The One-Link Lowdown on - Ginger Simpson

My guest today is Ginger Simpson. A native of California who now calls Tennessee her home, Ginger is a prolific writer who began her literary career in her favourite genre, novels of the Old American West - but has since then diversified into many different genres, as her latest release, First Degree Innocence, will surely attest to. Read on to find out more...

Welcome Ginger! Ok, let's get right to the nitty-gritty! What’s the naughtiest thing you've ever done?

If I tell you then I’d have to kill you. I won’t go into details, but let’s just say that when I divorced at age fifty, after thirty-two years of marriage and never having lived on my own, I went through my second childhood and became the party animal I never was. It was fun, but very tiring and overwhelming. The rules of dating had seriously changed.

What’s the worst job you've ever had?

I worked for a small company run by the world’s angriest man. I believe that business is where the saying “the s**t runs downhill” originated. The owner took his frustrations out on the office manager, who then beat up the employees with his own. I had a sprained ankle one day and walked from my desk to the copy machine in my stocking feet (about three feet away) and he yelled at me for being unprofessional. It’s not like the office was open to the public. It was just me and another girl. She was hired one day and quit the same afternoon. Then he found something stapled crookedly and demanded to know who stapled it. I didn’t last beyond his accusing me of knowingly not preparing minutes for a meeting. Did he seriously think I wanted to be on the receiving end of his wrath? He was definitely not the kind of supervisor who made you want to put forward your best effort to make him look good.

I can relate - the worst kind of person to work for. On to something else now -tell us three surprising things about yourself, one of which is a fib - and we'll try to guess the fib!

I parasailed at 700 feet while in Maui.
I was diagnosed with Parvo Virus B-19 which lasted for an entire year.
I got invited backstage at an Eagle’s concert and the lead singer, Don Henley, kissed me.

What’s on your bedside table/nightstand?

A myriad of items.... Since our bedroom is in the basement, I have a weather radio that alerts us to tornado warnings/watches, a lamp, a box of Kleenex, a jar of Vicks, a tiny travel alarm clock, my electric blanket control, and a white noise machine. It sounds like a lot but it’s all very orderly. Oh, I forgot my bottle of water and my progesterone hypodermics. I think that’s it.

What your favourite sandwich, and where in the world is the best place to eat it?

I grew up and around Riverside, California, and there’s a place called Delia’s Grinders there. I started having their sandwiches when I was in 7th grade, and they are hands down, the absolute best. Everyone I’ve introduced to Delia’s agrees with me. I think the secret is their freshly made bread. Yum...making my mouth water.

Mine too! While we're dreaming about freshly baked bread, let's get back to some basics. Which household chore would you happily give up for ever?

Oh dear, it’s a toss up between cleaning toilets and cooking. I hate both. I think it’s because I’m old and I’ve done both for so many years. I’ve pretty much relinquished the cooking to my husband. He’s much better than I, anyhow. As for the toilets...they stay cleaned, but I don’t have to like it.

What talent or skill would you love to have that you don’t have now?

I would love to be able to sing. I suppose I can carry a tune, but I got a clue that I’m not all that stellar when I was singing in the car while my son was with me, and he asked, “Who sings this song, Mom?” I told him who the artist was, and his reply was, “well please let her.”

Ouch! That would make me stick to whistling, I think! What drives you seriously nuts?

When God created me, he gave me too much of everything...except hips. The older I get, the more I resemble a snake, but I explain that by saying I can’t hear well so I got in the hip line twice. (laughing out loud) But seriously, I can’t hear well because I have too much carotid artery on both sides of my head and I hear the rushing of blood to my brain 24/7. During the day, I can tune it out with background noises, but trying to sleep at night is the pits. The diagnosing doctor told me he would shoot himself if he had to listen to the noise, but that’s not a solution for me. I continually remind myself that as long as I hear it, I’m still alive.

I admire that positive outlook, Ginger. Tell me now - imagine you're given a time travel machine. Where would you go, and why?

If you’re familiar with my work, then you know my favorite genre is western historical. I would definitely travel back to the old west and personally research the era I love to write about. I realize life would be much tougher than I have it here, so I’d make certain when things got too difficult, the time machine would whisk me away, but leave me the option of going back again and again. Gotta love those cowboys and admire those pioneers.

What’s the best review you've ever had?

I’ve been fortunate to have really great reviews, and I consider anything where the reviewer indicates my writing put them in the main characters shoes and let them experience the story to be the greatest compliment. If an author can make the reader smell the smells, feel the breeze, cry during the sad times, and rejoice at the good, then I’ve done what I need to do to create a compelling read.

That has to be the best thing a writer can ever hear, so all kudos your way! Friends, Ginger's special One-Link is this one to her book First Degree Innocence, a women's fiction/suspense novel with a host of 5-star reviews. Check it out for yourself! Oh, and her fib? It's the one about getting kissed by Don Henley. But I guess a girl can still dream, right, Ginger?!! Thank you for being my guest today.