Meet Alice Cleveland Reed!

Meet Alice Cleveland Reed, she is the talented author of the mystery novel, Oolong Tea, about Marty Brown, and accountant investigating a muder, with obstacles and threats in her path.

I acquired the opportunity of interviewing Alice, see the results below.

Heather: How Long Have You Been Writing?

Alice: Forever.

Heather: what started you writing for publication?

Alice: As a young adult I wrote advertising copy for a radio station. Then I covered activities for our church and submitted them to the Diosese newspaper. That led to more articles etc, etc. I began writing fiction a few years ago and I love it.

Heather: Do you have a set time when you write, or just whenever you get the urge?

Alice: No, I don't have a set time. Fortunately I have an understanding husband because when I do write the rest of the world goes on without me. Thank God I have an understanding husband.

Heather: Who is your favorite author?

Alice: That's a difficult question because there are so many gifted authors to choose from. I do read every day, usually at bedtime.

Heather: Have you ever had writer's block, and if so how do you get rid of it?

Alice: Everyone get's writer's block. When I get it I sit at the keyboard and start writing a letter to a dear friend. I may never sent then friend the letter, but I found that talking to a friend via computer keyboard does get the juices flowing again.

Heather: What do you recommend to aspiring authors?

Alice: Write! Write! Write! Write about anything that interests you whether it’s shopping or cooking or getting the kids ready for the first day of school. Just write!

Heather: How do you invent your characters?

Alice: I look at the situation and develop a character who is the least likely to cope.

Heather: I know a few authors who keep records (almost like police records) of height, weight, background, etc. of their characters, do you keep tabs on your characters, and if so, what do you usually make note of?

Alice: What got them to this point in their lives and I let them stumble around a bit. You know, like real life.

Heather: Some authors say that they feel as though his or her characters are real, do you feel this way, and what do you think about this?

Alice: Yes, my characters take on a life of their own and I'm only an observer.

Heather: Do you have anything in the works?

Alice: Of course.

Heather: What would you say is the neatest thing you know?

Alice: I know that everyone has a story to tell. Unfortunately, many do not know how to tell it.

Heather: What was your favorite part about writing your novel?

Alice: My favorite part is when the characters are no longer characters but people I know, respect and occasionally want them to clean up their act. Of course I can't let this happen because then the story would end.

Heather: Has music ever inspired your writing?

Alice: Of course! Music has always been an important part of my creative life. The emotion I feel when I hear a good jazz group or a symphony orchestra is the same emotion I feel when words come from within and tell a story.

Heather: Do you like to write in complete silence or does it have to be noisy?

Alice: When I write, I write. If I'm interrupted, I can get back to the place I left. Probably because I had six kids and my first husband was a jazz musician. Have you ever written an advertising spot in a radio station? That's the ultimate test in concentration. Radio announcers do like to talk. I treasure my life experiences because they all let to where I am right now.

Heather: What made you put your characters in the setting that you did?

Alice: My characters live in a world I am familiar with.

Heather: Keyboard or pen?

Alice: Keyboard! Thank God for keyboards! I can’t imagine writing any other way.

Heather: What do you think is the hardest part about being an author?

Alice: Reliving unpleasant experiences.

Heather: What do you usually do while writing?

Alice: Write.

Heather: What were the circumstances surrounding your decisions to become an author?

Alice: I knew I would be an author on the day I learned to read.

Heather: Some people say that you need to live life before you write a book, do you think that it’s experience that writes a book or imagination?

Alice: With television and movies, it is easy to experience life through others except for the feelings. That has to come from the heart.

1. I like the colors of: watermelon
2. The sky is most beautiful when it’s: evening
3. My favorite feature of a computer is: editing
4. Thing I love most in the world is: dogs
5. Things I hate most in the world is: tight-clothes
6. My favorite type of electronic device is: computer
7. My favorite thing that has been available before the year 1900: Thanksgiving
8. My favorite thing that has been available since the year 1960: Thanksgiving
9. The oddest thing you have ever written on (hand, wall, etc.) is: margins in magazines