Sharon Draper

Questions about the Books

1. How long have you been writing?
Tears of a Tiger, my first book, was released in 1994.

2. What inspired you to write?
My students, some of whom didn't like to read the assigned texts, were my inspirations. I wanted to write something that young people could read that would be contemporary and exciting, yet have a solid literacy base for teachers to use.

3. Are the characters based on real people? Did the stories really happen to people you know or did you just make the stories up?
No, I made them up. Sometimes fictional characters can seem so real that the reader might think they are real people, because good fiction is based on reality, but the characters in my books are just that--fictional. I start with a character who grows and develops as the book progresses, so that even to me he or she seems real by the end of the story. But they only exist in the pages of the book.

4. Do you write about past experiences from your life? Did any of this stuff happen to you?
Everything that one experiences in life, whether it is something minor like a visit to a mall or something serious like a car accident, becomes part of one's history and memories. It is impossible to exclude real life experiences from writing because they make up the fabric of what you are and how you express yourself. The other part of writing is research. If I have not been to New York, for example, and I want to write a story about a girl who lives in New York, I have to either visit the city or read lots of books on the city so the story seems real. When I write I use a combination of real experiences and research. Mostly I write from observation of and empathy for others. And no, I was never abused as a child.

5. PLEASE tell me what happened to the characters in the trilogy after the end of the last book.
I probably would have to write another book to answer your questions. I don't ever know what will happen to a character until the story takes me to that place. I like the idea that the answers are not given, but imagined. You can create the answers yourself. Whatever you think probably happened, probably did, but even I'm not really sure. It's like the end of a movie. You see them heading down the road at the end, and you can probably guess what happens in the future, but the movie is over, so you have to imagine what you think will be. I know this might be a frustrating answer, but I really can't know unless I finish the story in another book. Perhaps one day I will. In the meantime, feel free to imagine anything you like.

6. What inspires you to write now?
I visit dozens of schools every year and the joy on the faces of the students I meet, their fascination with the characters and their lives, and their excitement about reading more is what keeps me going. I'm writing as fast as I can--trying to write stories that young people can enjoy.

7. Where do you get your ideas? Where did you come up with the topics of the books?
Sometimes I get them from newspaper articles or events I see on television. Sometimes I get ideas from students who write me or from students that I speak to when I visit their schools. My mind is always buzzing with new ideas for stories. There are thousands of teenagers in schools today. Each one of them has a story.

8. Will you ever write any stories using your family as characters?
Probably not. I write fiction and my family members are real. I like to keep personal and family things just that--personal. I make up all my characters.

9. Where do you get the names for the characters?
People I know, friends, students, names in the telephone book--wherever I find them. Once I even used a book that listed possible names for new babies. I feel like my characters are my own creation, so I name them what I think fits them best.

10. Why are the books Tears of a Tiger, Forged by Fire, and Darkness Before Dawn seemingly in the incorrect chronological order?
I wrote Andy's story first. That was Tears of a Tiger. When I was asked to do a second book, I decided to take a minor character from the first book and develop him as the major character of the next book. That ended up being Gerald in Forged by Fire. Forged by Fire seems to come before Tears of a Tiger because it begins when Gerald is just three years old. He grows up to go to Hazelwood High School with Andy and Rob and the others. So those two books meet in the middle as companion books. The third book in the Hazelwood trilogy, Darkness Before Dawn, was written to answer all the questions I received about what happened to the characters in the first two books. Each book can stand alone and be read without the others, however.

11. Why do you write about such controversial topics?
When I write for young people I try to deal with topics that are both current and topical. I also hope that by reading it young people can perhaps apply some of the messages to their own lives. Abuse and death are topics that need to be discussed by young people. They are not pleasant, but by talking about the difficult realities of life, perhaps someone can be made stronger. I write about these things because, unfortunately, those are the realities of life for many teenagers today. I hope to say something that will change their lives for the better.

12. Are any of your books going to be made into movies? Would you want one to be a movie?
I would absolutely LOVE to have one of my books made into a movie! I think about it every single day, and I really feel that it will happen one day. But so far, I have not yet met a producer or director or anyone from Hollywood who can make it happen. If anyone knows someone like that, please let me know. I'll take you to the Academy awards with me when the movie wins that award!

13. Which is your favorite book or character?
I really don't have one. I love them all. The characters are like real people to me.

