End of Year Review - 2015

2015 was a tough year us. While that may not be an excuse, hopefully it helps to explain why I was only able to interview 6 out 12 fabulous authors this year. But I mean it when I say fabulous. These guys, and lady, couldn't have been friendlier, more willing to share, or knowledgeable in their particular fields.

Ed Vela was my first guinea pig. I chose him on purpose because of our twenty year friendship and experience in writing plays and screenplays. He was able to introduce me to fellow playwrights Fernando Dovalina and Carl L. Williams. Teri Mathis and her husband have been friends of ours for more than ten years. She and Tom Scanlon are both non-fiction writers. I met Tom and Gibson Michaels in a writing group. Gibson rounded out my novelists as a sci-fi/fantasy writer.

I had plans on asking other friends of mine that have published plays, cookbooks, are technical writers, and even reaching out to forming professors for interviews but I never got the chance. In August I had another seizure and went on driving restriction for three months. In September I had another seizure so I had to start the three month count all over again. I have just been released. It kind of puts a damper on interviews when you can never go out and actually interview people. So I decided to put it on hold.

What I decided not to put on hold any longer was finally finishing my education. This has been nearly a ten year process, longer if you count the first time I started college right out of high school and dropped out. I started earnestly in 2006, when my son started kindergarten, and I will be finishing his sophomore year of high school.

I made the transition from forensic science to creative writing and couldn't be happier. With one semester in the bag and three more to go, I feel like I am finally on my way to accomplishing a life long goal. Thanks to my incredibly supportive family for putting up with all my craziness. Just today I was so distracted I made a cup a coffee but forgot to put my cup underneath my coffee machine to catch the stream of coffee... Thank goodness for drip trays, right? And this was at the end of the semester...

Thank you again, Ed, Fernando, Carl, Teri, Gibson and Tom for sharing with me everything you learned about creating, brainstorming, publishing and most importantly, how to just keep writing.

Good luck to everything you do in the new year.

Merry Christmas Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from my family to yours.

Tom Scanlon: The Interview

Writing isn't always about writing the next best thing. Sometimes it's about writing to promote your business as Tom Scanlon and I discussed when we sat down together for my monthly writing series. Tom Scanlon, and his partner Jim Harrington, started Houston Home Staging in late 2005. He has since found success, being featured on Property Ladder and in magazines, lecturing, authoring two books about home staging and even being licensed by the state as an instructor.

But oddly enough what Tom couldn't do was gain respect with his finicky female audience because he was born the wrong gender. Hence Carol Barrington and Alicia Barrington were created - to reach out to the women that were the primary readers of his blogs and books. And even though Houston Home Staging may have closed its doors, these ladies are still living their cyber lives out on YouTube and GoAnimate to continue to educate and entertain the public.

The future of Houston Home Staging has shifted gears towards both publication and American silver plate collections. Now, after the publication of Tom's books, Houston Home Staging 1 and 2, they are looking for art books to publish under the newly formed Houston Home Staging Publications. And Houston Home Staging Collections has an extensive assortment of American silver plate that has been individually chalk painted by Tom. (I had the pleasure of seeing quite a few of these beautiful pieces.)

Blogger Laura Romero and Author Tom Scanlon
Courtsey Laura Romero

Interviewing Tom was a pleasure indeed. My only regret was having to pare down the vivid stories he told in order to produce a 30 minute interview for your listening pleasure. Ladies and Gentlemen, my friend, Tom Scanlon click on the name to listen to the interview.

To contact/view Tom Scanlon's Projects:

www.houstonhomestaging.net
www.youtube.com
Dentdale Diaries Blog
Houston Home Staging Stories 1 on Blurb
Houston Home Staging Stories 2 on Blurb

Gibson Michaels: The Interview

What started off as a way to stave off boredom became The Sentience Trilogy for Amazon Best Selling Author, Gibson Michaels. Although it wasn't quite that easy, Michaels has managed to write a trilogy that premiered to favorable reviews when the first volume was published in 2014. The final volume, Wrath of an Angry God, was just released this past March.

