Listen to my interview on the BlogTalkRadio show Tell Me A Story from The Magic Happens network. The show is hosted by Annette Rochelle Aben and the topics range from tacos to poetry, and from novels to what Annette had for breakfast. Click the image below to go to the interview! I even read a poem and make up one for our friend Judy Martin of Edwina’s Episodes.
It’s been a whole year since my last stop in with Annette Rochelle Aben on The Magic Happens network. Last time on her Internet BlogTalkRadio show, I had her Tell Me A Story. Yes, I turned it around and the guest was asking the host the questions. What will I do this time?
Last year I mentioned working on my debut novel. That novel is out and receiving amazing reviews. This year we’re talking about poetry. Why me? I wonder. She wonders how many odes to tacos I have? Little does she now.
Yes, I will be reading at least one poem.
Join me at 1:30 PM Eastern, that’s New York Time!
Annette watches the chat and speaks with those there so join in, say hi, and even throw her a question for me.
“Could YOU make a choice between tacos and history? What about fresh fruit or writing? Let’s ask author, Ronovan Hester, my guest today on Tell Me a Story. Okay, so I’d rather talk to him about the topic of this month’s programs, National poetry Month. Of course we know him from his incredibly popular Weekly Writing Challenges (Haiku and Fiction) hosted on his blog http://www.ronovanwrites.wordpress.com as well as from one of his crowning achievements to date, the publishing of his first novel! Amber Wake: Gabriel Falling (co-authored with P.S. Bartlett) which recently received a 5-Star Review from http://www.ReadersFavorite.com (wtg you two). What you might NOT know, is that Ron is hard at work compiling a soon be released, book of poetry titled: My Loves. (I wonder how many odes to tacos are in it). So, tune into the show today and let’s hear all about Ronovan Writes Poetry, today on The Magic Happens Radio Network. http://www.themagichappens.com http://www.blogtalkradio.com/themagichappens/2016/04/29/ronovan-writes-poetry-on-tell-me-a-story “
Our friend Nato asked me a few questions for my book blog tour. Check her out. I mean the interview people! Geesh.
What do you get when you mix a handsome virile sailor with the seductively beautiful wife of an admiral? You get an intense barroom brawl that ends in murder, and that’s only the first chapter! What happens in the second chapter? I can’t say. Well, not yet.
That’s because the book, Amber Wake-Gabriel Falling, just came out yesterday. The interesting thing about the book, well outside of the sex, lies and murder, is that it was written by fellow bloggers, P.S. Bartlett and Ronovan Hester.
One of my blog ideas for this year was to expand into doing interviews. And with the publishing of a new book, I knew I needed to start with Ronovan. As a fairly new blogger, I stumbled upon Ronovan’s blog in late 2014. For over 82 weeks now, he has been hosting a weekly Haiku Challenge. I can’t say I had really written many…
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As promised yesterday in the guest post by Award Winning Author P.S. Bartlett, here is the book cover for my debut novel tentatively scheduled for a release date around Christmas. What’s it about?
Before there could be The Blue Diamond, before there could be Demons & Pearls, before Ivory Shepard could become the pirate known as The Razor, there had to be Rasmus. Amber Wake: Gabriel Falling by P.S. Bartlett & Ronovan Hester.
To read about the man Ivory Shepard knows as Rasmus, read Demons & Pearls, and pre-order Jaded Tides for Kindle or Paperback Monday, Oct. 5, 2015. Then you will be amazed at at this man’s journey, and perhaps destiny?
More to come about Amber Wakes: Gabriel Falling over the coming weeks and how I need your help in some decision making. You’ll find out more about what the book is about, the process of how it came about, and the research that went into its writing.
Ronovan is an author, and blogger who shares his life as an amnesiac and Chronic Pain sufferer through his blog RonovanWrites.WordPress.com. His love of poetry, authors and community through his online world has lead to a growing Weekly Haiku Challenge and the creation of a site dedicated to book reviews, interviews and author resources known as LitWorldInterviews.WordPress.com.
© Copyright-All rights reserved by ronovanwrites.wordpress.com 2015
Hello everyone,
Some of you may have heard that I have a book on schedule to be released around Christmas. It’s my debut novel, written with an author by the name of P.S. Bartlett. A book related to that novel is being released Oct. 5. It’s called Jaded Tides and it is book 2 in the pirate tales series and the third book leading up to her amazing Blue Diamond: The Razor’s Edge that I absolutely loved so much that Bartlett and I became friends and ended up writing a book together. Here today is a guest post by my partner in print. Over the next few days you will be seeing several posts about her here on Ronovan Writes. Now, onto our guest post today by Award Winning Author, P.S. Bartlett.
The Kind of Writer I Want To Be
I’ve believed since I dedicated myself to this journey two years ago that I knew exactly what kind of writer I wanted to be. Since I wrote the first sentence of my first novel, that dedication hasn’t wavered. A simple little sentence started it all.
“Ennis found a bird.”
I’ve had no formal training in this profession but I’ve done a ton of research, logged countless hours writing and I’ve dug in my heels. I’m not going anywhere.
I write fast. I think fast and once I set my sights on a goal I rarely give up unless I’m personally not satisfied with my level of performance or the quality of work I’m doing. So far, I see no reason to quit. As long as I keep breathing, moving, growing and evolving as a person, I’ll never stop.
It is important to me to produce quality books. Since I am still learning every day what that means to me and how it relates to my writing, I believe I can only keep improving. I’ve always loved writing and although I spent most of my adult life working, raising children and just trying to keep my boat right side up, I chose to put my aspirations on the back burner and take care of my family. I do not regret it one little bit. Through that journey, I learned so much about myself and gained volumes of experience at just being a human being. I’m proud of whom I’ve finally grown up to be and I need to be proud of the work I do too.
It’s a long road from writing your first page, to publishing. You will be knocked back more times than you can imagine. You’ll be told over and over again that your book “just isn’t what we’re looking for at this time.” Roadblock upon roadblock will rise up in front of you but you have to keep pushing on. Family problems, money shortages, day job, responsibilities and oh, that little thing called sleep will feel like a ball and chain at times but no matter what, you can’t give up. If being a published author is truly your calling or at the very least, your goal, allowing anything to stop you is not an option—no matter how long it takes or what road you take to get there.
The most important thing to me is that I write what I want to read. I want to write words that feel like warm butter on a hot roll. Words that get inside of you and either make you squirm or rise up inside of you and escape with a smile. Words that stick in your head and come to mind when you least expect it. I want to write stories that when you close the book, you want more. The reason I know how important writing what I want to read is, is because I’ve tried writing stories that may fall into one of the hot selling genres and I couldn’t get through the first chapter. You’ll know you’re writing what you want to read, when closing your laptop feels like kicking a heroin addiction.
I don’t want to write about what everyone else is writing about. I don’t need to sit at the cool kids table to feel good about myself. I know there are lots of genres and I know which ones sell the most. No, I’m not crazy and of course I want to make money and be able to write full time but I have to do it in a way I feel good about inside. I have to do it on my own terms. I have to tell a good story with characters you want to meet and know, and talk to again and again. I believe at some point I’ll be able to put almost anything into words but it has to be my anything, not what’s hot at the moment and not just because I want to be with the in crowd. My readers are out there and as long as I keep looking, I’ll find them and they’ll find me.
I want to stand out. I have this crazy dream that my stories will one day be considered as some of the best ever. I’ll stand by that. I believe that and soon, I’ll live that.
Thank you,
P.S. Bartlett – I’m taking a fantastic voyage. Won’t you join me?
And now it’s me, Ronovan, again. Click the format of your choice to order Jaded Tides on Kindle or Paperback and let’s make it a best seller. (My future depends on it.)
Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers’ Favorite:
What about that book she and I wrote together? Tomorrow see the Book Cover here on Ronovan Writes.
Ronovan is an author, and blogger who shares his life as an amnesiac and Chronic Pain sufferer through his blog RonovanWrites.WordPress.com. His love of poetry, authors and community through his online world has lead to a growing Weekly Haiku Challenge and the creation of a site dedicated to book reviews, interviews and author resources known as LitWorldInterviews.WordPress.com.
© Copyright-All rights reserved by ronovanwrites.wordpress.com 2015
I met this young lady a while back and for you Haiku Challenge members she is the reason you get a few extra views at times. She puts some of your Haiku links in her The Lubrano Daily that goes out on Twitter.One day last week, our Challenge appeared with 5 links in the form of the challenge and 4 Haiku. Visit to find out more and then onward to her own site. It’s worth it. Follower her on Twitter as well. @TJLubrano
My #BeReal guest today is TJ Lubrano.
Besides being super talented (and Oh My Gosh is she talented) she has the ability to make the sun shine at midnight.
If I had to pick one person to be a role model for my daughter it would be TJ. I often think if she had an inspirational television series aimed at teenagers the world would instantly improve. This girl has the ability to make huge changes in this world just with her attitude alone.
See for yourself.
I love you TJ.
Greetings lovely readers!
You know, this could be one of the most honest pieces I’ve written about myself. I got tagged by my wonderful Sparkle aka Lizzi on Facebook. Usually when she tags me it’s about an interesting project or movement (#1000speak anyone?). I’m so happy that she did though as I’ve been living under a rock lately. Not…
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Time for you all to meet Florence T over on Hugh’s blog. She’s his Blog Recommendation of the Month. He has a great introduction and she gives you a great account of what she does. A bit modest but good enough. Please go and read and click like on the article. She deserves it for putting together the fund raising for my new laptop.
Much Respect
Ronovan
As a happy ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY for Hugh’s Views & News, here is my interview with Hugh where Hugh and I began our friendship and partnership in writing and mayhem. ENJOY! Make sure to visit Hugh today and wish him Happy Anniversary. He has a post up about it. (There has been a small video addition at the end of his favorite word. I found a short like 30 second clip of it.)
I blog. Amazing discovering isn’t it? Being a blogger you also follow other bloggers. Sometimes you don’t know how you ended up making the acquaintance of someone, yes I can make that joke about myself but no one else can (amnesiac rights), but you are glad you did stumble upon someone. One such person grabbed my attention not only because he liked my attempts at writing, but one day a photograph he posted jumped out at me. No it did not literally leap from the page, at least I don’t think it did. Perhaps he has sort of 3D Mac power. Yes, I am afraid to say that he is one of . . . those people.
Thinking now perhaps it was 3D and knocked the memory out of me. I do have a habit of following it hitting my head. But I do have the memory that this man took a photograph that I loved enough to remember that of him and that means the world to me. Memories to me now are made more of impressions than of actual images.
