My Favorite Things - Author Interview

Richelle, readers have asked a few questions about your favorite things. Thank you for agreeing to answer some of these fun and curious questions. Let's start with a simple one: 

What is your favorite color?
Pink first―a soft pastel pink―and then hazel green. Pink wins out over green.

Why is that?
Because pink is pretty and feminine. I like feminine things,the whole "pretty in pink" image. I like green because my eyes are green, and I have always been pleased with my eye color.


What is your favorite movie?
That is a tough question because I love movies. I will say either Enchanted or Shrek is my favorite movie. I adore the Enchanted story and the actors who starred in the movie. Shrek was just awesome, including all of the sequels. They make me laugh every time. But I also like Tangled, Trolls, Aladdin, and Moana. I enjoy feel-good cartoons. Honestly, I LOVE cartoons; I always have. I enjoy almost any film or tv series with "star" in the title, like Star Trek―love, love, love the new Strange New Worlds Star Trek series with Captain Pike. I am a fan of Star Wars and Stargate as well. And the Avengers, especially the original Avengers. There will never be a group of Avengers to top the original gang. I love the new episodes of Star Wars and Marvel stories they have on Disney now. Those have been fun to watch. I also like Avatar, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit as well as Pirates of the Caribbean, Alice in Wonderland, and First Knight. Sean Connery was my heartthrob when I was young. He and Richard Dean Anderson and Johnny Depp. 


What about your favorite music artist?
Hands down, Rascal Flatts. But as a teenager, I used to listen to Sting almost exclusively. Funny how our tastes change. I also enjoy Jon McLaughlin, Rachel Platten, Justin Timberlake, Forest Blakk, Ed Sheeran, Billy Joel, and the Pentatonix. All of these artists have some excellent music out. And I love listening to anything sung by Idina Menzel. Her voice is captivating! 


Do you have a favorite song?
That is an impossible question too, with an ever-changing answer. Give me a list of Rascal Flatts songs and I'll mark them off for you. I really like Bless the Broken Road and Unstoppable and The Day Before You and I Won't Let Go and Where You Are and Feels Like Today and so on and so on. But I also like If You Love Her by Forest Blakk, Better Place by Rachel Platten, So Close by Jon McLaughlin, The Prayer by Pentatonix, Made You Look by Meghan Trainor, and so many other amazing songs I can't even think of at the moment.


How about books and authors?  Which are your best-loved books? 
My favorite book of all time is Les Miserables written by Victor Hugo. He was a master storyteller and a wizard with words. I love how meticulously he describes settings and characters, and how he stirs up deep emotions in readers. Hugo is a genius.  My other favorite authors include C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, masters of fantasy.  The Lord of the Rings is my absolute best-loved saga of all time.  And I appreciated the disturbing truth in The Screwtape Letters.  That book hit a nerve.

Other favorite books include Rumpelstiltskin and all the old fairytales by the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson, Charles Perrault and George MacDonald.  I also adore Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. 

I enjoy Charles Dickens' writing.  He has vibrant personality in his narrative voice.  It is bright and distinctively him.  It was a treat to read A Christmas Carol after watching the hundreds of movies based on the book.  And Oliver Twist―wow!  The model for a classic work. I like reading Shel Silverstein's poetry because his work is creative and fun. I could list hundreds of good books because there are so many. We're spoiled as readers these days. 


If you had a free day to yourself and a choice of doing anything at all, what would you do? 
Easy.  I would curl up in the corner of my sofa with a hot cup of cocoa and work on another book.  I love writing, whether it is poetry or a developing story.  Writing has become my beloved obsession.


Okay, Richelle, here's a string of random questions.  Ready?
Hit it.


What is your magical number?
Ten.  Followed closely by seven and seventeen.


What is your preferred flower?
Lily. Especially a large-petal lily in the shade of pink or maroon.


Your favorite animal?
Cats!  Big, crazy, playful cats.


Favored comic strip?
Ziggy.  He is everything good and adorable.


Your pick of animated characters?
You are probably thinking I will say Shrek, but Winnie the Pooh is my absolute favorite animated character. He and Eeyore. 


Most impressive of all mythical creatures?
Colossal, scaly-skinned, fire-breathing dragons!


Who is your all-time favorite superhero?
It used to be Thor, but Captain America won my heart as the Avengers movies progressed.  I like the whole medieval image and the idea of immortality, but I respect the leadership abilities of Captain America and the fact that he was doggedly firm in standing up for his beliefs, his standards, and his friends. That to me is what a real hero does. 


