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Posted by: David Spinks - 14 July 2010 / 11:25
Welcome to Behind the Blogs, where we take a moment to get to know the bloggers in the Scribnia Community on a more personal level. We’ve read their words, but now it’s time to learn a little bit about the person behind the keyboard.
Today’s interview is with Johana Hill who writes for The Mercurial Wife. Johanna is a 20 something blogger that discusses her day to day experiences as a “stay-at-home-wife”, shares some stories involving “honey lips”, and mixes in random jokes, blog tips, and whatever else she can come up with.
As you can see from her picture over there, she does not reveal her true identity. That’s alright, we’re going to poke and prod to see what we can learn about the blogger behind this blog.
Well, lets get to know Johana a little bit better!
1. Where is your favorite place to go to write, read or think?
When I’m in the bathroom! It may sound funny to some but that’s where I let my mind go, or sometimes when I’m sitting outside on the porch in the mornings. Also, when I’m alone at night-time, my creative juices kick up then.
2. What was your life like growing up?
Fun! I never took anything serious until I left home to pursue my studies overseas. My mother always tells me, “Remember, there’s always a way out.” And I think I lived by that. And still do. So I tend not to worry about petty stuff. Que sera sera. Right?
3. How do you continue to find inspiration and ideas for blog posts?
My husband inspires me. Things he does, stuff he says, the fights, the lovemaking, the comfortable silence between him and I while enjoying each other’s company…
4. Who are your biggest inspirations in life?
My parents. I envy their money-saving abilities. Ha!
5. How do you define success? (I love this answer)
Success to me is like cooking good food, and even if you don’t feel like eating it afterwards, you feel happy seeing the content and satisfied expression on the faces of those who do.
6. What is the biggest challenge you face in your life today?
Trying to become a mother. I love babies. I want babies. But then, I think of all the responsibilities having a baby brings to the table and I feel defeated.
7. What are 5 things you want to do before you die?
Skydiving, own a library, go to Australia, Egypt, and Peru, make my parents proud and become a millionaire!
8. What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned since you started blogging? ( REALLY love this answer)
Nobody cares until you start caring.
9) What do your friends and family think about your blog?
My blog is anonymous. My husband and best friend know about The Mercurial Wife, plus a few. As far as I know, they like it! ;p
Thanks so much for sharing your story with us Johana. Keep up the great work and good luck making babies ^_^.
You can read Johana’s blog here, read/write reviews of her here, and be sure to follow her on twitter here.
If you know of an interesting blogger/author that we should interview for the Behind the Blogs series, or if YOU are that blogger, send me an email at David [at] Scribnia.com
Posted by: David Spinks - 7 July 2009 / 9:44
Cecily Kellogg
Welcome to Behind the Blogs, where we take a moment to get to know the blogger behind the keyboard. Today’s interview is with Cecily Kellogg, who’s also the author behind Uppercase Woman. Cecily is a unique blogger who has faced many issues in her life, but has fought to become the successful writer, professional, and person that she is today. It’s been an honor connecting with Cecily, and bloggers should take note of her commitment to personality and transparency. Let’s get to know her a bit better…
Hi Cecily,
1) What inspired you to start blogging?
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, but I was primarily a poet before blogging. Back in 2004 I was just starting down the road of infertility treatments, and I was updating my circle of friends with these funny (and bitter) long-winded emails. Then, in a separate forum, I was introduced to blogs and it was like chocolate and peanut butter — a perfect match. I had no idea, then, of course, that it would become such a huge part of both my life and my identity as a writer.
2) You’ve shared some of the obstacles that you have faced in your life dealing with alcohol. Has blogging helped you overcome these issues?
Blogging has been a great place to think out loud about many of the subjects surrounding my sobriety, yes. But I’d been sober already about eight years by the time I started blogging so the early crisis days of my recovery were long past. While I can see how blogging through sobriety could be really helpful, I’d seriously hate to see what I’d have written those first couple of years. I was pretty much a self-centered asshole back then 90% of the time (now it’s down to maybe 20%).
