Funday Friday!

Okay, yes, the title is pretty cheesy. I know this. But, it is pretty explanatory. Friday's from now on are going to be fun :) Here is the first Funday Friday surprise. Hope you like it!

For today's Funday Friday, we have an author interview! Yes, that's right. Eileen Cook was generous enough to let me interview her for this blog :) So here's the interview!

> Where did you get the idea for What Would Emma Do?

"I re-read the play The Crucible while on vacation. It's about the Salem Witch trials and how people can turn on each other. I started thinking of what it would have been like to be around during the time of the trials and then I started thinking how the story might play out in a modern high school. Later that night I started making notes on the story that would become What Would Emma Do."


> If you could work with any other author, who would it be?

"I can only pick one?! I grew up reading Judy Blume's books. (Secretly I blame her for my boobs. I did that "I must, I must, I must increase my bust" exercise from Are You There God, It's Me Margaret, and now look what happened.) I would love a chance to work with her. I would also clean her house if she would just let me hang around."


> Are there any parts of your books that are based on events in your own life?

"I think every author finds that bits and pieces of their life sneaks into their books. I am happy to say however, that I have never kissed my best friend's boyfriend, even by accident. If a writer is worried about having too much of their personal life in their book I would tell them write the whole thing and then figure out if there is something that needs to come out."


> How long did it take to find an agent/publish your first book after finishing the manuscript?

"Once I finished my first book it took about 3-4 months to find my agent and she sold the book after about six months. It felt like forever, but looking back it went fairly quickly."


> What advice would you give to people who "run out of creativity" when writing?

"I have two pieces of advice. When I am stuck it is due to one of two reasons, either I've gone down the wrong path and the story isn't working or I need to recharge my batteries. If I've gone down the wrong path I take the time to reread what I have and see if I can find where I went off track. If you try and force a story it doesn't work. Characters, even though they are made up people, still have to make choices that make sense for them. Other times the issue is that I'm burnt out. If I need to recharge then I take time to read, go to the movies, take my dogs to the beach or hang out with friends. You never know where a source of creativity is going to come from so get out there and soak everything up."


> Have you always been good at writing/ wanted to be a writer?

"I've always loved books wanted to be a writer. My parents had this homework assignment I did in second grade. We were supposed to practice writing sentences, I strung mine together so they made a story. The teacher wrote on the paper "Eileen some day I'm sure you'll be an author!" When my first book came out my dad hunted down this teacher. She was in her 80's. We went to visit her in the old age home and she spent the whole time talking about her bunions.

As for your question if I was always good.... that would be a no. You wouldn't expect someone to sit down at the piano for the first time and play Mozart. They would have to practice and writing is no different. Luckily, I like writing so the practice didn't feel like work."


> What's your favorite part of a book?

"Getting to write THE END! Writing a book is a marathon. It's a lot of fun in the beginning when you come up with the idea, but about half way through it gets difficult. Things don't work as well, characters start to wander off and I wonder if I will ever find my way to the end. Of course writing the end, isn't really the end... then come revisions."

> (Now for a couple fun questions)
> Favorite song?

"Oooh hard question, music depends so much on what kind of mood I'm in. If I can pick only one it would be Best Friend by Queen. It's an oldie, but it's a goodie."


> If you were going to be stuck on a deserted island, which book, movie, food, and person(s) would you take?

"I would take the book A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, the movie Love Actually (I think Colin Firth is dreamy), homemade chocolate chip cookies and my husband Bob. I would also sneak my dogs on the island. They're small and they could chase coconuts instead of balls."


> Five of your favorite things?

"I love:
A stack of books that I can't wait to read

Sitting on the beach with my dogs

Hot tea and warm cookies (especially on a rainy day)

Having good friends over for dinner and long conversations

Renting a stack of movies and spending all day on the sofa watching them in a giant movie marathon"


So there you have it guys! The wonderful Eileen Cook :) Hope her interview helped you guys with writing questions you may of had, or just made you laugh a little. I personally think that hearing this stuff from authors is AWESOME, even if it is only what their favorite color is. Thank you again to Eileen for letting me interview her.

Let me know if you guys like the new Funday Friday. From now on, on Friday's I should have fun stuff up like more author interviews, or even contests. So stay tuned :)