While creating my digital abode ( fancy talk for an author webpage), I couldn’t help but notice my fellow authors had these nifty FAQ tabs. Not one to be left out of the cool kids’ club, I decided to hop on that bandwagon faster than you can say “frequently asked questions.”
Now, before you raise an eyebrow and wonder if I’m putting the cart before the horse – after all, who’s asking me anything, let alone frequently? – let me assure you that these questions have indeed been asked of me countless times. The interrogators? None other than my students from my former life as a teacher. So, in a way, I’m answering the ghosts of questions past. How’s that for a plot twist in the story of my author page?
What was your favorite subject in school when you were a kid?
Math. Why not reading or writing you might ask, especially, since I am an author? Reading was a bit of a mixed bag. Sure, I loved losing myself in a good book, but school had a knack for turning literary adventures into interrogation sessions. “Read this riveting passage about paint drying, then brace yourself for a tsunami of questions!” As for writing, let’s just say it was a far cry from today’s techno-wizardry. No sleek computers, no fancy word processors, and certainly no magical spell-check fairies. Nope, it was just me, a trusty pencil, and a piece of paper that seemed to mock my every erasure. And don’t even get me started on the typewriter – that clackety-clack contraption of doom (Yes, I’m that old.) Correcting a mistake on that beast was like trying to perform microsurgery while wearing oven mitts. Ah, the good old days… or should I say, the days that make me appreciate my delete key like a long-lost friend.
What’s your favorite color?
Orange
Do you have any pets?
I am the caretaker of one Gregg – a long-haired white rabbit who’s less “hip hop” and more “flop and lop.” Now, before you jump to conclusions, let me clarify: Gregg isn’t some whimsical name I conjured up after a carrot-induced fever dream. No, this cotton-tailed wonder belongs to my son, who’s currently stationed overseas. You see, while my boy can hop across oceans with ease, poor Gregg’s travel options are more limited. Apparently, bunnies and long-distance journeys mix about as well as oil and water – or, in this case, fur and jet engines. So here I am, chief carrot provider and belly rubber to a rabbit who probably thinks I’m just the world’s tallest, least furry bunny. It’s not the pet-sitting gig I imagined, but hey, at least Gregg doesn’t ask to borrow the car keys.
Where did you go to college?
Well, folks, gather round for a tale of my academic adventures through the ever-changing landscape of Texas higher education. Picture this: I received my bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from an institution called Southwest Texas State University. Now, don’t search for it on Google Maps because, in true Texan fashion, it decided to rebrand. It’s now strutting its stuff as Texas State, probably to avoid confusion with all those other Southwest North Central Eastern Texas Universities out there. But wait, there’s more! Not content with just one degree, I received a masters degree from Texas A & I University. And wouldn’t you know it, that place pulled the old switcheroo on me too! It’s now going by the name of Texas A&M, Kingsville. At this rate, I’m half expecting my diplomas to update themselves overnight magically (maybe I should write a fantasy.)
What’s your favorite food?
My favorite food? Well, that’s a moving target. One day, I’m all “ooh la la” for fancy cuisine; the next, I’m diving headfirst into a vat of mac and cheese. But fear not, there are a few foods that never fail to make my stomach swoon. Pizza, that circular slice of heaven, always has a VIP pass to my taste buds. Ice cream? Let’s just say I scream, you scream, we all scream because I’ve probably eaten it all. And don’t get me started on greasy fries – those crispy, golden sticks of joy always bring a smile to my face.
How old are you?
Older than my kids but younger than my parents.
Were you a good student in school?
Picture me, a pint-sized pupil, scoring A’s and B’s (and the ever so occasional C) on my academic efforts. But alas, every superhero has their kryptonite, and mine was the dreaded “controls talking” category on my report card. You see, while my brain was busy soaking up knowledge like a sponge, my mouth was working overtime. ‘X’ after ‘X’ marred my otherwise stellar behavior record. But then came that fateful day when the impossible happened – I scored an S meaning “Satisfactory” in controlling my talking. You’d have thought I’d won the Nobel Prize. My mom, bless her heart, burst into tears of joy, probably relieved that her child wasn’t destined for a career as a town crier. It was a red-letter day in my academic career, proof that miracles do happen, even if they’re spelled S-A-T-I-S-F-A-C-T-O-R-Y.
What were your favorite books in elementary school?
At the top of my personal best sellers list was a scrumdiddlyumptious book by Roald Dahl called Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. When I first started teaching, it was one of my annual read-aloud treats to my first-grade students. The Enormous Egg by Oliver Butterworth hatched my love for the preposterous, while From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg had me plotting my own museum sleepover (minus the whole running-away bit, of course). Beverly Cleary’s The Mouse and the Motorcycle vroomed its way into my heart, proving that even rodents can have a need for speed. And let’s not forget Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White, the book that made me look at spiders less as eight-legged nightmares and more as potential PR agents. These weren’t just books; they were my childhood co-conspirators, my paper and ink partners-in-crime.
DON’T MISS OUT!!
Join my mailing list to get the inside scoop on my latest book,
