Friday, August 31, 2012

GUTGAA Meet and Greet Questions!

This is my official first GUTGAA Post!  Woo!

Before I get to the ever-important meet-and-greet questions, here are a few random things about me (that are not in the "Who am I?" section):

  • Although I'm currently a grad student at the University of Tennessee, Virginia Tech is my true home (and undergraduate institution)!  I will always and forever be a Hokie!
  • My favorite color is blue
  • I might have seen "The Avengers" at least five times in theaters this summer.
  • I once played R2-D2 in an English class skit.  We were re-enacting "Romeo and Juliet," and when it was my turn to enter a scene (R2 was The Nurse), I glided into the classroom on roller-blades.  
  • I used the theme song from "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air" to explore different theories/facets of young adult development for a paper in a senior seminar class in college.  It is, by far, the best paper I've ever written :)
Now, for the official GUTGAA questions:

Where do you write?

Right now I'm writing at the dining room table in our apartment (which doubles as a card table - yay grad school!).  Over the summer I wrote a lot in the little cafe area of Barnes and Noble.

Quick, go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left.  What is the first thing you see?

A bowl of Honey-Nut Cheerios, because it is breakfast time :)  If I were back in Barnes and Noble, there would probably be a Frappuccinno to my left!

Favorite time to write?

I'd say late afternoon/early evening - that way I've had most of the day to think about what I want to say (although sometimes random ideas end up getting typed out even if I've spent all day thinking).  I've also found that writing is a good way to de-stress from work, so writing that late in the day helps!

Drink of choice while writing?

Hmm definitely any kind of Frappuccino/Starbucks beverage, because I have a coffee problem.  Water is also usually around me at any given time - hydration is a must!

What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?

I've always loved Sci-fi, and one day I started to think about the show FRINGE (which is a fantastic show, so go watch it!), and played around with some of the concepts they explored.  Fringe science has always been this cool idea because it mixes the paranormal (which I love) with science (which I also love), so I thought it would be neat to explore that a little more.  I also love how the show is very much a family drama, and wanted to bring that same spirit to my story - both to keep it a little grounded, and to honor one of my favorite "little-shows-that-could."  

What's your most valuable writing tip?

I feel like all of the important/sagey sounding tips are already out there on the interwebs, so it's kind of weird to try and throw my two cents in.

Instead, I'll throw in Winston Churchill's two cents (sorry Winston, I'll pay you back one day!).

"Never, never, never give up."

52 comments:

  1. Well, hello fellow blogging newbie! Just received your CP email and crawled over here to check out your profile. I'm participating in gutgaa too, so we'll see each other around in Sept! You're keen to get started around you? :) I need one last camping trip before I can get into this new groove.

    Where is your "follow me" button? I see a "subscribe to comments" but no regular old subscribe button. I'm totally new to all this technology, so it could be what I'm looking for is hiding in plain sight. Help?

    Cheers and nice to meet you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm glad I'm not the only blogging newbie :)

    I am quite excited to partake in the GUTGAA festivities, although I might need a trip to my local Regal Cinemas rather than a camping trip to get ready for the craziness (I seem to enjoy movie theaters more than the woods...maybe I'll go watch a movie about the woods and pretend that I'm camping)!

    I just added what I *think* is a follow me button - it's under the "Want Updates? Click here!" section in my sidebar. Let me know if I've had a total technology fail and installed the wrong thing - I'll try to fix it!

    It was nice to meet you too! Glad you crawled over to check out my blog :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think "Never give up" is excellent advice! :D

    Lovely to meet you, enjoy GUTGAA! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Why thank you! I see that we're both on the same page with that one haha

      It's been lovely to meet you too! See you around the blogosphere!

      Delete
  4. And an excellent quote it is! I think of it often when writing seems such a daunting task.
    Great to meet you! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's gotten me through those terrible writers-block-y moments!

      Nice to meet you too!

      Delete
  5. FRINGE!! I LOVE Fringe!

    And you're spot on. The fringe science part is so cool, but the family drama and the development of the characters is what makes it awesome. Your story sounds SO good. :)

    Nice to 'meet' you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fringe rocks my socks! I also saw on your blog that you are a fan of Culvers, and I would like to say that not being near one is a very sad thing.

      It was nice to meet you, too! Congrats on the book, I'll be sure to check it out next year! And thank you for the compliment! Just what I needed today :)

      Delete
  6. Ahh, I love Fringe! More people need to discover the Awesomeness that is that show. And I'm also a fellow Sbux addict. A latte really does help me write, for some weird reason!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yesssss I'm glad we're on the same page with Fringe and lattes (which sounds like an interesting title...hmm)

      I've totally just finished a Starbucks mocha, so my addiction has been fed for the day! One day I might get help for it...

      One day...

      Delete
  7. Alex,

    Nice to meet you on the blog hop. I enjoyed your answers to the GUTGAA questions. I have not seen Fringe, but it sounds cool. Regards!

    Happy writing,

    Don #138

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Don! It's an awesome show, you should definitely check it out!

      Happy writing to you too!

      Delete
  8. Our B&N is always packed but I would love to write there sometime. :) Nice to meet you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You should totally try it! Being surrounded by all those books (and espresso) really helped me get into my writing groove!

