Ask the Author: Margaret Aranda
Answered Questions (8)
Margaret Aranda
Oh, great question - I'll have to say it's Scarlett & Rhett in Gone with the Wind! Sassy, sporty, dramatic, and ice cold. Together!
Margaret Aranda
Hi, that was an issue for Tate Publishing, who never really did a great job at marketing any of my books. They are now out of business and it's a shame that I am not the only affected author. While the future is uncertain, I am Editor-in-Chief at SaySaga Inspirational, at http://www.saysagainspirational.com.tr and yes, it is in Turkey ;). Great question and thank you for your concern. Smart man.
Margaret Aranda
Doing something that you love to do.
Margaret Aranda
I got the idea for my most recent book by reading about autrocities in Women's Health, mostly overseas but still affecting me because of the general 'bond' that all women have with one another. The book starts with Postpartum Depression, a little discussed topic, and progresses to mental health issues, and a whole Pandora's box of problems that are not adequately addressed for women. I single out morcellation during hysterectomy, the Essure(R) coils for contraception, and conclude that the Women's Liberation movement of the 60's exchanged one set of problems for another. All the while, women suffer and/or die, babies die, and the medical device companies make so much money that they are able to intimidate, diminish a career, and/or 'smash' any doctor who questions their authority. I got the idea from the women who are collateral damage, suffering day and night, with a significant loss of quality of life. Thanks. Now I know which book I'll write about next!
Margaret Aranda
I get inspired to write by setting up my 'writing space' just so. I take great care to make sure my posture is correct, my neck and arm are okay (I just had rotator cuff surgery ~ OUCH!), I have a drink for hydration, and it is quiet. Since I can't sleep at night anyway, I usually am sipping my coffee. I pull up a new document, look at a blank page, and write 'Table of Contents' on top. Then I write the entire Table of Contents before writing anything in the book. I ensure my PubMed site is up, and I begin by perusing the latest literature. That's when the inspiration hits me.
Margaret Aranda
My Work in Progress has recently been completed, and I am contemplating my next work. Since I am a Women's Advocate for Health & Wellness, I plan to write about such issues as female genital mutilation, cutting, child brides, children who murder their husbands, gang rapes, beheadings, and other autrocities affecting our girls. Where are the 200 girls? And the 300 more? How many will get raped and end up pregnant? The psychosocial results are so damaging; I want to know what is known about it now, so it can be documented as a baseline.
Margaret Aranda
Write and write and write. Write letters via snail mail. Close your eyes and add the ticking of the clock, the raging wind outside, and the neighbors arguing next door. If you are in college with writing assignments, do those first, and turn them in right away. Then ask, "What more can I do?" Be interested. Have fun writing. It is not a chore. It is an accomplishment. It is a reflection of who you are, like a photograph, and you can redo it from different angles, add peripheral highlights, and just have fun!
Margaret Aranda
I just do something completely different than writing, like spending time with my children, and wait for the next book to come to me. Every book comes to me. I don't force it out, ever. It comes as a stream on a riverbank, flowing downward over the rocks. I can see the main story, and also the waters off to the periphery (i.e., the 'side stories'). In my case, the words come faster than I can type, and my nails grow fast, so I have to get them cut once per week just so they're not in the way!
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