I alluded to some big stuff happening at The Bookshelf Muse, and I’m happy to reveal one of those things: Becca Puglisi is BACK.
Some of you know exactly who I’m talking about while others may be scratching your heads. Becca, you see, is the co-creator of this blog, best crit partner evar and one of the most talented writers I know.
Two years back she decided to start a family, so she took a break from writing and stepped away from the blog. I am beyond ecstatic to see her return, because Becca is full of great ideas and creative energy, and has as much passion for writing as I do.
1) Tell us a bit about yourself!
Becca: I started writing in 2004, about the same time as Angela, but I took off a few years to have babies. Now I’m back to writing mostly YA fantasy and historical fiction. With two small children at home, I’ve also got a few picture books in my bag o’ tricks. When I’m not writing, I like to read, bake, watch movies with my shmoopie, and eat things that are bad for me. I like to garden but can’t add it to my list because that would imply I could actually grow something. So not true.
2) What led you to jump back into writing again?
BECCA: I had always hoped to come back to writing when my kids were a little older. When my son turned six months old and I knew I was done raising newborns (ie, was no longer sleep-deprived) it occurred to me that I once again might be capable of stringing together a coherent creative thought. So in I jumped.
3) Are you glad to be back on the blog? Did you miss us?
BECCA: I did miss everyone. Tuning in was somewhat painful because I missed being involved in the writing community. I felt like that kid with his little face mashed against the chain-link fence watching everyone else play. Now that my self-imposed writing exile is over, I’m totally stoked to be back. Angela, on the other hand, has mixed feelings because she knows that zombies creep me out. She had doubts about taking on someone with such an epic character flaw. Luckily, she’s also kind of easy. I bribed her with sweets and she caved like a souffle. (TOTALLY NOT TRUE! It was the promise of critiquing my current MS that made me look past this abhorrent flaw.)
4) Let’s say things go poorly in the Zombie Apocalypse and Angela tragically becomes one of the living undead. Would you dispatch her or allow her to go on her merry, brain-eating way?
BECCA: I would dispatch Angela immediately with all of my (considerable) Resident Evil experience. Zombies are not merry. They’re skeevy and gross. Ick. (Erm…thanks, I guess?)
So help me welcome Becca back to The Bookshelf Muse! I’ve learned a lot from her over the years and look forward to her contributions and insight. 🙂 And if you’d like to get to know Becca and her ties to TBM a bit more, she’s happy to do a few blogging guest posts to get back into the swing of things. Just drop her a line!
Happy week, all! Good luck to the Nanoers!
Becca, nice to meet you.
I’m a pumpkin fan, too. In fact, have two slabs of pumpkin bread with cream cheese icing downstairs. They are calling my name!
Hope to see you again soon!
Blessings,
Patti
Welcome back! Has it been two years? Man does time fly. Kids are so important and I think it’s great you took time off to be with them. And they are so cute too!
Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone. I just made an enormous batch of pumpkin muffins, and when I brought one to my husband, he said, “you know I don’t like pumpkin, right?” … How on earth did I not know this? And what is wrong with him? So…muffins all around, or I will be as big as a house before Thanksgiving even gets here.
Becca!!!!!! I remember Becca and it is so awesome to have her back! You guys are an Awesome Team. 🙂 (The awesomest!)
I remember, Becca. Welcome back!
I wasn’t here when you left, but welcome back. And congrats on the beautiful fam.
Welcome back. I do remember when she left. And I totally understand about babies and not being able to write. I could barely function without sleep, never mind write!
Becca, it’s so nice to meet you! Your children are adorable and definitely worth the self-imposed exile from writing.
Angela, you rock. Even if zombies are totally weird.
So happy to be back amongst writers! Kids are napping, so it’s time to work on a thesaurus entry…
Welcome back, Becca! I’m a new Muser, but it sounds like this is going to be awesome!
hi miss angela! wow! sounds like you got a really cool bp. thats blog partner. ha ha. hi miss becca! im lenny and im real happy to meet you. i didnt know you from before but now im gonna like getting to know you. youre gonna have to be ok with me coming to visit cause i loooove zombies! i think my sisters one for sure. ha ha.
…smiles and hugs from lenny
Becca, it’s great to see you back!
Nice to meet you, Becca. I agree. Zombie are icky and gross, though occasionally funny. I can understand the child-induced sleep deprivation.
Whoo hoo! Welcome back, Becca!
Hi Becca! You’re bound to have tons of great ideas now that you’ve been on such a fruitful hiatus. I’ll be looking forward to your posts, as well as Angela’s.
welcome back and it looks like you did a good job on your babies while you were away, they look cute.
*hugs warm fuzzies*
Thanks for the great welcome! Angela is such an amazing writer and inspirational blogger, she doesn’t really need my help. But I will give it anyway. MWAHAHAHHAHA
Nice to meet you, Becca! And welcome back to the blog world.
Welcome back, Becca! If Angela loves you, we ALL love you! 🙂
Nice to meet you! Welcome back!!!
Thank you for the luck as I’ll need it being a nano n00b this year!
Welcome back Becca. I happen to think Zombies get a bad rap, but hey too each his own.
Welcome back.
check out my word check out my word verification – wirter
Welcome back Becca, it’s nice to meet you. What beautiful kids! I write YA fantasy and it sounds like we have a lot in common. Currently I’m writing a YA historical fantasy so it’s kind of a combo of your genres. I look forward to your posts!
Welcome back Becca! I’m one of the newer musers, so I look forward to getting to know you.
Welcome back, Becca. 😀
Sleeping through the night is great, isn’t it. 😀
Welcome Back Becca! So glad to see you again! I remember those sleepless nights. Can’t wait to see what you have in store for TBM.
FAIRY DUST? No…it burns! It hisses! *whimpers*
Awesome! Nice to meet you, Becca. You and your kids are ADORABLE. 🙂
Joe and I were having a Zombie Apocalypse discussion just last night. He said he recently asked a co-worker if he ever just sits in his house and looks around and thinks about what items he could use for protection in the event of a sudden zombie attack. (we are lucky in that Joe plays softball — we have many bats available to use as weapons)
The guy he asked actually said YES. He also told Joe that he makes his wife sleep on the side of the bed nearest the door so SHE would get eaten first and buy him some time. FTW?
Then Joe went on to say, “Seriously, think about… what would we use to board up the windows?” He looked slightly nervous as he said this. And I couldn’t help but notice that my side of the bed is right by the doorway. *le sigh*
Welcome back, Becca! Your kids are so cute!
Happy writing to you.
YAY Becca!! Oh yes, those sleepless nights– a distant memory now ;–)
WONDERFUL! Welcome back Becca! (I’m not into zombies either so maybe we can gang up on Angela and throw historical fairy dust at her!)