Kathy and her daughter started an award-winning blog. They are creative geniuses with great tips, ideas, recipes, and book reviews! Here is Kathy's message:
Hello! Welcome to Fearlessly Creative Mammas. Fearlessly Creative Mammas was started with mother (Kathleen) and daughter (Samantha) because we were always sending each other pictures or calling each other to tell about what fun or tasty things we had made. We thought, why not create a blog and show our family members across the country, and Fearlessly Creative Mammas was born in April of 2013.
Hello! Welcome to Fearlessly Creative Mammas. Fearlessly Creative Mammas was started with mother (Kathleen) and daughter (Samantha) because we were always sending each other pictures or calling each other to tell about what fun or tasty things we had made. We thought, why not create a blog and show our family members across the country, and Fearlessly Creative Mammas was born in April of 2013.
1. Did you always want to be a writer?
Yes, I think I did. I remember writing short stories in the second grade. The teacher would give us a writing prompt (usually a photograph) and we’d have to make up a story about it. I loved doing that. The whole class groaned whenever she said we were going to write a ‘theme’ or a story. I was always happy. I only groaned when it was time for math class.
2. When did you start writing?
I remember writing all the time in a spiral notebook in the third grade. It was just full of stories and ideas. I’d love to see that notebook now, but I lost it. However, I started a journal in 1976 and have kept up the practice since then. It’s so interesting to look back with perspective. Things that I thought were devastating are now funny. For example, the time in 1985 I had my hair cut in what looks like—well, it can only be described as a girl’s mullet. The hairstylist apologized. Apologized! That’s how bad that haircut was. I went home and cried my eyes out. It’s funny to read about all my teenage angst and high school soap opera drama. I’ve journaled all through my own kid’s lives, too. One time, I wrote how I felt like a failure because my son got his first time-out at school. I thought I had to be the worst mother in the world. All that needless-worry stuff is well-documented. So, I’d advise a journal-keeping habit. It helps when you feel overwhelmed by life to look back and think, “I once thought I’d never be able to get through this or that…but I did.”
3. How do you get your inspiration?
From everywhere and everyone. I can be anywhere and some scene will conjure up a story idea. Or, if I hear a snippet of a strange conversation between two total strangers in the mall my imagination will fire-up.
I usually make up back-stories for people when I’m somewhere public. The New York subway was awesome for this. So is any DMV in the U.S. Since we move from state-to-state so much, I’ve discovered that all DMVs are crawling with interesting characters. I usually make up a background story for someone while I wait to get my driver’s license. Sometimes they’re really funny and I’m sure I’ve snickered to myself in public. I probably looked like a crazy person, but if they could only hear the stuff that goes on in my head…well, that might convince them I am a crazy person, so nevermind.
4. Who is your favorite author?
Trick question. I don’t really have one. I seem to love books more than authors. There are many authors whose work I admire, though. I love Emily Bronte, Edith Wharton, Oscar Wilde, Charles Dickens. I also like to read Wally Lamb and Khaled Housseini.
5. What is your favorite book?
Oh, dear. That’s like saying, “Who is your favorite child?” I love all my favorite books equally – but differently. There are a couple of books that inspired me more than others. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte sparked my imagination into a bonfire. I loved the dark characters. As a child I loved The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I used to make up stories about those characters and act them out in the backyard. I honestly think that book piqued my interest in writing. I was making up plots and storylines but didn’t even know I was doing it. Come to think of it, I did that with a lot of books.
7. Tell us about your family.
I have been married for going on twenty-five years. We have two sons who are both out of the house and away at college. The empty nest made me sad at first, but then I realized--this is what we raised them to do; we raised them to go out into the world as young adults and make their own lives. I thought about how blessed we are that they are able to attend college and take care of themselves. That knocked me off my pity-potty very quickly and then the empty nest became kind of cool. My husband is my best friend and it was just him and me again. We were all alone like newlyweds—except this time with wrinkles and strange body aches. We are like newlyweds BUT with experience in the marriage game. Now we have the skill to back-away from a pointless argument and we know when to give-in to the other person or when to dig-in your heels. We’re a lot wiser than we were and luckily, we still enjoy hanging-out together.
