A Peek Into Your Life-- Vicki Tremper

A peek into your life, is a segment spotlighting authors, specialists, and friends who brave my countless questions day in and day out. It's the best way I can share with you all, the many people who taught me the bizarre things I know, who satisfy my thirst for knowledge and adventure, and who keep me motivated.

Now I met Vicki in a crusade. I know, I know, sounds dangerous. It was.I had to pull my blog back from hell in the midst of it. Those who survived are still celebrating.
Regardless, a friendship emerged-- I learnt that these things happen in a crusade. We do have serious things in common. We speak and love French, we have children close to the same age, and we write everyday. Ok. So do like a thousand other people, you say.
Don't worry, I love them all too.
Point is, Vicki is so amazing I hold those mini conversations with her in my mind while I clean, you know the ones... don't you? Don't you?? Ok, so I've confessed too much. Still, she teaches me neat things. I mean, gee, thanks to her I tried bubble tea.  See what I mean about teaching me important things?
She keeps me motivated, because really, there is nothing like a best friend to remind you that you should be... ah... writing and not blogging your ass off while drinking bubble tea. 
She really does impress me with her many talents. Check out these neat writing mitts she makes for us writers who push through the cold to get our stories out. I feel like a superhero when I wear them.
These are the mitts she makes.
Warm eh?
She actually made these-- from a ball of wool. Geesh.

Her site; All the World's in Words is a fun place to visit.
I know you'll swing by after you read the interview with her, because she's ssoooo awesome!
But don't take my word for it, read her stories for yourself. Well, after you read her interview.

Vicki has done some fascinating things in her life and has been to some very interesting places. How many people do you know who can say that they had an African forest elephant trumpet them while they were in a Land Rover? In a forest? In Africa? Or that they watched an operation being performed on a victim to a landmine explosion? A child? I bet not many.
She is very well travelled.
Her stories are told with detail that intrigue me and that explode to life in my mind with vivid emotions. (Aren't those the best kind?) She's a teacher by nature, and so, the perfect friend for a curious gal like me.
Yup. Trust me and just read her blog, am I ever wrong about these things? I mean really,  am I?

Anyway, I digress. I came to share an interview. And so, without cookies, (The dog ate them. Really she did. You can't fill up a St Bernard, they just steal more food. Really.)  *as I wipe the crumbs from my shirt* I will let you peek into Vicki's life...


Your blog is very diverse. (As any peek will prove.) How do you decide what to write?
Thank you. I try to balance the writerly type posts with the kinds of stuff my friends and family might want to read. But, at the same time, this is my writing blog so I only write about reading and writing. I write about whatever comes to me, as long as it has something to do with writing, reading and books.

You're also working on novels, what type of audience do you normally write for?
I write for MG and YA. I think I like writing for children because it fulfills my need to write, with my need to teach (and mother). I don’t write textbooks and I don’t let my fiction sound preachy, but every book is a learning experience for me and for my readers. Of course I want to entertain, but I also want kids to learn a little something about the world around them and beyond their comfort zone.

Is there a message that you try to pass on to your readers?
One theme that tends to recur in my writing is self-acceptance. I’m probably still struggling with that myself, so I’d love for readers to learn to believe in themselves. I also tend to focus on social justice. One manuscript examines hatred in Rwanda, and one deals with anti-Semitism in late 19th century Paris, and a girl who learns that there is more to life than just herself.

And... Let's meet the lady behind the scenes. Why not share with us a few things that make you proud.
Oh gosh. Bragging isn’t something we introverted writerly types are too comfortable with, right? I’m proud of having great kids who respect adults and love books. I’m proud to have brought French language education to my son’s school even if it’s only after school. I’m proud of my time in Rwanda and all the things I learned there about the world and humans and myself.



Oh gosh.
We have to stop there, because a peek is really just a peek after all!
Still, that was fun.
I love peeking into the lives of others, and showing off a great friend like Vicki was perfect!
Thanks for stopping by Vicki, and all the best in your writing. C'est toujours un plaisir. Merci!
To read more about Vicki, be sure to stop by her blog for a story.
http://www.vbtremper.wordpress.com/
Thanks for stopping by.

20 comments:

Trisha said...

Sounds to me like you and Vicki were meant to be!! I think she's great, and hey you are pretty damn great too! hehe.

