Feature Friday--It's Eclectic!

Kirby: Today, I'm talking to (well, exchanging e-mails with) Kelly at Eclectically Vintage.  Kelly has a great style and she's also a great junk-finder, which is a trait I admire.

1. As a mother of twins, what was it like trying to take care of two babies at once?
          I didn't know any differently.  The fact that I had never changed a diaper before my girls
          were born really had me jumping right into the frying pan!  Oh, and I drank...a lot!

2.  Buttercup or citrine?
          I used to love holding buttercups under my chin when I was a kid--I always saw
          yellow hence my overwhelming urge to butter everything.

3.  How do you feel about Ball jars?  (This is not an inappropriate question, by the way.)
         I love the old blue jars with zinc lids and there's nothing I like more than inappropriate
         laughter so bring on the questions.

4.  Did you prefer The Backstreet Boys or N Sync?
         Ugh--the lesser of two evils would be N Sync--it spawned Justin Timberlake, after all.

5.  I understand that Jersey is an "interesting place."  Care to elaborate?
          I sense some sarcasm.  I can be at the beach, ski slopes, farmland, great shopping, and
          factory smog all in less than one hour.  What's not to love about a place where  you
          can buy a Bump-it on every street corner?

6.  Fast food or pizza?
          Pesto pizza on the grill is my latest obsession--with a large glass of wine of course.

7.  If you could take a vacation on an unlimited budget, where would you go?
          I'd hit every Four Seasons between here and Timbuktu.  There's nothing better than
          exploring an unknown place.

8.  Have you ever tried your hand at plumbing?
          No, but I've had a couple of cases of plumber's crack.

9.  If you could make a planter out of anything this summer, what would it be?
           I found a huge industrial-sized colander at the thrift shop and filled it with geraniums.

10.  Are there any bloggers that you follow (not in a stalker-ish way) whom you read without fail?
           I have a few restraining orders against me, so unfortunately I can't elaborate.

Kirby here:  Thanks again to Kelly for this interview.  Now, go check her out (not in a weird way) at Eclectically Vintage!!





This Friday, we're quirky!

Today, I'm welcoming Karen from Somewhat Quirky!  Her blog is fun to read and she has some GREAT decorating ideas, so when you're finished reading this, you should check it out!

1.  If you could redecorate one room in your house, what would it be?

Well, dream world would be finishing out our basement which would equate to laundry, exercise, work, and storage rooms.

2.  How do you feel about granite?

Granite is nice. For me I would prefer concrete, soapstone, wood, marble, quartz...wow I guess it's pretty far down on my list - this coming from a girl who has ugly laminate countertops!

3. You live in Michigan--do you change your décor when it gets cold and snowy?

Except for the mantle, my mess stays pretty much the same year round.

4. Would you rather spend your money on a great meal or cute shoes?

Well, if you asked me 20 years ago it would have been shoes. Now - definitely a great meal.

5. Chartreuse or Seafoam?

All greens have a place in my repertoire.

6.  We know that you exercise a bunch.  What workout do you find gets the best results?

 

The best workout is the one that you will do. Period. Personally, I do elyptical workouts and P90X2.

 

7. Do you collect anything?

Mostly things with a purpose, like suitcases and citrus juicers. I have quite a bit of architectural salvage. And junk. There is always junk.

8. How many houses have you redecorated?

At least 6 for myself and a few more for others. But my mind redecorates every room I visit.
9. If you could vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Italy. With Paris a close second. Places with wine.

10. Do you have any "go-to" bloggers that you read every day?

I'm a cluster reader so I read a couple or five days at a time.  Some of my favorites are Gwen Moss, Flower Patch Farmgirl, It All Started With Paint, K Appeal, Bliss Ranch, Dreaming In Color, Simply Vintageous, Silo Hill Farm, Miss Flibbertgibbet, Little Miss Maggie, What We Keep, Backyard Bungalow, and of course The Space Between.

Kirby Here:  Thanks so much to Karen for stopping by and answering my silly questions.  Next week I'll be featuring another great blogger!

Women Who Blog Welcomes a SUPERSTAR! (This is where I do my very best Mary Katherine Gallagher)

Welcome to Feature Friday on Women Who Blog!

If this is your first time here...thanks for stopping by and I hope that you'll visit again!

 



Kirby:  Okay, I probably send out a dozen or so e-mails a month, asking folks if they would like to participate in Women Who Blog.  There are friends who are unfailingly helpful and are willing to immediately reply in order to help me out (that's you, Hens!) and there are folks who have better things to do (understandably, as answering a bunch of silly questions from a middle-aged wanna-be is weird).   Of the dozen folks I e-mail, about half of them are real-life writers.  I don't expect any of these folks to actually help me out...it's more of a hit-or-miss with REAL authors, as they are busy 'really' writing.   After all, it is the way they make their living.

But mystery writers are another breed, apparently.
(For those readers who do not know I am writing an entire series of mysteries, now you do know.  For those of you who believe I will one day [a] finish these mysteries, and [b] have them published...God Bless You. You and my mom.  Keeping the faith is a good thing, although a tad foolhardy.)

Every mystery author I have contacted (like June's featured author, Margaret Maron) has been gracious and patient and willing to answer my silly questions.  Today's author has a big pile of pot roast on her plate, with cake waiting in the wings...yet she took a few minutes to answer my crazy questions.  THROUGH HER ASSISTANT'S ASSISTANT!  (I cannot imagine how ridiculously famous you have to be to have an assistant, yet she has an assistant to assist her assistant.  Hay-seuss!)

So...here she is...a woman whose books DEBUT at number one on the NY Times bestseller list which is like the hugest thing that can happen to you as an author.  That means that people are WAITING for your book and they order it ahead of time!  *sigh*  Oh well...without any further adieu, here's

Janet Evanovich!

 



1.  First, let me say that many of my readers really love your books, particularly the humorous characters of Grandma Mazur and Lula.  How important do you think it is to inject humor into your books?
        Along with the elements of romance and danger, humor is the most important component in my books.  I guess I was blessed with a pretty good sense of humor, because most of the letters and e-mails I get are from readers who tell me stories about how they crack up while reading in public.  Apparently, crying while laughing on public transportation can cause fellow passengers to change seats.  I've also learned from victims that it's not recommended to read my books while drinking a carbonated beverage. 

2.  Most home décor/DIY bloggers feel comfortable following a specific pattern on their blogs.  Your books also follow a particular pattern--is that at the request of your publisher, or do you just feel more comfortable with that format?
        I'm just comfortable with my format.  So far, my publishers have been pleased.

3.  How does it feel to be on the New York Times bestseller list, in twelve words or fewer?
It feels great.  Hey... that's only three words.

4.  Do people recognize you when you're out and about on your normal errands?
        I write seven days a week and seldom get out and about.  I occasionally get recognized on a run to the store for Cheez Doodles, but the great thing about authors is that we don't get recognized very often -- I guess the pictures on our dust jackets are too small.

5.  Finally, because most of my audience is interested in home décor--how would you describe your house?
        It's very light and airy -- lots of white and pale yellow with splashes of primary colors to accent.  I'm lucky that I have a great view of the water from my home office window.

Kirby again:  So there you have it--best-selling author Janet Evanovich taking a few minutes out of her very busy day to answer my silly questions.  If you don't know her books...well, I kinda don't believe you.  If you DO know her books, you should check out what she has to say on her website, evanovich.com.  I especially love that she says she feels like Christie Brinkley when she wakes up, but by the afternoon she feels more like Roseanne.
It was AMAZEBALLS (right, Hens?) that Janet took time from writing to answer a few questions, and I cannot thank her enough!