8. What are your hobbies besides writing?
I enjoy watching vintage movies. I love Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Montgomery Clift, and Laurence Olivier…all those golden-era actors. I don’t watch much TV, but I DVR the oldies, but goodies. Other than that…I don’t have much time for hobbies at this point in my life. If I have a spare moment, I’m usually at the computer editing, writing or reading what I’ve written in order to make changes.
9. What has been the most exciting day of your life and why?
I am not sure. I’ve had plenty of exciting moments in my life. I think I live in moments rather than days, so it’s hard for me to pick just one day.
As far as being a writer, the past few days have been pretty exciting for me. Saturday, I did my first book-signing. I loved interacting with the readers. It was a dream come true. I’m not kidding. I’d pictured that moment in my head many times.
And yesterday, I gave a ‘motivational speech’ about writing to a ladies club (Junior League-type organization). There were 200+ people in the audience. They were such a fantastic, responsive group that halfway through the speech, I took a deep breath and thought to myself--you have always dreamed about speaking about writing and encouraging people to be creative. You’ve prayed this moment would come and it’s here! I sold my books afterward and quite a few of the ladies told me how much they enjoyed my speech. One lady asked me to speak at her retirement community!
I prayed and had faith that one day my writing/publishing/speaking journey would begin and right then as I stood at that podium…I realized it had. It was an incredible feeling. I am grateful to the one who gave me the gift, the opportunity and the courage—our God. I could not have done any of this if He had not lit the path for me.
10. What is your favorite childhood memory?
I remember lying on a hammock in my backyard. Next to me, I had a stack of “new” comic books that my parents had bought at a garage sale. I also had a big bag of sunflower seeds. A tall glass of red Kool-Aid sat on a folding chair within arm’s reach. I loved to read and I was a total comic book freak, so I was in heaven.
I also remember the time when the neighborhood kids were playing Hide-n-Seek and the person who was “it” found everybody but me. I had scrambled up the Weeping Willow tree that was “Base” and quietly sat on a branch way up high. I remember it being extremely high, but I’m sure it’s just memory’s perspective. However, in my mind’s eye, I was near the top. I sat very still listening to the kids below discuss how they hadn’t found me yet. They even split up to look for me. I was the youngest of the group and felt so proud that I had outsmarted them and found the best hiding place of all. I waited until everyone scattered and then climbed down. I didn’t want them to know my secret place. So, technically, I won that game. I sat down, cross-legged with one hand on Base and shouted “I’m Free!” I was never a competitive, sports-type of kid. I really didn’t like to play anything that involved racing, running, or throwing a ball because inevitably I would be the worst at it. I was a girly-girl in a neighborhood full of tomboys and real boys. I preferred playing ‘house’ with dolls, hopscotch and jacks (both of which I could win easily) But…Hide-n-Seek with the big kids? Winning that was an accomplishment to my child’s heart.
11. If you weren't writing books, what would you be doing?
Compulsively cleaning my house or shopping for clothes. I can’t tell you how happy my husband is that I’d rather be writing than shopping.
12. We know you have four books published, but how many have you written?
I’ve written nine full-length novels altogether. A fifth should be coming out in the late summer/early fall of 2014. I wrote my first one in 2001. I’m hoping to polish the rest up and publish them one day.
13. What is your favorite one?
AHHH! I can’t answer that any more than I can answer who is my favorite child! I love them all equally—differently, but equally. Each one has a special place in my heart (my books and my children.)
I fall in love with my main characters. I often ‘miss’ them when I finish writing a book.
