Ask the Author: Deborah Turner
Answered Questions (5)
Deborah Turner
I get to let out what's in my mind.
Deborah Turner
I'd go beyond Expectations and jump to the island of Conclusion. After returning from my great adventure beyond the Tollbooth (Norton Juster's Phantom Tollbooth), I'd sit on the porch with Janie Mae Crawford (Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes...) and Pheoby Watson. I'd sip any tea and nibble any cornbread they offered while sharing stories about our day.
Deborah Turner
Sometimes, I work out long and hard enough to sweat. It helps me gain the clarity needed to finish a passage. Meditation can motivate me when discouraged, so can a connection via social media. News stories—whether from traditional media—sometimes move me to convey what isn't shared. And, the reverent exhale audience members make when they hear my poems encourage me to no end. If I could answer this question with a song, I'd sing, "Joy and pain | sunshine and rain" (shout out to Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock)... These are among the things that inspire me to write.
Deborah Turner
Currently, I'm working on my first novel, "Harvesting Her Own Cranberries." I'm also writing a memoir based on my life in West Philadelphia. And, I'm creating more poems including a line of pandemic poetry--because it's too alliterative an opportunity to pass over.
Deborah Turner
I grew up playing and writing. It just made sense when sports showed up in my poetry. I learned teamwork, competitiveness, and discipline from so many ways of playing--basketball, softball, rowing, biking, even playing with words. I've drawn from these lessons to navigate triumphs and challenges alike. Poems included in "Sweating It Out" reflect that.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more