How long have you been writing?
I’ve been a freelancer for 36+ years, am the author of hundreds of print and Internet articles, and 33 published books, some of them short and some of them long.
When you’re not writing how to you relax?
I relax with cooking, decorating, and reading. There’s nothing like a good mystery to get me relaxed and eager for the next page.
Sometimes it’s hard to keep at it. How do you keep going?
I’m a disciplined writer and write every day. Not writing would feel strange to me, so I don’t have to force myself to sit down at the computer. Other writers and would-be writers ask me about “writer’s block.” To be honest, I don’t have time for “writer’s block,” I have to keep practicing my craft and producing good work.
What is your favorite meal?
Because I love to cook I have many favorite meals. One of my favorites, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, represents my British heritage. Yorkshire pudding is a popover recipe cooked in a pie pan or other large pan. Sometimes I make Yorkshire pudding with half white and half wheat flour. I also use a combination of whole eggs and egg substitute to reduce the calories.
What color represents you?
Blue is my favorite color. It matches my blue eyes and, in color psychology terms, represents stability. I’m a stable, hard-working, reliable author.
What’s your next project?
So many people have asked me how I recovered from multiple losses, that I sat down and wrote the steps on paper. These steps became a talk and the talk became Seed Time: Growing from Life’s Disappointments, Losses, and Sorrows, my 33rd book. Seed Time is in production now. It’s my eighth grief recovery resource and should be on Amazon by the end of October.
What’s your favorite place in the entire world?
This is an easy question to answer and my favorite place is home. I love being home with my husband, with my grandchildren when they return from college, and with relatives and friends. Home is a cozy, comforting place for me.
What is your greatest strength as a writer?
I think my greatest strength is to be able to research a topic, distill information, and state it in easy-to-read words. All of my books are written in a casual style and easy to read and speed read, if necessary.
Have you had any strange experiences while marketing a book?
One of the strangest experiences I’ve had was in the CNN television studio in Chicago. Just before I was about to go on camera (the count-down had begun), the director noticed that a background drapery had caught fire and was smoking. He grabbed a ladder, climbed up it, moved the drapery away from a spotlight, climbed down the ladder, pointed to me and said, “You’re on.” While I was being interviewed smoke continued to swirl about the studio. Another person, walking past the studio, saw the smoke, rushed into the studio with a towel, and started fanning the smoke. While this was going on I tried to be calm and answer the questions. In my mind, however, I was thinking, “If I see flames I’m out of here!”
What contributes to making a writer successful?
Persistence. Without persistence you don’t create a good book outline, write the manuscript, proofread it, make corrections, and revise it. I’ve revised chapters 20 times before I was satisfied.
You’ve given workshops at regional and national conferences. What makes your workshops helpful?
When I plan a conference workshop, I tell my grief recovery story, weave it into research findings, and share proactive steps that attendees may take to improve their lives. If I’ve helped only one person the planning, the trip, and the effort were worth it.
Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre - Non-fiction
Rating – G
More details about the author & the book
Connect with Harriet W Hodgson on Twitter
Website http://harriethodgson.com/
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