Interview

Your book is set in New York City. Have you ever been there? 

I live there! I am a lifelong New Yorker and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. For me, New York is the most exciting city in the world!  Not only is it home to some of the world’s most famous landmarks (and the world’s best pizza), it is also one of the best places to visit around Christmastime! From the Bryant Park skating rink to the stunning 5th Avenue department store windows to Bruce’s idol, the world famous Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree (or Rocky, as we affectionately call her) the magic of NYC at Christmas cannot be beat. It was so much fun to bring that magic to life as part of Bruce’s story. New York City also happens to be home to Broadway, where I work full-time as a journalist and news editor for BroadwayWorld.com writing about all the shows and their stars!

Where do you get inspiration for your stories? 

It seems to come from all over. Bruce’s story was born when our family retired our well-worn artificial Christmas tree after two decades of service. When each of my family members expressed their dismay at having to part with our longtime tennenbaum, it became obvious to me that our Christmas tree had come to symbolize so much more than the season. As I began to unpack all of the memories we had made around the tree and the meaning behind each of its ornaments, it became clear that at their core, Christmas trees are a monument to family histories, and that’s how Bruce’s story began to take shape. 

Other ideas have come from nature documentaries or news stories. Sometimes just an image or something my nephew says that sets my brain to work. Inspiration is a funny thing and it really can come from anywhere. One of the principles I learned in journalism school was to “pay attention to your boredom.” For me that means being open to inspiration however it comes and not necessarily going looking for it. 

How long have you been writing?

For as long as I can remember, I have been drawn to the act of writing. As a child, I always idolized characters in books that were writers, like Jo March in Little Women and the title character in Harriet the Spy. In school, I was always most enthusiastic about English and the arts, and as a teenager, I was constantly blogging and journaling in my spare time. When choosing my major in college, I went with journalism, even though I was working as a performer at the time. Though I have tried on many hats in my professional life, none have suited me so well as my current role as a journalist and author. Writing has always been an intrinsic piece of my spirit.

In today’s tech savvy world, most writers use a computer or laptop. Have you ever written parts of your book on paper? 

That’s actually a funny question for me. I’ll be honest, I tend to have pretty poor handwriting, so the vast majority of my news stories and such are written on my laptop from start to finish. When it comes to my children’s stories and poems, however, they simply must be handwritten. I can’t do it any other way. Some of the editing takes place on the computer but the stories are always built in a notebook first. There’s no rhyme or reason to it, it’s just how it works!

Do you write every day? 

I do! And I’m incredibly lucky to get to do so. Making a living around my two greatest passions, theatre and writing, is an incredible privilege and I’m blessed to work for a site that not only lets me do what I love, but employers that trust my instincts as a journalist and give me a nice long leash to pursue topics and issues within the Broadway industry that I am passionate about. Working for people that believe in your abilities, and even your most potentially crazy ideas, is one of the greatest gifts an artist can get.

This has been so much fun learning a bit more about the author of Bruce the Spruce. Thanks so much for taking the time to share with us. ~ Debbie

Connect with the Author:  Author’s Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

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