So let me introduce to you, The one and only. . . wait wrong song now . . . on a mountain top, burning like a silver flame . . .
RW: Hugh, I googled your name in fun because I love your name and it has such a strength of character about it that I just knew it had to be famous. Are you the same Hugh Roberts who was in charge of Windsor Castle after the fire in 1992 and was also director of Christie’s, the auction house?
HUGH: Gee, that’s really kind of you, but no, I am not him. I have many times though, been introduced as Hugh Grant or Huw Edwards (for those of your followers outside of the UK, the latter is a famous BBC news reader over here). I suppose the mix up occurs because there aren’t many of us ‘Hughs’ around. I’ve never been asked for an autograph after being introduced as Hugh Grant, but I have on the odd occasional been stared at for a long period of time and imagined the word ‘really?’ going through that person’s mind as they stand there open mouthed and gobsmacked at Hugh Grant standing in front of them.RW: There go all of those artsy questions. Hmm . . . So you’re English . . . I don’t know why it is the English Bloggers seem to fascinate me. Beatles or the Stones?HUGH: There’s your first ‘strike’, Ronovan. I like to refer to myself as Welsh or better still, British. I’m very proud to be British. I have nothing against being called English, after all I currently live in England and speak English, but calling a Welsh or Scottish person English, is like being at one of those self check-out machines at the supermarket and the machine says to you “there is an unexpected item in the baggage area, please remove the item” and you’ve not put anything there! You get just a little irate. Only a little, so no need to get out those boxing gloves yet 
. I guess you thought I was English because of the way my name is spelt, yeah? Well, OK, I’ll take that strike away 
then, after all it is the English spelling of Hugh I use and not the Welsh spelling as Huw Edwards uses. My parents have a lot to answer for on that one.RW: Sigh . . .’your my Venus your my’ . . . oh, yes, interview. Okay now onto more serious things, well that was serious but anyway, I am a big fan of your photography which is odd because you write a lot and I enjoy that as well, but tell me about your flowers and your gardening. You don’t even have to leave your home for great photos.HUGH: We have a beautiful garden, but to be perfectly honest with you, I absolutely hate gardening. I have no interest in it at all. Don’t get me wrong, I love to sit and relax in the garden, but when it comes to gardening, I’m about as interested as a mannequin would be viewing my holiday pictures. RW: Then where does the garden come from, Bananarama and their Venus power? (Mind drifting to the one with the short blonde hair ‘yeah baby she’s got it’. . . sigh.) Hugh, you carry on with the interview without me.HUGH: All the credit for the beautiful plants in our garden, has to go to my partner, John. He’s the one that grew 
the plants which I took the photographs of. I’ve only just started to show an interest in photography, so it’s very early days for me, but a few I have posted on my blog seem to have attracted a little bit of attention. That in turn has spurred me on to taking more and I’m beginning now to really enjoy the challenges of taking photos as much as I do with the WordPress writing challenges I sometimes take part in.RW: Tell my Friends about where you live that produces those great flowers in your photos.HUGH: We currently live in Hove, known by some as “Hove Actually” because of the Alfred Hitchcock 1938 movie ‘The Lady Vanishes’ when Miss Froy, one of the characters, refers to herself as coming from Brighton and then goes on to say “well, Hove actually, just down the coast”. It’s situated in the county of East Sussex and is on the south coast of the UK, just over fifty miles south of London. Many people know our bigger neighbour, Brighton, far better, but the two now form a conurbation along with some other smaller towns and villages along the coast. Hove was first established right back in the 12th century, so has been around for a very long time. We have a wonderful climate, plenty of sunshine and rain, which helps the garden blossom.RW: And I’ll go ahead and ask for my Photo Geek Friends, what type of camera do you use? Go ahead and be all techno numbers and all of that for those that speak Cameranese.HUGH: Would you believe it if I said I take all my photos on an iPhone 4? Well, that’s where they have all come from. I love all things ‘Apple’ and am probably a marketing dream for them. iMac, iPad, iPhone, iCloud, Apple TV, I have it all, thanks to all the Apple Vouchers I get for Christmas and Birthdays (I’m so easy to buy for, so please take note). Between us, we once had five, I kid you not, five iPads! OK, some were from the very early days and I’ve sold a few since then, but I can not walk past the Apple store without having to go inside. That’s why I had to write my latest short story, ‘The Truth App’, in honour of the staff at our local Apple store.RW: (I told you he was one of . . . those people.) And tell us about your love of the Cardigan Welsh Corgi.HUGH: Well, it’s over to my partner, John, here, because he was the one that wanted to get a dog and it ha
d to be a Cardigan Welsh Corgi. I suppose with us both being Welsh, we had to have a Welsh dog, but it was when John first saw one at Crufts, that he had to get one. What we did not know is that these dogs are on the vulnerable breeds lists here in the UK, with less than 100 being born every year. Originally they were bred for herding cattle and I 
understand they are still used for that purpose over in the States. Ours is called Toby and he’s become a bit of a star over on my blog recently, having now posted two posts about some of the walks he goes on. When I wrote those posts, I wrote them as if I were him, so from his perspective, and I’ve had some really positive comments left on those posts. When my sister was over on a visit from Australia recently, she referred to him as a “little human”. I guess that’s because we do spoil him a lot, but many people have also told us what a wonderful character he has. He knows the words, walk, chicken, cheese, custard, sausage, rice pudding, and mince pies (at Christmas time) and seems to even know what day of the week it is. He’s one clever chap.RW: Once everyone stops looking at Toby tell us where you get your inspiration from for your stories?HUGH: Lots of places really, some strange, some not so strange. Take for example my short story, Last Train to Aldwych. Grace Simmons, the main character in that story, introduced herself and told me her story while I was doing a pile of ironing. As soon as I had finished ironing that last sock (no, I don’t really iron socks, honestly!), I sat down and wrote the story. Other stories have come from prompts and WordPress writing challenges, while the inspiration for others have come from other bloggers. I’m currently working on a two-part short story which came as an inspiration from a photo I saw on one of the blogs I follow. The author doesn’t know it yet, but I’ll be asking if I can use their photo so I can include it in the post. My passion is for writing short stories and although they do not get as many views as my photo posts do, I’m very proud of myself for not letting the fact that I have dyslexia get in my way anymore. I used to see dyslexia as a monster, but happy to say that I managed to tame it, with the help of a few fellow bloggers who really encouraged me to continue with my blog. I am so thankful to those bloggers, who I now class as friends, for all the support and encouragement they gave me. And, yes, I’ve even written a post about defeating the monster I called dyslexia.RW: Do you have a writing spot in your home? That place that you go to where nothing distracts you from the flow of creation?HUGH: I used to have two spots, one being the kitchen, but I don’t tend to write in there much anymore now. 
The main spot for me is in our study. The desk looks out over towards Hove Recreation Ground, which maybe does not sound so nice, but believe me, whilst it’s not as pretty as some of the
other parks we have in Brighton & Hove, it’s lovely to look out at while I am writing. It’s used by lots of people and also used a lot for sports like rugby and cricket and I have often included bits of conversations in my posts which I have overheard whilst walking Toby in there. Of course I change what I have heard, so that it more reflects how I would have said it, but it’s a source of some great conversations. If I also see an interesting person walking in the grounds while writing, I’ll give them a name and use them in one of my stories. That might put people who live in the area and reading this, off from going in there now, but just think of it this way. One day, the inspiration you gave me, may become a Hollywood blockbuster movie or best selling novel. Who am I kidding!!?RW: That is a great view from the window, I was thinking it would be more distracting than that. You mention a book you are working on in your bio, how is that coming along and do I get a free copy?HUGH: Of course you can have a free copy. I’d even sign it ‘Hugh Grant” if you wanted?RW: Does Blogging ever interfere with your social responsibilities?HUGH: Oh, John is going to like you for asking me this question, I can guarantee it. Did he ask you to ask this question? I bet he did didn’t he? I have to be very honest here, because after all, I’m a very honest person, so my answer is yes. Both John and myself are tidy people. We hate clutter and like everything to be in place, that’s why we get on so well and have been together for nearly 21 years, but, blogging has taken over my life. Sure, I’ll do the chores, walk Toby, empty the bin, make the beds, and all that, but I’m probably not as thorough as I was before I started my blog. I’m not saying that the house is now looking like a store does at the end of the first day of the sale, but I do rather tend to rush the social responsibilities these days, so that I can log on to the blog and start reading and writing. That reminds me, I need to descale the coffee machine before it seizes up for good. Thanks for the prompt!RW: When did you start your blog?HUGH: 12th February 2014, so it has a birthday which we will be celebrating next year, much to John’s amusement I might add. February is a big month for us, because not only is it the birthday month of my blog, but John also has a birthday that month, our civil partnership anniversary is the same month and, of course, who could forget valentine’s day as well?RW: I notice you around the Blog Block so to speak in my reading of other bloggers and your likes and comments; do you notice a difference in style between bloggers from different parts of the world?HUGH: Yes, hugely. Not only in the way the author writes, but also in that of the comments that are left. Reading blogs is such a great way of finding out about different cultures and how people live their lives on a daily basis. You can really get to know somebody so well just from engaging with them by asking questions and leaving comments 
on posts. RW: What type of Blogs do you tend to gravitate toward?HUGH: I follow a lot of blogs which concentrate on one subject but I tend to gravitate more to those which contain lots of variety. My own blog contains short stories, photos, reviews, my views on life, television and commercials, as well as a few other categories. I have seen some bloggers create brand new blogs because they think having too much variety on their blog looks messy. I’m not so sure about that. Yes, if I am looking for a blog that only contains recipes, then it’s great to find a blog that contains only recipes, but I like a good mixture in a blog (no pun intended there)! I like to get to know the blogger, and by having lots of variety on their blog, I know I can achieve that because it will tell me more about them other than that they may be a great cook. So I tend to graduate towards blogs that have lots of variety. After all, they do say that variety is the spice of life, don’t they?RW: You seem to really enjoy what you do, what advice can you give others to help keep them motivated to blog and enjoy? Do you have something like a limit of time, a number of posts per week, anything like that?HUGH: My first piece of advise would to be to treat your blog as if it were alive. I’d better explain that a little more, hadn’t I? To me, I see my blog as being alive. To stay alive, it needs plenty of nourishment. I look at a post I have written myself, as a meal for my blog. RW: Finally for my Big Three Questions. What is your favorite scent/aroma/fragrance and why?HUGH: Mint. I love the stuff, not only on my roast lamb, but also as an aroma around the house. It makes the whole place smell fresh and clean, which of course my house is, after you asking me that earlier question about social responsibilities.RW: What is your favorite beverage?HUGH: Tea. I suppose that is the Britishness in me. I love the stuff especially when I have a pack of Oreos or chocolate digestives to dunk into the tea. Pure bliss!RW: And finally, what is your favorite word and why?HUGH: Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyll-llantysiliogogogoch – go on, I dare you to check it out. It’s a real Welsh word. If I can’t chose that word because it’s not an English word, then I’d say “Twist” Not in the dance or pain sense, but in the story sense. I love a story or movie with a great twist or two in it.I want to thank Hugh for the interview and what I have to say was an enjoyable time. Make sure to visit and follow him at Hugh’s Views & News and also on Twitter at @RobertHughes05. Also click Hugh’s favorite Bananarama song below and watch him dance along. I like to have a little fun with those guests that have that touch of humor about them. All that’s missing are the long socks and sandals he loves to wear.
