Tell
me a little about yourself (where you live, who you are, what you look like, what
you hope to achieve, etc.)
My
name is Bonny Bryant, and I live in the mountains outside of Albuquerque, New
Mexico. I am an only child, and my parents were only children, also. I have
long, curly, red hair and green eyes, which I inherited from my Scottish
grandmother. I’m only 5’2”, with fair skin, no freckles, and am often thought
to be much more delicate than I really am.
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I have my doctorate in American
History and American Literature, and was teaching at the University of New
Mexico before I was 30 years old. My father and I co-wrote a course combining
American history with the literature about and from different important time
periods in our country’s history.
I love teaching, but my real goal in
life is to be a wife and mother.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I have horses, and my favorite
pastime is riding. I also enjoy hiking, camping, and fly fishing, anything to
do with the outdoors. I like to ski and take my dad’s 1967 Land Cruiser out on
4-wheel drive trails.
I am an avid reader of both American
and English literature, and prefer the classics that everyone hated in school.
I also sing, play the piano, and write poetry.
What is your favorite color and why?
My favorite color is green, probably
because I have always been told it brings out the color of my eyes. I also love
pink, though it is not a color most redheads wear well.
What is your favorite food? Why is it your favorite?
New Mexican food. You notice I did
not just say Mexican food. New Mexico is known for our traditional foods, and
nothing in any other state compares. I talk about New Mexican food a lot in Land of My Dreams. Bonny, the main
character, is from the same area of New Mexico where I live. Green chile, red
chile, fixed almost any way, with breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
I love my home state. I think it is
a great place to live. We have such a strong tradition of native food from the
large Native American and Hispanic population, that I was raised on it. Chile
means home, special times, and comfort.
What would you say is your biggest quirk?
I’m a pretty normal, non-quirky
person, I think. If I have one quirk, it is probably my love of classic
literature over modern fiction. Give me a good book by Charles Dickens or the
Bronte sisters any day.
What is it about your antagonist that irks you the most, and why?
Adam Lawson is so full of himself.
He has always treated me like a possession, rather than a person, but I can’t
seem to get over him. He was my first love and I always wanted to marry my
first love. Even after he almost destroyed my world, I still dream of him.
He’s very competitive and career
oriented, with strong political ambitions. I know life with him would never be
simple, but he has a place in my heart that seems reserved for him, no matter
what. He makes me so angry, but he gets this look in his deep brown eyes, and
it makes me melt.
What or who means the most to you in your life? What, if anything, would you do
to keep him/her/it in your life?
Kieran MacDonell is my dream guy. It
makes no difference that he is 10 years older than me. I cannot describe the
feeling it gives me when he walks into the room. Just thinking about him gives
me the shivers. It’s really tough to be hung up on two such handsome men.
I will sacrifice my home, friends, and
my whole life as I know it, to be with Kieran. He is my wild, romantic dream. The
adventure of being loved by him is priceless.
What one thing would you like readers to know about you that may not be spelled
out in the book in which you inhabit?
I come across as being really sure
of myself and brave, but I am just a scared little girl on the inside. I’m
basically insecure, but I act as if I’m in control because I’m afraid that if
people see how weak I really am they won’t want to be with me. The brave
sounding things I do are really running away from things that hurt me.
If you could tell your writer (creator) anything about yourself that might turn
the direction of the plot, what would it be?
I want to be a wife and mother. I
only stayed in school and went for two doctorates because Adam wasn't ready to get married until he had his law career on the upswing. I know he thinks of
marriage as something that can help his political ambitions, but if you would
just make his character straight-forward and honest, I would go for him in a
minute. I want to trust him and feel as if I really matter to him.
Kieran is really exciting and quite
the hunk, but he isn't perfect either.
Why do you let them both treat me so
badly?
Ask me any question. I've always wanted to know what a character thinks about
writers like myself. I'll answer the question at the end of this interview.
Why do writers think the conclusion
of a book should be the logical outcome? Why can’t you do the unexpected more
often?
Good question, Bonny. I think the reason why the logical outcome to any book is preferable to the unexpected, is just that, the ending is logical. The reader can say to him/herself. Well, that feels right. Isn't that the way it's supposed to be? I'm so glad. That doesn't mean there can't be some excellent twists and turns in your story, but that, by the end, everything should turn out "right."
Thank you, Bonny!
Links:
Great interview. Here are the links for the Kindle and print version:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JSZ2M4A/ Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1941103170/ Print