My name is Penny Estelle and I was an elementary school secretary for 21 years. I heard every excuse and story in the book when kids would be sent to the principal. I promised myself when I retired I would write stories about kids and that is just what I did.
I am retired with my wonderful husband and we live on a fifty-four acre ranch in Arizona on solar and wind. I am the “greenest” person I know, even if I don’t want to be!
Please stop by @ the website, blog, and twitter - @pennystales.
Q) What inspired you to write this story?
My grandson had to do a report on what he would say if he met Daniel Boone. I thought it would be a good story if kids of today (their lingo, attitudes, etc.) met famous historical legends. I wrote Billy Cooper’s Awesome Nightmare with that in mind. Seventh grader, Billy Cooper is informed on a Friday afternoon that an oral report will be due on Monday on a subject he draws from a box. Well he finds this extremely annoying as he has a full weekend planned. He has no idea who this famous person is so he figures he will just do a 5 minute search Sunday evening and skate by on this assignment. Well all that changes when he wakes up in the 14 century and meets his subject face to face. This story will be out in May of 2012.
Q) How long did it take you to write?
This is a short story in eBook form and it probably took me a month to write and put the finishing touches on.
Q) What is your favorite thing about writing?
Writing – The End…LOL Seriously, I like seeing where these characters will take me. Most of the time, it is nowhere that I had originally planned.
Q) What is your least favorite thing about writing?
I am a horrible proofreader. I have to go over a story many times before I am satisfied with the end product – and I still find things that need to be changed!
Q) If you could be any famous person for one day, who would you be and why?
This is a toughie – but I would love to be Janet Evanovich simply to know what it is like to be a hugely beloved author and know my work will be read by millions!
Q) What is the oldest thing in your fridge and how old is it?
One time I had a Cornish game hen that had been in my freezer for YEARS. It moved with me! It was almost a family member. When I married my second husband, he finally convinced me to throw it out. It was heartbreaking – LOL. But present day is probably some salsa I threw out yesterday. I may be wrong, but in that jar I think I had the cure for some horrible disease!
Q) What can readers expect from you in the future?
I would like to do a series called The Wickware Sagas, which would be a take off on Billy Cooper’s Awesome Nightmare. Ms. Wickware is the history teacher of all the students who find themselves involved with these legends. I think these stories could be funny, adventurous, and peppered with some magic and education thrown in.
I also have a MG/YA story already out called Hike Up Devil’s Mountain. It is also a story about 3 boys with lots of adventure and magic involved.
I have tried to get into romance, but somehow it always ends up involving rowdy kids!
