Answers!

The first question is from Hot Stuff, who asks: When do you post your answers?

Right now, smart alec. But I'm going to have to do it in segments, since Nayna started kindergarten today. (I'm doing remarkably well, by the way. It's hard to be too sad when she started yelling, "First day of kindergarten! WHOOHOOOOOOO!" as soon as we pulled in.)

Novice Writer Anonymous asks, Bruschetta and crostini or caprese salads?

I cannot fathom what possesses people to order salad at restaurants. Why on earth would you go out to eat and get salad??

That being said, I have no idea what crostini is, but I am a fan of bruschetta with fresh tomato, mozzerela, and basil on top.

Outside the genre you write in, who is your favorite author and/or what is your favorite book? (They don't necessarily have to go together...)

Marilynne Robinson. Gilead is my all-time favorite book, but her other novel, Housekeeping, is amazing in its own right.

I'm a rather odd reader in that I read YA, literary fiction, and pretty much nothing else.

Natalie asks, How would you describe your high school self?

How would you describe my high school self? Oh, that's right, you were terrified of me. (I still feel bad about that, by the way.) In a nutshell, I was a bundle of contradicitons. Cripplingly insecure and brashly confident, moderately brilliant and terribly naive, tender-hearted and tough. Most of all I was very, very lonely.

JenE asks, How did you "meet" up with your online writing friends/critique group?

Very oddly. Natalie and I met through Evil Editor's blog, got to be friends, and realized a couple of months later that not only were we from the same town, we had actually gone to high school and had classes together.

Renee I think found me through Evil Editor's, too, and the three of us formed the MoMo Writers group.

My other two main critiquers, Carrie and Stephanie, I found through their blogs, which I found by following links provided by KT Literary. I thought they were so funny and delightful I emailed them and rather than thinking me strange, we ended up becoming friends. I love those two girls dearly.

So I guess I lucked into them, and I'm grateful every single day.

Do you know your story before you write it? Or do you just fly by the seat of your pants?

A little of both? I'm not much for outlining, and stories always take different turns than I think they will. I start with an idea or scene for inspiration and just go from there.

If Dr. Pepper isn't available, what is your next drink choice?

I actually love Vanilla Coke above all soft drinks, which is why I never drink it.

Marybeth Poppins asks, How did you stay motivated when you got discouraged?

Good friends and a supportive family. But honestly, it was really rough for a long time. Trying to get an agent is discouraging. There's no way around that. Keep writing other things, try not to pin any or all of your happiness on goals that are out of your control, and take some breaks here and there.

And now I've got to go make brownies for the triumphant return of my kindergartener! More answers later.