Tuesday Talk welcomes Teacher and Sci-Fi author Pamela Schloesser Canepa , chatting about her writing and her desert island choices…

Good morning Pam and welcome. Can I start, as always, by asking you a little about yourself?

I am in my forties, mother to an awesome young man. As of this year, I’ve had two sci-fi novellas published on Amazon Kindle, and another, shorter novelette. I also teach English to middle-schoolers, and I love my dog.

When did you first decide you wanted to write and how did you begin that journey?

I started writing as a kid, making up stories when we went on road trips. I wrote poetry as a teen, keeping it to myself. Then, I entered a poetry contest and they published it in a book. We had to buy the book, though. I’ve really taken it up again since my son has grown out of his teens and my time is my own.

Who are your favourite authors and have any of them inspired your writing in any way?

Stephen King, Phillip K. Dick, James Patterson, Laurie Notaro, Carl Hiaasen, Dean Koontz, 51ojonmt6fl-jpbedlamtoben4stars and Joyce Carol Oates. I am sure they have inspired my writing, especially James Patterson. I love the way he can write through a woman’s or a man’s perspective. I love how Stephen King makes his main characters realistic, but can’t attribute any of my traits to his writing.

Have you a favourite place to write?

My room is quiet and private, but the living room couch is comfy if I’m using pen and paper.

What’s your ‘average’ day – if there is one!

My days rotate. On certain days I go to work, get home, make dinner, and get myself off to yoga class. Other days, I get home from work and attend church meetings or fellowship dinner. And there are the nights that a story is stirring in my mind and I have to get on the computer right after dinner.

Are you able to tell us a little about what you are working on at the moment?

pamelascanepa_cover I am in the editing process, getting help from a few others on a time travel novel. I plan to work on a sci-fi novel during NANOWRIMO, but I can’t give the details away yet.

And lastly, if you had to spend a year on a desert island, what four ‘must haves would you take with you?

A 1,000 page Stephen King book, a pen and fat notebook, madeformeamazon14355063_1792595520983377_1452181044562190654_n and I don’t know what else. It’s hard to narrow it down in a serious matter. Maybe a soccer ball like Tom Hanks had in that one movie? Gotta talk to something, right? Well, if it could be living, it would be my dog. He’s quiet, but very good company. I think we’d look out for each other. Can you tell I love my dog?