14. What would you like your young readers to get out of your books?
When a young person reads my books, I want them to say, "Wow! That was great.!" I want them to remember them, to cherish them, to pass them along to their friends. Amazingly, that is what happens many times. Kids who have never read a book all the way through before tell me that they read my book in one night, and do I have any more books they can read. That's a wonderful feeling.

15. Do you try to teach a lesson to your readers?
If you find a lesson in one of the books, that's good. If not, that's OK too. I think a good book should speak to each reader personally, and if each person can possibly find something different from reading it, then that's great. I do not write books so teens can learn a lesson. I offer a story about fictional characters who have problems. As they solve those problems the reader has the option of sharing the experience with them. If the reader gains something from the experience, I think that's pretty cool.

16. If you were asked to coalesce your work into one sentence, what might that be?
I try to write powerful, meaningful stories for young people and show them I understand the difficulties of growing up, and to let them know I care.

17. Who are your favorite authors and why?
I really have no favorites, but I read hundreds of books in a year. I'll read ALL the books by one author, like John Gresham, for example, then go on to another author and read all of those. Some books I read when I travel because they keep me occupied in airports and on planes. But I don't care if I lose the book, and I often give them away. They're just not that memorable. A few books, however, those that are so well-written that the words seem to be painted in color--those I save and treasure. I like books that are well written.

18 Is it true that you are not allowed to autograph anything except for copies of your books?
Not really. But I won't sign pieces of paper or tee shirts or body parts of notebooks because things would get out of hand if I did. If I sign one piece of paper, I'd have to sign a piece of paper for everyone. It would take too much time, and I have to protect my hands so I can write. N I love signing books, however.

19. If there was one thing you could do to improve reading what would it be?
I'd hope that all children could easily find the joy of reading, of discovering the magic of words.

20. How many more books do you plan to write?
As many as I can!

21. Why do you write? Or, worded another way, "Why did you write Tears of a Tiger, or Romiette and Julio or any of the others?" What is your purpose for writing?
Why does a songwriter write a song? Why does an artist paint a picture? It's artistic expression. Sometimes an artist paints all in blue, or writes a poem with colorful verbs. Sometimes a musician creates a symphony, and sometimes it's a opera. The purpose for creation is in the soul of the artist. There is no right answer to this question, and no wrong answer either. Creativity is personal and powerful--and wonderful.

22. Who or what are your inspirations?
My inspirations are my readers--old and new. Those who say, "Hey, that was a good book. What else do you have?" Those who come back for more. Those who tell me the books changed them in some way. My inspirations are you--all of you. Thanks.

23. Did you have a particular connection in mind for your characters and plot in relation to the Biblical Joshua fighting the Battle of Jericho?
I don't purposely plan "morals" or religious symbolism when I write. Sometimes these things just appear. If a student finds a particular meaning or theme and can develop that idea with specifics from the text, then it's valid. I think that's wonderful. But if they don't, that's OK too. Jericho's "battles" developed over time. Remember that what you have in front of you is a finished work, but, like layers of paint on a house, went through many chances before it got to that point. It's always a work in progress.

Writing Questions

1. When did you start to develop your love of writing?
I know what students like, what they will read, and what they won't. Charles Dickens wrote for his contemporaries--young people of a hundred and fifty years ago. American young people of the late twentieth century might need to know about the world of London in the 1860's, but they also need to be able to read and write about their own world through a valid, contemporary literary medium. I couldn't find anything they really liked to read, so I started writing for them myself!

2. How did you get started writing?
I always encourage my students to read, and to write, and to enter writing contests. One day a bold, smiling young man brought me a crumpled application form and said, "You think you so bad--why don't you write something! Enter this contest!" I accepted his challenge, wrote a short story, sent it in, and forgot about it. Much to my surprise and my students' delight (or maybe it was the other way around), I won first prize of $5000 and the publication of my short story in a national magazine. I had always been a teacher of writing, but this gave me validation as a writer.

3. How did you get your first book published?
I had been working on a novel for young people, so I decided to see if I could get it published. Tears of a Tiger is written for high school students--on their level, in their style, about their world. The book does not deal with drugs or gangs or sex. It does, however, deal with parents, girlfriends, and homework. It also discusses the problems of drinking and driving, racism and teen suicide. I sent it to 25 publishing companies and got 24 rejection notices. The very last letter I almost threw away (rejection can be depressing!), but I opened it and enclosed was a letter of acceptance from Simon and Schuster. My students walked with me through the entire publication process--the edits and rewrites and corrections. We learned together how a book gets from idea to draft to bookstore. It was a monumental experience for all of us.

