Liz Gauffreau

INTRODUCING

LIZ GAUFFREAU

Hi Liz!

Have 10 minutes?

Sure!

Excellent!

First question

Do you use your writing education in your

writing endeavors? Or have you learned more 

"in real life"?

It's hard to separate my writing education and my real life. 

They're pretty much one and the same.  I've internalized

the writing education; I use it every day in every part of

my life.

Elegantly stated :)

Thank you!

Next, I'm interested in hearing about the 

family trip you're basing your current WIP on.

Did the actual trip become dark?

or this written version?

The actual trip didn't become dark. The impetus for 

the story was remembering how upset I was 

that my grandmother's black maid couldn't eat with us.

As a five-year-old, I just didn't understand. I was 

surprised at how dark the story became, particularly

in the characters of the grandmother and her second husband. 

I didn't intend for it to be that dark!

Now I am so excited to read this!

Thanks! It's still in the "letting it rest" stage before

final edits.

I'll look forward to its release.

Finally,

I laughed out loud about the description

of your husband approaching your neighbor.

How did that go down?

All true!! He goes out to walk the dog, and if he sees

a neighbor, he's telling them about the book and giving

out my little novel promotion cards.

I think I adore your husband!

Are all your people that supportive?

Yes, they are. My mother is promoting it at her 

assisted living facility.

I'm so glad you've got such wonderful supporters!

So that's it! Short and sweet!

Fantastic! I'll look forward to getting the link and 

finding out about the other featured writers. Best

of everything of your innovative project!!

Thank you! Good night!

Good night!

STANDARD TWEEP TATTLER INTERVIEW

1) Where do you live?

I live in Nottingham, New Hampshire, a small town in the southeastern part of the state.

2) What is the first thing you remember writing?

The first thing I remember writing is an essay in ninth grade that got a rise out of my teacher. Darned if I can remember what it was about, though!

3) Why do you write?

I write because I am utterly miserable if I don’t.

4) Have you published any of your work?

Yes, I have. I’ve published short stories and poetry in literary magazines over the years (several now defunct, of course). I’ve also published short stories and a poem in three themed anthologies. My first novel, Telling Sonny, was published by Adelaide Books, New York in December 2018.

5) What are you currently writing?

I’m just finishing up a short story called “Going Down South,” based on a car trip my family took from Massachusetts to New Orleans in the early ‘sixties. The story took a very dark turn, darker than I expected when I started it.

6) Are you currently querying?

No, thank goodness!

7) Finish this sentence (three lines or less):

IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT… when Maria suddenly experienced a failure of imagination. The lights were out. There was nobody home.

8) Which activities do you like to participate in, in the Twitter writing community (VSS365, etc.)?

Twitter is new to me. I’m still getting the hang of it. I do like sharing poems, articles about writing, and calls for submission that I think others in the writing community might enjoy or find useful.

9) Do you have any formal training/education for writing?

Yes, I do. I have a BA in English with a concentration in creative writing and an MA in English/fiction writing.

10) Do the people in your life know that you write?

Yes, they do. My husband is the biggest promoter of my novel, including accosting our neighbors in the street to tell them about my novel and where they can buy it. (I’m not making this up!)

11) Tell me about the people in your life. Family? Pets?

I’ve been married to my high school sweetheart for thirty-two years. He’s retired Navy, so I was a Navy wife for twenty years. We have a daughter who just returned from her honeymoon. She and her husband live in San Diego. My husband and I have a white Siberian husky named Robert Johnson.

12) Where do you wish your writing to take you?

I just want to keep doing it! And of course I would like to have readers buy and enjoy my book. I do have two short story collections in mind that I would like to get published in the longer term.

13) What did you expect when you joined the Twitter writing community? Did it turn out as expected?

I had no expectations because Twitter had never made much sense to me. Once I discovered #writingcommunity, I’ve been very pleasantly surprised at the consistent community-building and support of other writers that’s happening.

14) Where do you write?

I write in my study at home.

15) How much time do you dedicate to writing, weekly?

I have a demanding day job, so I write all day on Sunday every week. This writing schedule has worked out very well for me.

16) Do you have other talents?

I’m good at expository writing and teaching the writing process. (A bit of a one-trick pony, me.)

17) CHOOSE ONE:

1. I do not mind when other writers ask for advice.
2. I’d rather keep to myself!

I have a B.A. in English/Writing from Old Dominion University and an M.A. in English/Fiction Writing from the University of New Hampshire. After a misbegotten stint teaching high school English and Latin in Shacklefords, Virginia, I have spent my career in non-traditional higher education. My fiction and poetry have been published in various literary magazines and themed anthologies. Telling Sonny, published by Adelaide Books, New York, is my first published book. I live in Nottingham, New Hampshire with my husband of thirty-two years and a very lazy Siberian husky.

Liz's website

http://lizgauffreau.com

Liz's novel Telling Sonny on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Telling-Sonny-novel-Elizabeth-Gauffreau/dp/1949180514. 

Amazon author's page: https://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Gauffreau/e/B07NTZFVSF/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1. 

Goodreads author's page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18740495.Elizabeth_Gauffreau.