Ask the Author: Nancy J. Parra
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Nancy J. Parra
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Nancy J. Parra
The white room was empty with only a keyhole to peer out. I leaned down and looked inside only to find someone looking back at me.
Nancy J. Parra
I would love to go to Hogwarts and study for a year. I bet their library is fantastic.
Nancy J. Parra
Hi Erin,
Thanks for the good question. I have Celiac and do my best to describe all I know about being GF.
That said, I have to keep the details as relevant to the story as I can.
Do you have Celiac? If so, you know that everyone can have a wide range of reactions from mild to severe. A friend I have can't walk down the flour isle at the grocery store. Others have trouble with gluten in things like makeup and soap. I am lucky in that my disease is not as severe.
Cheers and thanks for writing! Nancy
Thanks for the good question. I have Celiac and do my best to describe all I know about being GF.
That said, I have to keep the details as relevant to the story as I can.
Do you have Celiac? If so, you know that everyone can have a wide range of reactions from mild to severe. A friend I have can't walk down the flour isle at the grocery store. Others have trouble with gluten in things like makeup and soap. I am lucky in that my disease is not as severe.
Cheers and thanks for writing! Nancy
Erin
Wow! Thanks for the explanation, Nancy! I'm doubly thankful to not be quite so sensitive, then.
I don't think your editor changed the location of the Wow! Thanks for the explanation, Nancy! I'm doubly thankful to not be quite so sensitive, then.
I don't think your editor changed the location of the flour bombing--it happened outside the entrance. You do specifically mention how coated in flour some key characters are, though, and they are inside the bakery at that time. :}
But that leads to my next question: if Toni is so sensitive as to have to separate out all the dishes Mindy used, then why on earth did she eat the takeout French fries? That's just begging to get sick. :( I learned that one the hard way long ago. Or was that just a plot device to ensure Toni was home when the police showed up? She did admit that she knew better....
Thanks so much for satisfying my curiosity! I'm grateful to find main characters who are GF since so many people still don't understand what it's like to have to avoid gluten like the plague or live in fear of contamination. (I allow my daughter to eat foods with gluten sometimes, but then I can't touch her until she's been cleaned up. And it's easy for any of my extended family to accidentally stick a knife back in a jar and contaminate the contents so that I am afraid to eat things in my own kitchen after they've visited.)
I should check in to the test strips. That could really be useful. Thanks!
:)
Erin ...more
Oct 24, 2015 11:23AM · flag
I don't think your editor changed the location of the Wow! Thanks for the explanation, Nancy! I'm doubly thankful to not be quite so sensitive, then.
I don't think your editor changed the location of the flour bombing--it happened outside the entrance. You do specifically mention how coated in flour some key characters are, though, and they are inside the bakery at that time. :}
But that leads to my next question: if Toni is so sensitive as to have to separate out all the dishes Mindy used, then why on earth did she eat the takeout French fries? That's just begging to get sick. :( I learned that one the hard way long ago. Or was that just a plot device to ensure Toni was home when the police showed up? She did admit that she knew better....
Thanks so much for satisfying my curiosity! I'm grateful to find main characters who are GF since so many people still don't understand what it's like to have to avoid gluten like the plague or live in fear of contamination. (I allow my daughter to eat foods with gluten sometimes, but then I can't touch her until she's been cleaned up. And it's easy for any of my extended family to accidentally stick a knife back in a jar and contaminate the contents so that I am afraid to eat things in my own kitchen after they've visited.)
I should check in to the test strips. That could really be useful. Thanks!
:)
Erin ...more
Oct 24, 2015 11:23AM · flag
Nancy Parra
Hi Erin,
Boy do I understand about not touching family until they are cleaned up.
The scene where Toni eats french fries came from my life at that momen Hi Erin,
Boy do I understand about not touching family until they are cleaned up.
The scene where Toni eats french fries came from my life at that moment. lol. I had given into the smell of fries and thought I would eat them and worry about being sick later- then while I was home sick and shaking my head at myself I wrote the scene. It's so hard for me to be good all the time and yet I pay the price. So I thought I'd share that.