4. Why do you write the way you do?
I try really hard to write material that young readers can "feel." I do my best not to talk down to teen readers, but to take their lives and thoughts quite seriously. Hundreds of readers write to me and tell me that somehow I've managed to capture what it's like to be young and vulnerable. They tell me I write the way it really is for them. That makes me feel good.

5. How long does it take to write a book?
It takes about six months to write it, then another six months to revise it and edit it and make it perfect, then another year to get it from finished copy to printed book in the bookstore. It's a long process.

6. How do you develop your stories? Where do you get the material for them?
I was always a reader, and I read hundreds, maybe thousands of books from childhood to adulthood. All of that information is now blended into ideas from which I make up stories. I tell young people, "If you want to be a writer, first be a reader." A lover of books can easily become a master of words.

7. Where do you get your ideas?
Sometimes ideas just find me. It might be an obscure newspaper article, a quirky report I hear on a TV news show. Sometimes I get ideas from real people. I once saw a delightful husband and wife in an airport. They were both ninety and dressed in identical outfits, right down to their decorated canes. I keep a notebook with me, and I jot them down. I haven't actually used them yet, but they might show up one day. They were just so cute. Ideas also sometimes come from real teenagers I meet as I travel-they have good ideas and often make suggestions as to what I should write about next. Their ideas often include sex, trauma, and relationship issues.

8. What's the most fun thing about being a writer?
Absolutely everything! I love the solitude, the concentration, the magic feeling that overtakes me when the words come tumbling out, sometimes faster than I can type them. I love watching the manuscript grow from one page to five chapters to twenty chapters to a whole book. I love watching the characters develop and become like real people to me. Then there's the delicious anticipation of waiting for the finished manuscript to become a book, and when the finished book arrives at my house I celebrate. Then, like dessert, after the book is a reality I get to talk to people about it, and sign it, and visit schools, and talk to teachers at conferences. Then I start on another one. I love it.

9. Where do you do your writing?
I have an office in my house where I have hundreds of books, a computer, a printer, and a lovely window that looks out over my back yard. That gives me inspiration whether it is raining or sunny or snowing.

10. Do you have to do a lot of research for your writing, or do you write mostly about topics that you already know about?
Research is essential in every single book, regardless of the subject. I did research on child abuse, hazing, gangs, slavery, etc., in great detail before I began each book.

11. About how many hours a week do you put into writing?
All of them. When I'm not writing, I'm THINKING about what I'll be writing later that day.

12. What about writer's block?
There's no such thing as writer's block. If you really believe that, just write without thinking at first. Write words/phrases/colors/tastes/smells/memories. You'll be surprised how sensory thoughts lead to real ideas. Our senses control our thoughts. Play music. Suck on a orange. Stick your hand in a pile of dirt. Sensory imagery brings forth ideas. Try it.

13. How do you deal with criticism? How do you feel when people don't like what you wrote?
Criticism is always disappointing, but to me, it's never a deterrent. Sometimes criticism is good because it challenges me to do better. But one can never please everybody, so I don't worry about it. I get way more compliments than criticism, so I feel surrounded by appreciation most of the time.

14. How do I know if I'm a writer?
If your gut tells you that you have to write, if you are compelled to write or scribble or draw, if you make up stories in your head-then you are a writer. Enjoy it!

15. What should I do now if I think I want to be a writer when I grow up?
The best way to become a writer is to write. I know it sounds simplistic, but it's true. Get yourself one of those blank journals, and just keep on writing until you fill it up! Then write some more. You don't have to show it to anyone--just write whenever you feel inspired. It's like an athlete. Much practice is done alone. At game time, you shine. Game time for a writing athlete is papers due for school, or short stories, or poetry.

16. Why should a writer be a good reader?
Read everything you can get your hands on. That's how you get ideas into your brain. Read the classics--all those old writers that your school requires for college. Faulkner, Tennyson, Shakespeare, Dickens--all of them. Read poetry--the rhythms are essential to good writing--Keats, Dunbar, Hughes, Byron--all of them. Good writers are powerful motivators. Read bad writers as well--they'll show you what not to do. Then write, write, write. Practice, revise, make it perfect, then do it again. Most of my books go through ten, twelve, maybe even fifteen or twenty complete edits before they are finished, and I still wish I had perfected them a little more. Many times young writers are too anxious to get published, and not willing to do the necessary reading and studying to become really proficient at the art and skill of writing. An Olympic athlete starts by running laps with no audience at all. A true champion knows the power of practice.

