Well that was the quickest week ever! Time for another victim guest in the hotseat!
Deirdre Reidy was our worthy winner in the Inspire Flash Fiction Competition. Need a quick reminder of why? Click here!
So I thought it would be fun to find out what has been happening with her since winning the competition!
1. Tell me a little about yourself.
Happy Wednesday Carmel, thank you for allowing me to drop by. I hope everyone is having a good day.
Well I’m the seventh child of a seventh child so I possess special healing powers. Only joking, I wish I was that interesting! By day, I’m a mammy, wife and office minion and by night I’m either a couch potato or aspirational writer, depending on how much the day jobs have taken out of me! I like to think I’m a glass half full kind of gal. Or at least I try to be. I try to maintain a positive outlook and see the good in things. It certainly makes for a happier demeanour than always looking for the worst in every situation.
2. What do you write? When did you start?
I’ve always loved writing and really enjoy it. I think I was at my most productive between the ages of 9 and 12 when equipped first with my “Petite 990” typewriter and then a fancy pants Brother electronic one. I have memories of organising (never happier than when organising and writing!) the local kids in to work on a neighbourhood newspaper. We sold subscriptions, I doled out tasks and then one lucky parent got to take the master copy off to work to misappropriate office supplies and photo-copy for us. We even had lollipops to give away with the issues! I think there were probably no more than two or three issues, and I’d love to come across one! I also wrote plays for my friends to perform, usually in someone’s driveway. I wish I’d thought to squirrel away a copy for trips down memory lane!
My relationship with fiction came to an abrupt end in fifth year in school when my English teacher banned fictional essays for Leaving Cert. preparation. She was a wise woman as it did stand to us on results day but I got out of the habit of writing fiction. I didn’t really do much writing for years, other than a couple of articles for a wedding magazine, and it was Carmel’s “Imagine, Write, Inspire – Flash Fiction” competition that got me to dust off my fiction hat and plant it back on my head.
3. What are you working on right now?
I’m trying to help the book inside of me escape! For years and years I’ve had one very specific idea, but I just couldn’t ever manage to commit it to paper (or screen). I’ve put that one on the backburner and am trying my hand at something a little more light-hearted which is proving easier to write. I also try my best to take part in as many of the “Imagine, Write, Inspire” group challenges as time permits. I feel a glimmer of self-satisfaction when I manage to complete one, as it means I managed to find even a few writing minutes for myself in that particular day.
4. Do you blog? If so, tell me what we can expect if we pop by.
I just recently started a blog, and am still finding my blogging feet. It’s a whole new world out there and I’m trying my best to navigate it without making a total fool of myself! If you were to stop by you’d happen upon me making many rookie blogging mistakes I imagine and have a little laugh to yourself.
5. Please share a sample of your writing (approx 200 words), anything you like!
Here’s a snippet from that light-hearted book I’m working on, any feedback very welcome –
“God, this is insufferable. I’m actively hating every second of it, but still attempting to project the image of my most co-operative, enthusiastic and problem-solving self. What is wrong with everyone else here? Ok, maybe the red haired girl two seats over is also in group interview hell, but the other few applicants I’m being forced to interact with seem to be genuinely interested in who to send in the spaceship. With a jolt I realise that maybe this is the first time they’ve been faced with this scenario and they honestly do think that putting the effort in here is worthwhile. I furtively scan their eager faces and realise that they’re not just eager faces, they’re eager young faces. Eager ten years younger than me faces. Ouch. So the group interview hell has slid into another hellish level.
However, that does mean I have experience on my side so I balance the bourbon cream on the edge of the saucer and switch into go-getter me.
6. Would you consider self-publishing?
Most definitely! I would consider anything and while I don’t really know much about it but the more options the better.
7. Give me 3 words to describe your best self and 3 words to describe your worst self.
Best self – Loyal, chatty and organised.
Worst self – Impatient, demanding and organised. (Not everyone likes being organised to within an inch of their life it would seem.)
8. Describe a perfect day and night for me.
A perfect day and night would feature as many of the following as possible: a looooooong lie-in, a delicious brunch, a run in some gorgeous location (no red face or stitch), an afternoon trip to the cinema, a trip to a theme park (a perfect day clearly has no time limitations) and some pleasant family time where nobody gets cranky or tired and everyone eats what they’re given. And wine, throw some nice wine and chocolate in there for good measure.
9. What are you reading right now? And is it a paper book or ebook?
I’m currently reading Jonas Jonasson’s “The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared.” It took a little bit of time to get used to the style of narrative (I’d been reading a Young Adult trilogy before) but I’m really enjoying it.
10. If you could pick any career in the world other than what you do now, what would it be?
A roller-coaster review writer perhaps, I do love a good white knuckle ride! Although I’m not sure there’s much call for that alone so I would be willing to consider branching out into theme park reviews in general, taking into account all restaurants and food concession stands. With a side-line in chocolate tasting. On a more practical level, I would of course love to be able to bid farewell to the office (although I do really enjoy my work and the people I work with) and maintain a good standard of life from writing.
11. Quick fire round, pick one of each of the below!
Beer or cocktails: Cocktails
Jeans or dress: Dress
Sun or Snow: Sun
Beach or Pool: Pool
Cats or Dogs: Dogs
Theatre or Cinema: I couldn’t possibly choose!
Pink or Green: Pink!
Night in or night out: Night in
Paperback or eBook: another one that I am equally torn on.
Lobster or steak: Steak, only if I really have to pick one!
Thank you Deidre for stopping by, it’s been fun having you here! I would have loved if you had really been the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter. I think you should keep that little white lie 😉
Here are the links to Deirdre’s blog and twitter. She is being very modest about her blog, because I follow it and it’s lovely. I particuarly love her collect a penny idea and I have started my own collection with Amelia (my 3 year old). Details on her blog, so go on, check it out!
Links:
Twitter: @deirdrereidy
WordPress: http://deirdrereidy.wordpress.com/catchafallingstar