2014 © Copyright-All rights reserved-RonovanWrites.wordpress.com
Here’s what happened over on Lit World Interviews. Pick an article and read.
Here are the articles for the week, if you missed one, go and check it out today.
The Judas Apocalypse & Can’t Buy Me Love Q&A @DanMcNeil888
Text to Speech: Editing Through Listening PS Bartlett
Authenticity and Honesty as an Indie AuthorJo Robinson
Most Mortals Need a Proofreader by Guest Author Wendy Janes @wendyproof
The Serpent Papers by Jessica Cornwell Olga Núñez Miret
Patience and Integrity-The Secret to Success
LWI Who we are and what we do.
I have an Author Interview with well at least one interview this week one will be out on Monday. Olga has a Feature coming out on Monday, another Feature from Guest Author Wendy Janes coming up Wednesday, and you know we will have something great from Jo Robinson on Thursday. And we have…
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On Monday I will be sharing my interview with Michael Phelps. 
Author and very good friend of the late David Janssen, star of the TV series The Fugitive and others. Michael had a friendship with David Janssen unlike others. It’s not a tell-all book. I have it. I’m reading it. I am loving it. I wanted to share a short piece of that interview today. He shared so much that it may even be a two day event. The man is open and can make you feel at home telling you about a beloved actor and how he put David Janssen: Our Conversations together.
RW: How does one recall all of those memories you have in your book?
MP: To write this book, I began with the Preface. Here I gave the
background of how Dave and I met, how our friendship developed over time.
Here was this Mega-TV and film star, the same age as my older brother, and
here I was, a “nobody”, not involved in the television or movie business .
. . why would a celebrity like him even speak twice to someone like me. I
learned later that David Janssen was in reality, just an ordinary,
‘down-to-earth’ guy who happened to be a celebrity, but yearned to have
friends outside of his ‘work’ and to be treated as a ‘normal’ guy.
In the Preface, I noted that I have written Our Conversations as close to
verbatim as is humanly possible. I have not exaggerated nor expounded.
Since the publishing of DAVID JANSSEN-MY FUGITIVE, Ellie Janssen’s memoir that I co-authored; many, many of David Janssen’s fans and a few of his
close friends who knew of the friendship Dave and I shared urged me to
write this book. It was CAROL CONNORS who finally inspired me to take it
on. In the beginning, I sat down at my computer and closed my eyes;
thought back to the first time we met. I visualized the scene, and found
I could actually HEAR David’s voice. The conversation flowed easily. I
recalled every topic we discussed in that roughly forty minutes talk. I
recalled meeting Ellie and her words precisely. Going forward, I found
no problem recalling our conversations, whether we were meeting in a bar
or restaurant, or the countless long-distance phone calls. I NEVER
recorded a single conversation with David, nor did I keep a diary.
Initially, I had a problem with the dates and time line.
However re-visiting them from the beginning, and checking some very old
notes, the dates and time fell into place. This was the most difficult because there were periods I did not hear from David for several weeks at a time.
RW: Was there a lot of outlining, gathering of information and the like? For example, did you remember and write in order or did things come and you then had to determine where they fell in the time line?
MP: I started with our first meeting. Then two weeks after our first
meeting he called me and invited me for drinks at The Formosa, a nice
little restaurant/bar near the studios where “The Fugitive” was being
filmed. It was 1:15 AM. That is when I learned a routine day for filming
the television series may last 14 to 16 hours or longer. Also, that David
Janssen always liked to stop (usually at The Formosa) and have a couple of
drinks to unwind before going home.
There is a lot more to come on Dec. 15 & 16 on LitWorldInterviews. I don’t share those interviews that much here, but I will those.
Much Respect
Ronovan
© Copyright-All rights reserved by ronovanwrites.wordpress.com 2014
I know many of you know Chris Graham The Story Reading Ape. Go check out his Book Cover Artist interview I did with him. Yes, he does that and you can see some of his covers.
RW: You are the Indie Authors best friend. That’s something many people know you as, but there is another aspect of your contribution to the Author world that some are not quite as familiar with. Tell us about how and why you came to create book covers? What was your first one?
CHRIS: My first cover was for the late Steve K. Smy, ‘Shade of Evil’, the first of a new series that Steve intended to publish, this was quickly followed by two more for ‘Evil Under the Circle’ and ‘A Darkness in Amazonia’, unfortunately, Steve died shortly after publishing this last one, however, based on notes left behind by Steve, his son Damien has published one more book of a new Fantasy series (asking me to do the cover and a map) and already has the cover plus maps from me for a second book:
RW:…
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All Hallows at Eyre Hall
can have it
through September 28th for only
All Hallows at Eyre Hall, http://goo.gl/JvI0Mm #AllHallowsatEyreHall $0.99 Today @AmazonKindle
can have it
September 25th to 30th for only
2014 © Copyright-All rights reserved by litworldinterviews.wordpress.com
I had the incredible honor of interviewing one of my favorite people. The moment I saw her name I was intrigued and then I will admit I saw her. I instantly thought power, strength, and beauty. Her name is Charlese, the feminine of Charles, a name originating with Charlemagne (Charles the Great) and meaning Free Man. I know, a bit more of a history lesson about a name than you might have liked or even I intended, but sometimes a name just fits a person so well, and this one of those times.
Lesie of Lesie’s World lives up to the legacy of her name, even before I had exchanged a word with her I felt from her something ‘Great’. From Jamaica, that place where we all want to go, where legends of song and speed come from.
Without any further words from me, Meet . . .
Lesie
RW: Lesie this is about the most I will say prior to a question during our time here today, but your writing, your style, your use of dialect, it is obvious Zora Neale Hurston is a huge influence on you. Your tag line is “Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.” by Z. N. Hurston, why that particular quote, and where did this influence come from?
LESIE: It’s funny you should ask this as I’ve never really heard of Hurston before I found her quote. I was revamping my blog and planning a wedding and I became overwhelmed with emotions. Her quote struck a once dormant chord within me and I had no choice but to express it. I felt capable of doing so much and more because of the love that circulates a life-changing event such as getting married (or having children, etc). Love really equips you with the courage to do and/or try the things that would normally scare you into hiding.
RW: I guess even I can be wrong sometimes, but I think you two have connected for a reason. Tell us about where you were born?
LESIE: I was born and raised in Kingston Jamaica, land of wood and water, sun, sea, and sand, and the home town of legends like Usain Bolt and Bob Marley. Jamaica is as tropical as it gets (in my opinion), with daily temperatures of 33 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit). Thankfully we have thick foliage and countless fruit trees, rivers, and the sea
which is at most a 45 minute drive from anywhere on the island.
Our motto is “Out of Many, One People” which not only speaks to the diversity among us but also the fact that every and any one is welcome on dissa island. We are truly a welcoming people (some would say “we’re too welcoming”), pleasant and friendly, open and willing to make anyone feel comfortable. I feel like I’m biased in my description but honestly … there is no place and no one like us. Our food is rich with various seasons and spices (often with Indian and Asian influences) and can be rather spicy/hot for foreigners, but a jus so we like it. Oh and the jerk thing – you haven’t had real jerk anything until you’ve had jerked chicken or pork in Boston, Portland.
We are also musical bunch, and we loves to dance. On any given Friday night music can be heard, and almost every song has a dance to match. Wherever you go, be it the club, a party, a street dance, or concert, everybody dances in unison. It really is amusing to watch hordes of people dancing similarly to the same music; it’s rhythmic and to some extent ‘freeing’ or liberating, almost trance-like.
RW: And have you moved across the waters or still reside in the land ob Marley?
LESIE: I’m still in Jamaica. Like Dorothy said: “There is no place like home”. I’ve thought of living elsewhere but the truth is . . . “nowhere nuh good like yaad”. All Jamaicans would say that. I’d like to travel and learn about the other cultures of the world, but at the end of the day, I would come right back home.
RW: What’s your favorite thing about where you live now?
LESIE: The best part about living in Jamaica, is that my vacation is just a couple hours away, across the island; I don’t 
have to go anywhere else to vacation. If I need sun, sea, and sand, it’s right there on the north coast, a 2 – 4 hour drive. 
If I need nature, there is the Blue Mountains and the parishes of Portland in the north, and Manchester in the south. Even if I need to escape the tropical weather there are those areas as well.
RW: What do you think are the biggest differences in basic views of what are the important things of life between say Jamaica and the United States?
LESIE: I think the most important thing for people nowadays, is the ability to provide for our families. I think that is the biggest concern for most, whether we are Caribbean, American, European, etc. We all want to provide a better life for our young. How we do it though, is where we differ. Jamaicans are a resourceful set and seek the opportunity in everything. We’ll try to make a living doing anything we can think of.
So for argument sake, those of us who don’t wash our cars every week will have wind-shields with dust streaked across it for days. But for as long as I can remember we have these men on the streets called Sweegy men, who wait at stop-lights to clean our wind-shields. I don’t know if they exist elsewhere in the world under some other name, but that is an example of how we find opportunities in everything.
RW: What are some similarities that Americans, and maybe even Jamaicans might be surprised about?
LESIE: I would say we are very technologically driven based on the US consumer trends. To be honest, the latest greatest phones and tablets etc will cost an arm and a leg in Jamaica, but we’ll always have the next big thing. All you need to hear is “iPhone 7 will be out in . . .” and our boss has the iPhone 7 before the commercial is even done. I’m exaggerating but you get the idea.
RW: What are the fashion differences between the two countries?
LESIE: I’m not gonna lie, we do like to keep up with the trends. Sometimes we fail miserably, other times we over-reach. But in true Jamaican style, we want to make sure we stand out from the rest, even in our own land.
RW: For the female Friends reading, what are the differences in the personalities/characteristics or whatever you want to call it of the men of the two countries?
