Interview with the Author: Stevie Turner

On this next installment of Interview with the Author, I’d like to introduce you to Stevie Turner, another one of the amazing bloggers on the #OpenBook blogging I do most Mondays.  I had the opportunity to read one of her books a few months ago, and greatly enjoyed her story of family.  She’s real and honest and unafraid to tackle hard topics.

Look at those awesome shelves of books!  I’ve read The Daughter-in-law Syndrome, which I found a delight to read.  I love the topic of relationships because people are complicated.  I think that’s why we stereotype each other.  It’s much easier to place people in boxes than take the time to get to know them.  Books like Stevie’s dive deep into relationships, and give you a chance to get to know the characters exactly how they are.  There’s a lot of honesty, but there’s also humor and introspection.

Now that you’ve had a chance to see her books and add them to your Goodreads, it’s time to dive in with Stevie!

1.  Introduce yourself.

Hi everyone. I’m Stevie Turner, reader, reviewer, rocker, blogger, and author of contemporary women’s fiction, dark humour and suspense. 

2.  If your Wi-Fi’s name was a reflection of you, what would it be?

Most people remember me by my maniacally curly hair, and so ‘Curly’ would be a fitting description I think.

3.  What personality trait has got you into the most trouble?

My ability to mimic.  Oh dear…

4.  Who is important to you?

As with anyone, my immediate family comes first.  That’s my husband, sons, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren. Followed next by friends.

5.  Where do you call home?

My heart remains in London, the place of my birth and where I grew up.  However, home for the last 28 years has been the East of England, namely Suffolk – the Land of Skies.

6.  What books have you written?

Quite a few – 18 in fact, which can all be seen on my Amazon author page.  Some have won Indie awards:

https://www.amazon.com/Stevie-Turner/e/B00AV7YOTU/ 

7.  If you are having a rotten day, what do you do to conquer that?

Walk as far and as fast as I can.  I feel much better when I eventually get home!

8.  Your life is made into a musical.  What is the title of at least one of the songs?

The title track would be called  – ‘Almost but not Quite’.

9.  What are your sleeping habits?

Early to bed and early to rise, that’s me.  Up and about usually by 6am, and in bed by 10 – 10.30pm.  It suits me, and in this way I see most of the morning instead of wasting it lying in bed and being non-productive!

10.  What would you name your boat?

I’ve no intention of ever owning a boat.  Me and small boats do not go very well together (says she recalling the ride of death in Georgetown).  All that bobbing up and down…ugh.  

11.  What’s your biggest kitchen disaster?

I only do the least amount of cooking I can get away with, so don’t usually have cooking disasters.  However, having had an OCD mother obsessed with tidiness and neatness, consequently my kitchen cupboards are exactly the opposite.  Whenever my husband opens one of them, then something falls out.  Mum babysat once and when I came home, she had opened one of my cupboards and strangely enough my 2 year old son had been covered head to toe with cornflour.  She never let me forget it!

12.  What are your favourite clothes to wear?

Jeggings (which are a combination of jeans and leggings) and long tops.  Nothing revealing, just comfortable, functional everyday clothes to keep me warm and covered up.

13.  If someone asked to be your apprentice and learn all that you know, what would they end up learning?

How to spot shyster small publishers.  How to save your money instead of wasting it on money-grabbing and bogus author ‘services’.  How to buy your own ISBN and publish your book yourself using a print-on-demand service and use the same ISBN on various book-buying websites to increase the ranking of that book.  How never to put all your books in one purchasing basket.

14.  What is one of your pet peeves?

How so many author ‘services’ have sprung up in the past few years, which are just there to drain money from the unsuspecting Indie author.  This reminds me of the Klondike miners in the 1800s who were faced with the same thing; money-grabbing people offering ‘helpful’ services to aid the miners in finding their pot of gold.

15. Would you rather re-live the same day for 365 days, or lose a year of your life?

I’d rather re-live the same day, because as a former cancer victim and somebody who is now 61, I’ve learned that life is very short.  I wouldn’t want to make it any shorter than it already is.

16.  You are transported to one of your favourite books. Where are you?

I’m with Lady Marian Maudsley, swinging in a hammock on a hot summer day and being read to, in L.P Hartley’s ‘The Go-Between’.  

17.  What’s one thing you absolutely adore in life?

It would have to be my little 3 year old grandson.  I could eat him all up.  I’ve never known anybody get so excited to see me!

Thanks, Stevie, for the chance to get to know you better and get a look at your bookshelf!  Interested in learning more?  Check out her About Me page, her website, and her blog.

 

Live Bravely,
Love Strongly,
AEM