CHAT WITH RYNE DOUGLAS PEARSON

RyneRyne Douglas Pearson is an accomplished novelist and screenwriter. Despite the often ‘dark’ nature of his novels and films, Pearson has been noted to have a ‘sweet, disarming quality’ by Entertainment Weekly-an accusation he has been unable to shake. He is addicted to diet soda and the sound of his children laughing. A west coast native, he lives in California with his wife, children, a Doberman Kelpie and a Beagle Vizsla.

Time to chat with Ryne!

What is your latest book?

My latest book, Cop Killer, is the first book in my new District One Thriller series. It tells the story of two detectives, Danny Owen and Jack James. One is a hard-charging young investigator who lives for the thrill of the chase. The other is a cool and methodical investigator with an almost legendary status in the department. When these two polar opposites are partnered there’s little time for them to reach some equilibrium of coexistence, as a brutal killer begins littering the city with bodies. But as Danny and Jack uncover the identity of this murderer, the lines of right and wrong begin to blur, leaving the partners to wonder just who is adversary, and who is ally.

CopKiller

What are the special challenges in writing a series?

The District One Thriller series will be the second series I’ve worked on, the other being my Art Jefferson Thriller series. The biggest challenge, for me, is not trying to lay too much groundwork too early. I already know the next three books in this series, but I don’t want to know everything. Being surprised it part of the fun of being a writer, and the temptation to begin threads in an earlier book that will play out in later books is strong, but I (mostly) resist.

What else have you written?

I’ve written eight other novels—All For One, Confessions, The Donzerly Light, Top Ten, Cloudburst. October’s Ghost, Capitol Punishment, and Simple Simon. I also write and publish short stories when the mood strikes me.

How often do your characters surprise you by doing or saying something totally unexpected?

All. The. Time.

Some authors, like me, always write scenes in order. But I know some people write scenes out of order. How about you?

I will write out of order when I get stuck somewhere. I find it’s best to keep the momentum going, even if that leaves a gap that needs to be addressed eventually.

Some writers edit excessively as they write; others wait until a novel is finished to do the bulk of the editing. How about you?

I edit continually. I can’t help it. I see something and have to fix it.

Have you ever written characters that you truly despise?

The ones you despise are the most fun. Writing the serial killer in Top Ten was a complete blast. What a bad, bad boy.

Do you have any advice for first-time authors?

Write a lot. Write like you’re gonna burn it. No one but you and the NSA will see what you write before you decide it’s crap and delete it, so write the crap. Crap leads to stuff that’s not crap.

Do you have any grammatical pet peeves to share?

I’m not a big grammar nazi. I tend to break rules if it helps the flow of a scene.

Do you write anything besides novels? Care to share?

I also write screenplays. I’ve worked in the film industry for thirteen years. The movie Knowing was based on my original screenplay, and I’ve done uncredited work on a number of films.

Do you feel your latest book is your personal favorite or one of your previous novels?

My previous novel All For One is my personal favorite. I just love writing kids, and, even in the horrific situation the story place them in, it was a joy to write them.

Having our work out there to be judged by strangers is often daunting for writers. Do you have any tips on handling a negative review?

Grow a thick skin and move on. Everyone is entitled to an opinion.

Trains, planes, automobiles, or boats?

Automobiles. I love to drive.

What’s your favorite comfort food? Least favorite food?

Lasagna is my favorite. Least favorite would be anything remotely resembling liver.

What music soothes your soul?

Hawaiian music is very, very soothing. I’m a big fan.

What’s your favorite film of all times? Favorite book?

Favorite film is It’s A Wonderful Life and favorite book is IT by Stephen King.

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KOOMKEY: A Community of Givers Paying It Forward

 

by Joseph Lacko

Even the most carefully outlined project can surprise us with unexpected turns and unforeseen adventures. It is the nature of creativity.

When I created Koomkey, the only method of sending unsolicited cash to people through Twitter, I experienced a few of these surprises.

If you’re new to the concept, Koomkey enables you to send what we call, “Kashkeys” to other people, in values between 25 cents to 10 dollars, without creating any sort of new account. Think of it as a virtual tip jar sitting on your worktable.

When Twitter followers appreciate the efforts you make in social media, or admire your offline creative outpouring, a quick “Kashkey” of encouragement can be sent your way.

Throughout development, I told myself: “I know what I see as the usefulness of this tool, but I will always be ready for the different ways social media users ultimately take it.”

