Author Interview with Teresa Lorenz-Do

How did you become a writer?In my heart, I have considered myself a writer for long as I can remember. I still have boxes full of short stories, journals, and poetry that I wrote growing up. I later studied Hispanic literature in graduate school, where I learned to analyze the works of great authors. When I became a mother and started reading and telling stories to my own son is when I felt an amazing bonding experience with him that reading provided. As a result, I began writing stories for him. I quickly realized that this is a path I wanted to follow and have not stopped writing since.

What inspires you to write?

What inspires me most to write are the children in my life and the memory of my childhood. Growing up, I loved learning and as a teacher, I have always believed that learning goes both ways; kids do not just learn from adults, but we also must be willing to learn from them. As a child, I was fortunate to have adults in my life who inspired and encouraged me to keep reading and writing, and I want to continue being a source of that inspiration for others through my own books.

Could you share some of your challenges as a writer?A big challenge for me is overwriting. There are guidelines and rules that we must follow as writers concerning word count, and I tend to write a lot at first. It’s certainly a challenge to detach myself from my work in order to cut it back, make it precise, get it to a good length, and still be in love with what I write. I also think a challenge of mine is fear that it will not be accepted in the way that I imagined it would be, which sometimes happens and can be discouraging.

Tell me about your protagonist. What's your favorite trait and/or weakness?The protagonists in my book, called Bagaboos, learn about differences and grow through them. My favorite trait about them is that their willingness to stand up for what is right when no one else is brave enough to take that first step.

Do you have a routine you follow when writing?Yes, I generally follow a simple routine. To write best, I have to be in comfortable clothing, make myself a cup of coffee or tea, and do some relaxing stretches to clear my mind and help me relax before I am ready to start. My favorite place to write is my home office at night when it is quiet. If I get an urge to write during the day, I like to go to a coffee shop, where seeing other people around me working on their computers motivates me to write as well.

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?My best advice is to not give up. It is so easy to get discouraged if your query letter or manuscript gets rejected by an agent, but if writing is your passion, you will find a way to overcome that negative feeling. Keep writing consistently, find beta readers to give you honest and helpful critiques, attend any writing workshops you can, and most importantly keep believing in yourself.

What is your preferred method for readers to get in touch with you?

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