Showcase: Hey Nobody's Perfect by Ann Herrick

Ann is the award-winning author of several books and short stories for kids and teens. Included in the awards her books have won are the ALA Recommended Book for Reluctant Readers, IRA/CBC Children’s Choice and EPIC Best YA Novel Finalist.

Ann grew up in Connecticut, where she graduated from The Morgan School and Quinnipiac University.  She now lives in Oregon with her husband, who was her high-school sweetheart.  Their wonderful daughter is grown, married and gainfully employed, and has given Ann her only grand-dog, Puff, a bloodhound-rottweiller-beagle mix and six grand-kitties.  While she misses the East Coast, especially houses built before 1900, she enjoys the green valleys, fresh air and low humidity in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.  Ann loves cats, walking, the Oregon Ducks and gardening in her back yard.  In addition to stories and books for children and young adults, Ann also writes copy for humorous and conventional greeting cards. She loves to hear from her readers and can be contacted through her web site:  http://annherrickauthor.com

Q&A

Q.  What inspires your writing?

A.  Anything and everything. I might overhear a bit of conversation, read something in the newspaper, have a memorable dream or see a face that looks interesting and start spinning a novel in my mind.

Q.  What is your favorite thing about being an author?

A.  The freedom to express my thoughts in my own words and turn them into a story that (I hope) entertains teaches and/or inspires readers. I also enjoy working for myself. J

Q.  What is the toughest part of being an author?

A.  Sometimes it's facing that blank computer screen on a day when the words don't flow and sometimes it's as simple as not having a co-worker to share a coffee break.

Q.  If you could not be author, what would you do/be?

A.  I'd want to do something creative, but I'd have to find a new talent! Maybe if I put my mind to it I could learn to draw and/or paint, but I don't hold out a lot of hope for that.

Q.  What would the story of your life be entitled?

A. Wow, I never thought about that. Hmm. Maybe something such as Memories Endure or Looking on the Bright Side.

Q.  What is your favorite book of all time?

A.  There are so many, but at the top of my list is Pride and Prejudice, not just because it is a wonderful book but because it is also the book I had to read in high school that made me realize I still could love reading. There were a few have-to-read books that almost knocked the joy of reading out of me.

Q.  Which character from ANY book are you most like?

A.  Yikes, that's a hard one. I'm not totally like her but I identify a lot with Jo in Little Women.

Q.  What character from all of your book are you most like?

A.  Probably combination of Sivia in Hey, Nobody's Perfect and Rebecca in The Perfect Guy.

Q.  What is your favorite season?

A.  When I was growing up, I'd say summer, hand's down. The weather, the swimming and NO SCHOOL (which meant I could read what I wanted to, no homework and lots of daydreaming). Now I love each season as it comes.

Q.  What inspired your book cover(s)?  Or what is your favorite book cover and why?

A.  Earlier book covers were completely up to the publisher. Of newer ones, I like The Farewell Season, How to Survive a Summer Romance (Or Two), Hey, Nobody's Perfect and Snowed In Together. Er, I guess that's almost all of them, lol.

Q.  Tell me something funny that happened while on a book tour or while promoting your book.

A.  Almost losing my voice on an all-day school visit didn't seem funny at the time, but it does now.

Q.  Are you working on something new?

A.  Yes, but it's just in the brewing stage.

Q.  Anything you want to say to followers of this blog or those that are just stopping by?

A.  I'd like to thank the followers for reading this post and for the fact that they read in general and love books. If any of them aspire to be writers, my advice is to read, read, read and be persistent in your writing and submitting your work.