When we launched Koomkey July 1, 2013, the Twitter users who’d tweeted, “How do I turn my social media efforts into cash?” didn’t respond. In fact, some of them blocked me.

My wife, Rebecca, began her own venture, offering “latte & muffin” cash to her favorite authors. And there was my surprise; the first niche to latch on to the power of Koomkey’s usefulness was the writing community. Now I have befriended more wordsmiths than I ever imagined I might.

It makes sense. The intention of Koomkey is to empower social media users to instantly support others on a reasonable scale. This fits perfectly into the intimate world of writers networking and building an author platform.

KoomKey

More useful than merely clicking, “Like,” a humble thanks in the form of 25 cents can quickly add up. Anyone who sells a product in units—books, for instance—understands how quickly small numbers can snowball. Kashkeys are real income earned simply by maintaining your current online platform through social media.

If just 10% of your Twitter followers sent you a quarter, or maybe a dollar this month, and every month, how would it benefit you?

I’ve discovered the unexpected joy of joining others in giving heartfelt $10 Kashkeys to an author who found herself in a sudden bind. Together, we helped a stranger in need, and now count her among our friends. I have personally found the writing community the most receptive to random acts of generosity.

It stems from one of the key principles that went into the creation of the service: allowing people to simply be themselves and get financially rewarded for it.

Relationships are the cornerstone of social media. Readers love to interact with writers. In our first month of operation, two book fans, strangers in different countries, connected with their favorite author on Twitter using Koomkey. An exchange of Kashkeys was sent between them, and this small gesture was so appreciated, the fans teamed up to support the author’s Blog Tour of her latest book release. Their enthusiasm and partnership amazed me, and I was happy to donate Kashkey prizes for contests offered throughout the author’s tour.

What has been created in Koomkey is a simple way to cheer on a hard working writer, artist, charity, comic, blogger–whoever inspires us. Koomkey users have sent donations to favorite charities, students struggling to make ends meet, and educational programs in need of funding. Other Koomkey users notice these donations and join in giving—to both the worthy cause, and the original giver. I look forward to the time when a 25-cent Kashkey is as common as a retweet.

Signing up is as easy as logging in at www.koomkey.com with your Twitter handle and password. Claiming your cash is a matter of one click. You can use your funds received to send Kashkeys to others, or direct the money to your bank. It’s your choice.

If you have only a quarter or two to spare, try it. I challenge you to brighten someone’s day using Koomkey.

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Why send someone cash for no apparent reason? (by Joseph Lacko)

Connecting, Writing, and Paying It Forward with Koomey (by Rebecca Lacko)

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CHAT WITH JENNY HILBOURNE

JennyHIlbourneJenny Hilborne is a native Brit, currently dividing her time between Southern California and her hometown of Swindon, England. With a background in real estate and the finance industry, she is the author of four published mysteries and thrillers.

Time to chat with Jenny!

What is your latest book?

My latest book is a psychological thriller titled Stone Cold. It’s set in the idyllic English Cotswolds, where murder is rare. A double murder is shocking.

Is your recent book part of a series?

While Stone Cold was written as a stand alone, I haven’t ruled out the possibility of a sequel, based on reader feedback.

What else have you written?

Madness And Murder is my debut novel, and a psychological thriller set in San Francisco. It features homicide inspector Mac Jackson who, by popular demand, returns in my 3rd suspense Hide And Seek. I’ve also written another San Francisco based suspense titled No Alibi.

How often do your characters surprise you by doing or saying something totally unexpected?

All the time. All of my books have gone in directions different to those I’d originally intended. While it makes the writing process much harder, it strengthens the stories. If I’m surprised by what my characters do and say, I’m sure my readers will be, too.

Some authors, like me, always write scenes in order. But I know some authors write scenes out of order. How about you?

I’m a panster. As I don’t plot, the scenes are written in order. That’s not to say I don’t juggle them in the edits. In the editing of Madness And Murder, chapter fourteen eventually became chapter one.

Is it important for you to know the ending of a book before you write it? The title?

I rarely know the ending until I get there. If I have an idea of how a book will end, it will usually change before I get to it. As for the title, I try to establish that as early as possible. Working on an untitled piece is difficult.

How important is the choosing of character names to you? Have you ever decided on a name and then changed it because it wasn’t right for the character?