3) Do you find that your blogging voice is different when writing as a professional vs. on your personal blog?
Well, it really depends. I have made the decision to consistently be me across the board, no matter what. But obviously, in most of my professional writing I do NOT swear as much as I do on my personal blog. Some of the pro blogging gigs I’ve had actually had obscenity clauses in the contract (anti, not pro) so I have to watch it and try hard to say motherfucker a lot less often. But I’m still me, even if some folks believe I don’t know how to write without swearing. I really can. And by the way, yes, I do talk like this in real life.
4) How do you continue to find inspiration and ideas for blog posts?
It’s funny, but I actually think in blog posts now. I might be talking about something with my husband and realize it would make a great post. I often hear things at my recovery meetings that inspire some of my most thoughtful posts. My daughter is an amazing bit of inspiration, every day. Then of course the world is full of stupid people doing stupid things and that makes for great blog fodder. And that doesn’t even count politics.
5) What advice would you provide for people looking to start a blog, whether it be to share their personal lives, or fuel their professional career?
Well, if it’s to fuel their professional career I’d say don’t bother. Blogging should be for you and you first, and for most writers I think it can be a great way to keep “limber” so to speak, but I don’t know that blogging will help anyone professionally (unless you a niche blogger, not a personal blogger, or are blogging about your profession). But otherwise I’d say be prepared: eventually, everyone you know WILL find the blog. Make sure you are comfortable with your bosses, your spouse, your mother, and your potential employers reading it. At this point, my whole life is on the net and I know that it often costs me advertisers and quite possibly clients (I write corporate web content for a living). But I wouldn’t ever want to go back to being two different people. I have never felt more like “me” in my life than I do right now.
6) One unique fact that your readers don’t know about you?
Dude, there’s nothing my readers don’t know. They know when I lost my virginity. They’ve seen pictures of my uterus. They know how often my husband and I have sex, what I eat, where I go on vacation, and how tall I am. Wait! Oh! I know! They know I’m fat but they don’t know the actual number on the scale. And I am SO not telling you either. Heh.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Cecily.
If you know of a blogger/author that would be interesting to interview for the Behind the Blogs series, or YOU are that blogger, send me an email at DavidSpinks@Scribnia.com
Posted by: David Spinks - 30 June 2009 / 10:58
Welcome to Behind the Blogs, where we take a moment to get to know the blogger behind the keyboard. Today our interview is with Karie Fugett who writes the blog Being the Wife of a Wounded Marine. Her blogging story is a unique one.
Karie is 23 years old and lives in Alabama. She’s married to an injured service member which consumes most of her time. “He is almost ready to medically retire which means back to the real world… whatever that means.” Her blog serves as a diary of her experiences. Enjoy.
1) What inspired you to start blogging?
I started blogging because I needed an outlet. Nobody in my life completely understood I was going through and it left me with overflowing emotions and nowhere to direct them. A friend of mine introduced me to blogging a year ago and really it’s been a saving grace for me. Sometimes it is all I have.
2) How do you continue to find inspiration and ideas for blog posts? Do you find it hard to share your experiences?
My life is pretty insane all the time so it’s easy for me to have something to write about. In the end, though, my husband is my inspiration in everything, including my blogs, intentionally or not. There are times it is hard to share my experiences. Usually writing them isn’t so bad. I try to forget people even read it and just write. However, I’ve been working on a few projects and it has caused me to have to recall a few really difficult things. I had never gone back and read some of the things I had written in the past. Actually reading them again was very emotional for me.
3) How has blogging helped you deal with your situation?
My blog is my one friend that doesn’t get sick of me talking. It has really served as a great counselor and has been the best listener I could ask for.
4) What advice would you provide for people facing hard times that are looking to start a blog?
Don’t write to please others. Write for yourself or you won’t get anything out of it.
5) One unique fact that your readers don’t know about you?
Geez, I feel like they know everything about me…. Um, I’ve never finished an essay because I never thought they were good enough. So it’s kind of funny I blog at all…