LESIE: I think in a lot of ways, Jamaican men and American men are quite similar. There are the loud and obnoxious kinds, the reserved and quiet ones, and the macho types. But I think the biggest difference has more to do with our – as we would say – broughtupsy (the way we were brought up by our mothers and grandmothers).
RW: What are the three most important things in your life?
LESIE: Sleep, and by sleep I mean undisturbed, restful, 8 hour or more sleep; the freedom and the ability to do what my heart so desires; and my husband.
RW: What is your favorite dish from Jamaica?
LESIE: Oh, food! (smacks lips). Well, I do loves a nice bowl of stewed peas with rice and peas, or food like boil dumplings, yam, sweet potatoes, with a little potato salad on the side. Mmm I’m hungry now.
(The image is the best I could do. Looking at all the Jamaican foods was Jamaican me crazy hungry.)
RW: American foods vary, but what American so to speak food have you found that you really enjoy?
LESIE: When I was a child spending the summer with my aunt in Pittsfield, I remember going to a fair and trying this sugary dough thing that was like heaven on a plate. I only had one that day but had I been an adult I probably would have had twenty. I don’t know the name, no one ever told me, but I remember it after all these years.
(This is a funnel cake which is a popular fair food here in the States. This might be what Lesie is talking about. If not, well it is still amazingly good)
RW: One of the things that one will notice when visiting your website for, well not long really, is your use of dialect, and very well done actually, although you haven’t read any of Z. N. Hurston yet do you intend to perhaps follow that path of dialect writing more moving forward?
LESIE: There is a quote (I cannot seem to find) that suggests as writers we should read and devour everything, for it is out of that that our writing styles emerge, by picking up little phrases here and there, and structures, etc. What you see on my blog is my own writing style influenced by any and everything I’ve read to date. I know there are books that I’ve fallen in love with the author’s writing style and I’ve subconsciously adopted some of those things from them. All writers do that. Unfortunately, I haven’t read any of Hurston’s work, but I have committed it to memory. Who knows? I may fall in love with her style as well and it may manifest in some of my work eventually.
RW: I noticed there is a ‘THE BIG DAY’ page on your site. Can you tell us about that, and did it involve any specific Jamaican traditions?
LESIE: Oh yes, the Big Day. That was my wedding in April of this year, so I am still technically a newly-wed, right? *beams brightly* (lol). Funny enough I don’t think anything was uniquely Jamaican about that day. I did the ‘something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue’ thing which isn’t Jamaican really. The ceremony was typical, as well as the reception, which was a small family dinner at a restaurant. I should really look into Jamaican Wedding Customs because, as I said, nothing out of the ordinary happened, which kind of makes it sound boring, but . . . I liked it, he and I had fun, and that’s what matters, right?!
RW: What is your favorite scent/aroma/fragrance and why?
LESIE: There is this plant (bush) in and around Kingston and for the life of me I cannot find it, or find the name of it. It smells of roasted sweet peppers. I cannot get enough of that smell, whenever I happen to find it.
RW: What is your favorite beverage?
LESIE: I am a sucker for Bailey’s Rum Cream, although I do love a good Mojito and my special concoction is a Lemonade with Vodka (any other variation of that).
RW: Finally what is your favorite word and why?
LESLIE: I thought long and hard about this one. Turns out I don’t have a favourite word so much as I have a favourite phrase. I tend to tell people about their ‘backsides’ when they’ve said something unfavourable to me. It’s not meant as a disrespect or anything like that, I’m actually being playful in my dismissal . . . is that even possible? But this is how it works: Whatever you may say to me, my response would be “Yuh backside”. I’m known for saying it to the point where some will pre-empt me and say it before I can, just so I don’t, in fact, tell them about their ‘backside’.
First I want to thank Lesie for agreeing to the interview. It was a long process from beginning to end but we finally made it. I think it was worth it. There are a ton of questions I should have asked now that I’ve finished this interview but perhaps another time.
I have to be honest with y’all. When I approached Lesie for this interview I was under the impression she was now living in the States. So this was to be a Cross Culture interview. Then she told me she was still in Jamaica and asked me if that made a difference. My response was . . . well you just read an interview. People that knew I was interviewing Lesie have been asking about this for a long time. I finally just had to push everything else away, ignore what keeps me from writing most days and get this done. I hope you enjoyed it. Make sure to visit Lesie at her website/blog Lesie’s World and Follow her on Twitter @Char_Lesie.
Much Respect
Ronovan
2014 © Copyright-All rights reserved by ronovanwrites.wordpress.com
2014 © Copyright-All rights reserved by ronovanwrites.wordpress.com
RW: Suzie, first of all, where do you live, reside, crash, blog, basically where does The Suzie81 hang her umbrella?
SUZIE: In my head I live in a beautiful beach house on the coast. Unfortunately, my wallet hasn’t caught up with my little fantasy world and I live in a small terraced house on the outskirts of Birmingham, England’s second largest city, with The Bloke and two cats. I hate the curtains, but it’s cosy and comfortable and next to a beautiful park.
RW: You have a career that to me, one who knows, makes blogging really a chore, can you tell my Friends a bit about what you do?
SUZIE: I’m a music teacher by profession. I work with teenagers, and I’m lucky that my school is well managed, well resourced and I am surrounded by lovely staff and students. I teach my students all about music – one of my biggest influences throughout my life – how to play it, understand it, appreciate it. I try to incorporate lots of different genres and artists into the lessons, aside from anything by One Direction and Justin Bieber. They’re banned from my classroom. Oh, and Celine Dion’s ‘My Heart Will Go On.’ It’s the first song that everyone teaches themself on the piano and after eight years of listening to it I have to resist the urge to stab myself in the eyeball repeatedly.
RW: I know that your career as a teacher recently just put you in a place where writing content for your site was near impossible. I know how much you love your site and your readers, how did you handle not having the mental energy to probably even enjoy a TV show let alone write for your site?
SUZIE: I find it difficult when things get ridiculously busy as blogging is a stress relief – an outlet for any pent up frustrations that have built up during the day. However, when I’m mentally exhausted I find the best thing to do is write down some ideas and store them in my notes until later, retreat to the couch wearing a comfortable pair of jammies and watch something that makes me laugh. I then revisit ideas later when I’m in a better mood.
RW: This is going to seem like an odd question but do you ever sit back and think about living in a country so filled with history?
SUZIE: My mother and sister have always been fascinated with British history and so I have grown up being surrounded by endless books on the subject. However, it was only in my early twenties that I started to really appreciate the heritage that my country has, and over the years I have become a bit of a tourist. I particularly like London and I try and visit several times a year so I can just wander around and take everything in. I also live quite close to Stratford -Upon -Avon, Shakespeares birthplace, and I like to visit there. I’ve always been a royalist and love going to all the palaces, cathedrals and museums.
RW: Where do your blog ideas come from? Do you just sit down and it happens or does something have to spark before you sit down?
SUZIE: It varies. They can be inspired by something I’ve read, a comment that has been made or something will randomly pop into my head and I’ll write it down before I forget it. The post ‘23 Things You Should Actually Do Before You’re 23‘ was written in response to a post that really angered me. My most popular post, ‘How To Know When You’re a Teacher‘ is a collection of things that I have learnt from the experience that I and my colleagues have had in the profession. ‘No Means No!’ was created after the Santa Barbara murders earlier in the year. If I’m busy, I’ll make a note of it and write it up later, and sometimes I’ll sit at the laptop, write and see what happens.
RW: What is your blogging space like?
SUZIE: I’ve seen pictures of other people’s blogging spaces and I’ve been left feeling envious of the clean desk, the pastel coloured walls, the beautiful flowers that surround it. My space, however, consists of a couch, usually with a cat asleep at each side of me. The TV is usually on in the background. The Bloke is asleep next to me. It’s calm and quiet usually.
RW: Tell us a little about The Bloke? (Why do I for some reason think of Sex in the City and Mr. Big every time she mentions “The Bloke”?)
SUZIE: The Bloke is a legend. He’s a little older than me (he’s 45, I’m 32) and we’ve been together for four and a half years. He’s the sensible one, once comparing me to a children’s TV presenter (I’m still not sure how to take that), he’s a computer genius, a silver fox, a fabulous photographer and loves all things geeky. Believe it or not, I had no idea about the difference between Marvel and DC before I met him. I now not only know the difference, but I’ve seen all the films and live with his extensive comic collection. And his Lego, most of which I’ve bought for him.
RW: I always wanted to be Captain America as kid . . . and now really, which hero would you want to be or what power would you want?
SUZIE: I don’t have a favourite marvel superhero. However, I would love to be locked in a room with all the male members of the Avengers. They might be tough, but I’d love to see them attempt to get away from a crazed northern woman…
Confession time here folks. Why is Suzie one of my favorite bloggers? Is it the hair, the eyes, the grin? Is it her writing, her wit, her ire that shows itself at times? Well yes . . . but stay with me. It’s her Twitter account photo. She’s standing in front of, yes . . . Captain America. And I am a huge Captain America fan with my prized comic book collection item being Captain America #100. Were Suzie and I thrown together by fate? Sigh. Perhaps. And then there was that last answer.
10 Minutes Later After Comic Boy Geek Dreamdom
RW: How supportive of your blogging endeavors is Mr. Big The Bloke in as far as getting involved maybe to help you with going certain places for photos?
SUZIE: It was his suggestion that I started the blog in the first place, but since that initial suggestion he tends to keep out of it. I read out posts to him and ask him for advice, and the general response that I get from him is ‘yeah’ and a shrug of the shoulders, because he has no idea what sort of advice he thinks I want, but I know that he is proud of me. He is very supportive when I achieve something. When I was Freshly Pressed [Professional or Hobbyist] he printed out copies of it to save… It was very sweet. I’m quite independent when it comes to content, so he doesn’t need to take me out anywhere for photos – I’ll go myself or he’ll come with me and we’ll make a day of it.
RW: Speaking of photography, you list that as one of the things you enjoy and we’ve seen evidence of that on your site, what type of camera do you use? Go ahead and baffle me with the technical mumbo jumbo. I have Friends reading this that will eat it up.
SUZIE: I’d love to have an SLR, but I have a Canon SX270 HS that works as well as many SLR’s I’ve seen. Technical 
mumbo jumbo? I wish I could give lots of brilliant advice about settings, but I’
m still learning. My best advice? Take as many pictures as you can. In every hundred pictures I take there is usually only one or two that I would consider to be any good.
Suzie thought this wasn’t technical? She spoke in Hieroglyphics as far as I’m concerned. Why do I keep asking these ladies about their cameras? And why is it the British are the ones I keep asking? And why is the British bloggers I keep interviewing? Is it the accent? Think about that one for a moment and see if it makes sense to you.