17. What are your keys to success for aspiring writers to grasp?

PATIENCE. It takes me six months to write a book, six months for the editing process, and another year before it hits the bookstores.
DETERMINATION. It is essential to believe in the possibility of success.
FLEXIBILITY. Willingness to make changes to a manuscript you think is perfect. Willingness to look at an idea from a different perspective.
DISCIPLINE. Forcing yourself to meet deadlines, whether personal (I'll write one chapter today) or professional (your manuscript is due Friday.)

18. How do I get published?
Please, never ask a writer to help you get published. A writer's job is very different from a publisher. I have no hookups in the publishing world. I have to get permission from editors to get my work published like everyone else. It is your job to find a publisher when you are ready for that. I'm a writer, not a publisher. What I would suggest is this: First, find places online that will publish student writing poetry. There are many fine sites that offer feedback from other teens. Be careful, however. NEVER send any money to these sites. I always tell students, "IF THEY MAKE YOU PAY, RUN AWAY." Those sites that ask for money are not looking out for you, but for themselves. My second suggestion is to look into colleges that let you major in creative writing. There are even writing scholarships available, just like football scholarships. My daughter went to college on a dance scholarship--almost free. My final suggestion is that you keep on writing. I keep a notebook with me and anytime I think of something wonderful, I write it down.

19. What if I REALLY think I'm ready to get published?
Find a copy of the book called Writer's Market. It lists all the publishing houses in the US and divides them by category. It tells you who to send your manuscript to, how much to send, how to word your cover letter--everything--including the name and address of the editor in charge. It also lets you know which houses are accepting unsolicited manuscripts and which are not. That's what I used. I sent my manuscript to 25 companies (of the thousands listed in that book) and got 24 rejections and one yes, and that was from Simon and Schuster. That's all it takes. However, be reminded that the rejections are brutal and painfully honest, and a lot more plentiful that the acceptances.

20. Does your publishing company provide you with any "benefits" (like different kinds of insurance)?
No. I am not an employee of the publishing company.

Teaching Questions

1. Do you still teach school?
I teach wherever I go, but I no longer teach in one school every day. Whenever I visit a school and talk to young people, I get the opportunity to do informal teaching. I even teach through my web site! But I am now a full time writer.

2. Why did you stop teaching to write books about teenagers?
I feel like I can reach lots more young people through the books. Even though I'm not in a classroom, I'll always be a teacher and I love working with young people.

3. How do you define yourself?
I am a teacher. It is not a job description, but a definition of who I am. I teach wherever I go-whether I'm talking at a school, or a convention, or to a group of teenagers at the mall. My entire essence revolves around "explaining" so that others can see-transferring the pictures and ideas in my mind into someone else's consciousness. I think that philosophy transfers to my writing. I'm blessed to be able to create words on paper that produce images in the minds of others-images that make them think, or wonder or feel the need to talk. I get hundreds of letters from kids who tell me how the books have touched them or made them think, or made them want to read more. It's wonderful as well as humbling.

4. Can you visit my school?
My schedule is very full, but it is sometimes possible. However, an adult must contact me to arrange for a visit. I cannot make such arrangements with students.

5. How can my teacher get me to come to my school?
There is a place on my website. Teachers have to fill out an information form and I'll try to find a date when we can make it happen.

6. How would you describe yourself as a teacher?
I have a relaxed, comfortable teaching style. I like the students and they know it. I demand the best from them, and they expect the best from me. We read literature, discuss ideas from the books, as well as from world events, and we write. I tell parents that although I cannot guarantee a Rhodes scholar by the end of the school year, I can guarantee that their child will have improved in their writing skills. My students used to ask me, "Why are you a teacher?" like that was a rotten job choice. I would tell them, "I teach because I love children, chalk dust, and challenges!"

7. What were your goals while you were teaching?
I always to try to make a difference--one child at a time.

8. How do you summarize your years of teaching?
My greatest accomplishments in education were not the plaques and awards, although those were wonderful, but the smiles and hugs and memories of children I touched all those years. I hope I made a difference in their lives.

