Welcome to 7 Quick Takes at Catholic Sistas! If you are new to our site we hope you will enjoy this little interview with one of our contributors, or Ink Slingers as we like to say in these parts, and stick around to explore more of our offerings. In this seven question interview we are chatting with Ink Slinger AnnMarie C. who is a devout Catholic, busy homeschool mom and wife and a published author. Keep reading to learn more about AnnMarie’s favorite song, her challenges in homschooling, what she loves about the Church, and where she finds her inspiration for her writing (and a link to her new book is included). Enjoy!
–1–
What is your favorite song or who is your favorite singer?
One of my very favorite singers is my father. He sang in clubs in NY when he was in college and even made an album. His stage name was Peter Mitchell. When I was a child he made me listen to the Rat Pack and I grumbled about it. Now I have very eclectic taste in music, from Fr. Stan Fortuna to Dean Martin to Aerosmith. I will admit that my “shower song” is Etta James’ At Last. I love to belt that one out when I think no one is listening!
–2–
What do you wish everyone knew about the Church?
That, contrary to popular belief, women find freedom here! The church has such high esteem for women. This is evident particularly through the writings of Bl. John Paul II in his encyclical on the dignity of women, the Theology of the Body talks and in his book Love and Responsibility.
–3–
What inspires you when you write?
Love. Love inspires me. The book The Song of Solomon in the Bible is particularly an inspiration. In fact, I used it constantly when writing Angela’s Song. When I write, I start by asking the Holy Spirit to guide me and I always have a Bible on hand.
–4–
If you homeschool, what is your favorite part of homeschooling and what is your greatest challenge?
My greatest challenge is balancing the housework, shopping and all the other responsibilities with teaching. My favorite part is that I get to hang out with my kids all day. We pray together and I see them learning, playing and being creative. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
–5–
Tell us about some unusual things that make you happy?
The aroma of coffee, watching my kids play, choosing the right gift for someone’s birthday, stormy weather, a phone call from someone I haven’t heard from in a while, singing Psalm 63, talking with my husband, making a traditional Italian Christmas Eve dinner for my family (shrimp scampi, baked clams, fried fish, calamari and linguini with clam sauce), crisp fall mornings, getting a hug from my son with autism, an hour of adoration in front of the Blessed Sacrament, the fragrance of frankincense, the sound of boots crunching in the snow.
–6–
Where were you born and do you still live there (or nearby)? If not, how many places have you lived and which were the most interesting?
I was born in Brooklyn, NY and grew up on the north shore of Long Island. After we got married, my husband and I lived in Queens for awhile, then we relocated to a far west Chicago suburb for about 15 years. Now our family lives in the Kansas City, Missouri area. It was a big adjustment moving so far west. It’s very different from the east coast! But this is definitely where God wants us to be and all of us are happy here.
–7–
What is your most embarrassing moment?
Goodness, I constantly embarrass myself! Last year, at the Catholic Writer’s Conference in Philadelphia, I hired Ellen Gable to critique the first three chapters of my manuscript. The Catholic Writers Guild offered this service and provided several authors to choose from. Usually I’m more thorough, but it was a very busy time for me so I wound up just picking a name off the list and leaving it at that. When we finally met, Ellen said, “I know why you picked me to critique you r work. You must have read my novels.” I think I said something like, “Oh…you write books?”
It turns out that she writes Catholic fiction with a Theology of the Body theme. A year later, Ellen is my editor, publisher and good friend. I’m thankful she had the grace to overlook my faux pas!
For more Quick Takes go visit Jen at Conversion Diary.
