she called me at work. I answered the
phone to hear her voice asking me if I had been a nazi in a former
life. But she professed to like the story and
has read all the others. The rest, as they say, is history.
My inspiration comes from many sources, television shows I have watched
over the years, books, my own
twisted mind. I was blessed with an extremely active imagination, and
have written stories featuring favorite
characters from various television shows, movies, etc, in my mind for
years. This is the first time I have put
those stories down on paper.
If you could be a Ranger, which one would you be? Why?
Kimberly. She had the cool, flying zords. And she had Tommy. What
more can one want? (Okay, yeah, Billy,
but I also like the flying zords.)
Who would be on your "dream team"?
Tommy-White
Jason-Red
Billy-Blue
Adam-Black
Kimberly-Pink
Tanya-Yellow
Tommy would most likely act as leader.
Who's your favorite Ranger? *wink* Why?
Billy, for those who couldn't guess from my stories. Why? Probably
because at first he was the misfit, plus he is
so darn cute. He was one of the few characters allowed to grow and
develop in time, "Morphing", as it were,
personally. I was a misfit in my youth, labeled all sorts of less than
desirable things, so I can understand the
character. I also lost a parent, my father, at an early age, and I can
relate to Billy's single parent status, and the
insecurities inherent in that situation.
The MMPR:TM Rangers have totem animals. What do you think your
totem animal is
and why?
I guess an otter. That was one of the more frivolous animals I could
think of. I'm not the most serious person
you are likely to meet.
Do you write in any other genres?
Not yet. I'm toying with the idea of doing a "Young Riders" story, or
"Hercules" or "Xena". Much as I like Star
Trek DS9, since I can't follow the series I don't feel confident enough
to do a story.
What advice can you give to someone thinking of writing a story
and submitting it? Any
words of encouragement?
Do it for fun, do it for yourself, do it! Do your best, give it your
all, but it really is important to be having a good
time writing. And when that dreaded 'writers block' hits, force
yourself to do a page a day. That isn't much,
really, and you may very well have to re-write it later, but you may be
surprised what your mind does if you force
it to go around that block. Every time I have done this I have ended up
somewhere I hadn't originally intended to
go, but I had a great time getting there.
If you want to write, if you enjoy writing, don't let anyone tell you
that you can't. Yes, listen and learn, take their
advice and use that which you deem appropriate, but don't let them kill
your desire to write. It happened to me
many years ago, and I lost almost 20 years of pleasure because I allowed
someone to take my joy in writing
away from me. So, I'll just have to enjoy the next twenty years twice
as much to make up for it! (I was a math
major at one time-can't you all tell?)
What, in your opinion, makes for a great story vs. an okay one?
Language, sentence structure, proper use of words. The greatest idea in
the world can be shot down by poor
basic writing skills. But there is something else that I can't really
explain, it is the same mysterious something
that separates an attractive person from a beautiful one. Something
that cannot be defined but simply IS. It's
the something in a story that reaches out and touches your soul. When
you find a story that does that for you, it's magic.
What would you say is your greatest weakness in writing?
Greatest strength?
I use a lot of sentence fragments (Grammar-check hates me), I overuse
some characters and under use others,
I'm not very original. As for strength, well I use the thesaurus a lot,
but I also double check that the word is really
appropriate. (I just love a "good word")
How long have you been writing fiction?
Eight or nine months. Before that there was a span of almost twenty
years when I wrote nothing except what
was required for college classes and occasional letters. My jobs didn't
require me to write, and I did not write
for pleasure. As a kid, and through high school, I took a lot of
creative writing classes and occasionally wrote
for fun. College, specifically a couple of instructors, turned me off
of writing and it took 2 decades to rediscover
the joy.
If a movie were made about your life, what would the theme song
be?
"Junk Food Junkie" (Major brownie points to anyone who can remember
that particular song!)
Out of all the stories you've written, which is your favorite
and why?
"Strangers With Familiar Faces", because it was the first. Everything
was a thrill! (still is, actually). Looking at
that blank screen, typing the first word (Klank-of all things),
discovering how the story can change so oddly from
what you originally envisioned. All of it was kind of exciting. And
the first time it showed up on a
site-whoa-major thrill. That probably sounds pretty lame, but that is
how it was. Years ago I read an interview
with Stephen King where he was quoted as saying something about how he
was always curious to see how his stories were going to turn out. At
the time I thought it was one of the silliest things I had ever read.
