It seems authors often get asked the same questions from one interview to the next. Not always, but a lot. It was time, I decided, for a new approach. So, this interview is designed to break out of the mold. On each of these questions, there is simply no right answer. Let’s see just how creative these creative minds are! It’s all in fun, of course. Today please welcome author, Sherrill Willis, to the chair under the glaring naked light bulb of inquisition.

1. There was a dobro player at the Marion Lake potluck supper and jam session about a week ago. What was the third song he played and how is that related to your fundamental concepts about shaving cream?
Oh that was the best night of dobro playing ever! He played “Stairway to Heaven” and it impressed upon me again the importance of having everything you need when traveling.

2. When you finished your latest book, put the very last finishing touches on it, what was my unemployed cousin, D.C., doing at that moment? Is there a rational explanation for his behavior? (His primary care physician was Dr. Seuss, if that helps.)
He was sorting his comb collection. He knew this interview was coming and wanted to make sure he looked good for it. I've never seen such interesting comb designs before - he even had one in there for Thing One and Thing Two. 

3. What is the real significance of the following phrase? A bass decoy is doubtful though handy. (be specific please)
Well, sure – it looks doubtful, all bass do, but that's just their nature. But undoubtedly handy in case of being chased by a grizzly bear, fools them every time.  

4. Do you deny that a can opener was used more than once? Expound on your answer.
No, I do not deny it. I mean, how else was I supposed to make all those keys for the prison cakes? It takes a lot of metal to perfect that skill…so I hear.

5. What really puts the "ape" in apricot? (Please don’t say courage, for we all know that’s a distortion of the facts.)
Humor, everyone knows that the apricot is one of the funniest of all fruits. Second only to cumquats, but you knew that already.

6. What’s the sixth sentence on page 40 of your novel, Ruby Lake? If it’s really short, please include the next sentence as well.
All of my sentences are short, do I look like Alexandre Dumas to you? Don’t answer that.

          Illana blew her cover by clapping and jumping off the table excitedly. “Woo hoo! That woman has no idea who she is messing with!”

Okay that was three, sue me.

7. There are 23 keys on my desk calculator and each one is rectangular. What is your position on this controversial statement?
It’s a conspiracy I tell you! Perpetrated by left-handers who are against squares or worse, circles, and it must be stopped! I mean really, it’s the lefties’ biggest joke on the rest of us, making us overuse our pinkies.  

8. There are vicious rumors constantly circulating about people nobody knows. Have you managed yet to trace any of these reports back to their source? What action will you take?
Yes, and I’m very glad you brought this up. I’ve written several hundred strongly worded letters to the Powers That Be about this, and I keep receiving letters back written in invisible ink. Frustrating, very, very frustrating. I see no end to this in sight.

9. You are running late for an important meeting or appointment. When you reach your vehicle, you discover a pelican inside, pretending to drive. How do you handle the situation? And what was so important about your meeting?
Ah HA! See? Yet another good reason to have that bass decoy, which I threw out of the car (I have a box of them in the backseat) and then the pelican went waddling after it. The meeting was dreadfully important, I was meeting with a scientist who had a formula to reveal the contents of my invisible ink letters. Alas, I was late and couldn’t find the scientist. He seems to have disappeared, I have no clue what happened to him.

10. A winged gargoyle swoops in your room as you are editing and begins to taunt you. How do you handle this rude interruption?
Well, that was tricky. I tried the bass decoys, and that didn’t work. So I had a staring contest, and failed at that. Finally I let him see a first draft of my third book and he laughed so hard at all the grammatical errors, he fell apart.

11. One of your characters refuses to follow your plot, says things you don’t want said, and behaves contrary to your plan. Will you tolerate this defiance? Who’s the boss here anyway?
Oh that’s a constant thing with Mel (Melanie, but no one calls her that – per Her Highness). She’s always throwing my plot to the four winds, and doing exactly as she pleases, all while snapping her gum. I find that more annoying than changing my plot to be honest. So yeah, she’s the boss (just in case she sees this).

12. You receive yet another call from JK Rowling today. What does she want? Why does she keep calling you?
Because she keeps bugging me about when I’m leaving her castle in Scotland – see, she let me borrow it to write because as everyone knows, when you set a novel in Wisconsin the best way to write it is in a Scottish castle. She seems to think a year is plenty of time to have been there, pfft I say – it took her far longer to write her third book…

12. Do you realize this question is numbered inaccurately? What do you make of that?
You’re left handed, aren’t you? 

12. Slick Shady joins your authors’ group, but he’s not a writer and has no desire to become one. What’s he doing there? I’ve heard Slick’s side of the story. This is a chance to tell yours and get the truth out there once and for all.
Because I’m the real Shady, the only Slick Shady and he is waiting for me to ask him to please stand up, please stand up.

 
          Sherrill Willis, author

Author Bio:

A short bio, oh no pressure…single mom of three wonderful kids (except when they aren’t – if you are a parent, you’ll totally get that) and I live in the wilds of northern Wisconsin. I’m currently at work on my third novel in the Ruby Lake series, and my readers are battering at the gates for me to get it done. Hence why I’m in a castle…okay not really. I’ve always loved writing; I find it to be a great medium to bring people from all walks of life together. We may be from completely different walks of life, but I try to write themes that are universal. I love people, they fascinate me. Getting to write about many (I have 40+ characters now, I’m no George R.R. Martin to be sure, but I’m gaining on him) different people allows me to challenge myself and hopefully reach more people. My latest novel, A Wedding in Ruby Lake, is my second novel and can be purchased here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008Y7MI0G



Sherrill's Amazon Author Page