Here’s a reprint of my interview with W3 Sidecar:
Q&A WITH WRITER JULIE WEINBERG
“At every stage of life, the struggles might seem insurmountable. Yet, if one sticks with it and strives for new and different ways to address problems, everything seems to work out.”
1. What do you find most challenging about writing?
Everyday distractions seem to eat away at more of my writing time than anything else. I sit down every day with the good intention of not leaving my office until I’ve written ten really provocative, plot advancing, funny and captivating pages. And then the dryer end-of-cycle bell dings or the mail comes or I remember brownies need to be made for teacher appreciation day…it seems like I just sit down to write when it’s 5:00PM and time to open a bottle of wine and relax. Staying focused and making the writing of those ten pages a higher priority than folding laundry or paying bills is something I constantly battle.
2. What have you learned from your current project?
I’m not alone. I Wish There Were Baby Factories centers on the challenges I faced to start a family. When random strangers ask me what the book is about and I tell them, inevitably they share their own story (or that of their sister, cousin, neighbor or friend) about their own struggles or hardships along the way. While I was going through the experience, I felt incredibly lonely. After all, even my 16-year-old neighbor could (and did) get pregnant; yet after years of trying, I couldn’t. Now with the book out and getting the opportunity to talk about it, I’m finding out that heartache and roadblocks are just as common on the path to parenthood as simple conceptions.
3. What are you working on right now?
I’ve started the sequel to I Wish There Were Baby Factories. By adding a second baby to the mix, the sequel steps up the focus on the relationship between moms working in high-powered, stressful environments with the demands of family. The behind-the-scenes drama of working in a political arena highlights the sometimes ulcer-inducing choices working moms must make between missing firsts (steps, words, girlfriends?!) with career choices.
4. How have your goals as a writer changed over time?
When I first started writing I Wish There Were Baby Factories, the goal was simply to preserve a part of our family history. I just wanted to get down on paper the story of all I went through to start a family so my kids would know beyond the shadow of a doubt that they were both loved and wanted from the very beginning. Now that the story has been published and the response has been so positive, I feel like I can help other women embrace the power of persistence. At every stage of life, the struggles might seem insurmountable. Yet, if one sticks with it and strives for new and different ways to address problems, everything seems to work out. At least that’s what I’ve found whether it applied to starting a family or raising children or now moving into my empty-nest years.
5. What are your top 5 reads?
I’ve got an eclectic collection of books on my bedside table at the moment, but it’s reflective of the types of books I’m always reading:
- The Physician by Noah Gordon—Wow, talk about a man driven to practice his passion for healing! This book reinforces the power of persistence theme that resonates with me.
- Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson—An amazing biography of a mercurial and churlish genius. His behavior mimics some politicians I’ve worked for.
- Eat This, Not That! 2013 by David Zinczenko—Compares your favorite menu choices from all your favorite restaurants. Who knew a Ceasar salad was so bad for you?!
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins—Children killing children doesn’t sound like an enticing story line to me, and yet I’m captivated by the trilogy.
- And of course I Wish There Were Baby Factories—but now I’m reviewing plot lines to expand in the sequel.
About Julie Weinberg
Julie left behind the calm of her childhood upbringing in Overland Park, Kansas when she followed her dream to live, work, and breathe politics by attending American University in Washington, DC. Never looking back, she worked as a lobbyist on Capitol Hill before jumping ship to state politics with the Maryland General Assembly. Her K-12 education policy expertise helped her in the political arena and eventually as a mom, too. An avid Baltimore Ravens fan and dedicated soccer mom, Julie and her family live in beautiful Potomac, MD. You can find out more about Julie and her debut novel, I Wish There Were Baby Factories, at julieweinbergbooks.com.Like Julie on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @JulieWeinberg1.
– See more at: http://w3sidecar.tumblr.com/post/62910161171/julie-weinberg#sthash.qQWSV82b.dpuf