BIW Member Interview
Carolyn Ann Aish was born Carolyn Ann Gundesen in the small town of Waitara,Taranaki, New Zealand in 1948. She was raised in New Plymouth and now widowed, resides in Inglewood beneath the spectacular Taranaki Mountain, Egmont. Carolyn has two children, both married, and three grandchildren with another due mid May 2007. Carolyn earned a spot in the 1996 Guinness Book of Records (music section, page 144) for the longest hymn published. “Sing God’s Song”. Published in the USA in the 90’s, The Frencolian Chronicles, TREASURES, CASTLES, and KINGDOMS, enjoy rave reviews, and her (true) series about the World Famous Motor cycling cat and his owner created an on-going following for Carolyn’s work. She has over 50 books in print, and besides working on publishing some of her hundreds of sacred songs, she is publishing new authors’ books.
Moe: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
Carolyn Ann Aish: When I was age 9, I made up little booklets from off-cut paper and card that I collected from a kind man at a print shop. I used to draw pictures and make stories and give them away. When I was 14 years old, I wrote my first full length novel, a chapter a week, and after the Bible Lesson in Sunday School, I read it to the other girls. It always had a cliff-hanger ending and even I did not know what would happen in next week’s chapter.
Moe: Describe three lessons you have learned about writing?
Carolyn Ann Aish:
- In Creative Writing, the possibilities are limitless
- I will not have a story, or a book, if I don’t write it!
- The more I write, the more I have to write about.
Moe: What are you working on now?
Carolyn Ann Aish: A series of stories about a Time-Bender who has an off-side helper called ‘The Time Twister’ – After the pilot story, the following stories will all be different and about different people in different times and situations: ‘Lessons in Love’.
Moe: Do you have a favorite writing related book?
Carolyn Ann Aish: So many helpful books out there – but my favorite and most helpful (to me) is my own notebook in which I record my ideas and work on expanding them.
Moe: What is your favorite writing website?
Carolyn Ann Aish: http://www.book-in-a-week.com
Moe: Do you have an important BIW tip you’d like to pass along?
Carolyn Ann Aish: Always push yourself! You can do so much more than you think! (If you say ‘I can’t’ – You’re right, but if you say ‘I can’, you’ll be right too) I can write more than I do. I must make better use of time – less time on T.V., less on the phone, and other fiddling-around-things that steal my time. BIC HOK TAM means Butt in Chair; Hands on Keyboard; Typing away Madly! – This is the very best advice of all for writers of all experiences and ages. (And it’s important to take breaks from just sitting; like quality family time, walking, shopping, researching in the library etc).
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