He's writing
the thing, how could he not know how it will turn out. Now I know. The
stories take on a life of their own and
sometimes wander way off the expected course. It happened big time with
"Strangers".
If you could go back in time and become friends with one famous
person, whom would you chose?
Edgar Allen Poe-I think he needed a friend! Just kidding, actually.
Can't think of anyone at the moment. Still
can't - guess I'm stuck with Edgar.
What hobbies besides PR do you have?
Reading, target shooting, web surfing. Geez, kinda sedentary, aren't I?
What's your favorite color?
Blue, it has always been blue. The brighter the better.
Who's your favorite author (not PR or fanfic -- published stuff)?
Stephen King, Dean R. Koontz, Jonathan Kellerman, Faye Kellerman (I'm
seeing a pattern here)
What is your favorite book?
Stephen King's "It"
What's your favorite movie?
Blazing Saddles if I want humor, Silverado if I want great scenery (And
I ain't talking trees and mountains), any
of the Lethal Weapon movies if I want action, any Star Trek movie for
fantasy, and a varied host of others for
those moods that defy description.
Favorite cartoon character?
Absolutely nothing comes to mind! I mostly liked the kid's shows with
real people in them-HR Puffinstuff,
Bugaloos, Electra Woman and Dynagirl, Land of the Lost.
What other television shows do you watch, other than PR?
Hercules, Xena, X Files, Friends, Sons of Thunder (When it starts in
March), I would watch all the Star Trek
series if I lived where I could get UPN, but I can't for now. Gosh,
doesn't look like I'm into reality much, does it?
What kind of music do you listen to?
Country. I'm moderately hearing impaired, I can hear country better
than other types.
Song that couldn't be improved on?
"The Star Spangled Banner"-I like tradition when it comes to the
national anthem.
Who is your favorite comedian?
George Carlin. When I was in college the first time, my roommate and I
would clean our apartment every
Saturday while listening to a George Carlin record. The neighbors must
have thought we were nuts but we
enjoyed it.
Favorite joke?
I love a joke that twists a familiar phrase as the punch line. Like
this one:
There was a king who ruled a small country. He was obsessed with wild
animals, had all sorts of creatures he
allowed to roam freely around the palace grounds. Lions, tigers,
antelope, elephants. You name it, he had it.
But, he was not very good about having the grounds cleaned, and soon the
stench became overpowering. It got so bad the subjects of the kingdom
got together and decided to oust the king, and all his animals. And
this
marked the first time in history that the reign was called on account of
the game.
What's the coolest experience of your life?
Becoming an aunt. Dalton is a wonderful kid, the best.
Person you respect most?
Anyone who lives their life honestly, tries to do the right thing, and
manages to find joy in everyday things.
Scariest thing you've ever done?
I was a solo long haul truck driver for five months in 1995. (This
falls under the category of truly dubious career
choices). I got lost in almost every state, in big cities like Chicago,
in small towns like the one in Oregon that
was so small it wasn't on my atlas. I would wake up in truck stops to
find "lot lizards" (hookers) knocking on my
truck looking to make some money, had some psychopath in a small car
playing cat and mouse with me in
Oklahoma City in the wee hours of the morning. I drove down a highway
in California so exhausted I started to
hallucinate. (I got the hell off the road at that point). Sure, it is
pretty humorous now, but at the time I was scared to death I would end
up killing myself, or worse, killing someone else. I was not right for
that job, and I have the
utmost respect for those drivers who are on the road. They keep our
county moving, while living anything but an
easy life. (Okay, I'm off my soapbox.)
What do you look for in a friend?
A sense of humor and acceptance. A person needs both with me around.
Case in point-my friend Lorie, we
have been friends for over 25 years. She called about February 1 or so
and we arranged to get together at my
house to visit that evening, she needed time off from husband and kids,
I needed time off from work. But I
warned her that my Christmas tree was still up. Only a true friend
would reply to that comment, very sincerely,
"Good, I wanted to see it!" I have been very blessed when it comes to
friends.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be, and
why?
Right where I am. One of the things I learned while driving a truck,
there really is no place like home. I grew up
here, I have friends here, I belong here. I have a good job, a good
home. (While I was a driver I literally lived in
my truck) How would you describe yourself?
