Being Turtle

Good afternoon, Turtle. I’d like to interview you so others can learn more about you and your work.

Hi, Nic Nac. I’d be glad to answer some questions about myself.

Can you tell me why you go by the name Turtle?

Well, it stems from my years as a Girl Scout camp councilor. I refused to give my real name to the kids at camp. My friends, fiancé and my family call me Turtle now.

So, what do Turtles do for a living? (haha)

I graduated with a MSEE in 2004 from the University of Michigan-Dearborn campus, and I work in EMC testing and love it. Pretty much, I get to support tests that try to break electronics with invisible radio waves or transients.

Um… I didn’t graduate with an MSEE, so I have no clue what you just said (giggle) but it sounds difficult and very technical. (My extent of technical abilities is I installed all the doorknobs while building my house.)

So, with your engineering background, how and why did you begin writing?

I had a super-active active imagination as a child, and I still do. When my parents decided I was old enough to sleep in my own room, my nightmares started to get bigger than me. To deal with the monsters under my bed, and in my closet, I created imaginary characters in my head to go on adventures, so I didn't worry about the monsters so much. I kept all of the characters and adventures mostly to myself. I don't know why, maybe when I got older, part of me was afraid I would lose these characters to the mundane trials of life... work, bills, boyfriends. So I wrote the culmination of my characters in a novel.

Yikes! I wished I’d thought of creating characters to scare away the boogey man from under my bed when I was little! I’d have had less twisted ankles from trying to make it to my bed from my doorway. It was a lot further jump than I could make. (sigh)

So, when did you first consider yourself a writer?

Probably when I started editing my hand written novel in a word processor and got the crazy idea to move forward and get it published.

Wow! Handwriting. I think I remember how to do that. (giggle)

What inspires you to keep writing?

The challenge inspires me now, but it’s always been the childhood characters who kept me company in the dark that still keep me determined to write.

Is there a particular genre you enjoy writing most?

I’ve been playing with the fantasy genre. I want to touch the romance and erotica genres too, but first things first—one book at a time.

What is the most difficult thing you’ve written?

I once wrote a second person, present tense romance short. I’m editing a fantasy adventure/love story that I’ve been working on for the last ten years. It is kicking my butt.

Is that what you are most proud of?

Yes. The novel I’ve been writing for ten years, The Warring Heavens is about a girl who is recruited into an afterlife organization after living three lives. She’s tricked into opening a breach into the Dark Heavens, and while everyone’s scrambling to take care of that, her supervisor/ex-lover, is having a breakdown.

 

I’m pretty proud of the first half… Heck, I’m proud of the whole thing. It’s my first attempt. I hope to keep working on it until it reaches more than just a publishable standard, but one that people will love as much as me.

Do you have a favorite book?

Today, my favorite book is one called The Rapture, by Jeff W. (can’t remember his name…) It’s a story about a guy who wakes up with wings, and how society would handle if people grew angel wings. I love it because it doesn’t get bogged down into religious complications… people just get sick and grow wings, and it follows two people through their lives. I’m presently reading Garden of the Moon.

What are some of your non-writing interests?

I love watching hockey. I’m a big Red Wings fan. I also like to draw and socialize with my friends—though writing has started to take a big bite out of socializing.

I’d say! Especially since you’re writing for Nanowrimo, right?

Yes. This is my first year writing Nanowrimo.

Well, from the looks of it, you are one fast Turtle typer! You’re doing great on your word count. Happy Nanoing, Turtle. I wish you all the best on your Nanowrimo story, as well as with editing your completed novel. I appreciate you spending time to chat with me. Woot! Woot!

Thanks for the woots, and happy Nanoing to you too.

Turtle goes by TurtleStage5 on the Nanowrimo site. She's almost reached the 50,000 word goal and it's only November 12th! Go Turtle Go! :)