The wonderful world of Virginia Wright

Hi everyone. You are in for a real treat today because I felt like mixing things up so we are celebrating the work of the amazing VIRGINIA WRIGHT WOO HOO!!    ND author intervie 

Right, well to kick things off Virginia has kindly provided me with a brief biography:

VIRGINIA WRIGHT (b. 1958) in Belfast, Maine is a five-time author,  illustrator, food and nature photographer, blogger, recipe developer, and  self-appointed Queen of recipe adaptation. When she is not tending her  organic herb garden, taking photographs, sifting through recipes, cooking,  or spending time with her husband, she is doing what she loves doing  most...writing!   Virginia Wright first became a published author in 1981 when she sold her  first writing to a regional magazine in the state of Maine. She also had  several of her writings published in an Anthology-- Soundings, by the Poetry Fellowship of Maine. She has contributed opinion articles to many  online websites as a freelance writer.

Hey Virginia - I have been stalking you online for some time now, so it's great to finally get a chance to catch up with you.  Your biography is quite detailed, so when you are not living "the good life" in your herb garden  Is writing your full time career?

I have not worked a 9-5 outside the home job for twelve years. At the time of retiring so to speak, I had been a pre-k teacher for three years, with a class of twelve students. Teaching certainly was helpful in giving me lots of fodder for my children’s writing. Yes, I guess you would say now writing is my full time career.

Yes, I definitely got the impression that you had a teaching background from your book!  So is writing for children "your" genre - Do you have plans to work outside of it?

Four of my books (fictions), I categorize as Children’s Genre. When  I started out writing Buzzzzzzzz What Honeybees Do, a non- fiction, educational book-- it was because of my granddaughter being  very inquisitive about honeybees in the apiary. However, adults  reading Buzzzzzzzz started telling me this or that they did not realize about honeybees. Now, this book is not classified Children’s Genre only. Yes, I do have plans to work outside of it in the future.

How do you overcome writers block?

Whenever I want further inspiration, I head “outside.” There is nothing quite so mentally moving for me than to sit and listen to nature—pen and pad in hand. With the birds chirping, frogs croaking, feeling the wind upon my face--or the sun on my skin-- works for removing a writer’s block.

I want to come and live where you live...frogs croaking, it sounds like bliss. Chocolate or pizza?

It is chocolate, for me! I have a favorite organic chocolate with almonds that I buy. On Christmas, this past year--Santa brought me a large box of this favorite of mine with a note that said I had been a good girl this year!

Do you write poetry or short stories as well? If so what?

Some years back, I wrote poetry quite often. Three of my poems were published in an anthology titled Soundings by the Poetry Fellowship of Maine. My first royalty check came from a poem that was published in “Washington County Magazine” a Maine publication back in the eighties. These days, I am writing short stories.

What do you have in the pipeline?

 My next project is a world away from non-fiction children’s fantasy writing. It is about a very important subject, a medical condition that mimics another, and if left undiagnosed properly could prove to be deadly in some. If discovered early, could mean a difference of life or death.

Make sure you send me an advance review copy - that sounds like just the kind of thing I would love to read. What advice would you give your 18 year old self?

If I could travel back in time…I would say, “Never give up on your dreams!

BUZZZZZZZZ WHAT HONEYBEES DO - BY VIRGINIA WRIGHT - A REVIEW BY INGRID

As Virginia has already said in her interview, Buzzzzzzzz what honeybees do is an non fiction, educational book and it is aimed primarily at children aged 8-12.  I will hold my hands up and admit that prior to picking up this book the bee is not a creature that I have ever paid much attention to (apart from of course when one of the little sods is trying to sting me!) However the author's love of the honeybee is utterly infectious and a few paragraphs into this delightful information book (as my daughter would call it) I found myself wanting to know everything there is to know about them... I fell in love with Dave the beekeeper, and all of the photographs and illustrations are perfectly placed, acting as a visual reinforcement of the message which the author is conveying and are great for keeping young and inquisitive minds engaged. As I was reading, I found myself singing along in my head to "never argue with a bee" a song from childhood that must have been lurking somewhere deep within my subconscious, waiting for this moment for decades.

Most interesting fact learned whilst reading the book? Boy bees can't sting because they are born without a stinger.  They might be bigger than us but ultimately it's the female of the species that gets to dish out the pain.  LOVE IT!!!  There is also an impassioned plea to save the dwindling population of honeybees around the globe.  I'm in, are you?

To find out more and connect with Virginia Wright go to:

Blog: virginiawright.com/blog
Facebook: facebook.com/virginiabrownwright
Twitter: twitter.com/virginia_wright
Amazon: amazon.com/Virginia-Wright/e/B003D2LLE6
Website: virginiawright.com
Email: info@virginiawright.com

Ingrid Hall is the author of Granny Irene's Guide to the Afterlife - Revenge.  She is currently offering free interviews and reviews to indie authors.  Find out more at www.ingridhall.com