General Questions

1. Where and when were you born?
Cleveland, Ohio--many moons ago. I will not tell you the year, so please respect my wishes and don't ask. Even if your teacher says you have to know for a report, that is information that I will not share. Tell your teacher I said so.

2. Where did you go to college?
Pepperdine University and Miami University and the University of Cincinnati. I have a Bachelor's Degree, a Master's Degree, and two honorary Doctorate Degrees.

3. What is your favorite "great read?"
Any good book that is so well written that every single word is like a delicious bite to eat. The descriptions shimmer, and the characters become like real people to me.

4. What is your favorite memory from when you were learning to read?
Sitting on my mother's lap listening to her read Mother Goose poems and Dr. Seuss stories. I was reading long before I went to kindergarten.

5. What was your favorite subject in school?
English, of course. I loved the reading and the writing it required.

6. What did you enjoy the most about school?
Everything. I inhaled books and knowledge. It was fun because I was very successful at it. If schools today would foster more success, more kids would learn and enjoy learning.

7. What are your favorite activities or hobbies when you have free time?
I like to go to the beach and watch the waves. I don't want to swim in the ocean, but I love to look at it.

Family Questions

1. What were you like when you were a kid?
I was an excellent student in school. I made good grades and I really liked going to school. I had great teachers who cared about me and helped me to learn as much as I could absorb. My favorite thing to do after school was go to the library. I'd check out five or six books at a time. During summer vacation I read about ten books a week. I read hundreds and hundreds of books between elementary school and high school. From all that reading I absorbed not just stories, but the rhythm of words on the page, the development of characters and plot and theme, the best use of language on a page. I did not know it at the time, but all that early reading made me a writer.

2. What are the occupations of your parents?
Both are retired and living in Florida. Daddy was a maitre'd of a large hotel in Cleveland. Mom worked at the newspaper as a manager in classified advertising.

3. Do you have any brothers and sisters?
One brother and one sister. My brother lives in Cleveland. My sister lives in Florida, not far from my parents.

4. Do you have any children?
Yes, I have four. Please don't ask me any more questions about my family. Please allow my personal life to remain just that--personal.

5. Are you married?
Yes.

6. What was the greatest influence your parents had on you?
Reading to me from birth. Encouraging me to do my best. Never settling for less than my best. Taking me to church. Teaching me by the example of their lives.

7. What are some of your fondest childhood memories?
Family picnics. Trips to the library in the summer (at least twice a week) Vacation Bible School. Sunday school Christmas--always huge.

When I was a little girl, my parents saw me, and my brother and sister, as one of those bright flames of possibility. They nurtured us and shielded us with a protective glass dome so we could burn brightly without wind or cold to threaten me. My mother read to us constantly, so that by the time we started school, we were already avid readers. Mother would quiz us on spelling tests, and Daddy would check our math facts. My mother tutored me through eighth grade French without knowing any of it herself. It never even occurred to me not to do well, not to continue to shine.

8. What was the most difficult time during your childhood/teen years?
I had a wonderful childhood. Full of love and support. I really can't think of a difficult time. It never occurred to me to be a rebellious teenager because my mother wouldn't have allowed it anyway. So I breezed through those years.

9. What were your dreams for your future?
I was probably born to be a teacher. As a child, I taught my dolls, my dogs, and the kids next door. I never wavered in my desires and determination to become not just a teacher, but a really good teacher who made a difference in the lives of children. From my early days of student teaching when I learned that acting out history made it memorable for me as well as my students, to my first teaching assignment where I broke down and cried in front of the class because forty-two disruptive students in a makeshift, renovated classroom did not fit my glossy vision of educational excellence, to today where my seniors wear T-shirts, proudly proclaiming, "I survived the Draper Paper,"

10. Did you have any models or idols that you looked up to or wanted to be like?
Besides my parents, teachers were my role models. That's who I saw the most--six days a week. Every day at school and Sunday school as well. Most teachers can probably remember the one teacher who most greatly influenced him to become a teacher. My fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. Kathadaza Mann, a strong Black woman who taught us to be proud of our heritage as well as our capabilities, was an early influence on my love of learning and teaching. Mrs. Mann was strong and powerful--boldly speaking for us who did not yet know how to speak for ourselves. She taught Black history long before it was politically correct or socially acceptable, and loved all of her students, both black and white. From her we learned so much more than math and spelling. She challenged the accepted standards to prove to us we were wonderful, and we believed her. And she read literature to us--Shakespeare, Thoreau, and Dunbar--and we loved it and learned it because no one ever told us we couldn't. She was one of the first teachers I had who taught me to love poetry, music and art, and to read analytically, to think critically, and to speak fearlessly.

