An Interview with Teri Blair
Teri has been writing since she was a small child clicking away on her old typewriter. She sees stories everywhere in this world and loves to share them. When she isn’t writing, you can find her at the elementary school she works at, spending time with her nieces, or snuggled up reading and surrounded by shelter animals.
Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?
Writing has always been like breathing to me … necessary for survival. I have always been an avid reader of almost every genre and loved the art of storytelling.
What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?
I am currently a TA in an elementary school, but previously I ran daycare for twenty-three years.
Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?
The title is pretty simple, solely because every time I tried to come up with something ‘fancy,’ it seemed like too much. Sometimes the most simple thing is the best choice.
What part of publishing your book made it feel real for the first time?
It felt the most real when people started messaging me that they had ordered my book. I watched the numbers rise and I felt this overwhelming feeling of, ‘I’m truly doing this. I’m making my childhood dream come true.’
If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?
Ooh that’s a great question, but a hard one!
Honestly, mostly it would be just nature sounds with the occasional dramatic instrumental interlude. That’s basically all I listened to while I was writing. Well, that and Taylor Swift!
What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?
I hope my readers close that back cover and are reminded that we are all stronger than we give ourselves credit for. Sometimes, our biggest strength comes from within, and sometimes it comes from leaning on the people who love us.
What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?
The most rewarding part of this journey has been the reactions. I work in a school, and I now see kids reading it during recess. I have them come up to me and tell me that their teachers are reading it to them in the classroom. And I love when they approach me with feedback or excitement about the chapter they just finished. I could sell one million copies of this book, and I think that these first initial few weeks will always mean the most to me.
What creative projects are you currently working on?
At the moment, I’m taking a break and just enjoying every moment. But, when summer break rolls around, I am actually planning on starting a follow up book. A lot of my readers have asked if I’m planning a sequel. So, I’m giving some serious thought to that possibility.
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