Episode 7: Conversations over Milk & Cookies - Wendy Storer

Welcome to Episode 7 of Conversations over Milk & Cookies hosted by Kindle Ninja.

What is this madness, you ask? 

It's my way of supporting authors and writers from the RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB. For the entire month of April, I will be featuring the fine women and men that make up the Board of RRBC. 

We interact with them everyday, directly through tweets, or indirectly through re-tweets, but we don't really know much about them. Their personalities really don't shine through in tweets and re-tweets.

In Episode 1, We see the silly side of RRBC Secretary MARLENA HAND (@mlh42812). 

In Episode 2, RRBC Spotlight and Incentives Coordinator TERI GARRINGER (@TeriGarringer) bares her funny side in 26 Questions.

In Episode 3, RRBC Membership Director KATHRYN TREAT (@KathrynCTreat) lets her hair down and plays the game of 24 Questions.

In Episode 4, RRBC Hospitality Director LEISL KABERRY (@Lawfabex) takes a 10-min break from writing to answer strange questions.

In Episode 5, RRBC Reviews Co-ordinator BEEM WEEKS (@BeemWeeks) takes a break from Googling himself to answer 26 Questions.

In Episode 6, RRBC Vice-President & Mentor Program Director BRUCE A. BORDERS (@BruceABorders) kicks off his boots to answer manly questions.

The other board members are currently on holiday and/or having their quiet time (probably writing). Don't be sad. They'll be back in no time.

While we wait for their return, let me start the AUTHORS EDITION of Conversations over Milk & Cookies. 

For Episode 7, Author WENDY STORER (@WendyStorer) gamely answers questions over Marmite-free cookies.

You can visit her website here. Stalk her on Facebook. Or leave a comment on her blog.

Let's get to know Wendy in more than 140 characters, shall we?

* * * 

+No ninjas were hurt in making this episode.

KINDLE NINJA (KN):  Welcome to Conversations over Milk and Cookies. How do you like your cookies? Chewy? Crunchy? Crumbly? Something else?
Mmm, melt in your mouth with chocolate and a peanut butter dip on the side, please.

Do you put Marmite in your cookies?

Ugh! What a hideous thought.

Kindle Ninja: Vile, I say.

Your labradoodle, Bear, is gorgeous. Has he ever eaten your manuscript?

Bear once ate a lot of wallpaper while it was still on the wall. Happily he’s not a big fan of YA fiction.

Kindle Ninja: Good dog. YA fiction has more calories than wallpaper.

You admitted to singing frequently. If you were singing in the rain, what song would it be?

Bring Me Sunshine (coincidentally, also the title of my award winning YA novel, available through Amazon and other online booksellers… did I mention that yet?)

Kindle Ninja: You mean this one?

You also didn't mention that  Bring Me Sunshine was runner up in the Mslexia Children’s Novel Competition 2013.

And who would you sing it with?

Bear of course – we are perfectly matched for a duet.

Have you ever found true love?

Yes

And what did you do with it?

I nurtured it, fed it, and tended to it every day, listening to what it was telling me, and then I watched it grow into a family of incredibly kind, gifted and beautiful people.

You know “Where Bluebirds Fly”, but do you know what the Fox say?

Wa-wa-way-do Wub-wid-bid-dum-way-do Wa-wa-way-do…Or something like that.

If you had a tattoo, where would it be?

I wouldn’t have a tattoo. Ouch!

 Will you let me see it?

But if I did, of course you could see it.

What would you rather be doing now? (instead of answering these questions).

Flying over the Grand Canyon in a balloon.

I’d assume I’m the person you’d want to drink Milk with (since you agreed to this interview), but who’s the person you’d want to have coffee with?

My mum; would love the chance to sit down and share just one more cup together…

How do you like your coffee?

Latte, please.

Since you’ve worked in a baker’s shop, how do you feel about doughnuts without holes?

They are the true doughnuts; stuffed with jam, custard or caramel. #yumyum I want to eat my doughnuts, not play hoopla with them!

What’s the best way to decompress?

Walking, writing, sharing a bottle of wine with my husband and having a good laugh.

If you had superpowers, what would it be?

I’d have the power to make people happy.

What’s the book you wished you’d written?
I frequently finish a book and think, I wish I’d have written that. But two books especially spring to mind. Untethered by Katie Hayoz because it works on so many levels. It’s a paranormal YA, with very real life emotions; it made me laugh and cry and the language is beautiful and rich. Underlying all this is a message about self-acceptance. Great stuff - everyone should read it. (Plus, Katie is an RRBC member.) 

Kindle Ninja: She is!

The other book is Safe by Kate Hanney – (also YA) because it’s gritty and real and heartbreaking, and it was the kind of book I wanted to write when I first started out. (I failed miserably and wrote something completely different.) I don’t think you could read Safe without being emotionally affected by it.

You like to walk. If you were to stroll along the beach with a celebrity, who would it be?

Eddie Izzard – because he’s funny, intelligent and doesn’t seem to have any personal limitations. He ran 43 marathons in 51 days for Sport Relief in spite of having no prior history of long-distance running, and performs stand-up comedy routines in several different languages. He acts on TV and in film and has won numerous awards for his comedy. Plus, he is not afraid to be himself. I bet he’d be really interesting to talk to, plus we’d hopefully have a laugh.

Are you fun to go on holiday with?

I guess that depends who you are and how you like your fun, but Bear thinks I’m a hoot.

What’s the book that positively shaped you?

The Illustrated Mum by Jacqueline Wilson influenced me as a writer. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle has had a huge impact on me as a human.

Describe your book “Bring Me Sunshine” in three words.

Entertaining ~ Heart-wrenching ~ Uplifting

On a scale of 1 to 10, how excited are you about life right now?

10

Prince William or Prince Harry?

I’d rather go without, thank you.

Nicholas Sparks or Dan Brown?

If it was in a bookshop and these were my only choices, I’d probably choose Nicholas Sparks, but truthfully, I’ve never read either! (Is that bad?)

KINDLE NINJA: Not at all. I've only ever read one of his many books.

J.K. Rowling or Stephenie Meyer?

JK – not just because of her writing, but because of her generous spirit and support for those less fortunate.

Lastly:  Ninjas or Bad Dogs?

No contest – Ninjas every time. (And Bear doesn’t like bad dogs either.)

Thanks for your time. Hope you enjoyed the Q&A.

Thanks for asking me. Yes, it’s been lots of fun.