      Delete
  9. Hey, I love Fringe, too! I'm in the middle of watching it. Nice to meet you, and see you around!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yay! I'm so glad there are other people out there watching Fringe! It's nice to meet you, too!

      Delete
  10. Glad to meet you!! I'm looking forward to the coming weeks of GUTGAA. Hope to see you around. :) I love Churchill's tip!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Right?!? It's one of my favorite quotes :) Nice to meet you too!

      Delete
  11. I avoid Starbucks beverages only because I love them, but the calories and the cost is sooo dangerous! Have a great GUTGAA!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My friends feed my addiction through gift cards - they are enablers, but I love them anyways haha :)

      Hope you have a great GUTGAA as well!

      Delete
  12. Technology PASS! PS. I feel like with all the raving reviews here, I need to watch Fringe... I feel so out of the loop. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Woo woo! I can officially use the interwebs :)

      And YES! You need to watch Fringe! It is awesomeness, wrapped in excellence, and fried with love (If that even makes sense. I might have just described something at Taco Bell instead of a TV show. This is what happens when I stay up late to watch college football haha).

      Delete
  13. Being R2-D2 in Romeo and Juliet is probably one of the most awesome things I've ever heard. Your story sounds cool too. I think it is fascinating when science and fantasy combine too. (I have a degree in biology and write ya fantasy). Nice to meet you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah for science and fantasy being friends :)

      And I had a very interesting high school experience, to say the least! That skit definitely made me appreciate Shakespeare as a freshman :P

      Nice to meet you too!

      Delete
  14. The nurse was R2D2...that had to have been the BEST adaptation of Romeo and Juliet ever. I love science and paranormal too! Very cool.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's probably my favorite classroom memory :) I got to wear roller skates in school and essentially just be a nerd. It was great!

      Also, science and paranormal together is one of my favorite combinations! Glad you enjoy it too!

      Delete
  15. Yay Fringe! I also like your idea that writing de-stresses. Definitely true. ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. woooooo Fringe!!! And yes! It totally de-stresses me! Glad to know I'm not alone in the writing to de-stress club :)

      Delete
  16. My mind has been blown by the R2D2/R&J mash-up. Also, fraps = <3. Good luck in grad school and in GUTGAA! :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was a crazy english class, but I loved it :) Oh, and fraps are the best things ever! Especially now that all the Pumpkin Spice stuff is back!

      Thanks for the luck! Good luck to you too!

      Delete
  17. Hello from a fellow Fringe lover! I was inspired to write a YA speculative story by that fabulous show. It really gets you thinking.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's awesome! I re-watched a few episodes this weekend and it definitely re-inspired me! Glad it could inspire you, too! We need more Fringe things in this world :)

      Delete
  18. Ooooh....I love Fringe too! And I'm there with you in Grad school, but I'm doing it while raising a 13 y/o daughter who is going through puberty. GAH! Can you say drama filled house??? LOL

    Very nice to meet you! =)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh goodness, grad school is hard enough for me and I'm definitely not raising a teenager! You get 10 cool points for being awesome!

      It's always nice to meet a fellow Fringe lover :)

      Delete
  19. Hey! Fringe is one of my favorite shows. Sadly, I heard this is the last season:( So glad to have you on board for GUTGAA!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is the last season :( I'm sad, but still excited that it made it all the way to Season 5, since it was always on the bubble! So it's definitely going to be bittersweet once it starts up again...

      And thank you for organizing this whole thing :) There is not enough awesomeness to describe you!

      Delete
  20. Ah, another version of one of my favorite quotes. "Never give up. Never surrender."

    Hi from another GUTGAA participant.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I'm all about the Avengers. I'm laughing out loud at the R2 as a nurse on roller blades. Now THAT is a visual. Good luck with GUTGAA!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, my whole English class lost it (and I could barely keep it together myself!). Also, The Avengers pretty much made my whole month of May - I can't wait for the DVD to come out!

      Good luck to you, too :)

      Delete
  22. Nice to meet you! Heather
    themysteryofwriting.wordpress.com
    midwesternfarmgirl.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete
  23. Fringe is on my TBW list. I've heard a lot of great things about it and it's right up my alley in terms of things I like to watch.

    Stopping by from #GUTGAA! Nice to meet you=)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes yes yes! Definitely watch Fringe :)It does not disappoint!

      Nice to meet you too!

      Delete
  24. Loki is my secret love. To hell with the Avengers. HE HAS AN ARMY! Good luck in GUTGAA!

    Trish

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. oh, I totally agree! Loki (and Tom Hiddleston, for that matter) is awesome :)

      Delete
  25. Haha love your interpretation of Shakespeare. I once saw it performed in Germany and they took out Bottom - aka THE MAIN CHARACTER - so I had no idea what was going on! Good luck with GUTGAA (I know I'm late with my blog hops).
    Kat :)
    http://beyondthehourglassbridge.blogspot.com.au/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. haha oh goodness I would be eternally lost if an adaptation left out of a main character! Good luck to you too :)

      Delete
  26. Nice to meet you, Alex! I'm really craving a Starbucks beverage after reading your post ...

    ReplyDelete