Please introduce yourself, who are you and what do you do?
My name is Debra Thompson. I was born in Cleveland, Mississippi. I reside in in central Florida with my family. I am a school administrator; twenty year educator. I have a BA in Elementary Education and a MA in Educational Leadership from the University of South Florida. I enjoy writing with a passion. I am the author of The Crumb Snatchers, a children book.
What first inspired you to start writing?
There are several reasons why I am inspired to write, but the first would have to come from spending summers in Saginaw, Michigan with my grandfather, Robert (Bob) Kingston. He often shared stories about his boyhood and his life at GM. I remember listening to his stories with such admiration of wanting to be a wonderful story teller as well. He told stories that brought characters to life.
Where do your best ideas come from?
I am always thinking about a story to write. In addition, I am surrounded by children in my work place and I have a very active little granddaughter in my life. There is always a story to tell whether in the company of children or adults. I am fascinated with life and enjoy the beautiful things that nature brings. I think most of all my best ideas come from just providing a listening ear and watching people.
Do you have a favorite place you like to write?
My favorite place to write is sitting at the beach. I enjoy the calming sounds of waves washing back and forth against the pristine white sand. My thoughts seem to come together when I am anywhere near water or on the water.
What do you enjoy most about writing?
Bringing the characters to life is what I enjoy most about writing. I want readers to connect with the characters forming a lasting and personal relationship. I enjoy creating the character’s demeanor, their style of dress, their choice of food, personality, their likes and dislikes, and how they handle conflict along with problem-solving.
And the least?
Writing the beginning of the story would be the least. I believe I often struggle with how to begin the story. I struggle with writing the first sentence or paragraph that I hope to captivate the reader and compel him or her to read until their eyes are blurred. The majority of the time I know how I want my plot to go and how I want my characters to interact in the story with other obstacles, but that opening line or the first act when the curtain opens can be difficult. I will write and rewrite the beginning of the story. Once I get pass the opening lines, the words flow much easier and thoughts are generated along the journey of creating the story.
What advice would you give new and aspiring authors?
I would advise them to write about something they are passionate about; to get their work edited by professionals in the business; to start the marketing process long before their book is published; to seek others for book reviews; and to never give up on your dreams.
What are you working on at the moment?
The Crumb Snatchers in Championship Match-up: This is the second book using the Crumb Snatcher characters. The girls will be playing in a district championship baseball game against their west side rivals, The Thunderbolts. The two teams are similar in their style of play, but the Panthers will need some heavy hitting and strategies to win this game.
The Great I AM: A spiritual book inviting those who know and don't know that Jesus Christ is the Great I Am. The journal is filled with I Am verses designed to draw us closer to an eternal relationship with Christ.
A Circle of Paths: This is a book based on trials and tribulations of five women that are struggling with drug addiction, emotional, physical, and mental abuse. Their struggles and challenges will form an everlasting bond of friendship, love, and support.
Tell us about your latest work and how we can find out more.
My latest book is titled The Crumb Snatchers. It is the first in the series. The Crumb Snatchers is a humorous tale about Penny Lenske who finds herself in big trouble after attempting to reach a canister of chocolate chip cookies. She must find a way to get out of trouble and fix the mess she has made. Penny's two older sisters and her cat Heidi can't save her this time. So, she sets out to devise the perfect plan, at least she hopes it’s the perfect plan.
Visit my website at: https://www.authormixx.com/
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Thanks to Debra for sharing her thoughts with us, on Monday we welcome M L Chesley to the hot seat.
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