I’d like to welcome J. M. Shaw to the blog for #WriterWednesday!
Hardest thing about being a writer: The hardest thing, hands down, is editing.
Easiest thing about being a writer: The easiest thing is writing the rough draft. Letting your imagination run free is much easier than trying to wrangle it in during the refining process.
Things you need for your writing sessions: A hot coffee, a comfortable seat, a quiet space—preferably tidy—and my laptop.
Things that hamper your writing: A messy space, a runaway to-do list, random phone calls, or my kids’ constant demands for snacks are all things that stifle my creative process. Sometimes, I’ll have to concede and take a day off writing because the fight for a conducive writing environment is just too exhausting.
Words that describe you: If you ask my husband, he’d say creative, driven, and compassionate are words that best describe me.
Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: In contrast, my family has described me as loud, socially awkward, and, at times, obsessively creative. While I appreciate brutal honesty, their delivery leaves much to be desired. On the otherhand, there are worse things to be called, so I’m not that offended.
Last best thing you ate: I am a sucker for chocolate in any form, but my favourite has to be Coffee Crisp bars. This past weekend, I splurged, and it was as good as I remember.
Last thing you regret eating: Years ago, I went out for a quick bite with my mother. We stopped for Chinese food at a local mall. It left a bad aftertaste in my mouth and, less than an hour later, I came down with food poisoning. At least I didn’t have to suffer alone, since my mom and several other patrons of said restaurant were also violently ill.
The last thing you ordered online: I recently ordered a trilogy—a highly acclaimed fantasy adventure. Now it’s sitting on my bookshelf, urging me to read it.
The last thing you regret buying: I bought a sweater dress a few months back that looked so good on the digital model. When it arrived, it was not only the wrong size but also far shorter than I expected—barely reaching my hips. Needless to say, this item was quickly returned for a full refund.
Things you’d walk a mile for: I love walking, and I could easily manage a mile. If someone offered me a Coffee Crisp, I wouldn’t hesitate to don my shoes and hit the trails.
Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: I find the sound of nails on a chalkboard the most uncomfortable sound, and you’d have to tie me to a chair to keep me from bolting for the hills.
Things you always put in your books: I have an odd sense of humor—situational banter with a sprinkle of irony and, if the mood is right, a little bit of slapstick to curve the edges. I will often break up the tension by throwing in something awkwardly hilarious.
Things you never put in your books: While I’m not opposed to reading spicy romance, if there’s enough action and adventure to balance out the flavor, writing steaming romance is another thing. While I have no problem penning clean romantic arcs, I’m not comfortable writing graphic intimacy, at least not at this point in my career.
Favorite things to do: Where do I begin? Though the list is extensive, there are a few standout items: reading, writing, hiking, playing the piano, and spending a quiet morning sipping a still-hot coffee under my gazebo.
Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: I hate cooking. If I could pay someone to feed my family in my stead, I would gladly fork over that cash.
The funniest thing to happen to you: I was attending an author signing, sitting in front of a bookshelf while talking to someone about my latest novel. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a book begin to fall from the shelf. Without missing a beat or even breaking eye contact with the person across the table from me, I thrust out my arm and caught said book before it hit the ground. My conversation partner and I were understandably surprised.
The most embarrassing thing to happen to you: Years ago, I was out with my eldest son, who was a toddler at the time, and my screaming bladder demanded I find a washroom. I quickly found my way to a public toilet, only to find it bustling with several other nature callers. I took the next available stall and, being that I couldn’t leave my two-year-old alone, brought him into the narrow cubicle with me. He cooperated for most of my visit until the very end, when he flipped the latch and shoved the door wide open before I could stop him. Regrettably, that day, a room full of strangers got a clear view of me with my pants down.
My favorite book as a child: When I was ten years old, I came home from school to find a copy of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. I have no idea where it came from, and it was a little above my reading age, but I became engrossed in the story and instantly made it a favorite.
A book I’ve read more than once: Aside from having to read my own novel countless times—a necessity of editing—the only other book that I’ve voluntarily read more than once would be the Gray Man by Mark Greaney. Though it’s not a genre I often read, Greaney is a master of action, and his stories never fail to draw me in. Even so, subsequent passes are not nearly as enjoyable as the initial read-through because you already know what’s going to happen.
