I was in the guest room, holed-up while my daughters alternated their little fist banging's on the door, crying for me between my husband's urges for them to leave mommy alone. I could still hear the drama on the other side of the door even though I was engaged and focused, and soon I was also drenched in sweat. Snow and ice trapped the winter ground in perpetual cold outside the window yet I was comfortably warm and cozy when the interview started. However, this being my first interview I was admittedly nervous and soon a sweaty mess. I did prepare, for days in fact after the notification. It's the norm when you are asked for an interview to be ready for a quick turn around so even though she hadn’t set the date when she first contacted me I started immediately.
When I first heard my alma-mater wanted to interview me for the school newspaper I was super excited. I had sent them an email months ago about my story of being a self-published author after originally attending The University of Northern Colorado and earning a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences with a Psychology minor. When the email came to me last Saturday asking for an interview, it was on the tail feathers of getting another email from a book reviewer in San Diego. That email did not promise anything yet, but hey I got an email back so I must be doing something right!
After receiving the email request, I reached out to my marketing consultant Cheryl Tan after getting the interview request. I wasn't sure what would be asked of me, how to prepare correctly and what method should I choose? The interviewer, a student journalist in her final year at the University, offered an email, phone, Skype or in-person interview. Being that I lived across the country, I was considering the phone option more heavily. Ya, I chickened out on Skype, but I know next time I will happily do a Skype interview now that I have my feet wet (Oh and after some serious scolding from my friends). Cheryl gave me some great insights that helped me prep accordingly.
For days, I wrote about the book, about my inspiration, about my life growing up with a book loving, wildly creative, nomadic, hippy-like family. I delved back into what it was like for me at the university both in and out of the classroom. The three-hour chemistry labs, searching the shelves of the library, attending Sigma Pi parties with some awesome guys who are lifelong friends, great study partners and friends from all walks of life, the process of self-publishing and the future for the Alex Conner Chronicles.
Five pages later I started to whittle it down and mark main points for the interview. When I sat back and looked over everything, I knew this process was something I had truly needed to do. Even though things have been slow going on getting the word out about Trust, I needed to be prepared for the possibility, and dream, that things will pick up for the book and Alex's upcoming Chronicles. By the way I hope they do, in case you didn't already know I love to write and doing for a living what I love would be the best job in the world!!).
When the call came in on Friday and nerves kicked in a little as I worked around her questions, flipping pages to get out what I wanted the readers of the article to know. She liked my story; a first time independently published author who was originally slated to be a veterinarian from a long line of accomplished doctors and educators. I knew some of the readers were also young men and women concerned about where their lives were going after college. Will they find a job, do they even like the career path they have chosen? Are the stuck? Will they ever be able to have a stable job, but follow their dreams as well? As a high school counselor, my students worry about all of the same things at such an early age. I want them all to know things can adapt and change; yes have a goal, have a path but know that it is ok if it changes. After college, I did the lab, and field biology work and then I moved on to party planning before getting into education and counseling. All of these careers weren’t instantaneous either. There were moments of “what in the hell am I doing” speckled with odd jobs as a teacher's assistant, runway model, VIP relations, after school theatrical teacher, and lots of others.
I was on a path. Maybe not what I thought it would be but it led me to where I was supposed to be and to what I had dreamed of doing in grade school. Of being an author with a book that others will enjoy, that will inspire and invoke emotion in the reader. All I have done in my years since my first journal and poem have made me a better writer; I have more to offer to Alex as a character and the story line. She is now a strong female for people to root for; she has a troubled past and to have peace from the terrible acts she endured is what the reader hopes for. I feel that everyone who flips through the pages can relate to Alex in some way or at the least empathize with her. Should the reader strongly relate, I hope the book empowers them and helps them find some peace. I have heard many stories from the many people who’s paths I have crossed, as well as counseled youth and families who have suffered abuse at the hands of someone. All I wanted to do was alleviate their pain and suffering, I feel that through Alex I am doing just that.
In one of the final questions the reporter asked me how I related to the character, well besides the mind-in-the gutter humor Alex and I share I hope we are also both strong role models. I want to empower the roles of women, which they can and should be allowed to be strong, sexual, funny, leaders, heads of business and to change the idea that standing up for oneself and what they believe in doesn’t make them bitchy, but instead is the power they should have over their lives to be assertive and to defend and take care of themselves. Both men and women have loved this book, and I’m hopeful for its impact as the chronicles continue for Alex.
Having this interview made me realize that not only do I have a great start to the story of Alex's Chronicles but I also have a real story about what led to the completion of Book One- the story of my life. I have included the link to the article below. Thank you as always for following my journey and I hope you are enjoying Trust and know that Truth is continuing to make progress!
Parker
http://www.uncmirror.com/news/view.php/861325/Former-Northern-Colorado-student-now-a-p
www.ParkerSinclair.net