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Thursday, October 11, 2012

Someday Stars: Meet Linda Jackson (+ Giveaway!)


What's your name, and where are you from?
As you’ve probably guessed by now, my name is Linda Jackson, and I’m from the teeny tiny town of Rosedale, Mississippi, population 1,852 (including cats and dogs). I now live in the northern part of Mississippi just outside of Memphis, Tennessee. My husband and I have also lived in Alabama, Kansas, and Missouri.

How long have you been writing?
I wrote my first manuscript 18 years ago. And, no, I didn’t start writing when I was a kid. J

What genre(s) do you write?
I’ve been told that I have a pretty good middle-grade voice. So I’ll go with that. I’m also published in Chicken Soup for the Soul. So I guess I write inspirational non-fiction, too.

What's your current WIP? Can you tell us about it?
I currently have two manuscripts waiting to be read by a few agents, so I’m not actively working on anything new right now. I have a couple of stories brewing in my head, but I don’t know enough about the characters/plot/setting to tell much about them yet. J

What's your current day job? How does it help or hinder your writing?
My current day job, hmm… cook, dishwasher, laundress, taxi driver, butler, housekeeper, CFO, CEO, accountant, secretary, you name it—I do it.

Frankly, none of these hinder my writing. My writing is hindered when I don’t make it a priority. I could choose to write all day if I wanted to, but I don’t. I write in small chunks of time while living the life around me.

Who is your favorite author?
I don’t have a favorite author. I just love a good story that pulls me into the lives of the characters and holds me there until the end. I don’t care who wrote it. J

Favorite book?
Same as above. I just love a good story with characters I can care about.

What other hobbies or activities do you do outside of writing?
Do talking to my kids and joking around with them count? I don’t have actual hobbies. But I do love books and computers. And I like being around people, laughing, and having a good time.

What is something unique about yourself?
Absolutely nothing. Seriously, I don’t have any quirk that I’m sure someone else doesn’t have too. …like I thought it was interesting that I can’t wear a watch, because the electricity in my body kills the battery. Well, I found out other people have that problem too. So, no, not unique. Another weird thing about me is I have to have all my clocks, including the one in the car and on my cell phone, set a few minutes ahead of the actual time. (The clock in the car is ten minutes fast.) I’ve been this way since I was a kid. But, I know other people who have this fast forward obsession too. So, again, not unique—just different.

Hmm, I wonder whether my obsession with being one step ahead of time has anything to do with my “killing the time” on those watches. J

Do you have a blog, Twitter, and/or Web site we can link to?

Thanks for the interview, Charlie! You’re a gem. J

Giveaway

As an extra treat, Linda is giving away a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul to a random commenter! Please leave your email address in your comment so I can contact you if you're the lucky winner. :)




34 comments:

  1. Thanks for inviting me over today, Charlie. :)

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  2. Even though other people may have it I think it's interesting you can't wear a watch. I've never heard of it before.

    I love how you said the only way life hinders your writing is if you let it. It's good to be reminded we are in control and we don't have to let life push us around.

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  3. You're in Chicken Soup for the Soul? Very impressive!

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  4. Loved learning more about you, Linda. I can't wear a watch simply because it bugs me. :-)

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    1. Thanks, Barbara. I WISH I could wear a watch. I get tired of checking my phone for the time. :)

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  5. There is uniqueness to everyone whether you recognize it or not. I loved your interview.

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  6. It's nice to be introduced to another fellow writer here. :) I enjoyed learning a bit about you, Linda, and will pop over to your blog to find out more about you and your writing.

    Thanks for another interesting interview, Charlie. No need to enter me for the draw as I've read that particular CSFTS edition.

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    1. Thanks, Carol. It's also nice to meet a fellow Chicken Soup reader. :)

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  7. Hey, I have those jobs, too! ;-p

    I kill batteries, too. Do you also wipe out light bulbs and other electrical appliances/machines? I consider it my Super Villain power. Luckily, my hubby is a electrical/technical guru/super hero, so he helps to negate some of my effects.

    You know what someone recommended that I have yet to try? Apparently, Swatch watches are still being made, and there are still ones with rubber/plastic backing. Without metal as a conductor, I wonder if it would mitigate some of the issues?? I'm so used to not wearing watches by now that I'm not sure I'll try it, but I am curious.

    Shannon at The Warrior Muse

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    1. Cool, Shannon. A fellow time killer! I don't wipe out light bulbs, but I do send off powerful electrical shocks in my local grocery store. Not sure why... :)

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  8. Great interview! It's nice to learn more about Linda. :)

    Happy weekend!

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    1. Thanks, Karen. Happy weekend to you too! :)

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  9. I LOVE this line from the interview: "I write in small chunks of time while living the life around me." Because it's exactly the way I write/live too. :)

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    1. Thanks, Elana. I hope the method pays off for me like it has for you. :)

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  10. Thanks for the interview, Linda and Charlie!

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  11. Watches stop on me, too! And they also stopped on my grandfather. I met an old silver miner a few years ago who told me they stopped on him. He said he bet I could witch for water. I totally believed the whole water witching thing was a crock.

    He went to a tree and used his pocket knife to cut off a branch, which he stripped of all the leaves and twigs. What he handed me was a dowsing rod. He showed me how to hold it and told me to walk around the yard.

    The stick bobbled around in my hands at a couple of places.

    Then he had my husband do it. Nothing. And his son. Nothin. Then he did it. The stick bobbled with him, too. Then he told me we had walked over his water and sewer pipes. And that was where the sticks bobbled for him and me.

    So give water witching a try. You, too, may be a water witch!

    And get a lot of mileage out of the story like I do :)

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    1. Ha! I will certainly try it! Thanks, Carol. :)

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  12. I tend to write in small chunks through out the day/night too. But I really liked this "My writing is hindered when I don’t make it a priority." ---> I need to hear this more often.

    Great interview and have a wonderful weekend Linda and Charlie!

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    1. Thanks, Elise. We moms do what we have to do. :)

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  13. Linda, I came over today, but my brain went on leave. It's good to know a bit more about you.

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    1. LOL. My brain does that too sometimes. :)

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  14. Hey, Charie, forgot to say hello in my first comment.

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  15. Great interview. I'm from Canada, so not sure I qualify here. But great giveaway too.

    andrewsjill3@gmail.com

    Jill

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    1. Thanks, Jill. Yes, you qualify. :)

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  16. Hi Charlie, it's nice to meet you. Great interview with Linda.

    Linda, I love what you said about your writing only being hindered when you don't make it a priority. I may have to print that and display it. :-)

    dlzecher@gmail.com

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  17. Very interesting, Linda. I'm sure there's a story in the whole time obsession thing (LOL!) Congrats on being published in Chicken Soup. I love inspirational stories. Here's my email: ladygwen@centurylink.net

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    1. Thanks, Gwen. My next mc might just have an obsession with time. :)

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  18. Nice interview! I enjoyed learning a little more about Linda, and this blog is a new find for me. Linda, I also set my watch five minutes fast. Dunno why, it doesn't make me speed up or anything.

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  19. I love Linda! She's easily one of my favorite bloggers! Great interview :)

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