SUZIE: Absolutely nothing. I had a Facbook page, and that was as complicated as it got. It’s been a lot of trial and error – deleting, adding, experimenting. I’ve changed my theme many times and spent a lot of time messing about with colours, fonts. I’m still not happy with my layout, but I’m getting there!
RW: You’ve been at this for over a year and have a great following, but at times you must run into those bad ‘blokes’ that just are not very nice, how do you handle a person who seems to simply comment to be a problem?
SUZIE: I’ve been lucky in that I’ve only experienced one or two negative comments (most of them being from irate women in response to a negative post I wrote about Justin Bieber), but I have had to deal with one or two men that weren’t particularly nice. One kept requesting the link to my personal Facebook page, and another, well, I’m not going to go into it but it wasn’t a pleasant experience.
RW: I’ve been lucky as well in not having any really negative feedback but even some messages sent my way about content focus hurts. What’s your advice?
SUZIE: I make sure that I blacklist IP addresses where necessary and I have my comments set so that I moderate each one first. The key is to try and not take things too personally – there are always going to be troll-like figures lurking around the Internet. It’s also important to appreciate those who take the time to leave something positive – it doesn’t necessarily mean that they have to agree with you, but followers who are polite, friendly and respectful and ones worth holding onto.
RW: I’m a content fiend just because I have no impulse control, but I know burnout is probably imminent for me, so for the brand new bloggers how often do you advise people to put out new content?
SUZIE: It depends what your blogging goals are. If you are writing for you and only you, then post whatever and whenever. However, if you are hoping to create a regular readership I think that it is more of a question of content than how often you post. Content is the key to any blog if you want it to be a success. There aren’t any rules about how often you should post – I follow blogs that post daily, weekly and monthly, but my best advice is to make sure that what you are putting out there is something that you are proud of. Of course, the more often you post, the more likely that your blog is likely to be seen, but the content needs to entice your readers to keep coming back for more.
RW: Other than my blog, which I know MUST be your favorite, what types of blogs do you like to follow?
SUZIE: All sorts! Poetry (mainly because I have the poetic talent of a walnut), craft, lifestyle, humour… This morning I read posts about running, a sleepy cat, a poem about lost love and a movie review of Guardians of The Galaxy. I like variety. The more interesting blogs are personal, well laid out and contain photographs.
Note that I included the part about me being her favorite blog after I asked the question. Can you blame me? I wonder if she will notice?
RW: Have you ever wanted to just throw your hands in the air and say “NO MORE BLOG”?
SUZIE: Never. It’s genuinely the first thing that I’ve truly been interested in doing in years. I’ve experienced blog burnout and had to give myself a break for a few days, but there has never been a point in which I wanted to give up. It has now become a part of my life – my blog is incorporated into my daily routine and I have put hours and hours of blood, sweat and tears into creating something that I’m really proud of – it would be such a waste of time to get rid of it. Change it, yes, add to it, yes, but never delete it.
RW: What’s the funniest comment that a reader has made on your blog that first comes to mind?
SUZIE: I’ve had so many that its impossible to choose the funniest of all time, but I do remember that Steve Says made a comment recently when I was talking about The Bloke, proclaiming that he was ‘my lobster.’ I haven’t seen that episode of Friends in years and it cracked me up.
SUZIE: Honestly? I’ve no idea, but I love the possibilities. When I initially started the blog it was a form of therapy and I had no expectations, and I certainly couldn’t have predicted the direction that it has already taken me and the amazing people that I have met along the way.Now, I’m quite excited about all the things that I could do with it.
RW: I definitely agree that blogging is great therapy. Is there a book idea in the mind of Suzie, if so then would you give us a general idea about it and if you have put work into it yet?
SUZIE: I’m not a creative writer so fictional stories are never going to happen, but I have contemplated the idea of putting together a compilation of my favourite posts. The problem is that I don’t know who would be interested in buying something like that. I’d have to consider a target audience a little more…
RW: When does Suzie81 Speaks find time for her social life and what does she do during her favorite social life moments, her escape and getaway moments?
SUZIE: One word… Karaoke. If it isn’t a school night and there’s a microphone, I’m there. My best friend runs a karaoke night at the pub that he works at every Friday, so when I really need to unwind that’s where you’ll find me. My social life doesn’t really exist during the week, but I like to meet up with friends at the weekends and we’ll go for a meal, to the cinema or around to each others houses for a catch-up. If I want to escape I go out for a day trip somewhere – to the park, into the city, on a train somewhere, to the spa. I did once decide to go to Malaga for the weekend for my friend’s birthday and spent Saturday afternoon lying on the beach. As it was in the middle of term time, the flights were dirt cheap. I think I need to do that again.
RW: What is something you do that’s a hidden talent that maybe only your close friends know about?
SUZIE: I can make my stomach expand to the point where I look heavily pregnant. I stood next to my friend when she was 24 weeks and we looked the same size . . . perhaps it’s not a talent, more of a party trick . . .
RW: I can do that too . . . without trying . . . and it’s not a trick. Umm . . is Suzie a great dancer?
SUZIE: Suzie likes to think that she is, particularly after consuming her own body weight in cider. Unfortunately, comparisons have been made with a frog in a blender – arms and legs everywhere – and I don’t think that Beyonce or her backing dancers will be losing sleep anytime soon.
RW: We need a video of that, seriously. I think our followers need to start a vote on your blog for it. What’s the one talent you would like to have that you don’t?
SUZIE: Dance. Again, resembling a frog in a blender proves to be a problem.
RW: I see a pattern here. What is your favorite outfit?
SUZIE: I have a dress that I bought for my 30th birthday. It’s black, strapless and figure hugging. It’s beautiful. Unfortunately, it doesn’t currently fit (i’ve enjoyed my food a little too much recently) but I’m working on it.
RW: With ‘The Block’ in your life and the mention of the dress, what is romance to you?
SUZIE: I’m not a romantic, despite owning almost every romantic comedy on DVD from the last 20 years. While I love the idea, in reality I would be likely to laugh in The Bloke’s face if he gave me the speech from When Harry Met Sally, or stood outside my bedroom window holding a ghetto blaster above his head. We did, however, once sit by the Seine in Paris and watch the sunset behind the Eiffel Tower, and left a love lock on the bridge behind Notre Dame Cathedral. I suppose romance to me is not hugely wild gestures, it’s things that happen on a daily basis. When I got an ‘Oustanding’ in the last OFSTED inspection, he wrote me a card telling me how proud he was of me and that he loved me, presented me with a bracelet in a beautiful box, made me a lovely dinner and rubbed my feet. Yesterday, he attended a wedding with me, and sat holding my hand. He opens doors, kisses me on the top of my head as he walks past at home and tells me he loves me. My apologies to your readers, I can practically hear them vomiting into buckets as I write…
RW: Young Russell Crowe or Hugh Jackman?
SUZIE: Young Hugh Jackman. Middle aged Hugh Jackman. Fifty year old Hugh Jackman. Hugh Jackman without a shirt. Mmm… Hugh Jackman. However, the ultimate man is Dolph Lundgren. I’ve had a crush on him since I first watched Masters of the Universe when I was about six yeas old. I even have an autographed framed print of him in my bedroom. He’s a truly beautiful man.
RW: Did not see that one coming. What is your favorite comedic show to watch?
SUZIE: I love sitcoms like The Big Bang Theory and have seen every episode of Friends about thirty times, but I particularly like British comedies that have a slightly eclectic humour like Spaced, Green Wing, Blackadder and Bottom. I love live stand up shows – Eddie Murphy’s ‘Raw’ is still one f the funniest things I’ve ever seen.
Has to be one of my favorite answers ever. I loved hearing of TV shows I know nothing about. It shows me how much I don’t know about other cultures. Loved.
RW: What is your favorite scent/aroma/fragrance and why?
SUZIE: Stella by Stella McCartney. I love the stuff and make sure that it’s on my birthday list every year. I’ve been stopped in the street by people who have asked what perfume I’m wearing because I apparently smell nice. Unfortunately, there’s also a very popular brand of beer that has the same name, so on occasions I’ve had to explain that I don’t bathe in lager. Although, there’s an idea.
RW: What is your favorite beverage?
SUZIE: Mojito. Original Mojito, strawberry Mojito, raspberry Mojito.
SUZIE: Chuff. It has many uses and connotations in my world, but I like to use it in the context of ‘tighter than a gnat’s chuff.’ Take from that what you will…
Well on that note, and I am hoping Suzie was not referring to me specifically with that last one . . . I want to thank Suzie for agreeing to an interview. This one has been a long time in coming, what with her busy work schedule. I hope you all enjoyed it. I can’t believed she answered everything.
All Images © Copyright-All rights reserved-Suzie81Speaks.com
2014 © Copyright-All rights reserved-RonovanWrites.wordpress.com
And why the three images? If you have to ask then I don’t think telling you will help.
I blog. Amazing discovering isn’t it? Being a blogger you also follow other bloggers. Sometimes you don’t know how you ended up making the acquaintance of someone, yes I can make that joke about myself but no one else can (amnesiac rights), but you are glad you did stumble upon someone. One such person grabbed my attention not only because he liked my attempts at writing, but one day a photograph he posted jumped out at me. No it did not literally leap from the page, at least I don’t think it did. Perhaps he has sort of 3D Mac power. Yes, I am afraid to say that he is one of . . . those people.
Thinking now perhaps it was 3D and knocked the memory out of me. I do have a habit of following it hitting my head. But I do have the memory that this man took a photograph that I loved enough to remember that of him and that means the world to me. Memories to me now are made more of impressions than of actual images.
So let me introduce to you, The one and only. . . wait wrong song now . . . on a mountain top, burning like a silver flame . . .
RW: Hugh, I googled your name in fun because I love your name and it has such a strength of character about it that I just knew it had to be famous. Are you the same Hugh Roberts who was in charge of Windsor Castle after the fire in 1992 and was also director of Christie’s, the auction house?
HUGH: Gee, that’s really kind of you, but no, I am not him. I have many times though, been introduced as Hugh Grant or Huw Edwards (for those of your followers outside of the UK, the latter is a famous BBC news reader over here). I suppose the mix up occurs because there aren’t many of us ‘Hughs’ around. I’ve never been asked for an autograph after being introduced as Hugh Grant, but I have on the odd occasional been stared at for a long period of time and imagined the word ‘really?’ going through that person’s mind as they stand there open mouthed and gobsmacked at Hugh Grant standing in front of them.
RW: There go all of those artsy questions. Hmm . . . So you’re English . . . I don’t know why it is the English Bloggers seem to fascinate me. Beatles or the Stones?
