Remember that hip pain I casually mentioned in my Letters to my Body post a few days ago? Well, it got so bad on Friday afternoon that it actually sent me to the hospital. Only because it was 5:00 and all the doctors at my OBGYN were gone for the weekend, but still. When I called the nurse about it and she said, “I think you should come on up to Labor and Delivery so we can check everything out,” I got a little freaked.
But, after about an hour of monitoring me, Baby Riley, and repeatedly checking to make sure I wasn’t going into early labor (cue another minor freak out) the prognosis was Sciatic Nerve Pain. I bet a lot of you are familiar with that, hmm? And the good news is that Baby Riley has changed positions, which means I’m no longer lying in the floor, bawling. And I can actually walk again. So, you know, Win.
We’ve also painted three rooms in our house this weekend (don’t worry, I wore a mask) and that’s all I’m going to say about that. Except I will add that I’m covered in yellow smudges and I’m not a huge fan of satin finish paint. And it took eight gallons when we thought it would take four. More on that later.
Let’s get to the fun stuff! Y’all asked such great questions, I can’t wait to answer them all. Here we go!
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Anna asks (out of the purest form of Christian love): Would you rather die by fire or drowning?
Okay, see, why can’t I just die in my sleep? I really don’t know. Which one is quicker? Honestly they are both terrifying prospects and I think I’d like to stop thinking about this now. Love you too, Anna.
Alexandra asks: What has been the hardest scene/character/whatever for you to write so far?
I have trouble writing believable villains. Whenever I have to make them do something truly horrible, I tend to chicken out to a certain degree and water the whole thing down – which doesn’t do anything for that character’s development. I also have a hard time writing annoying characters, because they drive me up the wall!
DL asks: When was the first time somebody made a fuss over something you wrote?
I wrote my first novel when I was about nine. I think it was like, twenty pages long, and it was all about a ferret. (I really wanted a ferret at the time. I have since come to my senses.) My parents were both very encouraging and told me how good of a writer I was.
…and, what’s the nastiest food you’ve ever eaten…on purpose!
Okay, see, I kind of avoid gross food. CALL ME CRAZY. But the grossest food to me was this homemade sundried tomato dish a friend of mine made once. Of course she had worked on it really hard, and she wasn’t a good enough friend for me to tell her that I would rather shave my head than eat tomatoes with nothing else to disguise their taste, so I forced them down and had to hide my gags behind my napkin. That’s a lame answer, I know, but it’s the best thing I’ve got!
Carol asks: What is the most difficult or awful thing you’ve ever asked someone else to do for you?
Well, I asked my husband to paint the house this weekend. ‘Nuff said. (He claims to still love me, by the way.)
…and, If you had but one wish, only one, and it could be anything (aside from more wishes), what would it be?
Um, to be PUBLISHED. Multiple times. And to make enough money at it that I could stay at home and write full time.
…and, who is your celebrity crush?
I can’t decide between John Krasinski and Gerard Butler and yes, I know how weird that is.
Kare asks: What is your fave cupcake?
Um… any cupcake? As long as it doesn’t have coconut on it, I’m game.
Jemi asks: Where do your ideas start: character, plot, emotion, setting…?
They typically start with a “What if” question. For example, my current WIP started with the question, “What if a plane got hijacked, but it was the crew that did it?” Then I go from there. So I guess plot!
…and, Star Trek or Star Wars?
Look, I’m nerdy, but there comes a point, ya know? JK 
Seriously though, I don’t care about either. I prefer Harry Potter. WHICH IS NOT NERDY AT ALL.
Ansley asks: If you could go anywhere in the world, regardless of cost, where would you go and why?
Do I have to pick one place? Because that is just mean. But I guess I would pick somewhere I’ve never been, so… Scotland, I think. Because it’s the only UK country I haven’t been to, and I like Outlander, and I like Scottish people and cold weather and hills. And castles. Not haggis, though. That’s right up there with homemade sundried tomatoes.
Medeia asks: What’s your favorite scent?
*WARNING: MARRIAGE CHEESE COMING UP*
The smell of my husband. Seriously. Even when he’s smelly. It’s just the most comforting scent in the world to me. Although I do make him shower after he works out before he gives me a big hug.
Penelope asks: What’s your favorite type of getaway with your hubby?
Rob and I like to take road trips. Last year, we drove from Birmingham to Chicago, which is about 10 hours. And even though we started to lose our minds somewhere in the cornfields of Indiana (sorry Indianers, but your state is brutal on road trippers!) we’ve seriously never had so much fun. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Maybe after giving birth, though.
And this year, we drove from Birmingham to Atlanta to Jacksonville, FL; then back to Atlanta, up to Cashiers, NC (mountain town) and back to Birmingham. We were exhausted, but it was AWESOME. It’s just cool to be in the car with your spouse that long, with no distractions (except, you know, the road). You get to talk about so much. It’s good marital therapy, which, let’s face it, everyone needs sometimes.
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Hooray! My experiment didn’t backfire! Thanks for submitting your questions – we’ll do this again sometime. Hopefully you know me a little better now, and based on some of your questions, I think I might know you a little better, too! Have a great Monday and come back soon!
