What is one lesser-known fact about your childhood?
Not many people know that I was an aunt before I was born. My brother (yes, same parents) was 23 years old and married with a little boy by the time I came along.
Were you an avid reader as a child? Do you still read books?
As a child I loved to read. Our public library was within walking distance, so I regularly checked out 5 books (the limit) each week. I am still a voracious reader today. My parents were also readers, but the only thing I remember them writing was letters.
Where would you say your love for writing and storytelling comes from? Do your parents like to write?
My love of writing came from my love of reading. My mother read to me each night before bed until I started reading on my own. Books were a great adventure, so it was a very small step from reading to writing. I remember forming an Authors Club when I was about 8 years old. I soon realized that I was the only one writing anything, and when we met I would read what I wrote to the other kids. (Kind of one-sided)
What was the first job you ever got? How would you describe your experiences there?
My first job. Well, it wasn’t really a job, but I was only 11 when my mother returned to work fulltime, and it became my job to prepare dinner for the family each evening. She left specific written instructions for me to follow, and that is how I learned to cook.
At 16, I started working as a waitress at Percy Brown’s Restaurant in Wilkes -Barre, PA. That restaurant was an institution in Wilkes-Barre. My grandmother worked there when she was young also. Working for strangers was good for me, but not always fun. Waitresses do a lot more than just serve food. I can say that I learned to do it well, even if I didn’t enjoy it, because that’s how you earned tips.
What challenges did you face while publishing your first book, SMASHING IDOLS?
My biggest challenges in writing SMASHING IDOLS were the technical skills I had to learn. When I first started writing that book I didn’t even know how to type. Writing was easy, but I wrote it all on a yellow legal pad before I taught myself keyboarding. Enter Mavis Beacon! After that, I had to learn how to navigate the technical aspects of setting up a website, self-publishing, working with an editor, proofreader, cover designer, launch team, and creating ads. Self-Publishing School helped me with all that. It was a daunting process, but quitters never win, so I just kept going one step at a time until I was ready to publish.
When did you first learn about the benefits of God's original diet?
It was about 22 years ago when I first started researching natural ways to regain my health. I read everything I could find on health and healing. I also did a lot of praying and searching the Bible for answers. Everything I found pointed to a plant-based diet. I didn’t want to believe that was God’s answer to my prayers, because I was a typical American who loved meat.
How much did you research while writing your book, Smashing Idols?
I spent two whole years trying to prove God wrong. During that time I was on the internet, visiting bookstores, researching doctors’ websites, subscribing to newsletters, and talking to naturopathic physicians trying to gather clues to health and healing. If there were a “hamburger, french-fries, and hot fudge sundae diet” that worked, I would have found it. Then I would tell the world, because THAT is what I was looking for. I can tell you, it doesn’t exist.
God’s original diet is still best. After all, He designed our bodies, so He knows best how to maintain them.
What are some messages you want to spread with your writing?
Some people think that SMASHING IDOLS is just a diet book, but the core principle of SMASHING IDOLS is lordship. I had to smash the idol that food, specifically the Standard American Diet, had become in my life. I had to trust God’s Word more than man’s word. In the process, I learned that it wasn’t just unhealthy food that was the problem. Unhealthy thoughts, toxic relationships, sedentary lifestyles, negative attitudes lack of sleep (burning the candle at both ends), and even dehydration can cause the poor health that many Americans face. IDOL is just another word for HABIT. Once you smash those idols the weight will come off naturally.
SMASHING IDOLS is the book I wish I had had when I transitioned to a whole-food plant-based lifestyle. I think people need to hear not only what to do, but also learn practical steps to take to achieve some level of success each day. That is why I put a Battle Plan at the end of each daily chapter in SMASHING IDOLS. The Battle Plan will help you get over obstacles that might hinder your success.
I really want people to think about the lifestyle choices they make. SMASHING IDOLS offers some simple and free steps you can take to lose weight and get healthier. You have the power to maintain a strong immune system and the energy to pursue the activities you love. You do not need to live defeated. Fight for your health!
What is your writing kryptonite? Inversely, what is something that never fails to inspire you?
My writing kryptonite is that I know this message came for God. It did not originate with me. It is the diet He outlined in the first book of the Bible. I am just sharing His truth.
What inspires me are the testimonies of weight loss and healing I hear from others who have adopted this lifestyle. It just works! It really is possible to reverse the damage that the Standard American Diet and other harmful habits have done to your body.
What is the most ideal ambiance for you to write in?
The ideal ambience for me to write is total silence. Some people to like to have background music while they write, but not me. I need complete silence to enter the creative zone and hear the story in my head as I’m writing.
How do you decide upon the perfect book titles?
In my experience the title usually doesn’t appear until after the book is written. I know the theme from the start of the book, but the title doesn’t emerge until it is finished. I pray about it. Usually the title is a surprise even to me.
What are the most productive ways to spend time on the Internet?
I love to use the Internet to do research. It is so convenient to sit at my desk and find photos, history, and facts about any topic at all. I am old enough to remember when information was not so readily available, and it was so time-consuming to collect and organize your research, conduct personal interviews, etc. Today everything is instantly at your fingertips! I am online everyday.
The Internet is not only for research. You can take classes on just about any subject online. Zoom has been a blessing in my life.
I also think the Internet is a wonderful tool for networking and advertising. You can reach millions of potential customers or business contacts within seconds.
What is your writing routine? Do you have a specific place or time where you think you write better?
I try to reserve afternoons for writing. I am not one of those people who can jump out of bed at 6:00 am ready to tackle the day. I like to linger over a cup of tea after breakfast and read and pray for about an hour. I spend the rest of the morning working on chores, getting a head start on dinner (putting something in the crockpot, slicing and dicing vegetables, or making a salad) so that I am not interrupting my writing in the afternoon to prepare dinner. Some days I workout (we have a treadmill downstairs) or take a class, and my little dog and I enjoy walking together when the weather cooperates. It usually takes until lunchtime to complete all these necessary tasks. But if I do all that in the morning, after lunch my time is free for writing. I head to my office, close the door, and write in complete silence – at least that’s what I aim for.
Are you working on a new book? Is it going to be a series or a standalone?
I am working on a new book. It will be the first in a series of historical fiction for middle-grade children. The series, based on truth, is about growing up in the early 1900s in a northeastern Pennsylvania mining town, as the poorest of the poor. In this family there are 5 children. The mother is a widowed Ukrainian immigrant. It is the story of hardship and survival, the nobility of hard work, faith, love, and finally achieving the American Dream despite obstacles.
How did you come across AllAuthor? What is it about the website that has kept you as a member for this long?
I was introduced to AllAuthor by another author (See the importance of networking?) She was already a member and said I should check it out. I really do love this group. I feel that the services offered are valuable and the price is reasonable compared to other promo sites. I also love how the authors here support each other. I have used the ad mock-ups on my personal website and social media, and appreciate the tweets that AllAuthor faithfully produces to promote my book on other social platforms.
