I'm pleased to welcome Mari Suggs to the blog today.I found Mari through other writers on Twitter and Instagram, and I'm glad I did. She's positive and upbeat, just what I need to see.She recently started a YouTube channel and has some great videos for writers, so take a look.Her latest book, #Believe Dammit was released on Tuesday. I pre-ordered it and started reading it today. It's a bargain right now, so grab it here while you can:UK AMAZONUS AMAZONIf you want to get to know Mari more, keep reading. Question 5, is one of my favorite answers an author has given me so far.So let's jump into the questions:1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you became a writer.I’m a wife, mother of two and grandmother of two little boys, I can’t believe I just said that! Me, a grandma—but it’s Mimi to my two loves. I started writing in 2009 after I finished reading the Twilight series. I fell in love with this series, and my passion for writing was awakened. I had always thought about writing, but it wasn’t until then that I actually took action. 2. Where did the idea for #Believe Dammit come from?In 2012 my life was transformed when I read the book The Secret. I immediately wanted to share its message with the world to help others live the life of their dreams. I started blogging about the power of the mind and teaching my audience how to take action to reach their own goals. #Believe Dammit is a compilation of everything I’ve learned, which essentially focuses on the foundations needed to start transforming ones’ life. 3. Will you be traditionally published or self-published and why?I’m self-published. For this book, I didn’t seek traditional publishing. I knew that seeking that route would take time, which ultimately would delay the release of the book; I didn’t want to wait so I self-published. That’s not to say that I won’t be seeking traditional publishing with my fictions books. 4. What are some of the pros and cons of being an author?The pros of being an author is that I get to write and see my ideas come to life in book form. I get to share my stories with the world, and inspire others to the same. The cons of being an author is that we must learn to accept rejection.5. What's the best piece of advice you could give a writer who's doubting themselves?To focus on the now and release from the outcome. A lot of us focus on the publishing deal, the movie deal, the lucrative income that will eventually come when we reach J.K. Rowling status. But this stress often leads to comparison—enter self-doubt. But if you can disconnect from the outcome, and just enjoy the now and on the beauty of the talent you’ve been given, you leave little room for self-doubt. Write for the love of it, let go of everything else, including doubt.6. If you could only choose one of these things to do for the rest of your life would it be, reading or writing?Writing! Writing is therapeutic for me, and I could never just stop.7. What's your favourite social media platform and why?I like Instagram because I love to see beautiful images of people around the around the world, especially accounts that have to do with travel.8. Tea or coffee?Coffee! All the way! 9. What's your guilty pleasure?HGTV! International House Hunters, every night without fail. 10. Which writer inspires you the most?I absolutely love the writing style of Marissa Meyer, I devoured her series The Lunar Chronicles and her standalone novel Heartless. 11. What are you working on right now?I’m in the process of finishing up my next novel Between Us, but I’ve also begun writing a young adult fantasy novel, which I’m very excited about. Follow Mari and tell her I sent you!http://marisuggs.com/https://www.instagram.com/marisuggs/https://www.facebook.com/marisuggsfans/https://twitter.com/marisuggshttps://www.youtube.com/user/marisuggs