Stacy Jorene Sluys,

Author of As the Rain Falls

 

Please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your background.

I grew up as a military brat, so I was all over. I was born in Virginia, just outside of D.C., and shortly thereafter we moved to Southern California for a time. After a three-year stint in rural New York, we returned to San Diego, where I am still living. Right now I'm a high school student, and after I graduate I plan on going to college somewhere in CA or NY.

What inspired you to start writing?

I think it was a fluke. I've had an overactive imagination since I was very little (and had a slew of imaginary friends as a toddler), and writing was just another outlet for all that creative energy. After a few school assignments, I just sat at a computer and pounded out a story. Suddenly I was an aspiring writer!

Who is one of your favorite authors?

C.S. Lewis

What are some of your favorite books?

The Black Jewels Trilogy by Anne Bishop; The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien; The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

Give us a one sentence description of your winning story.

A young girl sees the end of the world coming and tries to come to terms with the fact that her life is about to end.

Besides writing, what are some of your hobbies or interests?

Horseback riding, reading, journalism (okay I cheated, that's still writing), and I play a mean game of Texas Hold 'Em.

Are you a gamer? Any favorite games?

I'm not heavily into gaming, but I do enjoy The Sims every once in awhile.

What is your favorite type of music?

I listen to a little bit of just about everything.

How long have you been writing?

About seven or eight years.

What kind of stories do you most enjoy writing?

Usually short stories, but I'll write basically anything that comes into
my head.

When you sit down to write a story, do you know where you are going or do you "see where the pen takes you"?

When I write, it's usually because something popped into my head, be it a bit of dialogue, a description, an image, or anything. From that I shape a plot. I usually have a beginning and an end in mind, but what happens between there is pretty much improvised.

What has been your biggest learning tool or experience as far as writing is concerned?

Reading and practicing.

Is there anything else you would like to add? (something interesting
about yourself or an interesting experience you've had)

I once climbed to the top of a very tall mountain to ask a shaman about the meaning of life. There was a note on his door -Have gone to Club Med to ponder the meaning of life. So I climbed back down the mountain and hitchhiked my way to Cabo San Lucas.

And another time I couldn't think of a cool answer to a question in an interview, so I made something up.