I find stellar names in my spam folder and have used a few of them for my characters. I’ve occasionally changed names where it didn’t suit the personality. At the request of a non-profit organization, I recently donated a character name with all the proceeds going to help improve lives of those with disabilities. It was a great cause and the character name the winner chose will be featured in my upcoming paranormal thriller.

What do you like best about the books you read? What do you like least?

As a reader, I prefer plot-based fiction and mostly enjoy dark and gritty thrillers. My favorites are the ones where the hero/heroine is hiding their own dark secrets, is less than perfect and not always likeable. I find them more realistic. Anything too saccharine is a turnoff for me. What I least like reading in thrillers is romance. It slows the story and often makes me cringe.

How much research was involved in writing your book? How did you go about it?

For Stone Cold, I spent six months in the UK and did a lot of research out in the field rather than online. It was refreshing. I drove the same routes the characters take in the book, visited the graveyard with the broken gate where Mara learns the secret behind the forgotten grave, and spent time with local police at the police station and inside the cells to get a real feel for the criminal side of life.

Have you received reactions/feedback to your work that has surprised you? In what way?

Feedback from my readers often surprises me. I write for pleasure. Apart from rooting for the underdog, I never attempt to deliver any kind of message in my work, so it surprises me when readers respond with what they picked up. For Madness And Murder, readers made me aware the book has a theme of second chances running through it. I was completely unaware.

Where do you live now? If you had to move to another city/state/country, where might that be?

Currently, I split my time between San Diego and my hometown of Swindon in the south west of England. If I were to live elsewhere, it would be San Francisco or New Zealand; San Fran for the research and NZ because traffic doesn’t stink like it does here.

If you could have one skill that you don’t currently have, what would it be?

I wish I could sing, or play a musical instrument. A jam session by an open fire always seems like such a great way to spend an evening.

What makes you angry?

Rudeness, stupidity, and cruelty. In any order.

If you are a TV watcher, would you share the names of your favorite shows with us?

I confess to watching Big Brother, Survivor, and Snapped.

Have you ever walked out of a movie? If so, what was it?

I walked out of Platoon. It was too graphic. The image of violent death is disturbing.

If you could add a room onto your current home, what would you put in it?

A library room with wall-to-wall books and a comfy leather chair.

 

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CHAT WITH ERIC B. THOMASMA

Eric

Eric B. Thomasma was born and raised in West Michigan, USA.
He still lives in the area with his wife of 35 years, Therese, and
together they raised two sons, Eric Jr. and Nicholas. Eric spent most
of his adult life working as an electrician and service technician in the
telecommunications industry, with side interests in computers and
video production.

Time to chat with Eric!

I hear you have some very exciting news! Can you share it with us?

My children’s book, The Wizards of the Body Shop, was recently selected for the 2013 KART Kids Book List Award. The Kids Are Readers Too (KART) Foundation is the private philanthropy division of PediNatural®, dedicated to children’s literacy. This is the second time one of my books has been selected for the list. My first children’s book, Sam And The Dragon, was chosen for the 2011/2012 award.

What is your latest book?

My most recently released book is Yeti In The Freezer. A children’s book about a brother and sister that come home from school and discover they have a new refrigerator that has an ice maker. But when they try to take ice out, the ice maker growls and throws ice chunks at them. Turns out this ice maker isn’t too happy about people taking his ice without so much as a thank you.

Yeti

What else have you written?

In addition to the children’s books already mentioned, I have one more, Billy’s Family. It’s a story about an only child that wishes he had a big family, but learns that family includes far more than just Mommy and Daddy. It’s designed to expose kids to some of the terms and concepts used in modern genealogy.

I also write novels for grown-ups. I’m nearly finished with the fourth book in my Sci-Fi series, SEAMS16. The first two books in the series, SEAMS16: A New Home and SEAMS16: Arrival, follow Charlie and Susan Samplin as they move to, and make their lives on, the Space Equipment Authority’s Maintenance Station number 16 (SEAMS16). With the third novel, And So It Begins…, I took a leap back in time to the beginnings of the society that SEAMS16 comes from. It takes place roughly 1000 years before the station is built, so it’s not really a SEAMS16 novel, but it is part of the series. It’s designed as a standalone story so it can be read out of order without relying on, or spoiling, the first two. The novel I’m currently working on, as yet untitled, returns to the station and the lives of Charlie and Susan. It picks up about a month after Arrival leaves off, and includes family dynamics, religion, politics, espionage, kidnapping, intrigue, action, and more.

