An Interview with Loretta
If you’re like me, your schedule is hectic and you don‘t have a lot of time to spend reading. That’s why I thought you might get to know me better if I were interviewed.
Reporter: Loretta, I understand you used to live in Georgia. How long have you lived in Florida?
Loretta: Actually, I’m a fourth generation Floridian. I was born in Tampa and except for living in Georgia, for a short time, I’ve lived most of my life in Florida. Currently, I reside in Citrus County.
Reporter: A little birdie told me you ride a motorcycle. Is this true?
Loretta: Yep, it’s true. My husband and I own a Harley Super Glide and a BMW touring bike which we converted to a trike. Short rides or long trips, I like being on the bike.
Reporter: Earlier you told me you invented in-school suspension. Why don’t you share that with our readers?
Loretta: (laughs) In the first grade, I wore my hair in long pigtails. The boy who sat behind me, for whatever reason, decided to cut one of them off. I blacked his eye. The teacher paddled him, but locked me in the outhouse for the rest of the school day. I was so mad that the next day, at recess, I blacked his other eye. This time the teacher shut me in the supply closet. Thus, in-school suspension was borne.
Reporter: Goodness, Loretta, what did your parent say? Weren’t they outraged?
Loretta: (laughs again) Keep in mind school rules were different way back in 195--oops! I almost told my age. My father’s philosophy was and still is “If you’re in the right—defend your right.” And I did.
Reporter: When you were a child, did you enjoy reading, and who were some of your favorite authors?
Loretta: Actually, I could read before I entered first grade. I think it’s because we didn’t have television back then. I would sit on my father’s lap and follow the words on the page when he read to us each evening after supper. As to favorites, I’ve always loved reading anything about horses. Some of my favorites were – Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, Misty of Chincoteaque by Margarite Henry, All of the Black Stallion series by Walter Farley. Then, of course, I liked the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series, and Little Women by Louisa Mae Alcott. A funny story, if I may. When my daddy was at work, I used to sneak his Zane Grey and Louis L’Amor westerns. He hid them inside his sock drawer. In those days, “Damn” was an absolute forbidden word. I was always careful to put the books back exactly as I found them, ‘cause I knew my taters wouldn’t hold shucks’ if daddy caught me.
Reporter: What do you read now and who are some of your favorite authors?
Loretta: I’m an eclectic reader. I enjoy everything from historical westerns to women’s fiction, to literary works. And as a retired teacher who taught language arts and social studies, I enjoy reading anything about history—especially the war periods such as the Civil War and Viet Nam.
Reporter: Who are your favorite authors?
Loretta: As a member of Tampa Area Romance Authors, I enjoy reading novels by several of our published authors. As for favorite authors, hmmm, I think Kathleen Woodiwiss, Rosemary Rogers, Margaret Mitchell, Ellery Queen, Agatha Christie, Mary Higgins Clark.
Reporter: You mentioned being a member of TARA. Do you belong to other organizations?
Loretta: Oh, yes. I’m a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), True Writers On-line Group, Sunshine Poets of Crystal River, and Florida State Poets Association.
Reporter: How long did you teach, and where and what did you teach?
Loretta: I taught in both Florida and Georgia, and retired with twenty-five years in the classroom. I’ve taught 8th grade English Literature, 6th grade Language Arts and Social Studies, English to speakers of other Languages (both children and adults), and English Literature 101 at the community college level.
Reporter: When did you decide to write novels?
Loretta: I once heard Jackie Collins say that every person has one good novel in them. I promised myself that when I retired I would write one novel. Since then, I’ve written four and look forward to the debut of my first novel published by Avalon Books – The Twisted Trail, a historical western set in Florida and Georgia during the 1840s.
Reporter: Would you mind sharing a little about your family?
Loretta: Certainly. I have two grown daughters, a grandson and a granddaughter whom I enjoy spoiling. My husband proposed to me when I was three years old. We married when I was eighteen and he was twenty-six.
Reporter: It’s been great chatting with you Loretta. Good luck on the 2008 release of The Twisted Trail. I’ve read your novel blurbs, and believe they’re all winners and each will find a home with a publisher very soon.