Monday, October 17, 2011

Rose Cooper's Balancing Act


I'm interviewing the ultra-talented Rose Cooper on my blog today:

I’ve heard a few rumors about you. Is it true that you have three children, a full-time job, a publisher, an Etsy business, and a Doodle Diva card line?

If it’s true, I’d like to talk to you about balance.



How do you carve out time to write and illustrate?

It wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for my husband. He takes care of the kids when I’m on a deadline. I usually start working in the early evening once I get home from work. On the weekends my husband and I work in shifts.


Do you work when the kids are awake or asleep?

My husband watches them during the day. But if I have extra work to do or it’s close to the end of my deadline, I’ll continue working into the night after the kids are asleep. Extra stuff I do on the side, like The Doodle Divas or Etsy, I do it while the kids are asleep.


Do you have a routine?

When I sit down to write or draw, I always have to have my cup of coffee (flavored) next to me and music cranked up. I always have to check Facebook first to see what’s going on, then my emails. Oh, and sometimes Twitter. Then I get down to business!


Do you receive support from your family in order to make time to write?

My husband is the absolute best. I don’t know what I’d do without him. My kids love to support me by making the most noise possible during a deadline.


What do you prefer to do, write or illustrate?

My first love is, and always will be, writing. I’ve been writing my entire life. Well, okay, since 6th grade. I started drawing at a young age too, but stopped after a certain period of time while I continued my writing.


Did you go to school for writing or illustrating?

I went to school for medical assisting and took many accounting classes. If I could do one thing over, it would be that. Those courses were so boring for me and I would spend time writing when I wasn’t studying. That should’ve told me something, I know.


When did you begin writing and illustrating seriously?

Well, with writing I was submitting to publishers when I was 12yrs old. So back then, I thought I was pretty serious about it! It wasn’t until about ten years ago when I really started thinking about it as a career and decided to query agents. I only started back up with the drawing after I got my first book deal.


Where do you find inspiration?

I find it everywhere! In dreams, talking with my kids, people watching, or even random moments when I least expect. For instance, the inspiration for Gossip from the Girls Room hit me when I was at Starbucks doing homework for my business law class. Totally unexpected.


Your first book was Gossip from the Girl’s Room: A Blogtastic Novel, which my daughter LOVED. Your next book is Rumors from the Boy’s Room: A Blogtastic Novel, which came out on 10/11. Do you have other Blogtastic Novels in the works?

The third Blogtastic Novel in the series, Secrets from the Sleeping Bag will be out Summer 2012. I’m working on the revisions for this now, I’m super excited!


Quick writing questions:

Plotter or panster? Panster

Quiet or music? Music. Loud!

Laptop or desktop? Laptop for writing, desktop when doing illus.

Mac or PC? PC, baby.

Coffee or tea? Coffee!

Wine or other? White wine.

Day or night? Definitely night.


Rose is EVERYWHERE:

Gossip from the Girls' Room

Rumors from the Boys' Room

Doodle Divas (She's got Halloween cards for sale now.)

Blogtastic Blog!

Whimsical Artwork


37 comments:

  1. Sounds like you have a really supportive family, Rose! Nice to learn more about you today, and thanks for hosting Theresa! :o)

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  2. Thanks for the great interview. Rose, you are my total inspiration as I try to write with a full-time job. Your books sound awesome. Good luck with them.

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  3. Wow, Rose, you are quite the busy woman, mother and wife. It's great you have such a supporting husband.

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  4. I can so relate to this schedule! My husband does this for me on weekends as well, and I so appreciate it. Here's to supportive families!

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  5. great interview!
    she's lucky to have such support at home!
    starting so late, i probably wont be taken seriously until i get something big published...at least i take myself seriously!

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  6. I was looking for Rumors at the book store the other day, but I was a week too early, dangit.

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  7. WOW! What an amazingly busy and ever so talented woman!! Good Luck Rose Cooper with all that you do!! WOW! I think I'm in love with the Doodle Diva name! Yay! Take care
    x

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  8. Great interview. Rose's schedule makes my head spin :-)

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  9. Great interview. Having support from family members is so important.

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  10. Wow! Superwoman! And I thought I was busy :) I don't know how it's possible that I haven't read your books yet, but they look terrific and are going onto my TBR list today! Thanks for a great interview, Theresa!

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  11. LOL! "my kids support me by making the most noise possible..." :D You are superwoman, girl! But you're doing great~ <3

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  12. Great interview! I love the relationship Rose has with her hubby. It reminds me a lot of my own marriage. I also find it very cool that she illustrates as well as writes. Awesomeness!

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  13. Yeah balance in life is better achieved when you have someone to help you with it. This is always true. But what about us single people? I guess we're just screwed.

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  14. Sigh... yet another person who has achieved balance! :) No seriously, I love hearing other people's approach to balance. My husband is awesome with helping with the kids, too, I'm afraid I have to admit I just don't maximize my time like I should be!

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  15. I wish I could work with noise around me, but I'm one of those writers who must have absolute silence. It's so difficult to explain to our kitties why the door to the writing room is closed once again ...

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  16. I LOVE Rose Cooper!! Great, great interview, Theresa! And woo-hoo to your husband, Rose!! :-)

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  17. Great interview! Hey, I'm a coffee drinking pantster too :-)

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  18. I am amazed by Rose! She's SO talented - I love her drawing, I love her writing. Just... wow.

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  19. Nice interview! We def. need supportive people around us.

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  20. Nice interview! BTW, I passed on an award to you today. When you have time, stop by and pick it up.

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  21. Fabulous interview. I'm so impressed by how much Rose is able to achieve with a little support from her husband (and a lot of discipline).

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  22. Great interview. It's awesome learning more about Rose. I loved book one and will definitely be reading the second installment. My students are also intrigued by GOSSIP FROM THE GIRL'S ROOM. It's in my classroom library.

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  23. Wow - what a multi-talented lady! Sounds like you've found the perfect man! Love it :)

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  24. What a great interview! My husband is super supportive too. We're lucky! :)

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  25. Awesome interview. I love drinking flavored coffee while working. Mmmm.

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  26. Rose is very inspiring, Theresa. It is all about finding the right balance, I think.

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  27. Wow - what an inspiration! Now I feel bad for whining about how tired I am. :)

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  28. Great interview! Rose is certainly lucky to have such a supportive hubby. :P And it's amazing how many things she's able to balance well!

    nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  29. Thanks for the interview! It's fun to get to know Rose better. :)

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  30. Rose sounds like one busy lady!Gonna check out her blog.

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  31. Great interview. I'm exhausted just reading about Rose's busy life. So impressive.

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  32. Excellent interview! Definitely a very busy lady! :)

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  33. Just when I'm considering switching to plotter, I'm reminded that all the cool authors are pantsers ;P

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  34. oh man...fantastic interview. Love Rose and her books...she is UBER talented and fun and just all around inspiring. And can I add....YAY for Tales from the Sleeping Bag!!

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  35. oh man...fantastic interview. Love Rose and her books...she is UBER talented and fun and just all around inspiring. And can I add....YAY for Tales from the Sleeping Bag!!

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  36. Rose must be so good at juggling a lot of things! Thanks for sharing, ladies.

    And I'm late to your blog tour for Fangtales, Theresa, so I'll have to go catch-up. Thanks!

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