And so it begins

How often do your characters surprise you by doing or saying something totally unexpected?

Very often! I am what’s referred to as a “pantser”, meaning I write by the seat of my pants. This is opposed to a “plotter” who carefully outlines the story before writing the first word. I tried that with my first novel but by the end of the first chapter the story no longer bore any resemblance to the outline, so I ditched it and have been a pantser ever since. It’s a fun way to write because you’re entertained by the story as you write it, but it can also be challenging without a clear view of where the story is going or how it’s going to end.

Some writers edit excessively as they write; others wait until a novel is finished to do the bulk of the editing. How about you?

I tend to edit as I go. Oftentimes the story takes an unexpected direction that either conflicts with an earlier part of the story, or makes it irrelevant. Sometimes, the conflict can be resolved in subsequent chapters and makes the story more interesting. But other times, the story needs to be rewritten to remove the conflicting or irrelevant information. Sometimes it’s as simple as changing a few words here and there, but other times a whole chapter needs to be scrapped and rewritten.

How important is the choosing of character names to you? Have you ever decided on a name and then changed it because it wasn’t right for the character?

I personally don’t think names define personality. I’ve met too many people that share the same name, but are polar opposites, so I can’t say I put a lot of research or thought into a character’s name. In most cases, I just use whatever the character tells me his or her (or its) name is. But I did once change an alien character’s name because it sounded too close to the name used for a baby, and I didn’t want anyone to get the impression that the baby was named after the alien. As the narrator in my stories, I sometimes don’t even know the name of a character until another character says it. I remember referring to one character as “the blonde” for a whole chapter before I found out her name.

How much research was involved in writing your book? How did you go about it?

The amount of research varies for each book. All of my books are fiction, and some people think I don’t have to do much research since I’m just “making stuff up”, but that just isn’t the case. Even made up stuff has to have a connection to reality to be believable. And the length of a book has little to do with how much research is required. I’ve found that sometimes a children’s book requires as much research as a novel. For example:

For my children’s book, Billy’s Family, I had to do research on modern genealogy to gain a better understanding of second cousins, third cousins, and cousins-once-removed. I had heard the terms all of my life, but never really understood them. And in questioning some of the people I’d heard use those terms, they didn’t really understand them either. They knew that so-and-so is a second cousin-once-removed, but when pressed they didn’t know the relationship that makes so-and-so a second cousin-once-removed.

For my novel, And So It Begins…, I had to research what happens as a spaceship enters an Earth-like atmosphere. This is no longer speculation. We’ve been to space and we know what happens, so it’s important to understand it before writing about it. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to follow the rules, but you have to understand what the rules are before you bend them, or you risk losing credibility.

In both cases, it took hours of research to be able to properly represent the events for what will be read through in just a few moments.

When your story takes place on a space station, field research is not really an option. (But how cool would that be?) So I primarily have to rely on the internet for my research. There is information out there on nearly every subject, for nearly every purpose. Of course, there’s a lot of misinformation as well, so I try to find multiple sources for the information and do cross-referencing. I do searches using different search engines and it’s amazing the different results that can come up depending on the search engine used. I’m not going to mention names because they all have their strengths and weaknesses. I just think it’s important to use more than one when researching a subject.

It takes time and effort to sort through and determine which is good information and which is bad, and which is just a rehash of someone else’s work, but it’s worth it. I once had someone thank me for making him sound like an expert in a discussion. Imagine if the information I’d used was wrong. Instead of thanking me, he’d have cursed me for making him look like a fool.

Having our work out there to be judged by strangers is often daunting for writers. Do you have any tips on handling a negative review?

It’s important to remember that reviews are written for readers, not writers. The best course of action is to not read reviews at all, so there’s nothing to handle. But since we writers are human and tend to be a curious lot, few of us are capable of following that advice. That includes me, so even though reviews aren’t written for me, the author, here is how I approach them. Don’t do anything publicly. Don’t reply to the review. Don’t try to explain what you were thinking. Don’t point out where the reader is wrong, or missed the point. Don’t run to social media and whine about it. Don’t even try to be gracious and thank them for their review. None of it will reflect positively with other readers. My tip for handling a negative review is to punch your pillow, have a drink, cry, rant, pray, search your soul, do whatever you do to release your frustrations, but do it in private.

