Hello, Anna! We're so excited to be chatting with you again about your upcoming middle-grade, MANI SEMILLA FINDS HER QUETZAL VOICE. As an ESL middle-school teacher, a mother of a 6-year-old and 9 month old, and a wife, how do you juggle your responsibilities and still find time to write?
The answer to this question always changes! I am constantly trying to find how and when to write. It's day by day. Thankfully, my husband does most of the cooking, which gives me some writing time. That helps! I wrote the first draft of MANI SEMILLA FINDS HER QUETZAL VOICE from 4 to 6 a.m. every single day over the course of one year. Some people are impressed when I tell them how early I wake up to write, but I am impressed with people who are able to stay up late writing! I have not been able to be a night-writer. As a teacher and mom, that was literally the only time I had available to me. Now that I have another little one, there are days when I simply just don't get to write more than one sentence.
I am working on book number two, so I am slowly getting back to my morning writing sessions, because that is my time when no one else is awake. That doesn't mean that I feel super inspired every morning. I keep telling myself that what I am working on is just a first draft and that it doesn't have to be amazing right away. I am really into running and I've heard people in the sports and running world talk about how discipline is more important than motivation. I remind myself that sometimes when the writing doesn't sound pretty!
True this! Perspiration and pushing through gets things done! Are you nervous about your book's March release? If so, what are you doing to relieve those nerves?
I am mostly excited, but sometimes I get a little nervous! What I have been doing is going to open mics around my area and reading from my first chapter. The amount of laughter I have heard makes me feel even more excited for March 5th!
What a clever way to get the nerves out! What did you enjoy about working with your editor as you revised MANI SEMILLA FINDS HER QUETZAL VOICE?
I have been so lucky that the people who have helped bring MANI to life REALLY loved and understood her voice. My editor, Irene Vázquez at Levine Querido, helped MANI's voice to really shine. It was so clear to me that they understood Mani as a character. I NEVER had to clarify or explain something about why Mani would say this or that. They just got it. In fact, they showed me ways we could push Mani's voice and Mani-isms even further. Each round of edits got closer to the heart of the story and to Mani's voice. I had so much fun with the editing process!
No doubt the fun spilled out from the process an onto the page! Well, Anna, thanks for stopping by again. All of us are looking forward to reading your book, and celebrating its release come March!