Hello! This weeks Author of the Week is Trana Mathews. Trana is a busy lady with lots going on and kindly took time out to sit down and conduct and interview with me. Trana runs her own blog interviewing authors so this was rather a role reversal for her! Hello Trana, how wonderful to meet you! So let's start with learning a little about yourself. Hello Elizabeth! I reside in beautiful south-eastern Arizona while my two grown children still live in the Midwest. In addition to reading and writing, I enjoy crafting and playing cards. I’m also active with my local Friends of the Library and several writing groups. Wonderful, so can you tell us what books you've released so far? The Mathews Family: Mathews Family Saga Book 1 Dr. Increase: Mathews Family Saga Book 2 So Trana, what got you into writing? After retiring, I needed to find something to keep me busy and out of trouble. My writing journey began as I researched my family's history. My third great-grandfather’s life had always fascinated me, especially after touring his house in the 1980s. Built in 1805, his former home is now a museum owned by the Muskingum Historical Society and located in the historic Putnam District of Zanesville, Ohio. When someone suggested writing for NaNoWriMo, I decided to do it. How interesting, that you're writing about your family history. What’s the main thing you love and hate about writing? I love discovering new information about my family and the historic times in which they lived. Hate trying to decide when my research has been too much and what I’m writing is overload or unnecessary to move the story forward. I love history, I'm a repressed historian! Who is the worst villain you’ve ever written, and why? I portrayed older brother Eli as a bully, but also wanted to show he had some redeeming qualities. Eli was the hardest one for me to picture and achieve a good balance. I think everything villain has something good about them, there has to be a redeeming quality somewhere! What is next on your list to write/publish? My family saga continues as I revise the third novel. I originally thought it would be a trilogy, but now it may end up as a 4-book series. I want to travel 1800 plus miles to Ohio to review an archive of Increase’s documents. These papers were found between the walls of an old house then donated to the historic society. My third great-grandfather was involved in a land dispute. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision mentioned a swindle and an alleged contract. I want to know more details and hope there may be something in those archives! Who is your favourite author, and why? I can’t name one specific author because I’ve read and enjoyed too many! To name just a few: John Jakes, James Clavell, Taylor Caldwell, Isaac Asimov, Douglas Adams, Richard Adams, Robert Jordan, Stephen King, L.E. Modesitt Jr., Arthur C. Clarke, and Susan Howatch. I think I've only heard of a few of them, shame on me lol. Who encouraged you the most to write? My dear friend Patricia Woodruff. She pesters me to continue and always provides great feedback. I can call her at any time to discuss my ideas. I am blessed to know her! How wonderful to have a friend like that. Are you as avid a reader as a writer? Yes. I admit that I’m a “bookaholic”. I prefer big, thick books or series that I can sink my teeth into! I consider smaller ones as an unsatisfying snack. I love it when I don’t want to put a book down! What’s your favourite genre? I don’t have a specific one. I enjoy science fiction and fantasy, as much as I do historical fiction. Do you listen to music when you write? If so, what type? I used to enjoy listening to rock-n-roll. Now I can’t get a radio station to come in clearly because of cell tower interference, so I don’t bother trying. I’ve grown used to writing in solitude, except when Macchiato (my rescue cat) wants attention. Tell me a secret that none of your fans know! My older brother was my inspiration for Eli. I hated when my parents left him as babysitter. Once I was so determined to call my parents home because he was bullying me, I did my best to hold onto the wall phone as he yanked me away. The plastic casing came off the wall during our struggle! Tell me what your main character would say about you! Why did you wait so long to write about me! Thank you, for taking the time to sit down and for the wonderful interview. To keep up to date with Trana please find her at, Author Website https://www.tranamathews.com/ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19960446.Trana_Mathews https://www.facebook.com/Trana-Mathews-101609848128774 https://www.amazon.com/Trana-Mathews/e/B0842WSPCG https://www.pinterest.com/tranamathews/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tranamathews/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4QdvvgIcfU