What supernatural power would you want for yourself as a superhero?
Definitely healing powers.  It would be rewarding to have the ability to heal diseases and illnesses.


What's your favorite food?
Fresh, hot, homemade bread slathered in butter and strawberry preserves.  Mmmmm! 


Sweetest dessert?
Soft chocolate chip cookies with walnuts and hot fudge sundaes and bittersweet dark chocolate.  It is hard to choose between the three, so I just put them all together. Honestly, if I had to choose, it would be ice cream. Either a hot fudge sundae or peanut butter and chocolate ice cream.


What is your preferred restaurant to frequent?
Wendy's was my favorite as a child for fast food. I recently discovered Braum's since moving down south, and they have ice cream to go with their fast food, so that is a huge plus in my book! For a nicer dinner, I enjoy any good Mexican restaurant or Italian restaurant. 


Your favorite holiday?
My birthday, of course!  Actually, Christmas is my favorite holiday.  I have a tradition of unpacking my many copies of A Christmas Carol―a collection that continues to grow―and then I watch the many different versions of Scrooge throughout the month of  December.  It is my crazy tradition―one that makes my family groan.  They can probably recite the entire movie from beginning to end now.


Do you have a best-loved sport?
To play, it would be volleyball.  To watch―football.  Football is never boring.


Besides writing, what else do you like to do for fun?
Go to the movies and eat popcorn. Gotta have popcorn. I also like to strum on the guitar or play the piano. I am not great at it, but playing music is enjoyable. Playing a little pool or bowling a few games is also fun for me―again, not that I am good at either one. 


Do you have a preference in perfumes?
No, but I do have a favorite incense or two.  I love the smell of eucalyptus and myrrh.  You can get them as essential oils.  The smells are unusual; earthy, warm, spicy, exotic, and totally intoxicating.  I love sniffing at myrrh because the fragrance is a rare experience.  To me, it is sort of mystical.  I dab a little oil on my ears or on my neck sometimes just to catch the smell throughout the day.  


Do you have a treasured quote?
Oh dear, many!  I love good quotes.  My favorite quote changes depending on the day and what is happening in my life at the time.  One that has stuck with me consistently was written by Henry David Thoreau.

"If you have built your castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be.  Now put foundations under them."

That quote is a motivator for me, one that urges me to keep on with my dreams regardless of how improbable the likelihood is of reaching them.


I know you have a few quotes of your own.  What's your favorite personal quote?

“Don't ever give up.
 Don't ever give in.
 Don't ever stop trying.
 Don't ever sell out.
 And if you find yourself succumbing to one of the above for a brief moment, pick yourself up, brush yourself off, whisper a prayer, and start where you left off. But never, ever, ever give up.”  

Words I live by.
 

That is inspiring.  Any other words of advice for fellow writers?
Yes.  Please do not take this the wrong way, but my best advice is this:  Don't listen to anyone. I actually mean it.  Do not change your writing to please the world, because you cannot please the whole world.  Do not be swayed by those who would take over your ambitions and see your zeal for writing slowly fade.  Write what makes you happy―just you.  Your story should come from the heart and be written in your words. Your writing should be your own distinct, compiled treasure. Only then will your work be a worthwhile endeavor.  In the end, there will be those who value it.  There is a quote of mine that is appropriate here...

"No matter what you write, no matter how meticulous and painstaking the creation process, someone is going to laugh, scorn, and dissect your work with criticism while another quietly falls in love with it."

~

My Quotes in Pictures

     While on a curious stroll through the internet (a virtual walk guided by Google) I was tickled to find a number of my original quotes posted on websites, tweeted via Twitter, Facebooked, and pinned on Pinterest.
     My words have been framed over beautiful scenes that effectively emphasize the spirit of each quote, revealing the marrow of each passage's meaning. As an author, I am pleased. As a human being whose life experiences inspired me to summarize these truths, I am deeply touched. I thought I would share a few visually enriched quotes I stumbled across; they are marvelous!

Whatever Made You Want To Write A Book?

"Richelle, whatever made you want to write a book?"

That's a good question. One I've been asked more than once. And if the answer were as simple as "Just because", I would end right here. But my personal motivation came from a mix of circumstances perfectly intertwined. Honestly, it is a miracle I ever made an attempt to put a lengthy story on paper.

Picture this...

It was one week before Christmas 2006, and I was sitting at my computer filling out Christmas cards. It is tradition to include a short family letter with the card, nothing big, just a line or two highlighting the accomplishments of each family member. The house was eerily quiet that afternoon with my husband at work and my three boys gone for Christmas break. I missed my children terribly. Painfully even. My thoughts were bogged with concerns for them. Are they okay? Are their needs being met? Are they safe? Are they happy? Do they miss me?  But to worry over your babies is normal for any caring mother. That's what I kept telling myself after whispering the hundred-and-twenty-seventh prayer for their well-being.

I realized all the worrying was doing me no good, but when your life revolves around your children for so many years, what do you do when they are gone? I needed something.  A hobby or... well, something.

I finished jotting down the yearly accomplishments for all my kids and my husband, which left mine for last. It wasn't that I was saving the best for the finale or that I was humbly mentioning my family's achievements before my own... no... the truth was, I just plain could not think of anything impressive to write about myself. What had I done in the past year?

Well, I had worked both outside and inside the home. I had made 1,100 meals, if not more. I had washed 2,000 sink loads of dishes, if not more. I had laundered, folded, and put away 600 loads of clothes (say it with me now, if not more.)  I had mopped floors, vacuumed carpets, changed sheets, scrubbed toilets, washed mirrors and windows and screens. I had weeded and re-weeded the garden, mowed the lawn, and given haircuts to my family. I had driven kids to and from school, scouts, mutual, karate, track, and whatever other functions they needed to attend. I had tucked my boys into bed with 365 nighttime prayers and bedtime reading. I had done all the regular, runaround, expected, mommy/housewife stuff.

But the question that troubled me was "What had I accomplished outside of chores?"  What personal achievement could I make note of in our Christmas letter?

I could think of nothing. That realization made me slump even further in my chair. Already moping about missing my boys, my spirits sank low realizing I had done nothing extraordinary in ages.

Did I mention that this was twenty years after my high school graduation? Oh yes, that too was on my mind. Twenty years! Where in the world had the time gone? What happened to all those amazing things I was going to do once I left home after high school? Where were the talents I once utilized in my youth? I no longer sketched or painted or danced or sang or played piano or performed in theatrical plays. My talents had been set aside for years. Neglected. Abandoned. How had that happened?

So there I sat, bemoaning lost years and the fact that happily-ever-afters don't come in happily-every-days when a sudden whisper of inspiration hit. A simple but powerful thought.

"If for the past twenty years you had written just one sentence a day, you would have composed a novel by now."

Don't ask me where it came from, but the idea was like a slap in the face, both admonishing and inspiring. 

Could I write a sentence a day? Yes! Easily! I could jot down a sentence in a matter of seconds!  But what was there to write about? I mean, you need an idea for a story, right?

The fact that I was brooding over high school memories took me back to the days when I used to finish classroom assignments so quickly that a good chunk of time was left to idle away. And what did I usually do with that time? How had I spent all those free moments in class?  Quietly drawing and daydreaming.

I had my favorite fantasies too, those I revisited and expanded on over time. One beloved adventure starred a young girl destined to rule a small world that thrived in another part of the galaxy. This was the story I never forgot. Truth be told, it was a daydream I sometimes entertained as an adult. Especially when I needed a healthy escape from reality.

In that moment of what I consider divine inspiration, I determined to write a book. A novel. The story of my favorite daydream. The account of Queen Eena of Harrowbeth.

I vowed that in twenty years from December 2006, I would at least be able to say I had written a novel, even if it meant doing so one sentence per day. I started typing those first few words at that very moment.

There is more humor to this tale than you might realize.  For you see, if you had asked me five minutes prior to my epiphany if I would ever attempt to write a novel, I would have laughed aloud (probably snorted) and exclaimed "Are you crazy? Do you have any idea how impossibly challenging it would be to write an entire novel? It would take like for-e-ver!"

You should also know that I earned my college degrees in Mathematics and Natural Science.  Never touched English literature.

Also, there is a tiny bit of truth I should probably confess: for the majority of my life I had a passionate distaste for writing. 

Are you laughing yet?  Okay, how about this...

Honest, true story.

In high school, my worst subject (not that I didn't earn high enough marks in the class) and the one area of study I groaned about the most was English. I hated writing assignments. Hated them. I think the reason why I hated them so much was because no "correct answer" existed.  Not like in mathematics where 2 + 2 = 4, no arguments.  But for English classes, I could scribble out a paper that one teacher stamped with a big, beautiful "A" while another instructor branded the same paper with a scarlet "C".  Writing became a matter of trying to please some disinterested adult whose expectations you could hardly guess. Not to mention the fact that the subject matter I was forced to write about was usually depressing and utterly boring.

And so I loathed writing.

I remember the day clearly when as a teenager I stood up from the kitchen table to stretch my stiff muscles. I was working on an English paper, and as I rose to my feet I made a firm, bold statement meant for any ears in the house. "I hate English, and I hate writing, but knowing my luck I'll probably grow up to be some stupid writer."

Well said, foolish teenager. Little did I know the twisted ironies of life.

And so, many many years later, pushing forty years of age, I sat at my computer and determined to accomplish a feat I deemed highly challenging. I figured it would take years, but the odd thing was, it didn't seem so impossible when I looked at the goal as a mere few sentences compounded daily. The more I wrote, the more I found myself craving free time to add additional paragraphs. I discovered an enormous difference in my frame of mind when it came to composing a work meant to please only me versus struggling with a composition meant to impress others. 

It is actually freeing.

And sweetly delicious.

And unbelievably addictive!

So I will eat crow and admit... I do love writing. 

No, no, I'm far from being a Victor Hugo or a Charles Dickens, but I profit by as much joy from the journey as I'm sure they did.  And it pleases me. I hope that for some readers out there, my stories prove entertaining enough to please you as well.  So, that is my answer to your question, "Whatever made you want to write a book?"

Books, Blogs, & Bits Interviews Me

The following is an interview of yours truly arranged by Books, Blogs, and Bits: A site to share and highlight books, authors, and other interesting stuff.  I enjoyed this interview a great deal and have posted it here for your reading pleasure.

____________________________

Books, Blogs, and Bits

is proud to present:

Richelle E. Goodrich

Richelle E. Goodrich lives in Washington with her husband and three boys somewhere in a compromise between country and city living. She has two BA degrees and possesses a wide range of interests in the creative arts.

Her love for writing emerged later in life, first manifesting itself through children’s books geared at entertaining her boys. ‘Eena, The Dawn and Rescue‘ and ‘Eena, The Return of a Queen‘ (the beginning adventures in the Harrowbethian Saga) are Richelle’s first novel-length achievements.

This author will tell you that the greatest thrill of writing is to hear what readers have to say about the characters living within her enchanted pages.

~ ~

BB & B: I love this quote of yours, “Courage to me is doing something daring, no matter how afraid, insecure, intimidated, alone, unworthy, incapable, ridiculed or whatever other paralyzing emotion you might feel. Courage is taking action…..no matter what. So you’re afraid? Be afraid. Be scared silly to the point you’re trembling and nauseous, but do it anyway!” (Smile Anyway)

Can you tell us about this quote and what brought out these words of encouragement?

Richelle: Yes, I certainly can.  For the most part my quotes have been inspired by personal experiences and some unpleasant trials.  At times, however, they’ve resulted from a keen fascination for observing and evaluating human behavior.  I like to ‘people watch’, perhaps because I never cease to be amazed by the actions of others. 

The quote you mention regarding courage came to me when I was facing a difficult challenge that resulted in taking a stand for what I heartily wanted despite strenuous opposition.  I’m no super hero, I’ll admit.  I cringe at the mere mention of anxiety, fear, and confrontation.  But I’ve learned that courage isn’t reserved for the brave and daring only.  Courage means taking action, period.  And even a timid personality can do that—albeit trembling the entire time.    

BB & B: I love fantasy and magic in my books and you definitely capture these elements so beautifully in your stories.  What inspires you when in the creation of your characters and the world they live in?

Richelle: I’m a daydreamer to the very core.  There are a thousand stories swirling in my head constantly, sort of like an inner library where I slip a book off the shelf almost daily for the purpose of entertaining an untiring brain.

If only I could write—had the time to write—all the adventures and fantasies that play on my mental view screen.  I have my favorites memorized, and I tweak their stories often, hoping someday to jot them down on paper.  I’ve always been this way, passing the time in another world, pretending to be some extraordinary character.  I have to laugh because I actually wrote a quote inspired by this truth:

 “I live in two unique worlds, traveling between both with just the opening or closing of my eyes.”

~Richelle E. Goodrich 

 That’s me.  What inspires these stories—the characters and the worlds they come from?  Well….what doesn’t inspire them?  In other words, just about anything can act as inspiration for me, depending upon what I’m thinking about at the moment.  A mangled tree once inspired an entire book, including the type of life that dominated a fantasy world.  A touching scene from a movie was what sparked the idea for my book, ‘Dandelions’. 

Art seems to be a strong stimulation when it comes to sparking stories in my imagination. I believe that’s because art is so highly interpretive, which means I must draw on my own creativity to evaluate it.  And once the creativity starts to flow, quite frankly there’s no stopping what develops from it.

BB & B: To what extent do your characters remind you of yourself or someone you know?

Richelle: I’m smiling at this question.  I am a firm believer that there is absolutely a portion of the personality of a writer in the main character(s) he/she creates.  My characters are not exactly as I am, but they most certainly do possess solid elements of ‘me-ness’ in them.  They must, because it’s me imagining how they would react and respond and reply to presented stimuli. And all I have to go on is what exists within my experience; experience that has made me, me.   

BB & B: If you had to pick just one story or one character of yours.  Which or who would it be and why?

Richelle: Hmmmm.  Pick one for what purpose?  Do you want the character that entertains me the most?  Or the one I most relate to?  Or the one that I enjoyed creating most?  Okay, let’s see…

The character that entertains me most is probably Kira the Mishmorat from my stories in the Harrowbethian Saga or ‘Eena’ books.  Kira’s personality is nervy, edgy, and spirited—traits I normally repress.  She speaks at will, behaves boldly, is a striking beauty and an alluring nymph.  I love how she is.

The character that I most relate to would be Annabelle Fancher in ‘Dandelions’.  Not because I have ever experienced the abusive life she unfortunately endures, but because she and I both are dreamers and avid people watchers.  Despite Annabelle’s youth, she makes very astute observations about her peers and many adults.

The character I most enjoyed creating would be Eena, hands down.  That’s because she is me.  I am her.  At least that’s the way I always imagined it when I use to daydream about Eena and her other-world adventures as a high school student bored to death in class.

BB & B: Here’s another quote from Smile Anyway, “A daily dose of daydreaming heals the heart, soothes the soul, and strengthens the imagination.” I just love your quotes.  They’re inspiring and full of wisdom.  I can see that you are about positivity and living up to your true calling and not giving up. 

Can you share with us your tips for staying positive and keeping on course?  I think this can be especially challenging for those of us in the creative field.

Richelle: There are three things that help fuel my drive to succeed.  The first is an easy and simple habit; I do at least one thing daily to get me nearer to my goal.  On a busy day, that might mean writing just one sentence in a developing manuscript.  On a lazy day I might read for research purposes or scribble out an entry on my author blog.  The point is that I not allow myself to become stagnant.  Doing nothing achieves nothing, therefore I take at least one step toward my goal every day, despite how tiny the step.

 Next, I’ve come to realize that where dreams are concerned I have only two choices—give up or keep going.  If I were to give up, that would translate into sheer failure, and I do NOT want to fail.  Therefore, I’ve no other choice but to keep going, to keep striving towards those dreams.

The last habit I rely upon most heavily.  I pray.  I explain to my Heavenly Father what I wish to achieve, and I ask Him for inspiration, guidance, and His hand in making it possible.  And I believe assuredly that He can and will help me.

BB & B: Do you have any works in progress?  What can fans expect from you in the near future?

Richelle: Yes, as a matter of fact; I’m excited about this one!  I’ve begun a new YA book staring a genius boy-gifted girl duo.  They’re coerced by an old Mayan priest into opposing phantom villains who must be stopped at all costs or else… (Wait a minute.  I probably shouldn’t give the entire story away.)  Anyhow, I hope to have this work completed by the end of the year. 

BB & B: Do you have any closing words you’d like to share?

Richelle: Sure, how about a quote to inspire?  This one is from my recently released book, ‘Smile Anyway’: 

 “Never give up. 
It’s like breathing—once you quit, your flame dies letting total darkness extinguish every last gasp of hope. You can’t do that. You must continue taking in even the shallowest of breaths, continue putting forth even the smallest of efforts to sustain your dreams. Don’t ever, ever, ever give up.” 
― Richelle E. Goodrich

Thank you Richelle for your time!  Beautiful words indeed!

To get to know more about Richelle and her great works, please visit the links below:

Richelle’s Websites:

• The Writing’s of Richelle E. Goodrich

• American Author & Novelist, Richelle E. Goodrich

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