11. How did you like to spend your time as a child?
Lots of reading. I probably ready every single book in our elementary school library by the time I was eleven. I got a special pass to go to the adult library ( you were supposed to be 16). I liked being outside, but I didn't want to dig or build or garden. I liked the feel of the sun and the breeze, the colors of the flowers and sky.

12. In what ways did your teachers encourage you?
Smiles, positive feedback. encouragement. What all humans need.

13. What kind of a legacy would you want to leave your children?
I hope my children remember me first of all as Mom. I hope my life as a writer or public figure does not mar their opinion of me as the person they can always depend on. I would give up everything if it meant losing the love and respect of my children. I want them to be proud of me because of I was a great mom who also wrote some books, not as a great writer who also was their mom. But they understand me. They know who I am.

14. How do you want to be remembered?
How do I want to be remembered? I'd be happy just to be remembered at all. Fame and success don't last very long. I hope that young people would know that I care about them and that I understand the pain that many of them feel.

Questions I Won't Answer Because
They Are Too Personal Or Impolite

How old are you? When is your birthday? What year were you born?

How much money do you make? What kind of car do you drive?

What are the names and ages of your family members?

Questions I Won't Answer Because
I'm Not Going to do your Homework

What is the plot and setting of the book?

Describe the characters and their motivations.

Discuss the theme and how it is developed. (And others like these)

Fun Facts and Silly Questions

1. What time do you wake up in the morning?
Four or five AM if I'm writing. Seven or eight if I'm not.

2. If you could eat lunch with one famous person, who would it be?
Denzel Washington

3. What's your favorite color?
Navy blue

4. What is your dream car?
A Hummer

5. What is your favorite outfit?
Jeans and tennis shoes.

6. What is your favorite TV show?
Lost

7. What do you usually have for breakfast?
Yogurt and walnuts and bananas

8. What would you hate to be left in a room with?
No books!

9. What else do you like to do besides write?
I like to read. I read dozens of books each year--mysteries, science fiction, historical fiction, novels. I won't read junk--there's not time to waste on poorly-written books.

10. What inspires you?
Honesty. Sincerity. Love.

11. What does the M. stand for in your name?
Mills. It was my name before I got married.

12. Beach, city, or country?
Beach...definitely the beach. I like to watch the waves.

13. Summer or winter?
Summer. I love the warmth of the sun on my face.

14. Favorite ice cream?
Vanilla

15. Least favorite ice cream?
Chocolate. I'm allergic to chocolate.

16. Favorite time of day?
Morning, because it's full of possibilities.

17. What time do you get up in the morning?
Four AM when I'm writing.

18. What time do you go to sleep at night?
Around midnight.

19. What is you favorite food?
Teriyaki chicken or down home fried chicken

20. Least favorite foods?
Chocolate. Tex-Mex food (too spicy). Anything fixed in a school lunchroom!

21. Favorite fast food?
California pizza--barbecue chicken flavor.

22. Favorite dog?
Golden retriever

23. What characteristics do you despise?
Mean people.

24. Do you make a wish when you blow out the candles of your birthday cake?
Yes!

25. Favorite flower?
Yellow roses

26. Favorite fruit?
Bananas, without a doubt

27. If you had a big win in the lottery, how long would you wait to tell people?
I wouldn't tell anyone. I would give money anonymously to people who need it.

28. What's one thing you must have daily?
Cold, bottled water. Lots of it. I drink a gallon of water a day.

29. What color is your car?
Red

30. Are you a careful driver or a speed freak?
Very careful. But I do like to go fast every once in a while.

31. How many keys on your key ring?
7

32. What do you do every single morning?
Have a cup of coffee and work the crossword puzzle in the newspaper. It stimulates my mind.

33. What would be a horrible vacation for you?
A cruise. I hate water and lots of people being forced together on a boat from which I can't leave when I want to.

34. When you visit schools, do people ever give you gifts? What's the best gift and worst gift you've ever received?
Hmmmm. That's a sticky one to answer. Even though I really appreciate gifts and the thought that goes into the purchase of them, sometimes I don't know what to do with them when I leave and head to the airport, especially if they are large. The best gifts I have ever received are gift certificates to bookstores or restaurants.

