One of the RMFW Blog monthly features is the Spotlight Q and A where we ask a board member or volunteer to tell us a little bit about themselves and the tasks they perform in support of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. This month we welcome Tracy Brisendine as our featured board member.
A special note: Tracy is teaching the August free workshop in Denver called Homicide 101 (For Writers, Not Criminals). You can go to the event page for more information about the course content and Tracy’s bio.
1. Tell us what you do for RMFW and why you are involved.
I’m RMFW’s Publicity/Public Relations Chair. I organize RMFW’s public face via social media, member communication, and by publicizing our events. I started out volunteering by writing articles for the RMFW newsletter on the free programs. I took over the RMFW Twitter account last year and somehow ended up on the board. It’s possible I may have been coerced, but I won’t name names.
RMFW’s membership is growing and evolving, and I think it’s important our PR grows with us. If anyone has any ideas or comments on where RMFW can improve, or something you’d like to see more of, shoot me an email (publicity@rmfw.org). I’m always looking for new blood; I mean volunteers. So…if PR or publicity interests you, let me know. We’d love to have you on our team.
2. What is your current WIP or most recent publication, and where can we buy a book, if available?
I’m slugging through my third round of edits on my novel and in my copious amounts of free time I’m playing around with a novella. I love all things supernatural and paranormal, so vampires, shifters, witches, and the occasional alien almost always make an appearance in my stories.
My short story, Ghostly Attraction, will be published in RMFW’s Colfax Anthology, launching at Colorado Gold in September. Squee! I’m excited for everyone to meet Dina, my ghost-seeing prostitute.
3. We’ve all heard of bucket lists — you know, those life-wish lists of experiences, dreams or goals we want to accomplish– what’s one of yours?
I’ve tried and repeatedly failed to learn another language. I have three years of Spanish and various semesters of French, Latin, and Arabic—but nothing has stuck. Most days, even the English language is hard for me! Maybe someday I can pay an exorbitant fee and have Russian downloaded directly into my cerebral cortex. You never know. As a far-fetched dream, that tops my list, but a more realistic goal would be to learn to cook. Like really cook. I can rock mac-n-cheese and an occasional omelet, but I’d love to make delicious, healthy food and enjoy doing it. Humm…now that I’ve typed that I think that might fall in the implausible dream category too. Damn.
4. Most writers have an Achilles heel with their writing. Confess, what’s yours?
I have the attention span of a pygmy squirrel. I get super enthused about a project but almost immediately get distracted by life or other projects. Speaking of projects, I’ll be teaching the free program in August, Homicide 101: For Writers Not Criminals. If you fictionally address the evils that lurk in our world or if you just want to add some realism to your work, I hope you’ll come. Why you wouldn’t want to spend a Saturday afternoon learning about murder is beyond me.
And…I’ll get back on topic now. Making time to write daily is almost impossible for me. And if I pick up a book my writing will be on hold until I’ve finished it. I have zero will power when it comes to reading, and I can’t read and write at the same time.
5. What do you love most about the writing life?
For me, writing, like reading, has always been a form of escapism. The ability to venture into another world is a cheap mini-vacation. I’ll never get enough of it.
I also love all of the fabulous people I’ve met. Writers are some of the most interesting and fun folks to be hang out with. Other than the lack of money, sleep, and glamour, what’s not to love about the writing life?
6. Now that you have a little writing experience, what advice would you go back and give yourself as a beginning writer?
Don’t take criticism personally. It’s taken me years and years of getting pelted with critical reviews and not-so-nice comments to develop a thick skin, but it’s been worth it. You can learn something from every review and opinion, you just have to take a step back and listen without getting your panties in a twist.
7. What does your desk look like? What item must be on your desk? Do you have any personal, fun items you keep on it?
This is clean and organized, so imagine piles of notes everywhere, and a glass of water balanced precariously on the scanner next to a bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. As you can see, Boba Fett has a place of honor on my monitor. Sometimes a good disintegration is necessary now and again. The purple-sparkle lizard is my muse, and the signage in the background is for inspiration and motivation.
Since I also try to write during my lunch break at work, here is my other desk. This is the desk that gets way more use for un-fun and non-fictional things. I have to hold on to the good vibes at my day job, so I’m not choking out my creative flow. Hence, my work desk is way more glittery, colorful, and lovey-dovey.
8. What book are you currently reading (or what was the last one you read)?
When Hannah Bowman was here for the May Education Event she made me buy Red Rising. Made me. Like twisted my arm behind my back and threatened to feed me to the anacondas. Kidding, but I just finished it and really enjoyed it. I’ll definitely be reading the second book when it comes out next January. Within the last few weeks, I’ve also read Shield of Winter by Nalini Singh and Maze Runner. Sadly, between judging for Contest, book edits, and working on my various schemes the rest of my reading list is on the back burner until next month.
Thanks for having me on the blog!