From a philosophical standpoint, I like that you phrased the question as “negative” rather than “bad” because to me, there is a difference. My definition of a bad review is one that does not explain why the reader formed the opinion they did. When a reviewer writes, “I love it, I love it, I LOVE it. You HAVE to read this book!” it may inspire other readers to give it a try, but there’s nothing there I can use. Likewise, if a review says, “This book sucks! Don’t waste your time.” Other readers might give it a pass, or it might make them wonder just how bad it could be, but either way there’s nothing there for me. A bad review can be positive or negative, but while it may it be helpful to other readers, it offers nothing to me as a writer and so I dismiss it as nothing more than one readers opinion.

A good review can also be positive or negative, but it will contain information that can be used to improve my writing. There are often lessons to be learned from the person who didn’t like the story, but is generous enough to explain why, even if they deliver it in what appears to be a mean-spirited way. I take whatever information from the review I can use to help improve my craft, and leave the rest alone.

A lot of authors are frustrated by readers who don’t understand how important reviews are? What would you say to a reader who doesn’t think his or her review matters?

Writers want reviews because readers telling readers about the book is the primary reason books sell. Not commercials, not book signings, not awards, and not posters on the wall; it’s readers telling readers. And that’s what a review is. A book with a lot of reviews is generally more interesting than a book with few or no reviews, regardless of the content of the reviews. Even books with a high number of negative reviews draw interest, and interest is the author’s best friend. But that offers very little incentive for readers to write them.

Fortunately for writers, reviews are important to readers too. I’ve heard many reasons sited, but most of them boil down to the fact that there is limited time available for reading, and we don’t want to waste it on books we won’t like. A flashy cover and attractive blurb may catch our interest, but how many times have you been disappointed by a book that looked interesting? The better way to know a book without actually reading it is through reviews. Discussion is what brings a book to a reader’s attention, and reviews are nothing more than a discussion in written form. Everyone that writes a review contributes to the discussion and is helping their fellow readers make better decisions about their reading material. It makes little difference whether the review is positive or negative because what some find off-putting, others find attractive. You may think that your review doesn’t matter, but every contribution increases the pool of knowledge. Have courage to be the lone voice, bucking the trend, because a discussion is moot without an opposing point of view. But even if your voice echoes what others have said, there is strength and reassurance in numbers. Continue the discussion because without reviews, decisions are made in ignorance. And history shows that good decisions are seldom made in ignorance.

Have you been involved with the Kindle Direct Publishing Select program?

No.

I think it’s a well thought out strategy for Amazon to grow its dominance in the marketplace and as some of my writer friends can attest, the rewards for the authors who decide to participate can be substantial.

But for me, the exclusivity clause of Select as well as some of the other restrictions are unacceptable. There are many readers who I think would be interested in my books, who don’t have Kindles, or for reasons of their own don’t want to buy from Amazon. I believe in allowing readers that choice, and the Select program is designed to take it away, both in the short term and the long term.

Now don’t get me wrong. I don’t hold any ill will towards anyone involved in the program. I’m quite happy with my dealings with Amazon and their print subsidy, CreateSpace. And I still consider the writers participating in the program to be my friends. But the Select program is not for me.

We all know the old saying; you can’t judge a book by its cover. This is true. However, how much importance do you place on your book cover design?

I place a great deal of importance on the cover design, but I don’t think it’s the same way that publishers do. See, my covers have all been designed by my brother Lanin, who also does the illustrations for my children’s books. I love the covers he has done and I’m proud to display them. But it has been suggested that I might gain more sales with a different cover design, so I’ve been toying with the idea of changing the SEAMS16 series covers. Perhaps when my current work in progress is ready for publishing I’ll look at redesigning the whole series using a common pattern, but for now I’ll keep them as they are.

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CHAT WITH CELIA BONADUCE

CeliaBonaduce

Currently a Field Producer on HGTV’s House Hunters, Celia Bonaduce has covered a lot of ground in TV programming. Her credits include field-producing ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to writing for many of Nickelodeon’s animated series, including Hey, Arnold and Chalkzone.  An avid reader, entering the world of books has always been a lifelong ambition. Kensington eBooks’s The Merchant of Venice Beach, first in The Venice Beach Romances, was just published on August 1st.

Time to chat with Celia!

What is your latest book and is your recent book part of a series?