HUGH: There’s your first ‘strike’, Ronovan. I like to refer to myself as Welsh or better still, British. I’m very proud to be British. I have nothing against being called English, after all I currently live in England and speak English, but calling a Welsh or Scottish person English, is like being at one of those self check-out machines at the supermarket and the machine says to you “there is an unexpected item in the baggage area, please remove the item” and you’ve not put anything there! You get just a little irate. Only a little, so no need to get out those boxing gloves yet . I guess you thought I was English because of the way my name is spelt, yeah? Well, OK, I’ll take that strike away then, after all it is the English spelling of Hugh I use and not the Welsh spelling as Huw Edwards uses. My parents have a lot to answer for on that one.
RW: Sigh . . .’your my Venus your my’ . . . oh, yes, interview. Okay now onto more serious things, well that was serious but anyway, I am a big fan of your photography which is odd because you write a lot and I enjoy that as well, but tell me about your flowers and your gardening. You don’t even have to leave your home for great photos.
HUGH: We have a beautiful garden, but to be perfectly honest with you, I absolutely hate gardening. I have no interest in it at all. Don’t get me wrong, I love to sit and relax in the garden, but when it comes to gardening, I’m about as interested as a mannequin would be viewing my holiday pictures.
RW: Then where does the garden come from, Bananarama and their Venus power? (Mind drifting to the one with the short blonde hair ‘yeah baby she’s got it’. . . sigh.) Hugh, you carry on with the interview without me.
HUGH: All the credit for the beautiful plants in our garden, has to go to my partner, John. He’s the one that grew the plants which I took the photographs of. I’ve only just started to show an interest in photography, so it’s very early days for me, but a few I have posted on my blog seem to have attracted a little bit of attention. That in turn has spurred me on to taking more and I’m beginning now to really enjoy the challenges of taking photos as much as I do with the WordPress writing challenges I sometimes take part in.
RW: Tell my Friends about where you live that produces those great flowers in your photos.
HUGH: We currently live in Hove, known by some as “Hove Actually” because of the Alfred Hitchcock 1938 movie ‘The Lady Vanishes’ when Miss Froy, one of the characters, refers to herself as coming from Brighton and then goes on to say “well, Hove actually, just down the coast”. It’s situated in the county of East Sussex and is on the south coast of the UK, just over fifty miles south of London. Many people know our bigger neighbour, Brighton, far better, but the two now form a conurbation along with some other smaller towns and villages along the coast. Hove was first established right back in the 12th century, so has been around for a very long time. We have a wonderful climate, plenty of sunshine and rain, which helps the garden blossom.
RW: And I’ll go ahead and ask for my Photo Geek Friends, what type of camera do you use? Go ahead and be all techno numbers and all of that for those that speak Cameranese.
HUGH: Would you believe it if I said I take all my photos on an iPhone 4? Well, that’s where they have all come from. I love all things ‘Apple’ and am probably a marketing dream for them. iMac, iPad, iPhone, iCloud, Apple TV, I have it all, thanks to all the Apple Vouchers I get for Christmas and Birthdays (I’m so easy to buy for, so please take note). Between us, we once had five, I kid you not, five iPads! OK, some were from the very early days and I’ve sold a few since then, but I can not walk past the Apple store without having to go inside. That’s why I had to write my latest short story, ‘The Truth App’, in honour of the staff at our local Apple store.
RW: (I told you he was one of . . . those people.) And tell us about your love of the Cardigan Welsh Corgi.
HUGH: Well, it’s over to my partner, John, here, because he was the one that wanted to get a dog and it had to be a Cardigan Welsh Corgi. I suppose with us both being Welsh, we had to have a Welsh dog, but it was when John first saw one at Crufts, that he had to get one. What we did not know is that these dogs are on the vulnerable breeds lists here in the UK, with less than 100 being born every year. Originally they were bred for herding cattle and I understand they are still used for that purpose over in the States. Ours is called Toby and he’s become a bit of a star over on my blog recently, having now posted two posts about some of the walks he goes on. When I wrote those posts, I wrote them as if I were him, so from his perspective, and I’ve had some really positive comments left on those posts. When my sister was over on a visit from Australia recently, she referred to him as a “little human”. I guess that’s because we do spoil him a lot, but many people have also told us what a wonderful character he has. He knows the words, walk, chicken, cheese, custard, sausage, rice pudding, and mince pies (at Christmas time) and seems to even know what day of the week it is. He’s one clever chap.
RW: Once everyone stops looking at Toby tell us where you get your inspiration from for your stories?
HUGH: Lots of places really, some strange, some not so strange. Take for example my short story, Last Train to Aldwych. Grace Simmons, the main character in that story, introduced herself and told me her story while I was doing a pile of ironing. As soon as I had finished ironing that last sock (no, I don’t really iron socks, honestly!), I sat down and wrote the story. Other stories have come from prompts and WordPress writing challenges, while the inspiration for others have come from other bloggers. I’m currently working on a two-part short story which came as an inspiration from a photo I saw on one of the blogs I follow. The author doesn’t know it yet, but I’ll be asking if I can use their photo so I can include it in the post. My passion is for writing short stories and although they do not get as many views as my photo posts do, I’m very proud of myself for not letting the fact that I have dyslexia get in my way anymore. I used to see dyslexia as a monster, but happy to say that I managed to tame it, with the help of a few fellow bloggers who really encouraged me to continue with my blog. I am so thankful to those bloggers, who I now class as friends, for all the support and encouragement they gave me. And, yes, I’ve even written a post about defeating the monster I called dyslexia.
RW: Do you have a writing spot in your home? That place that you go to where nothing distracts you from the flow of creation?
HUGH: I used to have two spots, one being the kitchen, but I don’t tend to write in there much anymore now. The main spot for me is in our study. The desk looks out over towards Hove Recreation Ground, which maybe does not sound so nice, but believe me, whilst it’s not as pretty as some of the other parks we have in Brighton & Hove, it’s lovely to look out at while I am writing. It’s used by lots of people and also used a lot for sports like rugby and cricket and I have often included bits of conversations in my posts which I have overheard whilst walking Toby in there. Of course I change what I have heard, so that it more reflects how I would have said it, but it’s a source of some great conversations. If I also see an interesting person walking in the grounds while writing, I’ll give them a name and use them in one of my stories. That might put people who live in the area and reading this, off from going in there now, but just think of it this way. One day, the inspiration you gave me, may become a Hollywood blockbuster movie or best selling novel. Who am I kidding!!?
RW: That is a great view from the window, I was thinking it would be more distracting than that. You mention a book you are working on in your bio, how is that coming along and do I get a free copy?
HUGH: Of course you can have a free copy. I’d even sign it ‘Hugh Grant” if you wanted?
RW: Does Blogging ever interfere with your social responsibilities?
HUGH: Oh, John is going to like you for asking me this question, I can guarantee it. Did he ask you to ask this question? I bet he did didn’t he? I have to be very honest here, because after all, I’m a very honest person, so my answer is yes. Both John and myself are tidy people. We hate clutter and like everything to be in place, that’s why we get on so well and have been together for nearly 21 years, but, blogging has taken over my life. Sure, I’ll do the chores, walk Toby, empty the bin, make the beds, and all that, but I’m probably not as thorough as I was before I started my blog. I’m not saying that the house is now looking like a store does at the end of the first day of the sale, but I do rather tend to rush the social responsibilities these days, so that I can log on to the blog and start reading and writing. That reminds me, I need to descale the coffee machine before it seizes up for good. Thanks for the prompt!
RW: When did you start your blog?
HUGH: 12th February 2014, so it has a birthday which we will be celebrating next year, much to John’s amusement I might add. February is a big month for us, because not only is it the birthday month of my blog, but John also has a birthday that month, our civil partnership anniversary is the same month and, of course, who could forget valentine’s day as well?
RW: I notice you around the Blog Block so to speak in my reading of other bloggers and your likes and comments; do you notice a difference in style between bloggers from different parts of the world?
HUGH: Yes, hugely. Not only in the way the author writes, but also in that of the comments that are left. Reading blogs is such a great way of finding out about different cultures and how people live their lives on a daily basis. You can really get to know somebody so well just from engaging with them by asking questions and leaving comments on posts.
RW: What type of Blogs do you tend to gravitate toward?
HUGH: I follow a lot of blogs which concentrate on one subject but I tend to gravitate more to those which contain lots of variety. My own blog contains short stories, photos, reviews, my views on life, television and commercials, as well as a few other categories. I have seen some bloggers create brand new blogs because they think having too much variety on their blog looks messy. I’m not so sure about that. Yes, if I am looking for a blog that only contains recipes, then it’s great to find a blog that contains only recipes, but I like a good mixture in a blog (no pun intended there)! I like to get to know the blogger, and by having lots of variety on their blog, I know I can achieve that because it will tell me more about them other than that they may be a great cook. So I tend to graduate towards blogs that have lots of variety. After all, they do say that variety is the spice of life, don’t they?
RW: You seem to really enjoy what you do, what advice can you give others to help keep them motivated to blog and enjoy? Do you have something like a limit of time, a number of posts per week, anything like that?
HUGH: My first piece of advise would to be to treat your blog as if it were alive. I’d better explain that a little more, hadn’t I? To me, I see my blog as being alive. To stay alive, it needs plenty of nourishment. I look at a post I have written myself, as a meal for my blog.
RW: Finally for my Big Three Questions. What is your favorite scent/aroma/fragrance and why?
HUGH: Mint. I love the stuff, not only on my roast lamb, but also as an aroma around the house. It makes the whole place smell fresh and clean, which of course my house is, after you asking me that earlier question about social responsibilities.
RW: What is your favorite beverage?
HUGH: Tea. I suppose that is the Britishness in me. I love the stuff especially when I have a pack of Oreos or chocolate digestives to dunk into the tea. Pure bliss!
RW: And finally, what is your favorite word and why?
HUGH: Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyll-llantysiliogogogoch – go on, I dare you to check it out. It’s a real Welsh word. If I can’t chose that word because it’s not an English word, then I’d say “Twist” Not in the dance or pain sense, but in the story sense. I love a story or movie with a great twist or two in it.I want to thank Hugh for the interview and what I have to say was an enjoyable time. Make sure to visit and follow him at Hugh’s Views & News and also on Twitter at @RobertHughes05. Also click Hugh’s favorite Bananarama song below and watch him dance along. I like to have a little fun with those guests that have that touch of humor about them. All that’s missing are the long socks and sandals he loves to wear.
