| Interview with Deborah J. Copeland |
First off, thanks so much for joining us for an up-close and personal interview for TeensReadToo.com! My
name is Jen, and I’ll be your server today…oh, wait, wrong job! Anyway, thanks so much for taking time out
of your writing schedule—which I’m sure is busy!—and answering a few questions for your readers and fans.
Let’s get some of the typical interview questions out of the way first. When did you first know that you wanted
to be a writer?
When I was little I started writing plays. I took it so far that I hand-picked my childhood friends to play the
actors. We rehearsed on the stoops and in our backyards, taking turns with our meeting spots. One summer
we performed our first play that I had written, “Little Miss Broadway,” in my parent's backyard. We made
tickets: $.50 cents for the adults and $.25 cents for the kids. My friend’s parents donated chairs and before
you know it, neighbors filled my parent’s backyard, and we had a show going on! We made about $45 dollars
that summer. It was a great feeling! I remember my friends’ parents shaking my hand and calling me Miss
writer/producer. I fell in love with writing after that. Not to mention that every summer my friends and I put a
show on and made money every time! We did everything from variety shows, beauty pageants, puppet
shows, and original plays. By the time I graduated from high school, I knew I wanted to be a writer.
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
I decided to self-publish. I did my research and read a lot of stories of how hard is it for first-time writers to
get picked up by a traditional publisher, so I decided to self-publish. I must say, it’s a lot of work, because as
a writer, you can’t just sit back and say, “Wow, it’s done! I finally finished my book!” You have to market and
promote your book every day. You become the writer and the publicist rolled into one. In some ways, it’s
gratifying because you have total control of your novel and planning book signings and marketing events,
especially when you get positive results. The downside is marketing a book can become very time-
consuming when, as a writer, you just want to write. I have to balance the two every day.
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing
about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?
The Kids at Latimar High is a hip chick-lit book. It’s a story about two best friends who are very different from
one another; one’s a cheerleader, Rosalyn, the other, Lauren, she’s the book-wormy, smart-girl type. The
two end up competing for the same popular football star at school and breaking their special “Girlfriends’
do’s and don’t codes” that they abide by. It’s a story about loyalty and respect when it comes to friendships.
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
My inspiration comes from my past, childhood memories, teen memories, and real life events and
observation.
Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
My son, Thomas, is very proud of me. He was there when The Kids at Latimar High was just a short story that
evolved. In fact, Thomas and a couple of his friends read a couple of chapters before I even thought about
publishing The Kids at Latimar High. I was testing it out on real teenagers LOL!
Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?
Chocolate! Soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies, Starbucks rich espresso brownies, and rich and creamy
New York cheese cake!
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
Gosh, turn on my computer and check my email. I love getting mail! Second, I check my stats to see who’s
visited my site: The Kids at Latimar High. And, of course, my daily ritual, make coffee! LOL!
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me
the most?
Wow, probably my boxes. I collect boxes. All kinds--pretty shoe boxes, hat boxes, decorative boxes, and I
keep special things in each one.
Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you
could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
Oh, wow, I love this question. I am a nature lover. Trees are so beautiful to watch, especially on a windy
day…They dance, you know, okay, I would say a weeping willow. I love the long chain of leaves and its
motion. Weeping willows sway in slow motion and sometimes this effect on a rainy day looks as if they’re
under water. There is something comforting about weeping willows and playful like a jump rope
turning…Color! Well, most of the time I’m feeling orange-yellow. I’m happy most of the time, and I have a lot
of energy (people tell me this all the time). I look forward to a new day every day. Sometimes I am “Red”
when I’m feeling bold and dramatic…LOL…I love to shock people when I’m feeling “red”.
Who is your favorite cartoon character? Which cartoon character is most like you?
Oh, my goodness, there’s so many. As a child I loved Daffy Duck. In fact, my sisters used to tease me and
say I was goofy and crazy like Daffy Duck. LOL…hmm…I guess I’ve calmed down since then LOL…Okay, my
all time favorite cartoon character was Casper the friendly ghost. I used to live to watch Casper. He was cute,
lovable, and friendly…But, I still have a quirky sense of humor and lots of energy, so that makes me still a
Daffy Duck.
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history,
where and when would it be—and why?