From what I have read so far from excerpts from his books and from the drafts of his current work in progress (we were in the same writer's group), Gibson Michaels puts a lot of himself into his writing. So as long as you enjoy stories that have a quick wit and show a deep love of history, you should love his Sentience Trilogy.

Author Gibson Michaels
Photo Courtesy Gibson Michaels

Michaels and I discussed the trials of setting up his own publishing company (Arc Flash Publishing) that he, his better half and his son run together. There was so much for me to learn from the editing process to formatting for e-books to designing the book jacket to formatting for paperback. Whew! I'm glad to know someone who has done it first.

Not to mention that this military space opera (and yes, I learned what that is) has gotten great reviews from the public and even Michaels' own editor can't wait to read what he writes next. He still feels all this is a little surreal, but I think that he'll come to grips with his new found fame after his book signing this summer at ApolloCon. That's right! You can meet this up and coming author in person at ApolloCon June 19-21. 

Please enjoy my interview with sci-fi author, Gibson Michaels. (please click on his name to listen to the interview)

To purchase Gibson Michaels' Books:
Gibson Michaels on Amazon
Gibson Michaels on Barnes & Noble

About Gibson Michaels:
www.gibsonmichaels.com

Gibson Michaels at ApolloCon:
www.apollocon.org

Teri Mathis: The Interview

After reading Teri Mathis' first published book, Notes From Faraway Inn, I was convinced I would have to go and take an extended vacation down to her beloved Cedar Key, Florida. After our conversation, I am even more convinced. I want nothing more than to relax on the Gulf, watching dolphins and walking through their quaint town to buy some local treasures.

Notes From Faraway Inn gives you a glimpse of what innkeepers Oliver and Doreen have created on the tiny island of Cedar Key. Teri Mathis read through many of the journals that guests have written their experiences in and turned it into a book for everyone to enjoy.

This busy Jill-of-all-trades doesn't stop there. She is hard at work on her second book, The Oxygen Theory, which is a compilation of many years worth of research into how increasing your oxygen intake is beneficial for the body. She is also a successful business owner, patent holder and member of the Fort Bend Photography Club (which she encourages anyone to join).

Teri and her husband, Lee Mathis, own and operate Oxygen Orchard, Inc. where they sell Teri's invention, The Big Pitcher. The pitcher is a small counter-top device that is designed to saturate your drinking water with oxygen. For more information, please visit their site, OxygenOrchard.com. Teri is also the proud owner of Vendale Publishing, which she used to self-publish her first book and hopefully many more.

Blogger Laura Romero and Writer Teri Mathis
Photo Property of Laura Romero

To purchase Notes from Faraway Inn, you can contact Teri at vendalepublishingco@gmail.com or call or her at 713-446-5337 or 1-877-347-7770.

Proceeds from Notes From Faraway Inn go to assist the Trap Neuter Release program on Cedar Key.

**The first 10 people to donate to the TNR program will receive a free copy of Teri's book!** 

Please contact her for more information!

Also, look for a possible book signing this summer in Cedar Key!

Please enjoy listening to my interview with Teri Mathis! (click on her name to listen to the interview)

Staying Motivated

One of the things I have found most difficult lately is staying motivated to write every single day. My life, for a short while at least, had become a little busier when I joined a local writing group. We were meeting nearly every week to critique and discuss each other's current projects. Unfortunately we are on hiatus because the founder of our group has fallen ill. Just when I was ready to get back in the swings of things after my own tangle with not feeling well. Too bad.

My current project is taking my short story, Youthanasia, (that you can read here) and expanding it in to a novel. (Youthanasia was entered into the Chilling Tales for Dark Nights short story contest in June 2014.) I started it during NaNoWriMo in November 2014. During that time I got about halfway through Not too bad, really for my second attempt at that particular challenge. But since then I haven't gotten that much further. Say 35,000 words or so. And, no, it's not the word count that matters, but I do not have a whole a story. Yet.