2014 © Copyright-All rights reserved-RonovanWrites.wordpress.com
There are different types of sites we all like to frequent; humor, life, poetry, manic depression pain ridden men who write about anything that pops into their Lost Minds. But there is one site that is, in my opinion unique. You get a combination of life tips, encouragement, spirituality, and if you read her amazing promo ‘Female Focus Friday: One Q&A from Allison of Long&Luxe’ then you know about The Real Sexy.
Combine those qualities into a long haired blonde with big beautiful eyes and you end up with one groovy lover of love.
Let me introduce to you . . .
I asked Allison for an interview and she graciously agreed. Then her answers ended up being so great that this was originally a two part interview. But now I have combined it for easy viewing for those who want the complete story.
RW: First of all, why Long & Luxe?
ALLISON: Awesome kick-off! Well, I consider my blog a journey of uncovering our highest potential, so it’s all about our journeys together. I wish for all of my readers that their self-discovery journeys last long enough to uncover the true luxuries of life: peace, love, joy and creativity.
RW: There is a great deal of spirituality flowing through everything you write about; where does that come from, such as influences?
ALLISON: Yes, spirituality is the birthplace of everything meaningful in my life. I believe the universe, that divine energy, call it wha
t you like, is what ignites our passions and keeps us coming back to play and serve. So to answer your question ‘where does it come from’ I would honestly say it comes from my soul. I’ve always been deeply spiritual and believed in a higher power.
Recommended Readings
These folks in particular have inspired me deeply and taught me much of what I know today to be true: Marianne Williamson, Elizabeth Gilbert, Oprah Winfrey, Gabrielle Bernstein (check out her incredibly powerful book May Cause Miracles), Brene Brown, Maya Angelou, Mastin Kipp (check out The Daily Love website), Rain Wilson (check out SoulPancake website).
RW: A lot of people start a blog but don’t stick with it. You’re still here and doing very well. Why did you turn to blogging?
ALLISON: Thank you! I adore the blogging scene. It is astounding that we can connect through our creative endeavors this way, across time and space. It blows my mind. Obviously, people are the heart of social networks and the potential for collective, inspired change to happen quickly is like 
nothing we’ve ever seen before. It’s an incredible time to be an artist. When I first began, blogging was a creative outlet for my love for fashion. I wrote all kinds of fun tips and tricks about clothing, accessories and beauty. I loved the power and fierceness of a woman’s beauty and the mystery of uncovering it; I wanted to invite people into that. Over time my passion evolved into writing about what makes us beautiful, fierce and loving from the inside. Not because I don’t still love me a fabulous pair of jeans, but because I had some deeper convictions that were beginning to want to claw their way out onto the page. I began to see myself as an inspirational writer and a spiritual seeker. I want to lift people up – that is my number one goal. So I let my writer run wild and began posting original poetry and sharing my transformative journey. Now I’m all in, writing from my most authentic place and sharing with the intent to inspire others to be their most creative, artistic, brave and wholehearted selves. All in, baby. It’s my spirit work, my offering.
RW: There is an obvious skill in your writing, not only in what you write but how you write. What experience did you have in writing prior to your blog, such as perhaps classes, University, workshops?
ALLISON: When I was very young I wrote all the time, poetry, prayers, journals, essays. It was just part of how I made sense of my feelings and experiences. In 2000, I graduated from Penn State University with my BA in Liberal Arts. Most of my academic work was writing intensive in the areas of English Lit, Creative Writing, Sociology and Psychology. Unfortunately, once I started working in a corporate environment and raising my son (he’s now 16) I made less and less time for writing. It was still in me though, stirring to come out. Finally, after reading Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art a million times, I gave in and started pouring my soul into writing. It’s been saving my spirit ever since.
RW: With that type of degree, I would think there was likely an intent to write something other than a blog, perhaps something lengthier. Do you plan to do any kind of publishing, perhaps of your poetry, or is there a story in the works such as a novel, or some spiritual journey philosophy?
ALLISON: Yes! Some of my poetry has already been published in a book titled Heart Whispers, a compilation of poems by poets whose work focuses on the quiet musings of the heart. Heart Whispers features three of my original poems: Begin, Open, and Cry which can also be found on my blog. The indie poet book Heart Whispers can be purchased at Amazon.com. I also have a debut book in the works that will include more of my original poetry and just what you reference “spiritual journey philosophy.”
RW: What do you think makes your book idea a little different than others out there?
ALLISON: I think it is becoming increasingly important to come forward and talk about our connection to a higher consciousness and a transformed way of living. I want to make that feel invigorating and accessible for real people who feel called to do soulful work but they don’t know where to turn to talk about it or explore it. People still have this way of thinking that it’s “out there” to honor your intuition and your spiritual connection. It’s not out there at all – it’s who we are at ground level, it’s our greatest potential, it’s our molecules. And the more we understand about our divinity the more we can come to understand our tremendous potential for love, creativity, compassion and peace as human beings. I want to get my story into the world to invite others in and to hear their stories.
RW: Back to blogging, you have a loyal and loving Following. So another question would be what do you contribute to your success or your ability to connect with your Readers?
ALLISON: Thank you! I am so, so blessed and humbled to welcome every single reader into my world. It is an honor and a privilege to have my work read by another interested person. I think (I hope) I connect with people because I write from my truth and if that resonates with someone else, then we know we are kindred spirits. We can trust each other. I pretty much love my readers to bits. There are so many good people out there doing tremendously inspiring things – it rocks my spirit to know them! The energy I put out comes back to me tenfold, that is a fact. My readers make we want to give it all I’ve got. They are my teachers and they light me up something wicked. I hope they know that.
RW: Allison, I have to say I am disappointed in you. You lied to me. Okay you didn’t lie to me, I asked why Long & Luxe, and right now your answer IS what it means, but you started your site as a fashion tips site . . . come on . . . what was the real original meaning to Long & Luxe?
ALLISON: You got me! So my original reason for L&L is kind of similar but more fashion angle – ready? My favorite song of ALL TIME is Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress by the Hollies – my favorite thing to wear is long flowing hair and a long maxi dress so luxe! Luxe to me was and is always about comfort – that is the ultimate luxury.
SET UP ALERT!!!
*****RW: Perfect. This just shows how things mature and change over time, even a site now matures into something more than we thought it would be. I set Allison up for that question because I recalled that when we first met she said something about it had to do something with something from her earlier days. So yes, Allison Marie, I gotcha on this one! And you can all hear the song at the bottom of the screen and now you know why I have the slide show above today rather than yesterday.*****
RW: We share a common bond in that we don’t write or blog to gain followers. I personally think of everyone that ends up clicking to follow my blog as Finding a new Friend. To me it’s more of a support thing than a following thing. What is your own personal philosophy of blogging?
ALLISON: I know just what you mean. If you are up for the lengthy version of my answer on this question do feel free to check out my 25 Tips On Beginning A Blog That No One Else Will Tell You. It’s not only tips for beginners but also my blogging philosophy in general. For the quick and dirty summary, I offer you this quote from the article: “Don’t write for numbers. Numbers are OK left alone. Write for people. Write for people because people don’t want to be alone.” In a nutshell, that’s what always brings me back home.
RW: I’ve found that many that do have the ability to care deep have been hurt deep.
Where does your deep heart come from? Is there a history?
ALLISON: You know, I’m really not sure where my deep heart comes from. I was always a sensitive, empathetic, introverted type and studied psychology because I have always been very interested in people, why they think and feel as they do, what choices they make, and what philosophies they adopt as their own and why. I do think I love big and I hurt big and it just comes naturally. A friend of mine and I talk about being ‘empaths’ or people who feel what others are feeling. I suppose a lot of my inner conviction to follow my heart comes from my mom, who died eight years ago very young. The experience of seeing my mom go through tremendous physical trauma to fight her cancer, and then to go through dealing with her death, has taught me that nothing is guaranteed in this life. It’s up to us to love deep and spread love wide in the time we are here. It’s the only thing that really matters.
RW: What tips do you have for someone to be able to keep blogging? For example do you have burnout tips?
ALLISON: Well, for sure my 25 Tips are my best gems so far. As for burnout I would say ask yourself why you got started in the first place and go from there. Maybe you need to go in a new direction? Maybe you need to post less often? What is so important to you that you couldn’t go another day without sharing – write and publish about that. I would also say that the more authentic your writing and connecting, the more likely you are to want to stick around. It becomes part of who you are, your way of sharing – of giving and receiving.
RW: How is the family with all of your blogging?
ALLISON: My husband is thrilled that I found blogging. I think I’m kind of a pain in the ass when I don’t have a creative outlet and this one seems to suit me quite well. The rest of the family doesn’t really get that involved. My blog isn’t for everyone and that’s totally ok with me. I think it should be that way – if you are writing from your soul, some people will groove with that and some won’t. It’s your job to stay true to you. It’s sort of a good life lesson as well.
RW: Where does the hippy chick come from?
ALLISON: My mom, I think! It’s so funny you say that because in all honesty I don’t know why I connect to the peace, love and grooviness vibe but it shows up in my world all the time. I love the music and clothing of that time and I love the peaceful revolutionary mindset of possibility and change. I have been channeling my mom’s spirit more and more lately and from what I understand she was quite an earth angel back in the day. I believe that love and peace can change the world. There’s a freedom of spirit there that – you guessed it – I dig. We are going through a time of global awakening and people are looking to come back to center, through meditation and mindfulness and a re-evaluation of our priorities. We know as a species that we need to change in some fundamental ways if we want to protect our precious lives and our planet. Greed will not get us there – love will. That is why I think my old soul always finds its way back to a peaceful revolutionary place.
RW: What is your favorite scent?
ALLISON: The beach. There’s no way to bottle it – you’ve got to sit in the sand and breathe with the wind and the salt spray and the waves.
RW: What is your favorite beverage?
ALLISON: A crisp, lemongrassy Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand
RW: What is your favorite word and why?
ALLISON: LOVE. Because it’s everything.
I doubt anyone was surprised with that last answer. Even though I had never asked her before, when that word came back to me, it was no surprise at all. I want to thank Allison for the interview and those great answers that turned some simple questions into what I think will be some life eye openers for some who read this interview series.
I leave you with . . .
Much Respect
Ronovan
© Copyright-All rights reserved-RonovanWrites.wordpress.com
In my last article here on RonovanWrites I shared Part 1 of Allison Marie Long &Luxe The Real Sexy. Check out Part 1 if you would like to read in order. I won’t waste any more of your time.
RW: Allison, I have to say I am disappointed in you. You lied to me. Okay you didn’t lie to me, I asked why Long & Luxe, and right now your answer IS what it means, but you started your site as a fashion tips site . . . come on . . . what was the real original meaning to Long & Luxe?