Vicki Tremper said...

Wow, Tanya, you made me sound so much more interesting than I feel. I agree with Trisha (who is also great - and just won the Power of Tension Blogfest - woo hoo!) - you're pretty damn great too.

Now put down the bubble tea and step away from the blogosphere.

Merci mon amie!

Jess said...

Wow, great interview! Vicki rocks (can she bring French to our elementary school system please?). I love the sound of her manuscripts too!

Vicki Tremper said...

Jess: I wish I could. But I bet there's an unemployed French teacher (or native French speaker) somewhere in your area. Thanks!

Akoss said...

You're so right! Vicki is a great person to meet and have as friend. I really enjoyed how you talked about her and your relationship. Got me a bit teary.
Great interview. :)
and oh: Enchantee de faire votre connaissance.

Devin Bond said...

It was great to get to know Vicki! I love French too~ That was a good interview.

Margo said...

I really like your interview questions! And it's wonderful to learn a little more about Vicki and I like what she said about pushing kids out their comfort zone a little! And me thinks you need to post some pictures of your St. Bernard.

Susanna Leonard Hill said...

Great interview! And as a writer whose hands often go numb typing in winter, I'd sure like to get my hands on some of those mitts :) Also, I agree with Margo - let's see pics of the S. Bernard :)

Savannah Chase said...

OK first off love those mitts...They rock....Second, your interview was fantastic....

Julie Musil said...

Thanks for the fun interview with Vicki! I love getting to know our fellow writers better.

Anonymous said...

Great interview, Vicki is so nice. If you've read Vicki's Paris stories, you'd think she was french, formidable! Love those mitts!

Vicki Tremper said...

Akoss: Aww, thanks. Ne pleure pas, nous t'aimons aussi!

Devin: Merci beaucoup!

Margo: Great idea - we need some photos of Sarah the St. Bernard.

Susanna: I only get in the mood to make them when it gets cold, but they sure have made typing easier. I used to think I lived in the Great North - and then I met Tanya!

Savannah: Thanks so much - very sweet!

Julie: Thanks for stopping by here and my blog. It really is cool to keep growing this community!

Catherine: I like to call Paris my 2nd home, so that explains a lot. Thanks!

Looks like I have a lot of people to make mitts for next fall/winter!

Tanya Reimer said...

Wow where to start? First be careful out there, someone is trying to spam my blog. I got an outragerous amount of hits from one blog I AM not checking out!

Thanks everyone for stopping by!

I really wish I could get French out your way too Jess. Check your area, sometimes there are thriving communities that would love to meet you!!

Oh Vicki's right, Akoss, no need for tears, come in for a friendly hug too. I didn't know you spoke French either. Parfait!

Now as for all you dog lovers out there. Excuse me while I wipe the drool off my keyboard. gross. I do have a few photos of my couch potato. I'll see what I can do.

Well, I told ya Vicki, you could make a living off those superhero writing mitts! Yay! The work, they really work.

Samantha Sotto said...

Wow! Vicki sounds like such a fascinating and lovely person. Thanks for introducing her to us :-)

Donna K. Weaver said...

What fun mitts!

Theresa Milstein said...

Tanya, I enjoyed the interview. Self-acceptance is a wonderful theme to have in your book, Vicki. I struggle with that too. I try to focus on the positive, but certain times I'm not very good at it.

Rwanda and anti-semitism - quite diverse topics.

writing and living by Richard P Hughes said...

I think it's great that you speak French as well as English. I used to study conversational French, but I never got very far with it.

(This is also a test to see if my comment posts.)

Richard

Anonymous said...

Samantha and Donna: Thanks so much! I hope you'll pop by my blog and leave a comment, so I can return the favor.

Theresa: Diversity rocks! (So does self-acceptance.)

Richard: It's never too late to learn a foreign language. You just need to want to enough to make the time. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

Samantha and Donna: Thanks so much! I hope you'll pop by my blog and leave a comment, so I can return the favor.

Theresa: Diversity rocks! (So does self-acceptance.)

Richard: It's never too late to learn a foreign language. You just need to want to enough to make the time. Good luck!

Deniz Bevan said...

Great interview! I remember those mitts from the Japan fundraiser. Lovely stuff, Vicki!