Loquacious, facetious, pusillanimous, smarta**
If you won the lottery today, what would you do with it?
Buy the house I am living in, replace my pickup, set aside some funds
for Dalton to go to college, help out my
sister, and travel some. I would not quit working, I enjoy what I do
too much.
Do you have a motto you live your life by?
My high school biology teacher preached the philosophy, "The important
thing is to be happy", that works for
me.
If you were offered any supernatural power (telepathy,
teleportation...or whatever you
chose to name), which would you choose and how would you use it?
I'm not sure what you would call it, but there was an episode of the
original Star Trek where this woman, which
Dr. McCoy named "Gem", could touch a person who was injured and absorb
the injury into herself, then heal it.
(the episode was called "The Empath"-but I don't believe "empathy" would
be the right word). I thought that was
a really cool power to have.
This is where you can say anything you want -- as long as we don't have
to
edit it. ;) Feel free to rant about what irks you, or praise the skies about
something you really like.
Oh, gosh, now what? My mind is a total blank! (There's some as would
say that is its normal condition) I guess first I want to say "Thank
You" to the webmasters and webmistresses who run the wonderful fan fic
sites. Not
only have you provided me with hours and hours of reading pleasure, but
as I indicated earlier, you played a
part in restoring the joy of writing to my life. And while I'm at it, a
big "boo and hiss" to anyone who has abused
these fine folks because they don't like the way the sites are run, or
because of some mistake, or just because
they are jerks. The webmasters/mistresses do not ever deserve that kind
of treatment! Ever! End of mini-rant.
Also a thank you to the authors who inspired me with their stories. I
am sure I neglected to tell a lot of them how
much I enjoyed their work (I didn't have email for almost a month after
I had internet service-long story, don't
ask). They showed me the way by their example. And, while I'm at it,
they don't deserve abuse either! (Oh,no,
I'm off and running again) If you don't like a story, keep your opinion
to yourself. I don't care how bad a story is,
how much you didn't like it. A writer puts a part of himself in a
story, and when you flame the story, you flame the writer. That should
not be done, ever. If you can't say something nice, shut the heck up.
Done again.
And thank you to the folks who have taken the time to email me and say
something nice about one of my
stories. You all brightened my day-and I apologize for when I didn't
respond. All I can say in my defense is, I'm
a flake. I'm busy? Selective brain damage? None of the above? All of
the above?
I get a kick out of all the debate about Kim/Kat/Tommy, Tommy vs. Billy,
etc. For the record: I like Kim with
Tommy, Katherine with Billy, (I think the geek should get the pretty
blonde), and Tommy and Billy get along fine.
This is how I set things up in my little world. It's a happy little
world, and sometimes they even let me wander off
the grounds with an attendant.............
Okay, I'm done now. Thanks, Julia, for this chance to spout. I had fun
with it. And thanks again for the readers
out there, without whom those of us who write would be lost.
Thanks, Mele!! GREAT interview. :) Check out Mele's stories, gang, then drop her a line and tell her what you thought. Every author LOVES e-mail about their stories -- just remember to be kind when you write them. *smile* A lot of energy and time goes into each tale. And writers don't get paid for this, it's for sheer enjoyment (insanity, insomnia or a muse that won't leave you alone...*wink*). So write Mele, and let her know you're reading, and enjoying her stories! :)
Something a little off the subject, but kinda related..... Don't forget to thank Jeremy Ray once in a while for hosting this site, okay? He does a lot of work, and loves doing it, but....it's still nice to drop him a line once in a while telling him you think Jenga's Library and The Power Core are cool. *smile* The folks running sites don't always know you like them unless you tell them, so next time you're at one of those PR sites you LOVE to visit, sign their guestbook, or e-mail them. Make their day! :)
Who's up next? Our next author has amazing talent, incredible insight into characters and is one of the wackiest people I know. This person is as nutbar as anyone else I know (and that's saying a LOT!), and has a lovely, sly wit. I guarantee you'll enjoy the interview! *grin* If you have any suggestions for who to interview, or for improving these interviews, let me know. I can't guarantee I'll go for it, but I love hearing your point of view! E-mail me, Julia, and make sure you mention Author Unplugged. Until next time, catch you on the flipside!
Want to read previous interviews? They can be found right here:
