GUTGAA: Meet n Greet

Time to kick off the second year of The Write Routine, and I am going to do it in a BIG way!  I am participating in a challenge on Deana Barnhart's site.  Its called "Gearing Up to get an Agent" and will be running for 6 weeks.  This challenge gives participants the chance to polish their pitches and possibly be noticed by agents!  Count me in!

To begin, we have been asked to provide a Meet and Greet on our blogs.  So, today I bring you a little look into Marcie Colleen.  :)  Read and enjoy!  And head over to Deana's site if you want in on this fabulous opportunity!

Questions for the Meet and Greet

Bio  Marcie Colleen is an aspiring Picture Book writer.  In former chapters of her life she was a high school teacher, an actress, a director, a freelance teacher/director, went skydiving, worked for the legendary Tony Randall, partied with Paul McCartney and Bon Jovi, and worked on various Broadway and Off Broadway shows.  She loves documentary movies (geek!), baseball, cooking and coffee. She longs to dabble more in photography, play a little guitar/ukulele and write songs.   

This November Marcie will be running her first marathon, the ING NYC Marathon on November 4th.   She lives in Brooklyn, NYC with her boyfriend, Jonathan and her sock monkey, Bloois.

www.deanabarnhart.blogspot.com

Where do you write?  I wish I could say that I ALWAYS write in a cute little writer's nook in my house.  But the truth is that I need to write when I can and where I can.  Therefore, I own a little laptop that I carry with me to work and other places that inspiration might hit me.  Currently I am sitting in my local coffee shop so that I can utilize their free wi-fi and delicious Pumpkin Bread.

I often write at work.  I am a nanny so I have a built in "nap time" in my day which can sometimes last up to 3-4 hours.  Then I can be found either sitting legs-crossed on the couch writing or sitting at the dining toom table.

I also have a little desk area in my apartment, however, I do not use it as much for writing as I would like.  I often write during the weekdays...so my weekends are for time spent with friends and my boyfriend.

I also sometimes write at my boyfriend's art studio while he works.  That's always nice.  And of course, like any writer, I am constantly writing something in my head!

Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first thing you see?  Well, as I sit here in the coffee shop I see a man in plaid shorts and flip flops who is also working.  Its a busy Sunday here.  I love the energy of a bunch of others working in a laid-back neighborhood environment.

Favorite time to write?  Nap time, which is usually between 12-3pm Mondays through Fridays.  If I can accomplish a lot of writing during those hours I feel I can truly enjoy my time in the evenings doing something else.

Drink of choice while writing?  Sitting at this coffee shop I had to purchase something to wash down the Pumpkin Bread (did I mention it was delicious?).  I am, therefore, drinking a hot chamomile tea.  However, usually I stick to ice water.  I am currently training for the NYC Marathon this November, so constant hydration is key.

When writing , do you listen to music or do you need complete silence?  In normal circumstances I don't listen to music.  But some girls were at the table next to me talking about last night's drama and I needed to tune it out.  So I am listening to my iPod.  I have my friend Karen Ramos' album on..."Moonlight and Theremin".  She's amazing!  Check her out!  www.karenramosmusic.com 

However, when I start working creatively on some revisions of a manuscript in a bit I am going to have to turn Karen off and perhaps find somewhere quieter to write if these girls have more drama to hash out.

What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?  The latest manuscript, NIGHT OF THE LIVING ZOM-PEAS, that I wrote was inspired by my latest obsession with roasted brussels sprouts.  I was slicing them one night and realized that I could eat them all day long every day.  And then I got to thinking about how too much of a good thing can be bad.  So, in my story, Edgar loves vegetables and everyone around the world sends their unwanted veggies to him.  Suddenly he is drowning in the very thing he loves and something has to be done about it. 

What's your most valuable writing tip?  Share your writing.  Become part of a community.  Whether it is in a classroom setting, a critique group or an online community.  It is very important to share what you have written and learn to take criticism.  Even when it is scary...share.  What you learn will be invaluable.  If anything, it builds pride in yourself as a writer and helps you own that title.