Today, Norm Goldman, Publisher & Editor of bookpleasures.com is excited to have as our guest Ethel Stockton author of Old is a 4-Letter Word. Ethel has also authored Old Fashioned, Old is Better and Not Too Old.

Good day Ethel and thanks for participating in our interview.

Norm:

How did you get started in writing? What keeps you going?

Ethel:

I have been writing with enthusiasm since I was 10, when a teacher
told me I might have talent. I wrote short stories, how-to, and
poetry. No fiction until I moved to Mexico in 2002.

In 1976 I published a book about banking titled STRETCH YOUR (no DOLLARS(no longer available).  

This was for elderly women with no knowledge of how to handle money.

In 1999 I published a diet book Titled  A COOKBOOK FOR LOSERS.

It is still available.

You ask how I keep going. It seems my day is not complete if I have
not written something. Writer’s block comes, of course, and I may
stray into something other than fiction for awhile but I always come
back to it.

Norm:

How much of you is in Old is a 4-Letter Word?

Ethel:

My friends say it is all me but that is not true. Annaliz, my
protagonist, has many adventures I have not had. There are many
things she does I had no opportunity to do (maybe the first book is
a wish list of things I had hoped would have happened to me. GRIN.)

I believe any writer will tell you that there is always something in
their books that reflects their values and I know mine are there. I
have used many incidents that happened to friends and family
(changing them, of course, so no one will find him/herself).

Norm:

How did you decide you were ready to write Old is a 4-Letter Word?
What motivated you to write the book?

Ethel:

I had a dream that I needed to go to Mexico. I didn’t know why but I
eventually made the trip South to Mazatlan and began to write what
was told to me in dream sequences. The book, OLD IS A 4-LETTER WORD
was my first fiction.

Norm:

Is there a message in Old is a 4-Letter Word that you want your
readers to grasp?

Ethel:

How to be INDEPENDENT and have FUN AFTER 70 -  could be the
message. i have had many write me saying the book had changed their
life. Until they read the book they were afraid to try anything new
but -  they say, “If Annaliz can do it at 77, so can I.”

Norm:

How do you know when your book is finished?

Ethel:

That is hard for me. I seem to want to continue listening to Annaliz’
words of wisdom and would like to add another chapter. In this book
she has a stroke and it seemed the logical place to stop. Then I
thought the reader would want to know if she survived or was a vegetable and the 2^nd book was written. It had a happy chapter at the end and that was needed. Each book seems to come to a logical ending
--- that’s  just the way I write.

Norm:

Do you work from an outline?

Ethel:

No. As I said, the first book came to me in a dream and the next
books seemed to follow the same pattern even though I had no dream
sequences  the next time. I don’t know what will happen next until
the character tells me. I just go with the flow.

Norm:

What do you want your work to do? Amuse people? Provoke thinking?

Ethel:

I believe the books are advocates for the elderly. I think it is
easier for suggestions about living a better life to sink in if they
come from reading about others, instead of first attempting to
change by one’s self. I work sometimes as a Life Coach and find, if
I have gone through their problem myself and am willing to talk
about it, clients are more ready to listen.

Norm:

Do you worry about the human race?

Ethel:

NO.  I’m sure it will survive and, if not,  I leave that worry in
more capable hands.   I try to live my life with Fun, Joy, Love and
Laughter and I hope everyone else can do the same.

Norm:

Can I ask you a personal question? How ‘young’ are you and what
would you say are the three most important secrets to having fun in life?

Ethel:

I am 92. There is really only one secret and I am glad to share it.
It is to learn how to be YOURSELF. Over the years I wore so many
masks because I wanted others to love me. I wanted to be the person
THEY wanted me to be.  For some reason I began wondering if there
was something under all that pretending that was worth learning
about. Wow! I discovered there was Life after 80. I found a ME I had
not known existed. It was the happy me, the laughing me, the loving
me I had always wanted to be. When I arrived in Mexico, at age 86,
to live alone, far from family and friends, with only myself to rely
on, Life was there, waiting. It showed me the wonder of myself and
my world. It taught me to be ME.

Norm:

What’s the most difficult thing for you about being a writer?

Ethel:

Finding things to write about. I don’t know if the dream meant for
me to talk about the various problems that humans go through but
each book seems to concentrate on those. I think, at times, that I
have covered them all but, when given a chance to talk to others
about it, I find there are new ones all the time. I find I must get
out and about to meet with many people. As they talk about their
lives I “steal” their stories to incorporate into the next book. (grin)

Norm:

What has been your overall experience as a published author?

Ethel:

I had the first 2 books printed myself and although they had no
fancy covers or back pages as such, they have sold quite well.
The next 4 books have been more expensive, as I went through the new
POD publishers. Knowing nothing about the publishing business I made
all the mistakes new authors do. I was frustrated at times because it
seemed to me that they took a long time to accomplish the littlest
thing. My lack of knowledge was showing, of course.
I found the best way for me to sell books was to give Inspirational
Speeches and Seminars. If readers liked what I said they would buy.

Norm:

Where can our readers find out more about you?

Ethel:

My book web site is www.EthelStockton.com
I also have a web site for my Life Coaching    www.TalkwithEthelStockton.com
I love to get e mails from my readers and answer every one   ethel@ethelstockton.com

Norm:

Are you working on any books/projects that you would like to share
with us? (We would love to hear all about them!)

Ethel:

I am working on the 5^th book but it is going slowly (I don’t seem to
have the dreams I once had to give me pointers. Grin) I am willing
to give speeches almost anywhere and I am also doing Life Coaching,
trying to help older people realize that THERE IS LIFE OUT THERE NO
MATTER WHAT AGE  Life is just waiting to give them FUN, LOVE AND
LAUGHTER. All  they have to do is REACH OUT.

Norm:

Thanks once again and good luck with all of your future endeavor.

Click Here To Purchase From Amazon Old is a 4-Letter Word

Click Here To Read Norm's Review of Old is a 4-Letter Word

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