I like writing men characters better than women which is unusual for a female writer. For whatever reason, I can get into a male character’s head much easier than a female’s. Maybe because women truly are more complicated. Recently, someone told me I write the meanest female villains ever and they wondered where I got my inspiration. That made me laugh. I can only say I made them up with no one particular person in mind. Those horrible women must all come from me—that is my imagination. Yikes! I must keep them well-hidden in my brain because generally I like everyone I meet. I don’t have the energy it takes to be mean let alone evil. But, I will admit…writing malevolent characters is fun! Victoria Hesselbeck from Command Performance was one of the most complex characters I have ever created. She was awful, but she was also fun to write.
Yes, I think I did. I remember writing short stories in the second grade. The teacher would give us a writing prompt (usually a photograph) and we’d have to make up a story about it. I loved doing that. The whole class groaned whenever she said we were going to write a ‘theme’ or a story. I was always happy. I only groaned when it was time for math class.
2. When did you start writing?
I remember writing all the time in a spiral notebook in the third grade. It was just full of stories and ideas. I’d love to see that notebook now, but I lost it. However, I started a journal in 1976 and have kept up the practice since then. It’s so interesting to look back with perspective. Things that I thought were devastating are now funny. For example, the time in 1985 I had my hair cut in what looks like—well, it can only be described as a girl’s mullet. The hairstylist apologized. Apologized! That’s how bad that haircut was. I went home and cried my eyes out. It’s funny to read about all my teenage angst and high school soap opera drama. I’ve journaled all through my own kid’s lives, too. One time, I wrote how I felt like a failure because my son got his first time-out at school. I thought I had to be the worst mother in the world. All that needless-worry stuff is well-documented. So, I’d advise a journal-keeping habit. It helps when you feel overwhelmed by life to look back and think, “I once thought I’d never be able to get through this or that…but I did.”
3. How do you get your inspiration?
From everywhere and everyone. I can be anywhere and some scene will conjure up a story idea. Or, if I hear a snippet of a strange conversation between two total strangers in the mall my imagination will fire-up.
I usually make up back-stories for people when I’m somewhere public. The New York subway was awesome for this. So is any DMV in the U.S. Since we move from state-to-state so much, I’ve discovered that all DMVs are crawling with interesting characters. I usually make up a background story for someone while I wait to get my driver’s license. Sometimes they’re really funny and I’m sure I’ve snickered to myself in public. I probably looked like a crazy person, but if they could only hear the stuff that goes on in my head…well, that might convince them I am a crazy person, so nevermind.
4. Who is your favorite author?
Trick question. I don’t really have one. I seem to love books more than authors. There are many authors whose work I admire, though. I love Emily Bronte, Edith Wharton, Oscar Wilde, Charles Dickens. I also like to read Wally Lamb and Khaled Housseini.
5. What is your favorite book?
Oh, dear. That’s like saying, “Who is your favorite child?” I love all my favorite books equally – but differently. There are a couple of books that inspired me more than others. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte sparked my imagination into a bonfire. I loved the dark characters. As a child I loved The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I used to make up stories about those characters and act them out in the backyard. I honestly think that book piqued my interest in writing. I was making up plots and storylines but didn’t even know I was doing it. Come to think of it, I did that with a lot of books.
7. Tell us about your family.
I have been married for going on twenty-five years. We have two sons who are both out of the house and away at college. The empty nest made me sad at first, but then I realized--this is what we raised them to do; we raised them to go out into the world as young adults and make their own lives. I thought about how blessed we are that they are able to attend college and take care of themselves. That knocked me off my pity-potty very quickly and then the empty nest became kind of cool. My husband is my best friend and it was just him and me again. We were all alone like newlyweds—except this time with wrinkles and strange body aches. We are like newlyweds BUT with experience in the marriage game. Now we have the skill to back-away from a pointless argument and we know when to give-in to the other person or when to dig-in your heels. We’re a lot wiser than we were and luckily, we still enjoy hanging-out together.
8. What are your hobbies besides writing?
I enjoy watching vintage movies. I love Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Montgomery Clift, and Laurence Olivier…all those golden-era actors. I don’t watch much TV, but I DVR the oldies, but goodies. Other than that…I don’t have much time for hobbies at this point in my life. If I have a spare moment, I’m usually at the computer editing, writing or reading what I’ve written in order to make changes.
