Interviews
An Interview with Cassyashton Porter
Author of ‘Colin’s Eagle’, published by Writer’s Exchange E-Publishing.
AUTHOR NETWORK: Could you tell us about yourself — where you live, where you grew up, etc.
CASSY: I am 33, widowed with three cats named Charlie Randolph, Montana Reese and Cally Katherine. I was born and raised in Beverly, Massachusetts and moved to Aspen, Colorado in 1989 where I delved deeper into my love of writing. A few years later I moved to Glenwood Springs, Colorado where I now reside in my mobile home and write children’s/young adult books and picture books. In the summer I enjoy hiking, bicyling, swimming, horseback riding, jumping on my trampoline, and rollerskating (not blading). In the winter I mostly go for walks down to the river, as it’s the only excercise I can get since I don’t ski. When I’m not writing I love watching t.v. or coloring, and chasing my cats around the house. Along with writing I also enjoy acting and am pursuing a career in this field as we speak.
AUTHOR NETWORK: When you write a children’s story, what are you trying to do?
CASSY: I have always felt that families and friendship and love is very important for a healthy life. Some people don’t have those in theirs, and I try to bring them into my stories. Not that my stories are all happy with no problems. In fact, the characters are faced with very real problems, but they help each other overcome these problems by working together. It try to teach love, respect and courage and believe that my stories can teach these.
AUTHOR NETWORK: How would you describe an ideal children’s story?
CASSY: I can’t answer that because there are no “ideal” stories. I’ve read some lousy stories and I’ve read some really heartfelt stories. It’s all in the eyes of the readers. I write from my heart and about what I know and to me, that’s all any good writer can do. Research is fine, but it’s what’s inside the heart and spirit that really brings a story to light.
AUTHOR NETWORK: Tell us about your “faction” in progress.
CASSY: “Faction”, a word I never knew exsisted until my dear friend Denise Gasta suggested I write one about my abusive marriage. That’s what I’m writing about. It’s at the beginning stage and I’m just jotting down what’s in my head and my heart, and then I’ll go from there.
AUTHOR NETWORK: Why have you chosen to publish with an epublisher?
CASSY: E-publishing was never at the forefront of my mind, but I, like most writers want very much to be print published. For the past six or more years I’ve been striving to do so. A one-track mind, I suppose, and then as I was surfing one day I came upon a now defunct e-publishing company whose name I won’t mention, save the reputation of the people who worked for them, and I thought. “why not give it a try?” So I did, and through this company I met my dear friend Denise. I still want to be print published and I be some day, but I’m here right now and I’ll give it a shot.
AUTHOR NETWORK: Do you have unpublished gems in your drawer at home?
CASSY: Nope.
AUTHOR NETWORK: What activity (e.g., travel, listening to people, solitude) gives you ideas for stories?
CASSY: My ideas just pop into my head. Anytime of the day or night. Many times I am inspired by a friend of mine who is an actor, I won’t mention his name for privacy sake, but I have admired and loved him since I was ten years old. In fact, although Denise and my roommate planted the seed for me to write the story about my marriage, his thoughts sparked the flames that started the seeds growing and his spirit is very much alive in my story.
Cassyashton Porter, Author
writers-exchange.com/epublishing/authors/cassyashton/cassy.htm
www.cafepress.com/caporter
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