What a difference a month makes. Ninety degrees in FLA thirty days ago. Struggling to make sixty degrees with almost forty-eight straight hours of rain the next. Then, a week from now, forecast says it will be back in the low 80s.
At least there's no snow to shovel.
And if you're thinking of moving down here, just know that 1,300 other people a day beat you down here over the summer. Schools in many areas are seeing the biggest enrollments ever.
But we still have as many "Now Hiring" signs as any other state. So go figure.
A new normal, for sure.
And there's something else new around here...or should we say, someone new. A new author, to be exact. Let's welcome to the Florida Front Porch Scrivenings Press author, Liana George!
Liana, in ABTS style, give us a quick bio. In fifty words or less, who is Liana George?
Besides storytelling, what talents do you have?
I’m good at organizing spaces and projects, can clip a chicken’s wings so it doesn’t fly away, and have a knack for finding things my husband can’t.
Well, to be honest, isn't that last one kind of an "every wife" superpower? :-)
If you had your life to live over again, besides being an author (which we guess would be your obvious answer), what profession would you choose?
I would have been a professional tennis player. I’m fairly athletic and fell in love with the sport at an early age, but my parents felt it would be better for me to play soccer and softball. I played tennis quite a bit as an adult, but by then it was too late to pursue my dream of being a Wimbledon champion.
Based on the different personality profiles out there (Meyers-Briggs, etc.), what profile was the latest one you took, and what were the results?
Enneagram, and I’m a 6, the Loyalist. I find that to be very consistent with my personality as I value truth, loyalty, and honesty, and I don’t like chaos, being judged, or feeling abandoned. I’m extremely dependable, caring, and warm (in my opinion!).
What makes you
cringe?
Reptiles - particularly snakes - politics, and lemons.
Interesting trio. All slimy in some form or fashion. Ha!
What’s the craziest thing you have ever done?
Rode a donkey up Mt. Sinai (Egypt) in the middle of the night to see the sunrise!
Tell us about what project you are currently working on.
I just finished the rough draft of the second book in my Hopeful Heart Series, Perfectly Placed and will begin editing it in the next few weeks. Excited to continue my protagonist’s story!
What surprised you the most during the research for the book you are currently working on?
That if you are a foreigner arrested in China, you can request that a pastor or priest visit you in jail (but no one else other than an Embassy liaison or your lawyer).
Tell us about your writing day. How do you go about writing?
I’ve found my best writing times are between 10 am and 5 pm, so those are the times I set aside to write. The first few hours I do freelance writing for an organizing company which jumpstarts my brain to get into the writing mode. After lunch I work on my novel writing, which I do all in long-hand. My goal is to write Monday-Friday, but I’m not rigid with my schedule.
Has your writing crossed over into other areas? If so, how? If not, will it?
Yes, it has. I’ve always wanted to write a
devotional about being organized and what the Bible has to say about the topic, but I put it on the backburner for years. I was recently introduced to another
writer who had already self-published a book along the same lines, and we’ve
decided to team up and write a book of organizing devotions that we hope to
present to agents in the spring. I think being a fiction writer really helps
with this project as sixty percent of a devotion is storytelling, so I’m able to use my
fiction experience to crossover to non-fiction without too much trouble.
If you had one person you could meet (think outside the Bible here) and could spend as much time as you wanted with that individual, who would it be and why?
Lin Manuel-Miranda (creator of the Broadway hit, Hamilton). I think he’s a creative genius, and I’d love to see him in action, ask him where gets his inspiration, and observe his work routines to see if I can learn anything from him that I could apply to my own life.
If you had one person you could meet (think ONLY Bible characters here) and could spend as much time as you wanted with that individual, who would it be besides Jesus, and why?
Sara. Like me, she spent a lot of time following her husband around the globe and wandering around. I’d like to know if all that moving was hard, what did she learn from it, and what would she have done differently.
What Bible scripture has impacted your life the most, and why?
Acts 18: 9 – 10, “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking; do not be silent for I am with you.” For me, this verse was God’s confirmation to me concerning my communication talents (speaking and writing), and to be bold in using them. This was especially helpful when I was doubting myself as a writer early on. But as He can only do, He spoke this truth into my heart, and I’ve claimed this verse as my own and as my motivation for what I do.
Liana, it's been a pleasure. Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about you, or anything we didn’t cover?
My goal is to write stories which are full of humor and heart. When a reader finishes my debut novel, Perfectly Arranged, I hope they will feel as if I kept that promise to them.
Readers, if you'd like to get to know Liana better, here are soe places on the web where you can find her:
Connect with Liana at: www.lianageorge.com or through any of these social media platforms:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LianaGWriter/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lianaygeorge/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/liana2404/
YouTube: https://bit.ly/BGOSYTchannel
(organizing videos)
YouTube: https://bit.ly/LGWriterYT (writer
videos)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liana-george/
Amazon Author page: https://bit.ly/LGAmazonAuthor
Goodreads Author page: https://bit.ly/LianaGeorgeGR
BookBub Author page: https://bit.ly/LianaGeorgeBB
Newsletter signup: https://bit.ly/LGWsignup
