Allow me to introduce you!

Today I have the pleasure of presenting you with some treasures:
1) A new blog. About writing, reading, and the in-betweens.
2) A new friend. My lovely cousin Anne Marie, author of said blog, and one of the loveliest young women you will ever meet.
I met Anne Marie (or Annie, as we fondly call her) about 14 years ago when I tiptoed into her mother's hospital room and saw a bundle of dark hair and bright eyes tucked into my aunt's arms. I heard some of her first stories when she was about two years old (as I recall, my favorite involved her riding her bike in the street with her imaginary friend--and dying. She was way ahead of that paranormal trend...). So it's been a rather surreal pleasure to get to know her better not just as her older cousin but as a friend and writing buddy. And, yes, it does make me feel old to see a baby I once held, writing a novel. :)
So that you can all get to know her as well, Annie agreed to answer some of my random, wacky interview questions. Without further ado:

List five adjectives you would use to describe yourself.

Silly, dramatic, compassionate, emotional (at times), and talkative.

 

Do you write what you know or what you'd like to know? (And can you tell us a little bit about the story you are working on now?)

  

I feel like I generally write what I'd like to know, with some exceptions. My YA novel, Falling for Danger, is about a small town hero, nineteen-year-old Kayleigh James. She is sent (as Leigh Anne Jamison) to Hawaii for some undercover work, and, well, things get complicated for her. She can't have anything other than business relationships with these people. She has to hide her emotions, her opinions. Of course, her co-workers can't know she can't be anything more than civil with them, so she has to create more and more lies. . .and then she meets someone who is impossible to lie to. . . .It has been one of my favorite stories to write, I think, so far. =)

After I finished the second draft, I discovered a song that perfectly described Kayleigh and her relationships with all the characters, but one in particular (yes, her love interest=D) Anyway, its called "Through Smoke," by Needtobreathe. 

That sounds thrilling! (I have had the pleasure of reading the first chapter, and it is a lesson in great pacing.)

If you were stuck on a desert island, what fictional character would you want to have along as a companion?

This is incredibly random, but the first character that popped into my mind was Rapunzel, from Tangled.

Yes! She would be incredibly helpful--what can't she do, right?--and the hair! Plus a great personality. Good choice. :)

 

Who are your favorite authors, and what genres are your favorite to read?

Veronica Roth, Kathryn Stockett, J.K. Rowling, and Lauren Oliver, just to name a few. My top two favorite genres would probably have to be Historical Fiction and Dystopian. 

I saw on your blog that you were a winner in the 2011 NaNoWriMo. Can you tell us a little bit about what that experience was like? (And how on earth you managed to reach that word count while you had school to accomplish as well!!)

NaNoWriMo was so amazing! It was totally an adventure. I signed up on the youth website last year, because I wasn't sure if I could make the  word  count (on the youth website, you set your own word count goal, while the adult website is set to 50,000). It was a rollerecoaster for me-one week, I'd be 1,000 words ahead and the next week I'd be like, "Ugh, I'm never going to finish!" 

NaNo actually gave me motivation to get through school. I was homeschooled, which was awesome, so I would be done around one-ish. It left plenty of time for afternoon writing! Enough that I did make the 50,000=) However, I'm actually attending a"brick-and-motor" high school this year, so it will probably be a lot harder.  I'm going to sign up on the adult site, though, and still try to make the 50,000 word count again!

Wow, I feel like I should be working harder...

And finally, of the utmost importance: what's your favorite writing snack?

Haha, you saved the best for last! =) I looooove my Oreos. And this is totally opposite, but I've recently become a fan of snap peas.

Seriously? snap peas are my favorite! Mark actually gave me a container of snap peas instead of candy for St. Valentine's day because I love them so much. True story.

Thank you, Annie! It was so much fun hosting you here today. Everyone, check out her blog! :)