9. What has been the most exciting day of your life and why?
I am not sure. I’ve had plenty of exciting moments in my life. I think I live in moments rather than days, so it’s hard for me to pick just one day.
As far as being a writer, the past few days have been pretty exciting for me. Saturday, I did my first book-signing. I loved interacting with the readers. It was a dream come true. I’m not kidding. I’d pictured that moment in my head many times.
And yesterday, I gave a ‘motivational speech’ about writing to a ladies club (Junior League-type organization). There were 200+ people in the audience. They were such a fantastic, responsive group that halfway through the speech, I took a deep breath and thought to myself--you have always dreamed about speaking about writing and encouraging people to be creative. You’ve prayed this moment would come and it’s here! I sold my books afterward and quite a few of the ladies told me how much they enjoyed my speech. One lady asked me to speak at her retirement community!
I prayed and had faith that one day my writing/publishing/speaking journey would begin and right then as I stood at that podium…I realized it had. It was an incredible feeling. I am grateful to the one who gave me the gift, the opportunity and the courage—our God. I could not have done any of this if He had not lit the path for me.
10. What is your favorite childhood memory?
I remember lying on a hammock in my backyard. Next to me, I had a stack of “new” comic books that my parents had bought at a garage sale. I also had a big bag of sunflower seeds. A tall glass of red Kool-Aid sat on a folding chair within arm’s reach. I loved to read and I was a total comic book freak, so I was in heaven.
I also remember the time when the neighborhood kids were playing Hide-n-Seek and the person who was “it” found everybody but me. I had scrambled up the Weeping Willow tree that was “Base” and quietly sat on a branch way up high. I remember it being extremely high, but I’m sure it’s just memory’s perspective. However, in my mind’s eye, I was near the top. I sat very still listening to the kids below discuss how they hadn’t found me yet. They even split up to look for me. I was the youngest of the group and felt so proud that I had outsmarted them and found the best hiding place of all. I waited until everyone scattered and then climbed down. I didn’t want them to know my secret place. So, technically, I won that game. I sat down, cross-legged with one hand on Base and shouted “I’m Free!” I was never a competitive, sports-type of kid. I really didn’t like to play anything that involved racing, running, or throwing a ball because inevitably I would be the worst at it. I was a girly-girl in a neighborhood full of tomboys and real boys. I preferred playing ‘house’ with dolls, hopscotch and jacks (both of which I could win easily) But…Hide-n-Seek with the big kids? Winning that was an accomplishment to my child’s heart.
11. If you weren't writing books, what would you be doing?
Compulsively cleaning my house or shopping for clothes. I can’t tell you how happy my husband is that I’d rather be writing than shopping.
12. We know you have four books published, but how many have you written?
I’ve written nine full-length novels altogether. A fifth should be coming out in the late summer/early fall of 2014. I wrote my first one in 2001. I’m hoping to polish the rest up and publish them one day.
13. What is your favorite one?
AHHH! I can’t answer that any more than I can answer who is my favorite child! I love them all equally—differently, but equally. Each one has a special place in my heart (my books and my children.)
I fall in love with my main characters. I often ‘miss’ them when I finish writing a book.
I like writing men characters better than women which is unusual for a female writer. For whatever reason, I can get into a male character’s head much easier than a female’s. Maybe because women truly are more complicated. Recently, someone told me I write the meanest female villains ever and they wondered where I got my inspiration. That made me laugh. I can only say I made them up with no one particular person in mind. Those horrible women must all come from me—that is my imagination. Yikes! I must keep them well-hidden in my brain because generally I like everyone I meet. I don’t have the energy it takes to be mean let alone evil. But, I will admit…writing malevolent characters is fun! Victoria Hesselbeck from Command Performance was one of the most complex characters I have ever created. She was awful, but she was also fun to write.