|
The Life of TashaMe in general:
I’ve lived in the Seattle area most of my life. I love spending time with my family especially my daughter and our dogs. I’m a huge Mariners fan and go to as many games as I can. I run (music required). I’m not very good or fast, and I’m not exactly sure how it happened, but I do enjoy it. I’ve run one full marathon (which I don’t recommend—it was painful), and several half marathons (which I do recommend—super fun, way less pain). I have the best day job ever because I work with dogs and people who also love dogs. Now for the obligatory long-walks-on-the-beach list. I love: my kid, my family and friends, books, dogs, hiking, camping, running, watching baseball, and zombies. I hate: animal abusers, that a dog’s lifespan is undeservedly short, and olives. Me as a writer: People always tell me I should write about dogs. My reaction to this had always been a polite nod and smile coupled with an internal eye roll. That was my reaction until one of my dog friends of many years from my job passed away. He was a perfect Golden Retriever named Scout and the inspiration for a picture book manuscript I worked on. I also remember that people always told Kurt Vonnegut that he should write about the war, and this eventually led to Slaughter House Five. This is proof that the old adage to write what you know is not the only way to write. It is true that Vonnegut was in the war, but I don’t think he ever personally traveled to the planet Tralfamadore. I heard an author at a conference (I feel terrible I don’t remember who—I saw so many people speak that weekend) say ‘Don’t just write what you know, write what you want to know’. So that’s what I do. There is a lot I want to know, and what I want to know is mostly directed at children and young adults (or anyone who wants to read it). I am lucky enough meet every other week with an amazing writing group since 2012. There’s six of us in our ‘Guild’ (myself, Jessica, Josh, Kathy, Megan, and Pete). I cannot imagine my life without these people, and I’m definitely a better writer because of them. I’m a member of SCBWI and AWP, and attend conferences, classes, and retreats (when location and funds permit!). My life is full, and I have a lifelong affliction of procrastination. I write when I can. Sometimes I watch three movies in row, or read an entire book, or just stare off into space when I could be writing. Other times I open my computer in the five minutes I have before a friend walks into the restaurant, or write well into the night when I should be getting a few precious hours of sleep, or jot down a sentence or an idea at a red light. I love every bit of it, even when I totally hate every word I’ve written. I’m happy just to be doing it, and I’m ecstatic when someone else wants to read it. |
My Passion |
I crazy love books. Seriously. Sometimes I worry it’s going to get so bad that I’m going to have to attend regular meetings and have my books rationed to me by a professional librarian. Reading has been known to cause me to shirk responsibilities (when I was younger mostly school—now, mostly household duties), or neglect my health and personal hygiene (sacrificing: sleep, meals, showers, and exercise). On those rare occasions that I finish a book and decide to take some time before starting a new one I start jonesing for a story. I crave that next book in my hand.
However, I don’t think this is a bad thing (insert I can quit whenever I want cliché here). Books have always been there for me. They’ve provided me with comfort, courage, adventure, education, heartache, terror, love, friendship, and kinship with other people. I also love dogs, and now that I’m rereading that last sentence I’m seeing some crossover in what I get out of my relationship with books and dogs. Books and dogs are the best. I intend to always have a life full of both. |