Gerrie Ferris Finger

                                            interviewed by Barbara M. Hodges

In 2009, Gerrie won The Malice Domestic/St. Martin's Minotaur Best First Traditional Novel Competition for THE END GAME.

She grew up in Missouri, then came South to join the staff of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Gerrie researched and edited the columns of humorist Lewis Grizzard and co-wrote a news column with another reporter for three years.

Lewis became her mentor, and when he passed away, she joined the newspapers' Southern Task Force.
As a reporter, Gerrie traveled the Tobacco Roads of Georgia, Virginia and Alabama, and the narrow,
historic streets of New Orleans. she wrote about Natchez, Mississippi's unique history, Florida's diverse population,
and the Outer Banks struggle to keep the Cape Hatteras light house from toppling into the sea.

Gerrie Ferris Fingers website:  http://gerrieferrisfinger.com/

 Some of Gerrie’s Books:

The Last Temptation:


The Ghost Ship:

Merciless

BMH:    Tell us your favorite joke.

GFF:    More my favorite rules for writing. Take the bull by the hand and avoid mixing metaphors.
Don't be redundant; don't use more words than necessary; it's highly superfluous. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
Last but not least, avoid clichés like the plague; They're old hat; seek viable alternatives. There are three rules for writing.
Unfortunately no one knows what they are. W. Somerset Maugham.

BMH:    When's the last time you used profanity?

GFF:    Just this afternoon on the golf course.

BMH:    How many hours of sleep do you get (on average)?
 
GFF:    Six to seven

BMH:    Describe your level of ambition.

GFF:    High, but since I’ve retired somewhat modified.

BMH:    You're president of the United States for enough time to only make one executive decision. What is it?

GFF:    Pardon all animals in shelters.

BMH:    What's a common and accepted practice for Americans nowadays that you think we'll look back on with regret?

GFF:    Tough one without getting political, delving into religion, international relations, sexual mores, etc.
I’ll go with car dependency, driving 40 miles one way to work, then back; crowding highways, poisoning the air,
irritating oneself constantly. Fast food, too, but that has gotten into the political, cultural arena.

BMH:    What would you attempt to do if you knew that you could not fail?

GFF:    Fly and sing.

BMH:    Describe a few pet peeves of yours.

GFF:    Over use of exclamation points. Mandatory percentage tipping. Dogs pooping on my lawn.

BMH:    How often do you Google yourself?

GFF:    Few times a week when thoughts occur.

BMH:    What do you know now that you wished someone had told you ten years ago?

GFF:    My golf swing wouldn’t improve.

BMH:    What childhood event shaped or scarred you the most?

GFF:    A teacher told me I would be a writer and I became one. First as a staff writers for
the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, then as a novelist.

BMH:    Would you rather live without music or live without TV?
GFF:    TV as long as it has music on it.   :-D

Be gossiped about or never talked about at all?
GFF:    Be gossiped about.

BMH:    Do you blog? If so, why and what do you usually blog about?

GFF:    Writing, libraries, book stores, reviews, invite guests to do a Q&A or essays.

BMH:    Have you ever done a blog book tour? What was that like and would you do it again?

GFF:    Yes, when my first book, THE END GAME, was released. Not really because it’s a lot of work.
Blog hosts don’t like repetition, i.e. they want original essays on your thoughts about writing, characters, themes, etc. I’d rather be writing.

BMH:    Do you enjoy doing promotion?

GFF:    I’d rather be writing.

BMH:    What’s the oddest thing you’ve ever done to promote your work?

GFF:    I’m pretty traditional with book signings, radio, conventions, etc.
I’m not one to dress up as a character, although I’ve met some interesting ones at book signings.

BMH:    Respond to these pairings and tell why you respond the way you do:
Series or stand-alone books?
    GFF:     Series, although I love standalones, too. I’ve written a couple and am tempted to turn them into series.
See what I mean. I like working with characters I’ve created.
 
Outlines or find-your-way plotting?
    GFF:     Find my way by scene building.
 
Lots of research or make it all up?
        GFF:    Both. I love to research. Learned the ins and outs as a reporter.

Neat or sloppy?
    GFF:     In between.

NY or DC?
    GFF:      New York. It’s always exciting. D. C. gets dull at times.

Carnivore or vegetarian?
    GFF:      Carnivore. I love hamburgers and bacon.

BMH:    How have you grown as a writer?
            1) What has gotten better?
         GFF:    My voice, sticking with one point of view and organizing in my mind as I build scenes. Also writing active voice rather than passive.

            2) What things have you dropped along the way?

GFF:    I used to read everything once I opened the book. No more. Time’s too short to waste on the impossible and drivel.

            3) What helped most in your growth as a writer?

         GFF:    Writing and reading with an eye to the writer’s craft, how he or she builds plot, theme and character to denouement.

BMH:    What historical or present day famous figure would you like to have dinner with?

GFF:    Shakespeare for historical. Freddy Couples, golfer, for present day.