**INTERVIEW #2 with Author STEPHANIE A. DUCKWORTH-ELLIOT**

Welcome back Stephanie!

Author of: "PONEASEQUA: GODDESS OF THE WATERS"

Second Edition

Genre: Young Adult Native American, Multicultural, Geered

toward ages 8-13

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~~AUTHOR INTERVIEW #2~~

Geri: What has inspired you the most to write?

Stephanie: I was the little girl who stood out. After my mother and

father were divorced, I grew up with my Wampanoag grandfather

on his farm in Martha's Vineyard. Among the sea of

white children at Edgartown Elementary, I was the

lone Wampanoag with olive skin, russet hair and onyx

eyes, six-foot-one by the time I was twelve. I always

felt different, but I always believed in myself, because

my grandfather did. Because of my struggle, I am

inspired to write and send the message, that it's

okay to be different. You have to love who you are, and be

proud of where you came from. So many children

struggle with identity, and have issues about trying to

fit in.

Geri: How many book-signings have you been to?

Stephanie: Since June sixth, I have been to twenty-two. The largest

one is coming up at the Smithsonian-The Museum of

the American Indian in Washington DC.

Geri: Do you plan on writing a book every year?

Stephanie: Yes, however, not just a young adult book. Next year,

I hope to come out with my adult novel, "THE DREAM

CATCHER'S SECRET."

Geri: How do you promote your book?

Stephanie: I reach out to newspapers. I have several articles

written on me. I have been on twelve different radio

shows. I have been doing all promotions on my own,

besides contracting with you for a review, and online promotions.

Geri: Have you written books in different genres?

Stephanie: Yes, adult fiction.

Geri: Have you written a series, and or a sequel for one title?

Stephanie: No.

Geri: After becoming a published author, do you now find

it easier to write?

Stephanie: No, my time is so limited. I have so many ideas, and

I long for the day when I will have nothing to do,

except to write.

Geri: Do you write everyday?

Stephanie: No.

Geri: Is writing a passion, a stress-reliever, or both?

Stephanie: It is a passion, going to give lectures on my writing

is a stress-reliever, knowing that I have touched

a child's life is the high for me.

Geri: What factors place you in the comfort zone while

writing?

Stephanie: Being quiet, lighting a candle, and having the room

be dark. I love the feeling of being isolated.

Geri: Thank you very much for today's interview. Congrats

on all of your achievements. I wish you much success!

Stephanie: You're welcome.

**INTERVIEW with Author JULIA DUDEK** Author of "PIECES"

Author of: "PIECES"

Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Romance

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~~~AUTHOR INTERVIEW~~~

Geri: Do you have any current work in progress?

Julia: Yes, I am in the process of writing the sequel to PIECES,

and I expect to have it finished by the summer of 2010.

Geri: Did you have favorite books as a child?

Julia: As a child, I loved the LITTLE BEAR books by Elsa

Holmelund Minarik, and Maurice Sendak. As I grew up,

I became quite obsessed with a few different series, including

The BABY-SITTERS CLUB, and SWEET VALLEY HIGH.

Geri: If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?

Julia: Well, I like to think that I've incorporated all my favorite

genres into my book, which I like to say is a mystery-

suspense-romance, with a twist of horror. But I've

actually been tossing some science fiction-romance

ideas around for the future.

Geri: How many books have you written?

Julia: "PIECES" is my first book.

Geri: Has a special person in your life inspired you to write?

Julia: My grandmother, Olga. Actually, the characters for

"PIECES" were something we brainstormed together

fifteen years ago, when I was just in middle school.

She was a writer herself once, even attending college in

New York City, briefly while in her twenties to study

journalism, though she's never been published. Literature

and writing was something we bonded over early on,

and she has always been a fan of my writing, and promised

me one day I would see it published. Earlier this year,

however, she was diagnosed with the early stages of

Alzheimer disease and I knew that if I wanted her to read

the story she helped me come up with fifteen years ago,

I'd have to take it off the shelf and make it happen. I am

so proud, and grateful that I'll be able to put a copy in her

hands now.

Geri: When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer?

