I was recently interviewed at The Book Base. Thanks for reading!
How long have you been a blogger?
I’ve been blogging at Bildungsroman for close to 8 years now.
Approximately, how many books do you read every year?
I average about a book a day, so I read around 300 books a year, more if you count scripts and screenplays.
What were your favourite books as a child?
My favorite books as a child included The NeverEnding Story by Michael Ende, Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery, The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, The Fairy Rebel by Lynne Reid Banks, and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. I was also a huge fan of The Baby-Sitters Club by Ann M. Martin.
What are you reading at the moment?
I recently finished My Not-So-Still Life by Liz Gallagher, her inspired follow-up to her wonderful debut novel The Opposite of Invisible. I am about to begin Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots by Abby McDonald, which I picked up because, like the protagonist, I am a vegetarian and environmentalist (though she is even more “green” than I am!) I am also reading, re-reading and memorizing three scripts as I prepare for projects which are about to go into production: a webseries, a short film, and a world premiere play. (I’m an actress.)
If you had to pick one, what’s the best book you’ve read in the last twelve months?
To name only one book I’ve read this year as an overall best would be like a parent trying to pick a favorite child and feeling as those she neglected the others. The only way to make it easier is to categorize:
Juvenile fiction, realistic: The Summer I Learned to Fly by Dana Reinhardt
Juvenile fiction, fantasy: Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
Detective mystery meets mythology: A Hundred Words for Hate by Thomas E. Sniegoski
The paranormal meets mythology: Spirits of the Noh by Thomas Randall (The Waking, Book Two)
Historical fiction meets the paranormal: The Secret Journeys of Jack London, Book One: The Wild by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon
Realistic teen fiction: Doggirl by Robin Brande
The end to a series, realistic teen fiction: Real Live Boyfriends by E. Lockhart (the fourth and final Ruby Oliver book)
Non-fiction: Self-Management for Actors by Bonnie Gillespie
Who are your three favourite authors?
Christopher Golden, Thomas E. Sniegoski and Lewis Carroll.
Which book has had the greatest impact on your life?
You pose another difficult question! It would probably be any and all of my favorite childhood books: The Westing Game, The NeverEnding Story, Anne of Green Gables, and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Also, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Each reflects a different part of me, as a person and as a writer. Each holds a piece of my heart because I connected to them so strongly, and those connections remain strong to this day.
Which books are you most eagerly anticipating?
The Fallen 3: End of Days by Thomas E. Sniegoski, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark: Emerson Blackwood’s Field Guide to Dangerous Fairies by Christopher Golden and Guillermo del Toro, The Secret Journeys of Jack London: The Sea Wolves by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon, The Waking: Winter of Ghosts by Thomas Randall. Also, The Lost Crown: A Novel of Romanov Russia by Sarah Miller, which was released last month and is patiently waiting for me to read it on a day with no interrupt
I have finally learned how to be in two places at once. YES!
Wait. Let me back up for a moment and explain this properly.
I don't post much about my personal/professional life here, so even if you follow my blog regularly, you may not know that I'm an actress, a singer, and a dancer. I am pursuing a career in theatre, film, and TV while holding down a full-time job at the bookstore and doing freelance journalism and webdesign.
I am an actress, and I am a storyteller. Musical theatre, straight plays, sitcoms, hour-long dramas, films - I love all of those fields and pathways, and I dream of finding success in all of them. I want to be known and respected for my work as a performer, a writer, and a director. I will tackle any role that I find compelling. I will tell stories that need to be told.
For the past month, I have been juggling three plays in addition to my day job. I recently portrayed Tinker Bell in a new musical adaptation of Peter Pan. I was quite excited to bring one of my favorite literary characters to life with faith, trust, and pixie dust.
My two current productions are both new stage plays. The first is a dark comedy set on the night of the big homecoming dance. The show begins with a bang: a gunshot is heard before the lights come up to reveal a girl in a prom dress (me) with a gun in her hand, standing over the body of her dead boyfriend in a hotel room. Her two best friends burst into the room, and then -- well, you'll have to see it to find out. The play, which runs straight through in real time, examines the depth of the girls' friendship, testing their loyalties and utilizing both quiet truths and laugh-out-loud moments.
My character's name is Daisy. (I've decided her last name is Fitzgerald. Do you know why?) I love playing this role. It's a very challenging role, and I welcome a good challenge. She's vulnerable and fragile. She exemplifies innocence at the breaking point, and the difficulty one faces when attempting to put something back together after it's been broken.
The show opens tonight. I'm so proud of the work we've done, the energy and honesty we've brought to this piece, and the comraderie between the four of us - the three actresses and the director. I value and appreciate the input and kind feedback we've received from the writer, who attended some of our rehearsals. I can't wait to share this story with an audience.
The other play tells the story of five kids - a pair of twins and their three friends - and how they become deeply marked by the actions of their parents and of each other. My character's parents have the best of intentions, but they truly and royally botch up something which destroys their family dynamic. The first act, which features the younger characters at age 9, ends with a life-altering event. The second act begins seven years later, when the kids are 16 years old. I portray the female half of the brother and sister twinship and have enjoyed infusing her with equal parts bossiness (think Lucy Van Pelt) and sincerity. I'm also very proud of my friend, who will be making her theatrical debut in this show.
Three short films in which I have small roles are currently taking the film festival circuit by storm. One of these films, Mastermind, will be screening at the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival on Thursday, July 22nd @ 9:45 PM. If you dig comic books, arch villains, and anti-heroes, then you will dig Mastermind. Think of it as a non-musical version of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, if you will. I have a blink-and-you'll-miss-me cameo in the film, and I've thanked the director many times for including me, as I know this project means a lot to her, and to the writer, and to the two lead actors.
Still wondering how I'm going to be in two p
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