13 Questions with Donna K. Weaver
J u n e 0 3, 2 0 1 3
1. Welcome, Donna! To bring everyone up to speed, why don't you tell us a little about A Change of Plans?
It’s the story about Lyn, a 25-year-old high school teacher, who goes on a cruise as a distraction to forget a bad experience. Of course, she meets an intriguing guy—it is a romance, after all. But Braedon’s not quite the distraction she had in mind. During a ship snorkeling excursion, both Lyn and Braedon are among the passengers taken hostage. Things get really interesting then.
Title: A Change of Plans
Author: Donna K. Weaver
Release Date: June 1, 2013
Pages: 327
Find it: Amazon | B&N | Goodreads | Rhemalda Store
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
2. What inspired you to write this story?
Since I’d only been able to write short stories when I was younger, I wanted to see if I could write a full-length novel. I did my own NaNo (since I was too late to participate in the official one), and managed to complete the 80,000-word story in 30 days. Then I went to conferences and joined a critique group and edited it a bazillion times. It was inspired by a dream I had about a guy and a gal who were shipwrecked on an island.
3. I heard there are pirates involved. Can we expect some action scenes?
There is some action, though it’s not very long. The pirates are more a catalyst for other things.
4. I know you love cruises. What’s the craziest thing that’s ever happened on one of your trips?
When I was 13, we were returning to the U.S. after living for two years in the Philippines. I took my sister on deck with me to see Bird Island, about a day outside of Hawaii—it’s this rock that just sits out on the water and is covered with birds.
My little sister (6 at the time) had long hair that got tangled in my glasses. When she leaned forward over the rail to see better (I was holding her), her hair pulled my glasses right off … and overboard.
I know what you were thinking above when I mentioned her leaning over the rail. That’s exactly what my parents imagined when I went running to find them and gasped, “I … dropped … (unintelligible) … overboard.” About the time they leapt to their feet, my little sister (who couldn’t run as fast) came dashing around the corner into their view.
Yeah. Suddenly my glasses weren’t that big a deal.
5. Look around you. Which three things would you want, if you found yourself stranded on an island?
I think the same things Lyn did: toilet paper, sanitary supplies, and soap.
Quick Questions
6. What’s your favorite season?
Fall
7. Growing up, what was your favorite toy?
A giant stuffed skunk I named Pepe le Pew.
8. What's your go-to snack on a bad day?
Chocolate
9. Stretch your right arm to the side. What's the first thing you touch?
Bookcase
10. If you could have dinner with any author—alive or dead—who would it be, and what would you have?
Jo Rowling. Butter Beer
11. What's one book you've read more than once?
If I love a book, I always read them more than once. One that always lifts me up is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
12. Favorite author whose name rhymes with Kerry Putler? ;)
Clever girl! Of course it’s that fabulous Carrie Butler who wrote Strength. *fans self* One word: Wallace
13. What an unexpected surprise! Thank you. ♥ Lastly, where can people find more info about you and your books online?
Donna K. Weaver has always loved reading and creating stories, thus she’s been ever entertained. A Navy brat and U.S. Army veteran, she’s lived in many U.S. states as well as South Korea, the Philippines, and Germany. An avid cruiser, she’s sailed the Pacific four times. When she retired from Shorei Kempo Karate with a black belt, she decided it was time to put her imaginary friends and places on paper. She lives in Utah with her husband. They have six children and eight grandchildren.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
28 comments:
Funny story about your glasses. Somewhere out there is a fish or bird with really great vision now.
You had me at the hostage part. :D
I'm not sure why this is a YA novel. The mc hasn't been a teen for a while. Not that this would stop me from reading it.
Nice interview, and great story. It's always fun to learn a little more about our blogging/writing friends.
So excited for Donna's book!
Congratulations Donna-- am always glad to learn about new (and interesting!) books I may want to snag up for the summer reading list. Thanks for sharing. :)
Ooh, this sounds like a cool story! And I was also imagining a much more dramatic ending to the glasses-overboard tale!
CRUISES RULE!!! (Says the Floridian with 3 cruise ports in in a 3 hr radius.) Being shipwrecked on a island? Now that sounds awesome. Yay, Donna!
Hah! I hope said fish or bird ends up on National Geographic. :)
I didn't even see that. Hmm... I know Rhemalda has hopped on board with the NA thing. I wonder why they didn't categorize it there.
Sounds like a good question for Donna, when she stops by! :D
Thanks for stopping by, Jeff! It is fun, isn't it? :)
Me too! :D
Thanks for stopping by, Julie! :)
Doesn't it? Yay! :D
I've never been on one, but woo! :D
Awesome. Love the interview! Thanks so much for posting. :)
Amy
Thank you so much for having me over, Carrie. It was a fun interview to do.
Soap & sanitary supplies, yes! But what the heck is butter beer? Congrats on your debut! May it sell like hot cakes!
Great interview! Congrats to Donna. Her book sounds amazing. Even if the pirates are just a catalyst, there's PIRATES. Awesome.
Thanks for stopping by, Amy! I was happy to participate. :)
Anytime, Donna! :) Congratulations again!
I wondered that, too! Google time...
Thanks for stopping by, Empress King! :D
Great interview! Sounds like a very interesting story. Love the cover, too. Congratulations, Donna! :)
Thanks for stopping in, Melissa! :)
I couldn't help smiling through this whole interview Carrie and Donna. That moment of the glasses going overboard must have been priceless beyond words :-)
Great interview on both sides. Your book sounds great, Donna. Good luck!
Thank you, Angela! <3
Thank you, Carol! :)
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