Author Teresa Geering: A true all rounder and little old me

Hello my little chickadees

Today I'm talking to the lovely L. Anne Carrington. A truly multi talented lady.

Take it away Lori........

• Tell me about the lovely L. Anne Carrington

I was born in Southwestern Pennyslvania and lived here most of my life. I studied cosmetology in my late teens but tired of the profession not long after. I have an associate's degree from a local secretarial/techincal college. I'm English and German by ancestery, with Scot, Irish, Dutch, and French mixed in. My past employment prior to diving into writing full time include a string of clerical jobs, working for the US Census, a sports event ticket sales agent at Three Rivers Stadium, a proofreader, high-end retail sales, and even a short stint making sandwiches at Subway (and have had an aversion to most deli meats ever since). Did some stage acting and was an extra in a few films during the early 90's. Dated a lot but never married. Learned to drive but banned from getting a license because of a medical condition that involved a history of losing consciousness without warning. I help keep the local car services in business as a result. I'm probably one of the rare few who actually enjoy serving jury duty.

• Family/Pets/Hobbies

I'm the youngest of six children. Both parents and a sister are deceased (all passed from various forms of cancer). I became an aunt at a very young age; at last count I have 12 nieces and nephews (all grown) and about the same number of great-nieces and great-nephews. I'm a true crime enthusiast, lover of classic/independent films and literature, theater, American football, hockey, jokes (except ethnic/ones geared toward specific groups of people), cutting coupons, art, and creative writing. Proud "cat parent" of two, a ginger/white domestic shorthair, Popeye (I didn't name him, by the way), and a ginger tabby, Tiger, who tends to live up to his name.

• Do you have a day job?

I do some freelance work in addition to my book writing if that counts.

• A secret you’re prepared to share with me

Though I lived in the Pittsburgh area most of my life, I rarely speak the local language and phrases (Google "Pittsburghese") and don't put French fries on sandwiches, among other local traditions.

• If you get quiet moments how do you fill them?

I read. Any house without books is immediately suspect to me. I also enjoy old TV shows, currently catching up with old Law and Order episodes I hadn't previously seen.

• When did you first get the urge to write?

Sometime during my childhood. My first published work appeared in a local newspaper when I was 18. I was on my high school's newspaper staff and literary journal club. You could say the writing bug bit early, but I didn't plunge into it full time until about seven years ago.

• How many books have you written?

I think about a dozen not counting the upcoming book. I actually lost count.

• I have a fantasy island; which two books would you take to read bearing in mind you would be alone?

Any two of the late Ann Rule's books or perhaps something by Proust.

• If you took a walk along a beach on my fantasy island, who would you like to meet for a chat about books?

Never gave it much thought. I'm basically a solitary person, so I'd probably enjoy being alone.

• Self-publishing v Traditional publisher your views

Contrary to popular belief, self-publishing doesn't make authors "losers" who couldn't get contracts with The Big Six or other traditional publishers. I'm with a small independent publishing company, but heard of many authors enjoying the creative control and other perks accompanying being self-published. Several self-published books made the USA Today best seller list (among others) and eventually picked up by traditional houses. May I also add there are differences between self-publishing and vanity presses. Most small publishers are not vanity publishers either.

• Have you a current WIP?

I'm writing the second book in my Power Play series, On Ice: Power Play Book 2, due out later this year.

• You own an imaginary publishing house. What would you call it? Who would you pick from your various FB friends to help you run it and what jobs would they do?

The thought never crossed my mind. I have so many talented Facebook friends it would be difficult to choose only a few. I can't imagine myself owning a publishing house - it would take patient people to go through all those humungous slush piles, for starters!

• Have you any other exciting news you would like to share

I'm currently in talks with a media holding/production company about making Power Play into a movie. Nothing's official as of this interview, but stay tuned should any updates happen.

BIOGRAPHY:

L. Anne Carrington is a sports fiction bestselling author and freelance writer/journalist whose previous work covered topics from fiction to news stories, human interest features, and entertainment reviews. She wrote The Wrestling Babe Internet column for seven years, a former music reviewer for Indie Music Stop, former book reviewer for Free Press (an imprint of Simon and Schuster), and pens several other works which appears in both print and Web media.

One of her freelance articles, An Overview of Causes of Hearing Loss and Deafness, was bought by Internet Broadcasting Systems, a company that co-produced NBCOlympics.com for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens and the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics in addition to being the leading provider of Web sites, content and advertising revenue solutions to the largest and most successful media companies.

Her acclaimed work in both fiction and nonfiction include The Cruiserweight series, Billy Kidman: The Shooting Star, and number one hockey best seller Power Play.

She resides in the Greater Pittsburgh area.