I’d like to welcome Fern Brady to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

Things you never want to run out of: Books. There’s no such thing as owning too many. One of my life goals is to die with books yet to be read on my bedside table.

Things you wish you’d never bought: House plants. I do not possess the gift of a green thumb. I have murdered so many unfortunate plants. I feel terrible about it.

Hardest thing about being a writer: Finding time to write. The truth is that most of us have full time jobs, families, and other obligations. Making your writing time a priority is a difficult thing, especially as so many of those who love us don’t see this as important. So it takes a lot of discipline and boundary setting to say to the world and all its demands: “This is my writing time and I will hold it sacred. No, you can’t take it for something else you deem more important.”

Easiest thing about being a writer: For me, the easiest thing is coming up with stories. I have a universe of planets and people in my head. Any prompt, whether words or pictures, can set off a story idea and it takes me no effort at all to place it in Thyrein’s Galactic Wall. The vast history of the universe I created lets me seamlessly weave random tales into it that later connect to larger novel sets.

Things you need for your writing sessions: Coffee and a good cigar. I love cigars. The ceremony and ritual of them helps place me in a zen space and the stop to puff makes me slow down and work my craft with greater care. There’s probably a healthier option, but we all die of something. I figure I’ll enjoy this vice and be happy it is not a worse one.

Things that hamper your writing: Obligations. Too often I still allow other things to seep into and take away from my writing time. I’m still working on setting boundaries and holding the space for my writing practice. But I’m getting better at it.

Favorite foods: Pizza. Fried Rice with sesame honey chicken. Cheese Enchiladas. Apple Cobbler with ice cream. Bread Pudding and Arroz con Leche

Things that make you want to gag: Sushi and other raw foods. Nope. Can’t do it. Oh, and oysters. Yuck!

Something you’re really good at: Time Management. I can partition time and block it out and use it very effectively and productively.

Something you’re really bad at: Math is my strongest weakness.

Favorite music or song: This is such a hard question. My taste in music is eclectic. I love Beethoven and the modern composers like Han Zimmer, John Williams, Howard Shore and others. I love music with a good beat to dance to as well as music with meaningful lyrics. I love music from around the world that expresses different cultures.

Music that drives you crazy: The two music styles I can’t stand are heavy metal and rap/hip-hop. I just can’t get into those.

The last thing you ordered online: I ordered some cute purple planters and miracle grow for succulent plants. My brother and his wife gave me two very cute cactus plants. I’m endeavoring not to murder them. Wish me luck.

The last thing you regret buying: Bought some sticky tack to use in my classroom and it actually didn’t work well at all.

Things you’d walk a mile for: Dogs. I love dogs. I would spend all my time hanging out with dogs if I could. Honestly, they are the best company.

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room:

Wasps. They are unrepentantly violent creatures.

Things you always put in your books: Love. No matter what the genre, stories are about people’s lives and without love life isn’t worth living. I always have relationships in my books and I enjoy building romance encounters.

Things you never put in your books: There’s really nothing I won’t put in a book. At the end of the day, I’m writing a reflection of the world, and I don’t shy away from making it real and raw. It’s important we think about and face the hard truths and fiction is a safe place for these discussions.

Things to say to an author: You don’t need anyone else to give their blessing to call yourself an author. You don’t need to have published work to call yourself an author. It doesn’t matter if you sell one copy or a million of your book. You have a voice and stories to tell and that’s what makes you an author.

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: It’s you’re not your. (grammar police)

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: Driving on Nurburg Ring. It is a wonderful experience and once is more than sufficient… for me.

Something you chickened out from doing: Rollercoasters. Yeah. No.

A few of your favorite things: Books. The beach. Dogs. Music. Dancing. Pens. Really Sharp Pencils. Swords, knives, daggers. Coloring. The sound of snow. The sound of the ocean waves. Rainy days.

Things you need to throw out: Old clothes that no longer fit. Clothes I bought hoping someday they would fit.

About Fern:

Fern Brady is the founder and CEO of Inklings Publishing. She holds multiple Masters degrees and several certifications. She began her professional life as a foreign correspondent, taught for fifteen years in Alief ISD, and is a full-time Realtor in Houston. She has published numerous short stories, two children's picture books, and a couple of poems. Her debut novel, United Vidden, which is book one in her Thyrein’s Galactic Wall Series, was given a glowing review by Dr. Who Online, the official site of the fandom. She also has volume one of her graphic novel/novella hybrid project, New Beginning. She has returned to the leadership of the Houston Writers Guild, with whom she served as CEO for four years previously. She serves as co-host for two podcasts – Author Talk and The Hot Mess Express. Besides being Municipal Liaison for Nanowrimo Houston, she is also a member of Blood Over Texas, Romance Writers of America, and American Booksellers Association. Follow Fern's writing at: http://fernbrady.com

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