And I am the ultimate procrastinator when it comes to actually finishing anything. Why? Because I never feel that anything is ever good enough (even these silly little blogs). Because I don't think that anyone will want to read my story (even though you are supposed to write for yourself). Because I feel like I am wasting my time (again, what if no one likes it?). Because after this, what do I have (even though I have plenty of ideas for future stories)? Because I am afraid of rejection (from publishers, from readers, from critics). Because I keep changing my mind (that's what editing is for). Because I need to do more research (actually I just love to read more than anything). See? I'm full of excuses not to finish.

I haven't even been participating in Flash! Fiction Fridays lately, either. It used to be because I was busy on Fridays going to my writers group. But I haven't had that excuse lately. Now I'm just being lazy. I need something to jump start my creativity again in a serious way. I started looking up short story competitions again. (I'll post a link to the ones I found at the bottom.) I need something to get me out of this rut.

I still do my words on most days. I found a site called 750 Words maybe a year and a half ago. I use it as sort of a diary. The point of the site is to use it as a "brain dump" before you start writing. To sort of get it all out so you can start your day with a clean sheet of paper. Problem is, I do my 750 words - and that's it. Then I fool around the house the rest of the day. Tinker with our budget. Read. Watch some recordings on the DVR. Do some laundry. Do a word puzzle (love Penny Dell Puzzles!). Help the kids with homework. Probably yell at one them. Cook (a fabulous) dinner. Read. Sleep. Repeat.

So stuck in rut right now. Help!

What do you do to keep yourself motivated and write everyday? Or at least stick to a schedule? Leave your tips in the comments below!

Writing contests I found for April/May (That I was interested in)

sweatpants & coffee
Seeking fiction and non-fiction stories about transformation and redemption. They like well worded works, with "lyrical turns of phrase."

haunted waters press
Seeking fiction and poetry depicting life in rural America. Think country living, Midwestern tales, Southern Gothic and Country Noir.

Carl L. Williams: The Interview

Carl L. Williams was a fantastic way to round out the first quarter of the year. Ed Vela, Fernando Dovalina and Carl Williams are all well acquainted with each other's individual bodies of work, all having been members of Scriptwriters/Houston, competing playwrights and friends for many years.

Carl is a native Houstonian and graduate of the University of Houston. He started his career in technical writing before making a transition to social work with the Salvation Army, where he spent 28 years. Carl told me that the writing bug has always been him, however, and he started writing short stories under Sylvan Karchmer (1911-1991) at UH. It was fellow writer Chris Woods who encouraged him to start writing plays.

We spoke of the many play writing competitions that Houston (and other cities) have to offer and of the progression of writing a ten minute play to a one act play to a full length play. Carl told me a bit about the many unpublished novels he excelled at before finally finding his niche. He did manage to get one Western published, Fool's Play, but insists there will be no follow up novel despite favorable reviews.

Writer Carl L. Williams
Courtesy Carl L. Williams

Don't miss his play, Author's Anonymous, premiering at Theatre Suburbia this Summer! Auditions are coming soon, so check their website for more information.

Writers Laura Romero and Carl L. Williams
Photo Property of Laura Romero

Without further ado, please enjoy interview with Carl L. Williams (click the link to hear the interview).

To see a full collection of Carl's plays: www.doollee.com
To read more about Fool's Play: Fool's Play
To contact Carl L. Williams: carlw49@msn.com

Fernando Dovalina: The Interview

Fernando and I met and had a traditional Mexican breakfast at a little Taqueria not too far from the home he shares with his husband, Barry. What was comfort food to Fernando was just downright delicious to me. After we were sufficiently full and caffeinated, we headed over to his home where I was made to feel more than welcome, and I continued to pick his brain about life as a journalist and playwright.

Fernando and I could have spent hours talking about the two years he spent in Beaumont in the 1960's (I have family out that way). But as it was, we had to move on and talk about his work in Fort Worth before eventually settling down in Houston. Fernando has had a varied and wonderfully fascinating career in journalism alone, but now he has ventured into play-writing.

