Come meet the fabulous Christine Tyler!

Christine Tyler lives in the underwater realm of the Pacific Northwest. She is accompanied by her submarine Lieutenant husband and organically grown offspring. She enjoys geology, botany, romantic chemistry and yoga. And raptors. Very much raptors.


Awesome right? I got that from the about me page on her blog. In general, though, she says, "I'm either writing what I can imagine or imagining I can write. Either works."


They both work for me :)


So, Christine, how long have you been writing?


I made up stories before I could write. Once there were words and spellings and sentences to put them down, they started getting put down. It is evident, through my silly rhetoric and elementary scribblings, that I found myself clever from an early age.


What made you want to write?


My father's side of the family are all really big on stories. They memorize long ballads to recite at Christmastime, weave funny yarns from their lives, or write really really long "family newsletters." It's a genetic disorder. When I was a kid, I had a dream about a beautiful coastline, a castle, a wheat-field, and a forest. I've revisited that place so many times since then, it feels just as real as this world. I've imagined myself there every night since I was five. I can imagine different places, but it's like taking a vacation from my real imagination.


(Sounds beautiful! Everyone needs a place to retreat.)


Do you have any pet peeves while writing?


I choose not to let things bother me. Writers are going to have a heck of a time trying to be creative if they're distracted by common sounds, noises, lights, etc. Pet peeves are just that--pets. They're something you feed and nurture because you consider them special. Then they get bigger and poop all over your house. Train your pet peeve (which is really yourself), because you are the writer. You are the author. You are in charge.


If it demands my attention (crying child, request from husband etc), I usually try to address the issue according to importance and move on from there.


(Man, everything seems so simple and realistic when you put it that way. Sounds like you have great self control and don't let yourself get bothered by much. Which, basically makes me jealous. Shh, don't tell anyone!)


If you could sit down and reread any book, which would it be?


My most reread book is The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis. I learn a lot about myself every time. I'm a big fan of self-awareness in thought and personal accountability. Clive had that in spades.


(Another book I need to read. Man, I'm sad I joined the reading world so late in life. There's so much to catch up on!)


Quick, you only have enough time to visit a few writing blogs/websites, which ones will you go to? 


My typical run goes exactly as follows:
Twitter to see what's up, Jeigh Meredith my glorious critique partner, Rachel Bean to see her genius YA perspective, Roni Loren and Tawna Fenske for sass, Janet Reidfor shark bait, Kristin Nelson for biz updates, and then I float around new-friend blogs like Jess and Shelly. And then Matt Bird for an inferiority complex.


(Hello! Is everyone opening these in other tabs? You should! They are ALL awesome. Thank you Christine for providing so many great blogs/websites to check out.)


If you could meet any author, dead or alive, who would it be?


I would want to meet Michael Crichton alive, because then he would be alive. And he could make sure they don't bungle up Jurassic Park 4.


Do you prefer:


Hot dogs or hamburgers?
Hot dogs at the ballpark. Hamburgers at home--with buffalo meat. I don't eat fast food.


Vampires or Werewolves?
Werewolves, actually. I've always been very fond of werewolves. I'm 0% interested in vampires.


1st person POV or 3rd?
Whichever won't draw attention to itself while I'm reading. Announcing a switch in POV with a character's name for a chapter heading? I can barely stomach it. I think that's one of my biggest reading turnoffs. It feels so lazy.


Edward Cullen, Harry Potter or Peeta Mellark?
I've never read Twilight, and I'd be team Jacob if I did. All the way. The Hunger Games also doesn't appeal to me. Lord of the Flies used child/child violence to achieve social commentary. It appears to me that The Hunger Games uses child/child violence to be sensational and gripping.


Harry Potter? Perfection.
My teenage obsession with Harry knew no limits, not even social norms. I wrote fanfiction, bought every peice of crap Warner Brothers slapped the HP logo on, and dragged my then-boyfriend to every book event. When we finally broke up after two years, we were having our last duke-out on the phone--the big doozy. Everything we ever hated about each other spewed out in a lava-flow of secret irritations, peeves, and items of utmost loathing. It finished up something like this:


BF: and you're a nag and you're manipulative and you yelled at my mom that one time on the phone and she hates you, and you didn't like that Christmas present two years ago and you KNOW WHAT ELSE?!


ME: WHAT!


BF: I...never...liked...HARRY POTTER!!!


I haven't talked to him since.


(No. Way. He didn't say that! Talk about a hit...somewhere sensitive. Good thing you got rid of him!)


And last, but not least, do you prefer fruity candy or chocolate?


Hi-Chew and Bueno are my favorite candies in the world. Choosing between them would be like choosing between my Japanese and Mexican adoptive children.


(And now I have to look them up because I don't even know what they are.)


 

Oh, yummy! They both look good, although I'm leaning a little to the Hi-Chew...but I like fruity candy. I need to try both, though. Christine, where can I get these?


And hopefully that answer comes in the comments section :) Thanks so much, Christine, for letting me interview you on my blog today! It was fun learning more about you. 


Be sure to stop by Christine's blog, The Writer Coaster, for additional info and writing fun! 


Have a great weekend!