Author Interview - Eve Gaal
I am happy to have Author Eve Gaal as my guest this week on Author Interviews.
Eve started her writing career at an early age. By the time she was twelve, she was sending some of her writing to publishers
Thank you, Eve, for sharing about your writing and some of your personal life with us.
About Writing/Books/Being an Author
1. Do you remember the first book you read that had an impact on you - in what way and what was the name of that book?
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson. I still have it here in my office. With adorable illustrations and simple language, it spells out what every creative person wants to know: how to make our dreams come true! 2. When did you first realize you wanted to write?
I was around seven years old. I wrote a few handwritten books and dabbled in childlike poetry.
3. Who is/are your favourite author(s)?
There are too many to count. If I want romance, I will turn to Nicolas Sparks. If I want to laugh, I turn to Carl Hiaasen. If I want the classics, I’ll grab Dumas. If I want to read on an airplane, I’ll buy another Danielle Steele in the duty-free shop. If I want adventure, I’ll chose a new Indie writer and hope they can take me on an unexpected journey—I’m thinking of Arch Font, Suzanne Saunders, Norma Beishir, Mari Collier and Barbara Roman for example.
Last month, I came across Garth Stein and The Art of Racing in the Rain and I’m sorry, but that book is great! I’m happy to hear it will soon be a movie. Sheesh, Emily Bronte, Willa Cather, Edith Wharton, Paul Coelho, E. B. White, Yann Martel, Hans Christian Andersen. Oh, my goodness, I could go on and on. I love reading!
4. What is your favourite thing about writing? What is your least favourite thing about writing?
I like coming up with the idea. The execution of the idea is the hard part.
5. Where do your ideas come from?
They are toppling out of somewhere mysterious as soon as my head lands on the pillow! 6. I’ve often found that creative people have more than one talent, what is yours? Some people like the way I sing. My husband enjoys my cooking and baking. I also like to crochet, but that involves patience rather than talent. LOL 7. If you could jump inside a book for one day (as an observer) what book would it be? I’d jump into Gone with the Wind and try to communicate with Scarlett! 8. When you create characters, are they completely made up or do they resemble or remind you of people you know? I have two books about a lady called Penny who is a conglomeration of graphic artists I’ve known in my life. I have another book about a girl called Christina and I have to admit it’s a bit autobiographical, but it’s a faith-based fantasy. That book is called, The Fifth Commandment. 9. Have you ever created a character “out of thin air” only to run into someone in real life that reminds you of that character either in personality or their features? Yes. I know someone who is an artist and I met her recently. Every time I see her, I think of Penny. I asked her to be my front cover model but our publisher didn’t see her as a perfect fit, which was okay, because the picture on my cover is beautiful too.
10. How do you come up with titles for your books? They come to me in a flash. I wouldn’t dare change them.
11. What are you working on now and can you tell us about it? Right now, I’m editing The Happy War. It’s a romance between two people who want to bring peace to the world. Though they have good intentions, they are using immoral and unethical means to try and obtain the results. 12. Have you won any awards for your writing/books and if so what? I haven’t entered any contests for my novels but one of my poems placed third in an anthology once.
Little More Personal 13. What is one thing you haven’t done but would like to do? Enter one of those contests and win an award? 14. Can you tell us about an embarrassing/funny moment? It was a dark and stormy morning and I had to go to a meeting at least an hour from my house, which meant I had to wake up extra early. I wore a nice suit, panty hose and though I can’t remember, probably a scarf. Anyway, when I sat down in the meeting, I noticed that I had on a blue leather pump and a brown leather pump. Needless to say, my feet were tucked under the chair the entire time.
15. Have you ever experienced something weird you could not explain? Story of my life—yes--many things—but all good things. 16. Are you superstitious? Do you have any rituals for good luck? Black cats freak me out. A friend and I were talking in the car outside my home when a black cat crossed in front of us. She said she wasn’t superstitious. An hour later her husband was admitted to the hospital for a heart attack. He’s fine now, but that cat is guilty!! 17. What is the strangest thing you have ever eaten? A client once made me eat an escargot. I didn’t die. 18. Do you have a favourite vacation spot? Where? Not really, because home has the best bed, the best food, the cleanest pool and the cutest little dogs. 19. Can you tell us about one of your favourite childhood memories? At age 15, I was selected as the lead in a school musical. Considering I was shy up to that point, it still is surprising and memorable. 20. What makes you happy? Reading and walking my dogs. 21. If you aren’t writing (or doing anything associated with writing), what are you doing? Crocheting hats for chemo patients, walking my chihuahuas, cooking, cleaning, baking or swimming. I guess I’m also doing marketing for my books and our upcoming play. 22. Have you ever met anyone famous – who? I met Robert Mitchum at a chili cookoff. I also met Peter Falk and Zsa Zsa Gabor at book signings.
Eve's Links