Reading Away Life: Featured Author

Can you tell us about your main character? Yikes! Another Quirky Audio Book is about a marijuana enthusiast name Blue McKenna who uses reality TV as a way to cure an apocalyptic case of writer's block. Although Blue is prone to extreme behaviors, I think a lot of women can relate to her trouble with men. Why is it that guys who can't commit are so alluring?

How important do you think villains are in a story? Humans are very complex. Most people aren't “all good” or “all bad.” What I try to do with villains is give some background as to why they perform certain acts. I don't justify the bad behavior of my characters, but I do like to provide some context.

What books have most influenced your life? My favorite books in elementary school were The Great Brain Series by John D. Fitzgerald. These stories had everything I liked – humor and unique adventures, all beautifully illustrated by Mercer Mayer. I was so intrigued by The Great Brain Series it made me want to visit Utah – now I live here!

One of the books I've read as an adult that I try to think about every day is The Four Agreements by Don Miquel Ruiz. Using Toltec beliefs, this book explains how to live a life filled with love and peace. The best part is, I only have to remember four things!

How do you choose the narrators for your audio books? I hire a Casting Director to help with the process. Casting Directors know a lot more actors than I do, are keen to certain acting traits that are suitable for audio books. I've had the opportunity to work with three different Casting Directors and I've been delighted by the actors they have recommended I hire.

Why did you chose to write your audio books in first person? I worked as a radio and TV reporter for many years so the scripts for my audio books started sounding like news reports. My Mom is a former English teacher who suggested I try writing in first person so that I could stop “telling people” the story and start engaging them in it instead.

Can we expect any more audio books from you in the future? I'm currently working on a new audio book I'm calling Quirky 3 until I'm ready to unveil the real title. Like Yikes! Another Quirky Audio Book, Quirky 3 will be set in Navel, Utah. Quirky 3 will feature characters from both Yikes! and my first audio book, Jitters-A Quirky Little Audio Book. Both Jitters and Yikes! are “stand alone” audio books, meaning you don't have to hear one in order to understand the other – the same will hold true for Quirky 3.

What do you do to unwind and relax? I like to ride stuff: ATVs, bicycles, and jet skis. I also enjoy reading, going to plays and listening to music. My special skill is baking cookies. One of my best recipes includes an avalanche of scrumptious ingredients: white chocolate, dried cherries, nuts and coconut.

What is your favorite color? Orange. This color give me the grins! Also, my audio books are all set in Navel, Utah, a town where oranges and polygamists can be found in abundance!

What are some of your favorite audio books? Live at Carnegie Hall by David Sedaris

This is a collection of some of the funniest Sedaris stories. Sedaris is is the king of subtle snark!

Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher

“Brangelina” can't hold a candle to the love triangle involving Fisher's parents, Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, with Elizabeth Taylor starring as “the other woman.”

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, read by Lynn Redgrave and Ruthie Henshall

This gothic style story featured so many interesting characters and unexpected twists. Plus, I'm gaga for British accents!

If you could leave your readers with one bit of wisdom, what would you want it to be? Lots of people say they have a good idea for a book. If you fall into the much smaller category of actually writing a book, then you're already a success! No matter what you write, your work has validity because you've given your time and imagination to it. Never underestimate the value of following through on your own dreams!