Friday 3 February 2012

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.

15 comments:

  1. Hi Ginger,

    You might know me from Alternative-Read. Great interview!

    Maz. ^j^

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  2. What an interesting road you have travelled, Ginger. You questions bring out the best for your readers Jane.
    So you sing Ginger. That's a great talent to have and you write too, so I've been told :) Very well, I know this to be true.

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  3. Darlin', I swear. I thought Parvo was a canine disease. Thought I had your fib pegged. Cause it wouldn't have surprised me at all if Don Henley'd kissed you (or you kissed him.) Love, love, love the story about the crooked staple! 'Course, I love you too!

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  4. Excellent interview! Hey, fellow Californian, LA native here! I laughed over your sons assessment of your singing. I'll sing along with the car radio and I never fail to hear, "Mom, you're a violinist, let someone else sing."

    Loved the stories, glad to know more about you!

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  5. Hello everyone! Thanks for coming along to see Ginger and find out lots more about her. I'm disappearing out the door for the rest of the day in an hour or so but will try to pop back in if I can - hope Ginger and I don't miss each other. I'm sure she's going to be pleased to see so many nice comments. See you later!

    Jane x

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  6. JANE AND GINGER--I do love the One-Link Lowdown. Good job. I read First Degree Innocence some time ago..and I still remember the story. You know how some books completely leave your memory at the last page? But others..years later..stay with you and you can remember the plot? Well, this is one of those.
    I hope others will read your story--it's well done and very interesting.
    I knew the lie right away! But it was a good one!

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  7. Hi Ginger,

    The best things about you and all your interviews is, I find you so open and honest about yourself. I really like getting to know you better each time I read one.

    Congrats on all the wonderful novels and shorts you have written.

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  8. When you have one of my favorite people as a guest, I - along with everyone else - will be there like a shot. Ginger is one of the most versatile writers and interesting people it's ever been my pleasure to know. I am currently reading Masked Love and enjoying it thouroughly.

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  9. Wow...I slept in this morning and finally got on line. Been lazy today. I was appalled at my own mistake. HIPS was supposed to be LIPS. OMG...I do look like I got in the Hip line multiple times when they were being passed out.*lol*

    It's getting harder and harder to do interviews because I am so open about myself. I doubt there's little people don't know by now, but Jane did a wonderful job of asking some very unique questions. I'd like to thank her for allowing me to be here today, and all of you for being such great supporters. Nothing worse than a blog without comments. :)

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  10. Wow Jane...love your interview questions. (we need to talk, lol). The answers were sometimes hilarious and downright interesting, Ging. Don Henley? That's a memory to cherish as I LOVE the Eagles.

    Very nice...thank you both.

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  11. Jane, this was a great interview with Ginger!! Ginger, you have really done some interesting things. Don Henley is probably my favorite male singer and I think when his album: "The Heart of the Matter" came out I must have played the title song about a million times. Seriously, the first time I played it I was driving on the highway on a rainy night and I didn't have a speed gauge. There I was playing it so loud I couldn't hear the siren and all of a sudden I saw the lights behind me and I was being pulled over. I didn't get a ticket, because I didn't know what my speed was.:) Karen, sounds a lot like a scene in your book.:) But Ginger, you met Don Henley!!! Some day I would love to learn more about that meeting. Good luck with your new book!!! From your answers I can see you are way more courageous than I thought. Keep on keeping on!!!

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  12. Hey, Ginger,

    I've known you for years and I never knew you'd met Don Henley or that you were a fellow Eagles fan! I love "The Heart of the Matter" but maybe my favorite Henley song is "Boys of Summer". It captures so perfectly the passion of youth.

    Love you, Ginger! Keep up the great work.

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  13. shoot. I was hoping you did get kissed by an Eagles member. We still listen to Eagles music - its in our travel pack for the car because we know all the words!

    What a fun interview Ginger! Jane always does such a nice job. Wishing you all the best!!!

    Maggie
    http://mudpiesandmagnolias.blogspot.com/

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  14. Hi everyne - thanks again for coming over. I have to own up to the typo myself, my eye-brain-fingers co-ordination - or I should say, LACK of it - saw Ginger's 'lips' as 'hips!' Ooopsie. It's her lips she's talking about - her hips are apparantly quite fabulous!!

    Great to see you all. :)

    Jane x

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  15. Ginger, you've led an interesting life and still do. So diverse. I'd guess the para sailing is the fib. Am I right?

    I know what you mean by an angry boss who takes his wrath out on you. But guess what?? You can always get revenge by changing his name and featuring him in a book. LOL.

    And even conniving co-workers. My soon-to-be released features an underhanded secretary who does all she can to get the heroine fired. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed developing this character. Shoot! I sure hope T****e doesn't recognize herself. LOL> Oh well. Hee-hee!

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