MEET Teresa (@tlcoffey1), Our New Crew Member
I have a Masters degree in Counseling but I’ve recently gone back to school. I'm taking lots of literature and creative writing classes and following the path I should have taken in the first place.
I’ve “won” NaNoWriMi twice and I’m about four big scenes away from finishing the rough draft of my first full-length fantasy novel. I’ve found that years of working as a therapist has provided lots of grist for the mill when creating characters. I’ve also spent so much time writing over the years that I’ve almost worn off my fingerprints according to the lady at the DMV.
While some people are avid readers, I’m more of a voracious reader. Think “brontosaurus in a broccoli field” kind of reader. I consume books like a chocoholic eats M&M’s. Any more, my family and friends just give me gift cards for Amazon, B&N, and iTunes for Christmas along with any cool reading glasses they’ve come across. I swear my vision hasn’t gotten worse, it’s that my arms have gotten shorter. Oh, and I have a thing for the SyFy channel’s cheesy original movies.
Who are some of your favorite authors? Books?
I read a lot of genre so a lot of these are series: Wheel of Time series, Malazan Books of the Fallen, and George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones series. I’m currently reading Brian Rathbone’s Godsland series. I’ve also read almost all the books by Clive Cussler, Stephen King, James Rollins, Dan Brown, Terry Brooks, Terry Goodkind, Anne Rice, and Clive Barker. I also love Jorge Luis Borges, William Faulkner, Robert Louis Stevenson, Edgar Allen Poe and Agatha Christie.
What are your favorite genres of books to read?
I usually read fantasy, horror, and action/adventure. I also enjoy historical fiction and mysteries. I also read a lot of mythology. There’s not much I don’t enjoy reading.
Besides reading, what other talents or hobbies do you have?
I used to barrel race, hike and snow ski but after four spine surgeries, my hobbies have become a little more mundane. Any horse in my future will be more like a giant dog rather than something I’m able to ride.
Now, I like antique shopping in second hand stores and finding some old chest, table or dresser, cleaning it up and restoring it to an often repurposed life. I enjoy going out with my Nikon to take photos and I also sketch when I have time. I have two blogs, one where I talk about the fantasy genre and one where I talk about going back to school. I’m close to finishing the rough draft of my first full-length fantasy novel.
I wish I could knit a sweater or something equally as complicated but all I’ve managed so far is a multitude of scarves. FYI: People eventually get tired of receiving scarves as gifts.
How excited are you to be a part of the Masquerade Crew?
How excited am I? Are there really enough metaphors for this question? Like every day was Christmas! Or my birthday! Which, by the way, is two days before Christmas. Like having an unlimited gift card to my favorite bookseller! Like never running out of room for new books on my iPad! Like being able to eat all the chocolate I want and never getting fat! Ooo! Like having magic! Or pet dragon! Or a superpower! Should I go on? I can, you know, because… I. Am. Beyond. Excited!!
You had us at pet dragon...Welcome to the Crew, Teresa!