Oh, without a doubt the 1930’s when swing music and the Lindy Hop were jumping…That was a fun and
exciting era.
So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you’re
writing?
I’ll answer the latter first. I don’t listen to music when I’m writing, not directly…I may hear a song that makes
me feel a certain way, makes me visualize a scene, a place, after that, it’s in my head and I begin to write…I
need quiet when I write and the windows open…Music…I’m an old soul, I listen to Louie Prima, Nancy Wilson,
Judy Garland, Ella Fitzgerald, music teenagers probably never heard of, accept maybe Louie Prima. He did
the song “I wan’na be like you” in The Jungle Book. He did the voice of King Louie, the orangutan. My all time
favorites are The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, and all the fabulous artists of the 80’s. Lately, I’ve been
listening to Eva Cassidy and Frank Sinatra.
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie you
saw at the theater?
Ah, one of my special pastimes is watching movies. One movie I watch over and over again is “The Lord of
The Rings” Like the novel, one gets transformed into a different world. It’s an extraordinary story. Last movie
I’ve seen at the theaters was “The Prestige” and “Marie Antoinette.” I love movies that take you completely
out of your element. I have this writer habit of trying to figure out which direction the screenwriter is going to
go in the movie (most of the time I’m right, to the annoyance of my movie buddies LOL)… Favorite TV
shows? Hmm…You know, I don’t watch too much TV besides Oprah and these two home interior guys.
(forgot the name of the show, sorry).
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
Whatever your passion is: writing, dancing, music, Art, skating, stay focused and nurture your talent to
perfection. Don’t let anyone, anyone get in your way of your passion. (Caution to parents: Teenagers can
take this to the extreme. For example, I’ve instilled this into my son since he was baby, and now he has an
excuse when he’s creating music, and I’m yelling at him to wash the dishes. He yells back “But, mom, I’m in
the zone!” Groan… (smile).
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
Well, I’m presently writing a sequel to The Kids at Latimar High, and my teenage son, Thomas, and I are
embarking on a children’s book. He’s a great artist. He created the graphic for my book cover by the way.
(proud smile)…And, I’m also dabbing into a project that’s a secret…sorry, but you’ll have to wait! LOL.
Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!
name is Jen, and I’ll be your server today…oh, wait, wrong job! Anyway, thanks so much for taking time out
of your writing schedule—which I’m sure is busy!—and answering a few questions for your readers and fans.
Let’s get some of the typical interview questions out of the way first. When did you first know that you wanted
to be a writer?
When I was little I started writing plays. I took it so far that I hand-picked my childhood friends to play the
actors. We rehearsed on the stoops and in our backyards, taking turns with our meeting spots. One summer
we performed our first play that I had written, “Little Miss Broadway,” in my parent's backyard. We made
tickets: $.50 cents for the adults and $.25 cents for the kids. My friend’s parents donated chairs and before
you know it, neighbors filled my parent’s backyard, and we had a show going on! We made about $45 dollars
that summer. It was a great feeling! I remember my friends’ parents shaking my hand and calling me Miss
writer/producer. I fell in love with writing after that. Not to mention that every summer my friends and I put a
show on and made money every time! We did everything from variety shows, beauty pageants, puppet
shows, and original plays. By the time I graduated from high school, I knew I wanted to be a writer.
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
I decided to self-publish. I did my research and read a lot of stories of how hard is it for first-time writers to
get picked up by a traditional publisher, so I decided to self-publish. I must say, it’s a lot of work, because as
a writer, you can’t just sit back and say, “Wow, it’s done! I finally finished my book!” You have to market and
promote your book every day. You become the writer and the publicist rolled into one. In some ways, it’s
gratifying because you have total control of your novel and planning book signings and marketing events,
especially when you get positive results. The downside is marketing a book can become very time-
consuming when, as a writer, you just want to write. I have to balance the two every day.
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing
about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?
The Kids at Latimar High is a hip chick-lit book. It’s a story about two best friends who are very different from
one another; one’s a cheerleader, Rosalyn, the other, Lauren, she’s the book-wormy, smart-girl type. The
two end up competing for the same popular football star at school and breaking their special “Girlfriends’
do’s and don’t codes” that they abide by. It’s a story about loyalty and respect when it comes to friendships.
