The AbCoJen Interview!!! Part I...

Happy Sunday, Friends!

Today, I have the pleasure of posting part 1 of the AbCoJen interview:



 I'm giving you some AWESOME times 3!!  Love me?  Thought so ~ :)

If you don't know them already - settle in, read, follow the links to some great blogs.  If you do know them - settle in, read, learn a little more about some great fellow bloggers/writers/friends.

I give you Abby Minard of Above Water, Colene Murphy of The Journey, and Jen Daiker of Unedited.  (clicking on their names will link you with merely one of my favorite posts from each lovely lady!)

Question # 1:  What genre do you write and why?
Abby:  I write YA fantasy. I've loved reading the genre since I was in elementary school, and have been stuck ever since. I honestly don't really read anything else. I've always wanted to make teens feel the way I did reading books like Sabriel, The Golden Compass, or the Dragonriders series. I can't picture myself writing anything other than YA fantasy.

Colene:  I write YA. And the reason makes me sound like a complete moron so I wont say WHY I started writing YA. But I will say that I continue because you can do SO much in that genre where others might be more restricted. And I love teens. They are so full of potential stories.

Jen:  I'm not set to one. I adore Young Adult, the ability to shape the world and have it be anything. Teens allow you to really be creative. I also love writing women's fiction (comedy), just love writing about women in different situations. I've also been known to write thrillers (complete with serial killers).

Question #2:  Favorite writing website?
Abby:  I get updates from Writers Digest and I love those. Also I love writeoncon.com- their chats and blogs are just great.

Colene: Writersdigest.com. There are so many awesome writing websites! But this seems to have a bit of everything.

Jen: I don't avidly follow any. Sorry!

Question# 3:  If you could go on a writing retreat with 3 of your favorite authors, who would they be and where would you go?
Abby: Sharon Shinn, Garth Nix and Kristin Cashore. I would love to go to New York City or maybe somewhere warm- like the Caribbean (so we can just lounge around in the sun and talk fantasy writing and books, maybe even do an anthology together...sigh...).

Colene: I would love to just chat up JK Rowling (of course), Laura Whitcomb, and Garth Nix on a sunshiney, warm beach somewhere tropical.

Jen: Susan Elizabeth Phillips (for romance), JK Rowling (for world building) and; Lisa & Laura Roecker (a duo - it counts - because they'll make me laugh). As far as where we'd go... Umm since they aren't from the same mold I'd say one in New York (cuz I've always wanted to visit).

Question # 4: Best writing advice you ever got?
Abby:  Don't get distracted by all the little threads of ideas you get for other books while you are writing your current one. Write them down when you get them, and then it's back to your current work. You'll never get anything completely written if you stop and start writing new books all the time.

Colene:  I think I will repeat the same thing on this question until the day I die! Back up your sh*t! Sometimes I unvulgarize(made up word ftw) it but truly, you can know all the rules and get everything right and be the best author the world has ever seen...until your computer crashes and the only copy you ever made is now gone forever. Then what? Yea, start again. Write it over. BUT what a crushing feeling that is!


Jen:  A blank sheet of paper doesn't write itself.

Question #5:  Where do your writing ideas usually come from?
Abby:  I get inspiration from songs, tv shows, books- anything, really. Dreams even. I honestly can't tell you how I came up with my book, except that I wanted an ensemble cast like Sharon Shinn's in the 12 Houses Series, where you really feel like they are your best friends. And I wanted a love story like Sabriel's.

Colene:  Pft. If I knew, I would never get writer's block. Tap into that junk all the time!

Jen: My dreams, thoughts, etc.

Question #6:  Favorite character name?
Abby:  Serafina Pekkala from The Golden Compass.  And Ender from Ender's Game

Colene:  Ky. I just finished reading Matched and am in love with that name for some reason. Don't know if it's my all time favorite name but right now it is.

Jen:  Tully

Question #7:  What character role are you destined to play?
Abby:  The shy intimidated heroine (gorgeous, of course) who overcomes her mental obstacles to save the world and get the guy.

Colene:  Anyone who gets to make out with: Johnny Depp, Ryan Reynolds, Riddick(not necessarily Vin Diesel...just Riddick...), Alexander Skarsgard, LL Cool J, or James Franco is fine with me.

Jen:  MC finding herself

(*Ok - have to add this for Colene...you can thank me later!)

Intriguing, no?  :)  In following the suggested good-blog-tip of brevity, I'm cutting this post in two, so if you'd like to learn even MORE about these fabulous gals - you'll need to come back on Wednesday for Part II of the AbCoJen interview.  I really just want to thank Abby, Colene and Jen for answering my questions and for being some of my first followers and blogging friends.  I want all three of you to know that you're a big part of the reason that I keep blogging and that I'm truly inspired by each of you every day!

And for my visitors today - I so hope you enjoyed getting to know these three a little better.  Thanks so much for stopping by and happy writing/reading/whatnot!