ALLISON: You got me! So my original reason for L&L is kind of similar but more fashion angle – ready? My favorite song of ALL TIME is Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress by the Hollies – my favorite thing to wear is long flowing hair and a long maxi dress so luxe! Luxe to me was and is always about comfort – that is the ultimate luxury.
SET UP ALERT!!!
*****RW: Perfect. This just shows how things mature and change over time, even a site now matures into something more than we thought it would be. I set Allison up for that question because I recalled that when we first met she said something about it had to do something with something from her earlier days. So yes, Allison Marie, I gotcha on this one! And you can all hear the song at the bottom of the screen and now you know why I have the slide show above today rather than yesterday.*****
RW: We share a common bond in that we don’t write or blog to gain followers. I personally think of everyone that ends up clicking to follow my blog as Finding a new Friend. To me it’s more of a support thing than a following thing. What is your own personal philosophy of blogging?
ALLISON: I know just what you mean. If you are up for the lengthy version of my answer on this question do feel free to check out my 25 Tips On Beginning A Blog That No One Else Will Tell You. It’s not only tips for beginners but also my blogging philosophy in general. For the quick and dirty summary, I offer you this quote from the article: “Don’t write for numbers. Numbers are OK left alone. Write for people. Write for people because people don’t want to be alone.” In a nutshell, that’s what always brings me back home.
RW: I’ve found that many that do have the ability to care deep have been hurt deep.
Where does your deep heart come from? Is there a history?
ALLISON: You know, I’m really not sure where my deep heart comes from. I was always a sensitive, empathetic, introverted type and studied psychology because I have always been very interested in people, why they think and feel as they do, what choices they make, and what philosophies they adopt as their own and why. I do think I love big and I hurt big and it just comes naturally. A friend of mine and I talk about being ‘empaths’ or people who feel what others are feeling. I suppose a lot of my inner conviction to follow my heart comes from my mom, who died eight years ago very young. The experience of seeing my mom go through tremendous physical trauma to fight her cancer, and then to go through dealing with her death, has taught me that nothing is guaranteed in this life. It’s up to us to love deep and spread love wide in the time we are here. It’s the only thing that really matters.
RW: What tips do you have for someone to be able to keep blogging? For example do you have burnout tips?
ALLISON: Well, for sure my 25 Tips are my best gems so far. As for burnout I would say ask yourself why you got started in the first place and go from there. Maybe you need to go in a new direction? Maybe you need to post less often? What is so important to you that you couldn’t go another day without sharing – write and publish about that. I would also say that the more authentic your writing and connecting, the more likely you are to want to stick around. It becomes part of who you are, your way of sharing – of giving and receiving.
RW: How is the family with all of your blogging?
ALLISON: My husband is thrilled that I found blogging. I think I’m kind of a pain in the ass when I don’t have a creative outlet and this one seems to suit me quite well. The rest of the family doesn’t really get that involved. My blog isn’t for everyone and that’s totally ok with me. I think it should be that way – if you are writing from your soul, some people will groove with that and some won’t. It’s your job to stay true to you. It’s sort of a good life lesson as well.
RW: Where does the hippy chick come from?
ALLISON: My mom, I think! It’s so funny you say that because in all honesty I don’t know why I connect to the peace, love and grooviness vibe but it shows up in my world all the time. I love the music and clothing of that time and I love the peaceful revolutionary mindset of possibility and change. I have been channeling my mom’s spirit more and more lately and from what I understand she was quite an earth angel back in the day. I believe that love and peace can change the world. There’s a freedom of spirit there that – you guessed it – I dig. We are going through a time of global awakening and people are looking to come back to center, through meditation and mindfulness and a re-evaluation of our priorities. We know as a species that we need to change in some fundamental ways if we want to protect our precious lives and our planet. Greed will not get us there – love will. That is why I think my old soul always finds its way back to a peaceful revolutionary place.
RW: What is your favorite scent?
ALLISON: The beach. There’s no way to bottle it – you’ve got to sit in the sand and breathe with the wind and the salt spray and the waves.
RW: What is your favorite beverage?
ALLISON: A crisp, lemongrassy Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand
RW: What is your favorite word and why?
ALLISON: LOVE. Because it’s everything.
I doubt anyone was surprised with that last answer. Even though I had never asked her before, when that word came back to me, it was no surprise at all. I want to thank Allison for the interview and those great answers that turned some simple questions into what I think will be some life eye openers for some who read this interview series.
I leave you with . . .
Much Respect
Ronovan
2014 © Copyright-All rights reserved-RonovanWrites.wordpress.com
There are different types of sites we all like to frequent; humor, life, poetry, manic depression pain ridden men who write about anything that pops into their Lost Minds. But there is one site that is, in my opinion unique. You get a combination of life tips, encouragement, spirituality, and The Real Sexy.
Combine those qualities into a long haired blonde with big beautiful eyes and you end up with one groovy lover of love.
Let me introduce to you . . .
I asked Allison for an interview and for some insane reason she agreed. Then I came up with the questions and they apparently sent some serious sparks through that groovy gray matter of hers. Instead of doing like I often do and scale down the interview to be a little shorter just because at times its information that simply is cool to me but not really part of the interview itself, I decided to make this a two part interview.
Each day you will be able to take in what Allison avails us of a little easier. I have to tell you, you may have to read it at least twice. The woman really loves what she does and believes in what she is spreading. And now here we go.
RW: First of all, why Long & Luxe?
ALLISON: Awesome kick-off! Well, I consider my blog a journey of uncovering our highest potential, so it’s all about our journeys together. I wish for all of my readers that their self-discovery journeys last long enough to uncover the true luxuries of life: peace, love, joy and creativity.
RW: There is a great deal of spirituality flowing through everything you write about; where does that come from, such as influences?
ALLISON: Yes, spirituality is the birthplace of everything meaningful in my life. I believe the universe, that divine energy, call it what you like, is what ignites our passions and keeps us coming back to play and serve. So to answer your question ‘where does it come from’ I would honestly say it comes from my soul. I’ve always been deeply spiritual and believed in a higher power.
Recommended Readings
These folks in particular have inspired me deeply and taught me much of what I know today to be true: Marianne Williamson, Elizabeth Gilbert, Oprah Winfrey, Gabrielle Bernstein (check out her incredibly powerful book May Cause Miracles), Brene Brown, Maya Angelou, Mastin Kipp (check out The Daily Love website), Rain Wilson (check out SoulPancake website).
RW: A lot of people start a blog but don’t stick with it. You’re still here and doing very well. Why did you turn to blogging?
ALLISON: Thank you! I adore the blogging scene. It is astounding that we can connect through our creative endeavors this way, across time and space. It blows my mind. Obviously, people are the heart of social networks and the potential for collective, inspired change to happen quickly is like nothing we’ve ever seen before. It’s an incredible time to be an artist. When I first began, blogging was a creative outlet for my love for fashion. I wrote all kinds of fun tips and tricks about clothing, accessories and beauty. I loved the power and fierceness of a woman’s beauty and the mystery of uncovering it; I wanted to invite people into that. Over time my passion evolved into writing about what makes us beautiful, fierce and loving from the inside. Not because I don’t still love me a fabulous pair of jeans, but because I had some deeper convictions that were beginning to want to claw their way out onto the page. I began to see myself as an inspirational writer and a spiritual seeker. I want to lift people up – that is my number one goal. So I let my writer run wild and began posting original poetry and sharing my transformative journey. Now I’m all in, writing from my most authentic place and sharing with the intent to inspire others to be their most creative, artistic, brave and wholehearted selves. All in, baby. It’s my spirit work, my offering.
RW: There is an obvious skill in your writing, not only in what you write but how you write. What experience did you have in writing prior to your blog, such as perhaps classes, University, workshops?
ALLISON: When I was very young I wrote all the time, poetry, prayers, journals, essays. It was just part of how I made sense of my feelings and experiences. In 2000, I graduated from Penn State University with my BA in Liberal Arts. Most of my academic work was writing intensive in the areas of English Lit, Creative Writing, Sociology and Psychology. Unfortunately, once I started working in a corporate environment and raising my son (he’s now 16) I made less and less time for writing. It was still in me though, stirring to come out. Finally, after reading Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art a million times, I gave in and started pouring my soul into writing. It’s been saving my spirit ever since.
RW: With that type of degree, I would think there was likely an intent to write something other than a blog, perhaps something lengthier. Do you plan to do any kind of publishing, perhaps of your poetry, or is there a story in the works such as a novel, or some spiritual journey philosophy?
ALLISON: Yes! Some of my poetry has already been published in a book titled Heart Whispers, a compilation of poems by poets whose work focuses on the quiet musings of the heart. Heart Whispers features three of my original poems: Begin, Open, and Cry which can also be found on my blog. The indie poet book Heart Whispers can be purchased at Amazon.com. I also have a debut book in the works that will include more of my original poetry and just what you reference “spiritual journey philosophy.”
RW: What do you think makes your book idea a little different than others out there?
ALLISON: I think it is becoming increasingly important to come forward and talk about our connection to a higher consciousness and a transformed way of living. I want to make that feel invigorating and accessible for real people who feel called to do soulful work but they don’t know where to turn to talk about it or explore it. People still have this way of thinking that it’s “out there” to honor your intuition and your spiritual connection. It’s not out there at all – it’s who we are at ground level, it’s our greatest potential, it’s our molecules. And the more we understand about our divinity the more we can come to understand our tremendous potential for love, creativity, compassion and peace as human beings. I want to get my story into the world to invite others in and to hear their stories.
RW: Back to blogging, you have a loyal and loving Following. So another question would be what do you contribute to your success or your ability to connect with your Readers?
ALLISON: Thank you! I am so, so blessed and humbled to welcome every single reader into my world. It is an honor and a privilege to have my work read by another interested person. I think (I hope) I connect with people because I write from my truth and if that resonates with someone else, then we know we are kindred spirits. We can trust each other. I pretty much love my readers to bits. There are so many good people out there doing tremendously inspiring things – it rocks my spirit to know them! The energy I put out comes back to me tenfold, that is a fact. My readers make we want to give it all I’ve got. They are my teachers and they light me up something wicked. I hope they know that.
That ends today’s portion of the interview. Tomorrow will be Part Two, and I finally find out the REAL meaning of Long & Luxe. (Click here for Part Two.)
I leave you with this quote from tomorrow’s portion.
“I think I’m kind of a pain in the ass . . . ”
Those of you who know Allison, what in the world could she possibly mean? Leave a comment and we’ll see who might know her best.
Much Respect and Until Tomorrow
Ronovan
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