Julia: Although PIECES is my first novel, I am not new to the

world of writing. I could go as far back as to credit the

school play I wrote for Martin Luther King Day in fourth

grade, but perhaps I should skip ahead to more recent

years. When I was eighteen, I worked as a news

correspondent for three different newspapers in New Jersey.

At age nineteen, I worked briefly as a local news managing

editor for The Brick Communicator, before leaving to focus

on college full-time. At age twenty, I won the Ignie LaFluer

Endowed Scholarship for "Best Work In Fiction" for my

short story, "The Color Of Homage." At twenty-two, I won

my university's award for "Best Senior Thesis" for a history

paper on Atlantic Ocean history. Another thesis, "Playing

with Barbies" for a class entitled "The Philosophy Of Binary

Gender" was published by the Transgender Tapestry in

2003, a magazine with national distribution. For the last

two years, I've been working as a ghost writer for various

projects. Writing, in any way, shape or form, has always

been my passion. As soon as I could write, I knew it was

what made me happiest.

Geri: As writers, we begin with a manuscript, and end in

promotions. What was your most difficult task?

Julia: Hands down, the most difficult task is the very moment

when you decide your work is finished. For months, or

years, the project exists only as a pliable story in your

brain, or an editable document on your hard drive. But

when you approve that final galley, knowing it will be off to

print and available for the world, you must relinquish your

ability to go back in, and change. Also, tweek, or polish,

accepting your book as finished. I could call it bittersweet, but

I don't think any words could truly describe that moment.

Geri: How did you feel at your first book-signing, or the first time

you signed your book?

Julia: As I am answering this question about two weeks before I

will have a book in my hands to sign, I can only guess the

feeling of pride, and accomplishment, even if I sign only

one copy.

Geri: Who is your favorite author?

Julia: This is a hard question to answer, because I have a favorite

for each genre, but I will be simple and say Alice Sebold.

Geri: Are your characters from real life, or from the imagination?

Julia: From the imagination, though I feel as if I know them all

personally, after spending so much time with them!

Geri: Thank you very much for today's interview. It was quite

interesting, and enjoyable. I remember how much my

daughters liked The Baby-sitters Club, and Sweet Valley

High. I always took them to the library from a very young

age, and they loved the book clubs. Congrats on your

new release. I wish you much success.

Julia: You're welcome!

***INTERVIEW with Author MARK STEPHEN LEVY***

Author of: "OVERLAND"

Genre: Fiction/Historical Fiction/Love Story/Adventure/Romance

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~~~INTERVIEW~~~

Geri: What inspires you the most to write?

Mark: My creativity has flourished of late. My novel "OVERLAND"

was inspired by my travels in 1985. It took almost twenty-

four years to finally write a book about it.

Geri: Who is your favorite author?

Mark: I don't read that many books.

I really liked "EAT, PRAY, LOVE" by Elizabeth

Gilbert, back in the day I liked George Orwell. Also,

Aldous Huxley, JRR Tolkien, and Robert Heinlein. You

know, required counter culture reading!

Geri: Are your characters from real life, or from the

imagination?

Mark: The main character, Danny, in "OVERLAND" is loosely

based on my own adventures, when I traveled around

the world for two years in Europe and Asia. The others

are all imagination, except for Mustapha, who was

inspired by my houseboat guy in Kashmir, India.

Geri: How did you feel the first time you were published?

Mark: Amazed, astounded, as much, if not more than when

I graduated college.

Geri: If you were to write in a different genre, what would it be?

Mark: I have a non-fiction idea, rolling around in my head.

Shhhhhh, can't say yet, we are what we write. I'm a

travel, adventure, love story, kind of guy. I could never

write spy stories, unless I figure out how to do that.

Geri: When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer?

Mark: I've always liked to write, when I traveled. I diligently

wrote in my travel journals daily, and not just I been there,

saw that, met them. I wrote more commentary, and

observations, along with details. If I had a fire in my house,

and only had a minute to grab something, it would be my

journals.

Geri: Did you have favorite books as a child?

Mark: Dr. Seuss. Was he really a Doctor? Everybody who writes

must have had some prior profession.

Geri: Thank you very much for today's interview. It is an honor,

and pleasure to work with you. I wish you much success

in your writing endeavors!

Mark: You're welcome.