35. Can you swim?
No

36. Can you dance?
No

37. Do you drink?
No

38. Do you smoke?
No

39. Can you cook?
Yes!

40. Can you sew?
Yes

41. Can you sing?
Yes

42. Can you whistle?
No

43. Can you play a musical instrument?
Piano

44. What is your favorite kind of music?
Classical

45. What is your least favorite kind of music?
Rap with profanity

46. Do you like to exercise?
I should, but I don't

47. What is your favorite sport?
Basketball

48. What is your dog's name?
Honey

49. What is your cat's name?
Miss Kitty

50. What is the silliest pet you've ever owned?
A duck

51. What is the stupidest pet you've ever owned?
A bird that said, "Here, Kitty, Kitty." One day the cat answered, and that was the end of the bird!

52. What is the farthest place you've traveled?
Guam

53. What is the best place you've traveled?
Ghana, West Africa

54. What is the worst place you've ever stayed in?
A Motel Six in Idaho

55. What is the best hotel you've ever stayed in?
A Ritz Carlton in New York City

56. What frightens you?
Terrorism

57. What makes you laugh?
Babies. Family. Puppies.

58. What bores you?
The Home Shopping Network

59. What annoys you?
People who don't try. People who give up. People who only see the negative side of a situation. People who are selfish. People who switch the channel on the TV remote too quickly!

60. Do you collect anything?
Apples. I have over 300 apples--made of crystal, ceramic, glass, stone--all sizes and colors--no two are alike. They are in a lighted display case in my house, and I search for unique apples everywhere I go. I have a lead crystal apple that was given to me by the President of the United States, and an apple that contains volcanic dust blown into the glass. I have blue apples, orange, pink, yellow, green, black, and of course, red.

Other Questions

1. My favorite time at a party is:
When I get to talk to small groups of people on a variety of subjects. I'm a people person. I don't drink, so I remember every moment of what is usually a very good time.

2. My oldest friends are:
Denise and Yvonne from high school. Actually, we've known each other since third grade and have stayed in touch ever since even though we live in three different states.

3. The hardest thing to write:
Adult stuff. Somehow stories about grownups and their problems just do not interest me. It's also hard for me to write non-fiction. I like to create!

4. The easiest thing to write:
Fiction. Stories that seem real, but are made up. Stories about kids with real problems and real happiness, but they only exist on the pages of the books.

5. The best part about being a writer:
Escaping into another world, another life and making it seem like those people are my neighbors and my friends. Also, it's really fun when I get to visit a school and a young person tells me, "I love your books!" Way cool.

6. The worst part about being a writer:
The solitude. The loneliness. The hours and hours and hours of sitting in front of a computer. But surprisingly, that's also part of the good of being a writer. During those quiet, long hours, magic happens!

7. What I think about cell phones:
I think people who talk loudly on cell phones in public places are rude. And people who use those earpieces and just walk while they talk look really goofy. It's like they're talking to aliens.

8. If I weren't writing I would be:
Visiting with my grandkids. Sitting on the beach. Enjoying the sunshine. And thinking about something to write!

9. When I was in elementary school:
I got very good grades and read hundreds, maybe thousands, of books. I was a good writer, but not an outstanding writer. I never dreamed then that I could be a professional writer. I admire young people who learn that early.

10. The movie of my life would be called:
"Laughter and Literature."

11. It would star:
Halle Berry. (OK, OK I admit this is a push, but we're talking fiction, right? : )

12. My mother is:
Amazing. She has more energy than three women. She walks, she swims, she digs for hours in her garden, and she can remember the name of every person she's ever met. I can't even remember who I met yesterday.

13. My father is:
Wise and sweet and good. I recently had the chance to take him back to the town where he was born in North Carolina 82 years ago. It's a very small town, so we're related to almost everybody. I felt so loved while we were there. Family is so important. The trip was very meaningful for him. I found out he had been valedictorian of his high school class.

14. My husband is:
Strong and supportive. I could not be what I am, or do what I do without him.

15. If I could change one thing in my life:
I'd try to keep my office neater and be a little more organized.

16. The best thing I remember about school was:
Good teachers who pushed me along. Encouragement. Support. People who believed in me.

17. I'm happiest when:
I'm with my family, and, when I'm writing and the story is "flowing."

18. I'm grumpiest when:
People do inconsiderate things. Like the teacher who asked me to write 300 letters to her students over the summer. Their grade in the fall depended on my answer. I didn't answer any of them, which made me feel bad, but I just couldn't do that. I did write to her, however, and let her know I no longer had to do summer homework because I was already out of middle school, and for her to find an alternate assignment for her students.