Boy do I understand what you go through. hugs and seriously thanks for the great conversation. Hopefully others will read this and not feel alone in their food allergy struggles. Cheers~ ...more
Oct 24, 2015 04:56PM · flag
Boy do I understand about not touching family until they are cleaned up.
The scene where Toni eats french fries came from my life at that momen Hi Erin,
Boy do I understand about not touching family until they are cleaned up.
The scene where Toni eats french fries came from my life at that moment. lol. I had given into the smell of fries and thought I would eat them and worry about being sick later- then while I was home sick and shaking my head at myself I wrote the scene. It's so hard for me to be good all the time and yet I pay the price. So I thought I'd share that.
Boy do I understand what you go through. hugs and seriously thanks for the great conversation. Hopefully others will read this and not feel alone in their food allergy struggles. Cheers~ ...more
Oct 24, 2015 04:56PM · flag
This question contains spoilers...
(view spoiler)[In your acknowledgements of Bodice of Evidence you say you enjoy working in conjunction with Julie Hyzy and bringing her plots to life. Is that why she is the copyright holder? (hide spoiler)]
Nancy J. Parra
Hi Elizabeth,
Yes. Julie Hyzy and I work together on this one series. She sends me a plot outline and I write the books.
Thanks for your question and thanks for reading!
Nancy
Yes. Julie Hyzy and I work together on this one series. She sends me a plot outline and I write the books.
Thanks for your question and thanks for reading!
Nancy
Nancy J. Parra
Hi,
The idea for my most recent book came from a Chicago Tribune article about a woman who was an event planner who helped men plan the perfect proposal for the woman they loved. The book took off from there and Pepper Pomeroy was born.
Cheers, Nancy
The idea for my most recent book came from a Chicago Tribune article about a woman who was an event planner who helped men plan the perfect proposal for the woman they loved. The book took off from there and Pepper Pomeroy was born.
Cheers, Nancy
Nancy J. Parra
I loved to read stories as a kid. I was so excited to open a book. I used to tell my sisters stories every night at bed time. I started my first book in 5th grade. I wrote notebooks full of short stories that didn't end. Then when I was 20, I took a creative writing class as an easy A. In that class were two nontraditional students. They stopped me in the hall and told me that I was going to be a writer. It surprised me because I hadn't really considered it before that moment. I was taking engineering classes. But their encouragement had me writing my first 500 page complete novel and I've never looked back.
Nancy J. Parra
I'm writing on the third book in the Perfect Proposal series and plotting the fourth book in the Baker's Treat series and crafting the opening for the fourth book in the Candy Coated series.
Then there's a couple of other projects I'm working on in my spare time. LOL.
There are never enough hours in the day.
Then there's a couple of other projects I'm working on in my spare time. LOL.
There are never enough hours in the day.
Nancy J. Parra
The best advice I can give is to write. Always write. Practice your craft everyday.
Do what you have to do to never lose your love of writing, otherwise it simply becomes work and loses it's joy for you and the reader.
Cheers, Nancy
Do what you have to do to never lose your love of writing, otherwise it simply becomes work and loses it's joy for you and the reader.
Cheers, Nancy
Nancy J. Parra
For me, the best thing about being a writer is telling a story. I love to create characters and watch them take over the story and spin a tale I could have never imagined on my own.
The next best thing is listening to readers tell me how they experienced the story. I am always surprised by what the reader brings to the story. It's a great conversation.
The next best thing is listening to readers tell me how they experienced the story. I am always surprised by what the reader brings to the story. It's a great conversation.
Nancy J. Parra
Hi-
That's a good question. Writer's block is scary. I deal with it simply. I sit down and write. I allow myself to write badly if it moves the story along. I know that I can edit it out later when I polish.
The best thing about stories is that they are fluid and can ebb and flow and change and still remain wonderful.
I hope that answered your question.
Cheers, Nancy
That's a good question. Writer's block is scary. I deal with it simply. I sit down and write. I allow myself to write badly if it moves the story along. I know that I can edit it out later when I polish.
The best thing about stories is that they are fluid and can ebb and flow and change and still remain wonderful.
I hope that answered your question.
Cheers, Nancy
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Oct 17, 2017 09:26PM · flag