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
My inspiration comes from my past, childhood memories, teen memories, and real life events and
observation.
Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
My son, Thomas, is very proud of me. He was there when The Kids at Latimar High was just a short story that
evolved. In fact, Thomas and a couple of his friends read a couple of chapters before I even thought about
publishing The Kids at Latimar High. I was testing it out on real teenagers LOL!
Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?
Chocolate! Soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies, Starbucks rich espresso brownies, and rich and creamy
New York cheese cake!
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
Gosh, turn on my computer and check my email. I love getting mail! Second, I check my stats to see who’s
visited my site: The Kids at Latimar High. And, of course, my daily ritual, make coffee! LOL!
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me
the most?
Wow, probably my boxes. I collect boxes. All kinds--pretty shoe boxes, hat boxes, decorative boxes, and I
keep special things in each one.
Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you
could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
Oh, wow, I love this question. I am a nature lover. Trees are so beautiful to watch, especially on a windy
day…They dance, you know, okay, I would say a weeping willow. I love the long chain of leaves and its
motion. Weeping willows sway in slow motion and sometimes this effect on a rainy day looks as if they’re
under water. There is something comforting about weeping willows and playful like a jump rope
turning…Color! Well, most of the time I’m feeling orange-yellow. I’m happy most of the time, and I have a lot
of energy (people tell me this all the time). I look forward to a new day every day. Sometimes I am “Red”
when I’m feeling bold and dramatic…LOL…I love to shock people when I’m feeling “red”.
Who is your favorite cartoon character? Which cartoon character is most like you?
Oh, my goodness, there’s so many. As a child I loved Daffy Duck. In fact, my sisters used to tease me and
say I was goofy and crazy like Daffy Duck. LOL…hmm…I guess I’ve calmed down since then LOL…Okay, my
all time favorite cartoon character was Casper the friendly ghost. I used to live to watch Casper. He was cute,
lovable, and friendly…But, I still have a quirky sense of humor and lots of energy, so that makes me still a
Daffy Duck.
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history,
where and when would it be—and why?
Oh, without a doubt the 1930’s when swing music and the Lindy Hop were jumping…That was a fun and
exciting era.
So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you’re
writing?
I’ll answer the latter first. I don’t listen to music when I’m writing, not directly…I may hear a song that makes
me feel a certain way, makes me visualize a scene, a place, after that, it’s in my head and I begin to write…I
need quiet when I write and the windows open…Music…I’m an old soul, I listen to Louie Prima, Nancy Wilson,
Judy Garland, Ella Fitzgerald, music teenagers probably never heard of, accept maybe Louie Prima. He did
the song “I wan’na be like you” in The Jungle Book. He did the voice of King Louie, the orangutan. My all time
favorites are The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, and all the fabulous artists of the 80’s. Lately, I’ve been
listening to Eva Cassidy and Frank Sinatra.
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie you
saw at the theater?
Ah, one of my special pastimes is watching movies. One movie I watch over and over again is “The Lord of
The Rings” Like the novel, one gets transformed into a different world. It’s an extraordinary story. Last movie
I’ve seen at the theaters was “The Prestige” and “Marie Antoinette.” I love movies that take you completely
out of your element. I have this writer habit of trying to figure out which direction the screenwriter is going to
go in the movie (most of the time I’m right, to the annoyance of my movie buddies LOL)… Favorite TV
shows? Hmm…You know, I don’t watch too much TV besides Oprah and these two home interior guys.
(forgot the name of the show, sorry).
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
Whatever your passion is: writing, dancing, music, Art, skating, stay focused and nurture your talent to
perfection. Don’t let anyone, anyone get in your way of your passion. (Caution to parents: Teenagers can
take this to the extreme. For example, I’ve instilled this into my son since he was baby, and now he has an
excuse when he’s creating music, and I’m yelling at him to wash the dishes. He yells back “But, mom, I’m in
the zone!” Groan… (smile).
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
Well, I’m presently writing a sequel to The Kids at Latimar High, and my teenage son, Thomas, and I are
embarking on a children’s book. He’s a great artist. He created the graphic for my book cover by the way.
(proud smile)…And, I’m also dabbing into a project that’s a secret…sorry, but you’ll have to wait! LOL.
Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!