Wendy Terrien
Author Interview - Wendy Terrien
Author I draw inspiration from: I can’t say there is any one author I draw inspiration from. One thing I do remind myself about authors I admire is the fact that they are “just people” too, like me. They’ve had successful careers without any secret formula, or magic powers, or a genie granting them three wishes (at least that we know of). They are people who work hard, they’ve improved on their craft, and they have successful careers.
Favorite place to read a book: Picking favorites is so hard for me. I’ll answer this by saying I love reading a book wherever I can feel cozy, undisturbed (ideally), and in close cuddle-proximity to my sweet pup, Shea.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with: There are many! Harry Potter or Hermione Granger would be great in that we wouldn’t be stuck very long, but I’d feel bad I didn’t get to spend more time with them. Bilbo Baggins would likely have many delightful stories to pass the time. And Aslan, well, he might be inclined to impart wisdom I need in that moment, before revealing how to open the elevator door, and that sounds wonderful to me.
Author Interview - Wendy Terrien
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author: This is such an interesting question. I’m not sure if there ever was a moment when I knew I wanted to become an author. As a kid, that idea seemed so far away from my own reality. And if anything, I heard more discouragement about being an author (“you can’t make a living as an author”) than encouragement. Instead, I had a moment of “OMG I’m an author” when my first book, The Rampart Guards,” received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews. When I saw that star, I felt like I’d been glitter-bombed with validation fairy dust and was floating above the floor. I remember thinking, “Wow, I guess I really did write a kick-ass story.” Even thinking back on it now, I feel the giddiness of that moment.
Author Interview - Wendy Terrien
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook: All of the above! Audiobooks are my go-to in the car these days. If I hit a traffic jam, my response is now, “Oh good, more time with the audiobook.” :)
Paperback or ebook is pretty evenly split, and it’s always ebooks when I travel. I love that I can take a ton of books with me without the lugging of paper versions.
And hardbacks are for all the books I treasure and want to own forever, which is a limited amount. Most books I pass along into the world for others to enjoy as opposed to keeping them on my bookshelf unlikely to be read again (I don’t often reread books—there are too many I want to read a first time). But for those books I LOVE, I then buy again in hardback versions.
The last book I read: The Burning Wire by Jeffery Deaver
Author Interview - Wendy Terrien
Pen & paper or computer: Yes to all! Most of the time it’s computer, but when I need to brainstorm, or if I need to work through a situation in my mind, I start writing in my notebook and ideas fly. It’s a different energy altogether. But I value both tools.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with: Jo March from Little Women.
Author Interview - Wendy Terrien
If I wasn’t an author, I’d be a: Well, there was a time when I thought I’d be a veterinarian since I love animals. But what I don’t love is math, and “they” want you to take a lot of math classes to become a veterinarian. I’m still not sure why there was so much math since no animal I’ve ever known has expected me to do math for them, but yeah. :) Instead, I chose the marketing and communications path so I could be creative and write, albeit in a different way than writing novels.
Favorite decade in fashion history: Having rocked quite a few of the hot 80s looks back in the day (asymmetrical hair, with a perm anyone?), I have to give this shout out to the 80s. And say I’m thankful they were only one decade. Fun to look back on, but I’m not keen on repeating that fashion era anytime soon.
Place I’d most like to travel: I LOVE Kauai, so it’s always wonderful to go there. But as for places I haven’t yet visited, Africa is definitely high on my list, as is Australia and New Zealand, and the Galapagos Islands. And Italy. And Greece. And I should probably stop typing because I could go on and on.
My signature drink: I can’t really say I have a signature drink. You’ll always find me drinking water, sparkling or otherwise, which maybe makes me boringly health-oriented. And I do enjoy wine, or beer, or a fun cocktail on occasion. But there isn’t a, "Hey, that drink is totally Wendy because she loves those” drink in my life. Maybe I need to change that. Now you’ve really triggered a brainstorm in me.
Favorite artist: Have I mentioned I can’t pick favorites? I’ve been a longtime fan of Da Vinci, and Monet, and Degas. And many more. I took an art history class in college that wowed me. What I thought was a class to fulfill an elective became a class I couldn’t get enough of, it was so fantastic. Because art is fantastic.
Number one on my bucket list: The trip to Africa mentioned above. I want to explore as much as I can, and see the animals, and visit with the people that live there.
Any Social Media accounts you’d like me to link to/tag
https://www.instagram.com/wendyterrien/
https://twitter.com/wendyterrien
https://www.facebook.com/wendyterrien
Author Interview - Wendy Terrien
