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12 Ontario School Library Association is hardest for me. I do like the variety though, and think I would -- no, I KNOW I would -- get bored writing only one type of book. The variety keeps me growing as a writer, keeps the challenge alive so I don't start getting "ho hum, been there, done that." What fun is being excellent at something? The fun is in striving to be excellent. You have a vivacious personality with a "love life" attitude. What inspires you? How does your attitude and approach to life help you to be a better writer? What inspires me? Life inspires me! It's such an amazing adventure, every day. You can't turn your head without seeing something fascinating, can you? My problem is not in coming up with ideas, it's whittling them down to ones I have a chance of turning into something marketable. My approach to life -- to find the good bits -- I think affects my writing because I focus on developing ideas that are joyful, fun and funny rather than the darker ones. I think about someone out there reading my book, and I want to think I am bringing them laughter and joy, not tears, even though the tears part is worthwhile too. I don't want to make people cry. Not intentionally, anyway. That being said, I have written a dark YA novel, and am currently writing a horror one. Because they are different for me and ergo a stretch I wanted to try. …continued from page 11 TingL_20.1-draft3.indd 12 12-08-20 3:12 PM