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What did you first read? How did you begin to write? Who were the first to read what you wrote?
Before elementary school I read the King James version of the Bible. It has always been a comfort to me and my ability to read was expanded due to that.
I started reading poetry at an early age. I would guess around 10 yrs old. At that time my sister-in-law presented me with the complete works of Edgar Allen Poe and I was hooked. I began to write in my diary about my life in the best poetry form that I could muster and it wasn't that great.
In the 90's I started publishing my poetry online at Themestream and several other places. Currently you can find it here http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?authorid=2906 (...) and a few other places.
As for who first read my works, I'd say it was my brother, sister-in-law and close friends. They encouraged me to continue.
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What is your favorite genre? Can you provide a link to a site where we can read some of your work or learn something about it?
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What is your creative process like? What happens before sitting down to write?
That's a tough question. Being bi-polar it's easy to write when I am manic but having that under a bit of control now is much harder. The best thing for me is to read other poets. Once I do that I can start to feel that burn and produce. I am working on a new poem now that is almost ready for publication.
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What type of reading inspires you to write?
Confessional poetry and something a bit mystical. Reading Anne Sexton, Sylvia Plath, listening to Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd and the Moody Blues are a great inspiration to me. Also my nephew M. Dillon Edwards is a great inspiration and one of my favorite poets.
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What do you think are the basic ingredients of a story?
Definitely the character, a good plot, very descriptive in surroundings and an ending that makes sense, even if you don't like it.
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What voice do you find most to your liking: first person or third person?
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What well known writers do you admire most?
Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton
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What is required for a character to be believable? How do you create yours?
My characters come from life, it did happen and truth is sometimes stranger than fiction.
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Are you equally good at telling stories orally?
No! :)
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Deep down inside, who do you write for?
For myself and others who have been abused.
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Is writing a form of personal therapy? Are internal conflicts a creative force?
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Does reader feed-back help you?
Rarely though I do appreciate it immensely.
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Do you participate in competitions? Have you received any awards?
I have been in only a couple of competitions and won first and second places. Due to high volume of readers I did win an opportunity to have my book published through authorsden.com.
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Do you share rough drafts of your writings with someone whose opinion you trust?
Yes, my nephew Dillon and my husband Alan Phillips who is a great poet.
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Do you believe you have already found "your voice" or is that something one is always searching for?
I once believed that I had found my voice but I am reevaluating that at this time.
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What discipline do you impose on yourself regarding schedules, goals, etc.?
I am completely undisciplined at the moment.
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What do you surround yourself with in your work area in order to help your concentrate?
Music and notes scribbled on anything and everything.
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Do you write on a computer? Do you print frequently? Do you correct on paper? What is your process?
I write on anything paper, even card board but then I take those ideas to the computer. I don't print frequently, I correct on the computer until it is the way that I want it.
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What sites do you frequent on-line to share experiences or information?
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What has been your experience with publishers?
I have only dealt with authorsden and Matt was great. I will venture into that world at a later date. So far, so good.
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What are you working on now?
More poetry. My husband and I have written together in the past and may do a collaboration of poetry in a book.
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What do you recommend I do with all those things I wrote years ago but have never been able to bring myself to show anyone?
Put them on the computer in a writing program and re-work them. If they are to your liking blog.
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![[derailedpoet] Janet Caldwell](http://www.whohub.com/_pics/9471.jpg#1237498598)