19. The hardest part of my job:
Getting started. I'll clean closets, go shopping, fix a fancy meal--anything to avoid getting started on a new book. Once I begin, I'm fine. But it's hard to write the words, "Chapter One."

20. The people I admire the most:
My parents. They're both in their eighties and going strong. I hope to have their energy and enthusiasm when I'm that age.

21. My last meal would be:
Buttered lobster, globs of garlic mashed potatoes, homemade yeast rolls, spinach salad with bacon and warm dressing, vegetable quiche, apple pie, and a gallon of vanilla ice cream from Legal Sea Foods. Maybe two gallons. Of course, if I ate all that, it WOULD be my last meal. I'd explode of high blood pressure and cholesterol and sugar.

22. If I were stranded on a desert island with anyone I would want it to be:
My family.

23. The five people from history I would love to have dinner with:
Shakespeare, Langston Hughes, Queen Elizabeth I, Martin Luther King, Jr., and any slave who had survived the middle passage.

24. Best advice I ever got was:
Someone telling me to find my own dream and then live it. I tell young people the same thing.

25. Worst advice I ever got was:
From a lady who said, "No one will ever buy that book you wrote, and no one will ever read it. Don't give up your day job." (She was referring to Tears of a Tiger.)

26. When I get writer's block:
I go shopping. Walking in a mall relaxes me. Buying something new and pretty encourages me. I come back refreshed and ready to write.

27. On my nightstand are:
An ever-changing stack of books. I read books like jellybeans--I gobble them up.

28. My dream vacation would be:
We went on safari in Kenya, and I would do that again in a heartbeat. We were taken out in open vehicles at dawn and dusk, when the animals were active. We drove right up to lions. It made me remember what it must have been like for my ancestors who once walked these lands with the animals.

29. Wilma or Betty?
Wilma. She's solid.

30. Fred or Barney?
Fred. He's fun, as well as good-hearted.

31. Batman or Superman?
Superman, of course. Who wants to hang with bats?

32. King Kong or Godzilla?
King Kong. I hate that they kill him in every singe movie. Let him live in the next version!

33. Teacher or Writer?
Both! When I was teaching, I touched the lives of a couple hundred young people in a year. Now that I'm writing, I have the opportunity to touch thousands! That makes me happy.

34. I'll retire when:
It's no longer fun. Right now, I'm having the time of my life.

35. Secret vice:
I eat the heart out of the center of the watermelon. Drives my family crazy. They're left with the part with the seeds and the rind. I take the center. I know it's mean, but it's SOO good!

36. I am trying to stop:
Wasting time.

37. I am trying to start:
Exercising.

38. The best thing about marriage is:
The constant companionship of someone who knows your story and who appreciates the importance of the little things that happened today. I love coming home from a trip and telling my husband every single detail--the lumpy hotel bed, the crazy doorman, the green potatoes--and he loves to hear it.

39. Loaded on my iPod are:
Lots of blues and Old School songs. Also spirituals, classical, and a couple of books I've downloaded but haven't taken the time to listen to in their entirety. I found I prefer reading a book instead of listening to one.

40. My favorite movie is:
"The African Queen" with Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn. Classic movie with love and adventure.

41. favorite song is:
Probably something by the Temptations or Aretha Franklin.

42. My favorite writer is:
Diane McKinney-Whetstone. If I wrote adult books, I'd write like her--she makes the words sing. I also like J. California Cooper. She's brilliant and her words dance and sizzle.

43. My worst school visit:
When the principal, a man, met me at the door wearing a pink tutu and pink tights. It was Halloween and everyone, including the teachers and students, were dressed in costume.

44. Pet peeve:
When a word is misspelled in a store or on a public sign. Or when apostrophes are misplaced. Like "Apple's--39 cent's." Or "On sell today--car mats." Drives me crazy.

45. Zodiac Sign:
Leo. My birthday is August 21.

46. Right or Left Handed:
Right.

47. Hair and eye color:
Brown

48. Like surprises?:
Yes!

49. Morning routine:
I have a cup of coffee and work the crossword puzzle. I'm really good at crosswords!

50. I wake up every morning with:
A smile. I'm an optimist and a strong believer in hopes and possibilities.