The Interview Meme

Up and coming novelist, and overall cool cat, Kelly Parra, has tagged me for a meme called "The Blogger's Interview." I haven't been tagged for a while, so I'm actually kind of excited! My task is to answer the following questions:

1. When did you first start blogging and why?

I started The Clarity of Night on August 18, 2005, so I'm coming up on my one year anniversary.

I suppose I did it out of desperation. Novel writing is a dangerous business. Mistakes aren't cheap. Let's face it, we only have so many years to live, and each less-than-successful attempt is one less novel we can write later. I had been banging around on my own for a few years, and I started to feel trapped. I wasn't sure I was on the right track. I wasn't sure I was writing the right way. I wanted to explore more things than one storyline revision after revision. This blog started as a wide-open creative outlet for me to pour all of my far-flung interests into. Since each post didn't take too much effort, I could do anything, take chances, and most importantly, get feedback. I soon discovered how much I could learn simply by watching how people reacted.

2. What don't you talk about?

I'm not into internet controversy. I find online arguments emotionally draining. Y'all know I'm a lawyer, so I come here for harmony and creativity, not more conflict and fighting. I deal with enough of that at work.

3. Are you and your blogging persona the same person?

Yes. What probably doesn't come through is I like to joke around, think on my feet, and have philosophical conversations. I have a dark, dry sense of humor. Also, in whatever group I'm in, I usually become the resident confidant/psychologist. And if you won't tell me, I can usually find a way to coax it out of you.

4. How do you use blogging to build friendships?

I've always felt a bit out of step with most people around me. By creating a little reflection of my perceptions here and opening it to the world, I've been able to meet like-minded people. I'd have to say this ability to break down distance and isolation is one of the greatest gifts of the internet.

5. How would you describe your writing style?

My writing style has been changing and sharpening. I feel I write much closer to the action than I did before. I've also learned to better see beyond the rules and the grammar to build a direct link between the words on a page and an experience in the brain. My greatest goal is to have a reader to feel the wind and see the colors. My characters tend to be introspective and have a touch of hopeful sadness, if that makes any sense.


Thanks for the challenge, Kelly! If you'd like to give this meme a go, drop a note in the comments and we will all be sure to stop over.