I’ve written a series of contemporary romances called The Venice Beach Romance books. The first, The Merchant of Venice Beach, was published by Kensington eBooks on August 1st.  The second, A Comedy of Erinn, will hit cyberspace on September 19th.  A third book is still in the works.

CeliaMerchant

How often do your characters surprise you by doing or saying something totally unexpected? 

I was raised by writers – my mother and father were both TV comedy writers and they had different opinions about whether a character was allowed to “lead his or her own life.” My mom thought “yes” but my dad was adamant that you had to take control or some rogue character would run off with your storyline. For years, I did it my father’s way, but then realized I was really missing out on where the characters might go if left to their own devices. So, I started giving them some leeway. Mother knows best.

Is it important for you to know the ending of a book before you write it?

I do think it’s very important to have a solid beginning, middle and end before you start actually writing. That’s not to say that the ending can’t change, but you need to be going somewhere. It’s like driving. If you are going to San Francisco from Los Angeles, you need to at least know you’re going north and about how long it will take. You can make adjustments as you go, but you still hope to end up at the Golden Gate Bridge – unless your trip reveals you might be happier in Seattle.

Some writers edit excessively as they write; others wait until a novel is finished to do the bulk of the editing. How about you?

I am a compulsive editor.  I edit every morning before I move forward.  By the time I am finished, I have very little rewriting to do…except for THOUSANDS of copy-editing mistakes.

Can you tell us about your road to publication?

My road to publication was long. I really wanted to go the traditional route, since many of my self-published friends seem to hit a wall at some point. I knew nobody in the publishing world, so I found a list of agents online and, one by one, sent them my sample pages. It took me three years to get an agent and one year to find a publisher.

How much research was involved in writing your book? How did you go about it?

I research as avoidance. Since I write contemporary romance and the books take place in my hometown of Santa Monica and our southern neighbor, Venice Beach, I didn’t really need to do a ton of research. But the books center around a funky teashop – so I did a ton of research on teas. At one point, the teashop gets remodeled, and I researched construction and design. I love to just start poking around the internet.

When I decided to write a book about a woman who falls in love with her no-good dance instructor (The Merchant of Venice Beach), I decided I should take dance lessons since I had no idea what that world was like. I became obsessed with dance and danced four days a week! When I started traveling for House Hunters, I had to cut back and I really miss the rush of Salsa, Swing and Tango!

Do you allow others to read your work in progress, or do you keep it a secret until you’ve finished your first draft? Can you elaborate?

I have a group of trusted readers and I wait until I have a first draft.  Growing up with writing parents, it used to drive me crazy when my dad would tell me page by page what he had written and then he’d present me with the completed script for critique. I already knew the entire plot, so couldn’t really evaluate it. My father passed away many years ago but my mom continues to be my prize “evaluator.” I try hard not to tell her what I’ve written every day.

We all know the old saying; you can’t judge a book by its cover. This is true. However, how much importance do you place on your book cover design?

One thing about having a big House publish your book is that they design your covers and they might not have been what you had in mind.  Because my book revolves around a teashop, I pictured a cover sort of like Crooked Moon or Fried Green Tomatoes, so I was shocked when Kensington presented me with this super sexy cover! We discussed it and they said that they were sure their audiences would respond to the cover they designed. They are a very successful company and I figured, “Well, you’re the experts.”

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, how do you get around it?

I imagine all writers suffer from writer’s block at one time or another. I actually went to a hypnotist and it worked! I highly recommend it!

Where do you live now? If you had to move to another city/state/country, where might that be?

I travel for a living, and see a different city every other week on House Hunters. I always try to imagine myself living other places, and while I fancy that I could be happy living in Italy, England or some parts of the USA, when I come home to Santa Monica, California, I know I am where I should be. I love it here.

What are the most important traits you look for in a friend?

I am a very loyal friend and try to stay in touch with people. But my schedule in not conducive to friendship.  I’m on the road a ton, so, the trait I look for in a friend is PATIENCE.

If you could have one skill that you don’t currently have, what would it be?

I would love to play the piano and speak Italian fluently.  (I know those are two skills and they are both learnable, so it is maddening that I haven’t done either.)

What might we be surprised to know about you?

I am a very good seamstress and got my first producer-job at HGTV because I could sew, not because I could produce.

If you could add a room onto your current home, what would you put in it?

A sewing room, because I make a HUGE mess when I’m making a full-sized quilt (which I do whenever I can).  Also, since I don’t play the piano, I don’t need a music room.

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