Someone who doesn't mind working to pay the bills and heard/saw a lot of characters in the many areas. Even when I was busy washing dishes or taking care of a patient, my mind was always working on a story.
Why was sitting yourself down to write a book more difficult than the above positions?
The other positions, I had to report to work at a certain time, certain place and there was an agenda each shift. When you write, you have to make yourself go to the computer, sit down, don't check your email, don't worry there is a pile of clothes that need to be washed, the cat is hungry, etc. There are so many distractions it's overwhelming at times. Plus, you have to fight your own editing or the want to edit as you go and that can slow you down to a snail's pace. Frustration easily finds its way into your brain.
When did the need to write first demand your attention? Was it from the creative gene passed down in your family?
Yes, I come from a LONG line of storytellers or BS artists, whatever term you want to use. My great-grandmother was one of the best ones. She kept us fascinated from word one and I couldn't tell you if all of it was true, but it didn't matter. She told the story so well, I loved just hearing her talk and miss it terribly.
I can remember writing in a journal from a very young age, probably eight or so, and still have many of my journals. I loved the process of constructing a story. In fact, when I was in the fourth grade, I wrote a screenplay about some people in a boat on Loch Ness and then the other side of the stage, there was the monster and I told it from both points of view.
What navigated you away from the ER and ICU toward earning a journalism degree?
I was living in Irving/Las Colinas, Texas, I was single and bored so I decided to return to school and finish up my pre-reqs for my Bachelor's of Nursing (I'd earned an LVN and an ASN). I walked by a billboard and there was a sign posted "Write for the school paper, get credit." I thought "I've written for years, that'll be an easy A" and I walked into the office and signed up. I brought in my first paper and my instructor, Kathleen Stockmeier, wrote all over it with red ink. My first instinct was to tell her how wrong she was, but she started going over my paper and telling me what I could do better and I liked it.
After that, I decided to change my focus to journalism. Around the same time, I met my future husband at work. A year later we were married and by that summer, we'd moved to St. Louis for his fellowship (Pediatric Cardiology). While we were there, I investigated returning to school for my journalism degree and went to Washington University. Diane Willis, the counselor, made the transition so easy and within three semesters, I'd earned my degree. I've loved the journey I've made with my writing. I'm happy to say, it's much improved since that first paper.
Who offered you the best instruction?
I've been blessed with so many great instructors. Kathleen Stockmeier at North Lake College, Irving, Texas; Ava Ehrlich, my intern and broadcast journalism professor; Del Schwinke-my advertising professor; Rupps Hudson-my political journalism professor and Michael McCambridge-my media and sports journalism professor. They all offered great insight into their fields as well as encouraging words and always had an open door for any questions I had.
Tell us about your protagonist in "Worth the Weight" and how the idea came to you years ago.
I was a freshman at University of Texas when I heard a couple of girls fighting in the dorms. One had lost about 70 pounds since starting school and the other hadn't. They fought because the slimmer one started going out and doing things the other one didn't want to do. The heavier one thought the slimmer one had become "Stuck up." I couldn't tell you who was right or wrong but the situation stuck with me for many years.
Then comes along the show "Extreme Makeover." I watched it just like millions of other people but started to wonder, what happens to these people when the cameras go home and the families are having to get used to this new person? What happens to the person? How do they adjust? Do they keep their friends? Do they go back to being the person they were before? How does their spouse/significant other/best friend(s) handle the changes?
Now I combined those events into Megan Sayla. She's a girl trying to make the change to "woman-ness" but also trying to be come the woman she's always wanted to be. With that, she decides to stop being the doormat everyone in her family and her best friend have treated her as. This causes problems and her support base shifts, forcing her to make difficult decisions she didn't anticipate.
How did Megan's journey empower her?
When I first wrote the book, I started it with Megan sort of deciding to change, but the process of watching her change took too long and she sounded whiney. I rewrote it with her already having made the decision to start her new life and had already pushed herself to plan these different projects. When you read the first few pages, you can already tell she's ready to move forward where before, she was still stagnant and hadn't overcome her fears of failure.
How did your creative journey empower you?
The first thing it did, it helped me realize I can finish a 100,000 word book and it be a good read (or at least my mom thinks it is). That's a huge accomplishment, especially when I was juggling a 2 year old and a newborn plus everything else that goes with daily life. My husband was a great help in that and kept saying "go write so you can finish it" even on days when he saw me dragging my feet, I'd go write.
Now, with the book coming out, I've started making more changes to my life: getting more organized, losing weight/inches, and starting more of a routine. This is incredibly empowering and a wonderful feeling.
What was the publishing process like for you? How long did it take for you to write the book? Who is publishing it? When will it be available? How can we purchase it?
The process has been quite simple, actually. I finished the book in June 2006, sent it out for consideration at the end of July/early August and had the offer from Triskelion the Tuesday after Labor Day. Now, it had taken me almost 2 years to write it but once it was done, things sped along nicely.
The book will be ready for ebook at the end of the month. You can go to www.triskelionpublishing.com and then authors, scan down to Patricia W. Fischer and see my bio page. I think they'll have a link to the book store, otherwise you can go into the book store and purchase it from there.
For the print version, my hope is it'll be out by the end of the year.
Who is lurking in that creative mind of yours having worked as a waitress, bartender, hostess, bank teller, hospital bill collector, dishwasher and nurse?