In play-writing, Fernando has studied under Edward Albee and Stuart Ostrow. He has collaborated with J T Buck to write the book for the musical, Gospel According to Tammy Faye, had several of his plays produced in the Houston area and is active in Scriptwriters/Houston. As if all these accomplishments weren't enough, Fernando is now working on his first novel(s).

Fernando was more than gracious to open his home to me and subject himself the multitude of questions I had printed out for him. He was full of funny and very touching stories, He was humble and patient. He never rushed me even though I probably kept him longer then he expected.

Fernando Dovalina and Laura Romero
Property of Laura Romero

Ladies and gentlemen, introducing Fernando Dovalina. (click on link to listen to the interview)

Please visit Scriptwriters/Houston for more information on upcoming events (including the Home Plays you heard about in Fernando's interview)

Look up Fernando's plays at Doollee.com

Ed Vela: The Interview

I recently sat down with my dear friend Ed Vela. Ed is a Houston-based playwright, screenwriter and the creator of the popular YouTube series, Dad vs Lad. I met Ed nearly 20 years ago, if you can believe that, when I was trying to pursue a career as a stage actress. We had a great time reconnecting over coffee and talking about the events of the last few years. 

For me, it was all about the kids, my heart procedures and my recent pursuits as a fledgling writer. For him it was all about his times in L.A., his new web series and his achievements with his screenplays. (Congrats again!) We could have talked forever about how to create the perfect  onstage conversation or how dreadful the editing process is or even how much we both hate stage parents, but I figured a marathon long interview wouldn't go over for my first podcast.

What you won't hear in the interview is what Ed is best known for; his teasing. I brought my (nearly) 14 year old son with me to meet the illustrious Ed Vela and he didn't disappoint. After they got to know each other, they got along famously, just as I knew they would. 

Writer Ed Vela with my son, goofing off

And he couldn't have been a more gracious host. We were together for more than three hours just talking about each other's lives and the art of writing. What could be more glorious than that?

Writer Ed Vela and blogger Laura Romero (me!)

Ladies and gentlemen, Writing 12 in 12 presents its first interview: Ed Vela! 

(click on the link to listen to our interview)

Ed Vela Interview

To contact Ed Vela:

edvelawriter@gmail.com
www.bigdogplays.com
www.normanmaineplays.com
Dad vs. Lad
www.doollee.comThe Quill that will Thrill

Je Sui Charlie - For the Writers of Charlie Hebdo

Unfortunately we find that tragedy can sometimes bring out the best in us. When gunmen burst into the offices of a satirical magazine yesterday in France and killed 12 of their employees, they probably had no idea that the world would rally together and cry out, "Je Sui Charlie (I am Charlie)" in support of Charlie Hebdo.

Among the twelve French citizens murdered was an officer who was there to protect the editors and cartoonists from just such an attack. Eleven others were wounded. All of this from a difference of opinion.

It is one thing to have a piece of paper say that we are protected. That we can say and print whatever we want. That freedom of speech is a right that is granted to all citizens. And yes, France grants that right to all its citizens in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen just as the First Amendment of the Constitution protects our right to freedom of the press. But nowhere does it say that someone can take that right away from us. Not the government, not the people and certainly not masked gunmen.

I admit that I am not well versed on satire. But here is what I do understand.

Satire is using humor, irony, exaggeration or ridicule to expose someone or criticize their weaknesses. Especially political or contemporary figures. Right? (http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/satire)

Ok, well irony is the expression of one's meaning to signify the opposite for an emphatic effect. (http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/irony#irony)

Granted, I'm not a language scholar, or even a master of the written word. But the terrorists (and that's what they are, I don't care how you slice it) may have been prompted to kill the people of Charlie Hebdo for drawing a picture of the prophet Mohamed as the editor-in-chief of their magazine. So, in a way, they killed their own prophet by killing the editors and the cartoonists who created him.

Therefore, Je Sui Charlie for all the cartoonists and writers of Charlie Hebdo. The whole world is standing with you.

http://www

.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/je-suis-charlie-trends-people-4935086