Faithful Follower Appreciation Day

Three cheers for Ms. Walker.
Hip, hip, hurrah!
Hip, hip, hurrah!
Hip, hip, hurrah!

The Management would like to thank Lori Walker, writer and blogista, for being a faithful follower since this blog's inception. We appreciate her continued support and comments.

What inspires you to write? 

It’s a compulsion, more often a neurotic need than something inspired; probably reads that way as well.J

You are wife, mother, teacher and writer. Is there anything you can’t do? 

I can’t knit, crochet or sing on key. Also, I can’t multitask. The hours I devote to teaching? Those can’t be interrupted. Same for the time I give my kids, husband and writing. I only write late at night or during the day when no one’s home; when a story is stuck in my head, I get horribly distracted. My kids or husband will ask me something three times, then finally say, “You’re writing in your head, right?” Yep. Sorry.

In third grade, I taped a note to my door that said, "Writer at Work: Do Not Disturb." Do you still use this sign? 

See answer two. I rarely need the sign. Also, in the spirit of the fictional Jo March, I prefer to don a writing cap, but mine looks like http://www.beardhead.com/spartancombo.html 

Lori Hard at Work

What are you working on now?

I’ve committed to writing a thousand words a day for two weeks. They are mostly clear-the-throat words, spittle and phlegm practice words. When that’s done, if I’ve got the courage, I’ll revise the opening of a YA novel OR start something else. 

As a parent, are there certain subjects or scenarios that are difficult to write? Are there types of books you’d like to see more of? 

No. There is nothing difficult for me to write about as a parent so far, thank God. There are things difficult for me to write about as a daughter, sister, friend, etc. Until recently, I’d written around a couple dark subjects for years, but am finally putting it out there (of course, I’ve only put it “out there” to my writing group, but it’s progress).

Part two of your question: What an amazing variety of books we have available to us! I can’t say, “More this” or “More that,” but I do have favorite authors. I always want to see what they’ll do next.

Santa Barbara, CA.

Is Santa Barbara a paradise for writers?

It’s paradise for everybody, right? To quote Jose Luis Borges, “I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library.” 

What’s your favorite The Pen And Ink Blog? (Hint: Something written by our Mexican-In-Residence)

All four P & I bloggers have penned memorable posts. Two favorites? Susan Berger’s clever writing advice given through the characters of Alice in Wonderland.

Lupe’s graph on time-management for writers:

Anything you’d like to plug, promote or promulgate?
Why, yes. Here’s a link to some thoughts on practice, persistence and the like: http://lhwalker.blogspot.com/2010/06/way-forward-is-practice.html 

Teaser: " . . . we writers are the most lily-livered of all craftsmen. We expect more, for the most peewee efforts, than any other people.” This is from Brenda Ueland’s book If You Want To Write. Go! Read my post! Read her book! Write!

Thank you for having me, Pen and Ink!
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For more of Lori Walker, read her blog L. H. Walker.

“Tales about mothering, teaching, writing and writers I love, mole hairs, slugs, and, occasionally, things of grace and beauty stumbled upon.”

Are you a faithful follower of The Pen And Ink Blog?
Do you wait with bated breath and whispering humbleness for our next post?
Yes?
No?
We are watching.

Edited by L. Fernandez and K. Kahrs