5 Easy Questions with Heather Sunseri!

Every Wednesday, I ask a writer the same five easy questions. In an effort to support and promote fellow wordsmiths, I feature authors who write a variety of genres, from sweet inspirational to mainstream thrillers. The writers themselves may be aspiring, published, or best-selling--all have made an impact on my life.


Please join me in welcoming...Heather Sunseri!

Heather and I connected through blogging a few years ago, and I quickly bonded with her. Maybe it's because we have similarly aged children, or because I'm moved by her thoughtful posts, but we just meshed! I'm very impressed with Heather's devotion to mission work. She's heading overseas this summer. What a blessing she will be, and I can't wait to read all about it! Heather writes inspirational romantic suspense novels.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Let's get to it!
 
1. Beverage of choice?
 
I adore my morning coffee, nothing too fancy. I also love a good Chai tea latte.


2. Any pets?

Oh, boy do I. Two Golden Retrievers – one very old and one very rambunctious, an unaffectionate Calico cat that is technically my daughter’s, and several fish.

3. Dream vacation?

My husband and I love to travel. At the moment, we really want to travel to Sicily. My husband’s grandfather came over from Sicily as a child and I would love to research and visit the area where many of his ancestors lived. Not to mention the beaches and the food that would be involved.

4. What are you listening to right now?

At this very moment, I’m listening to my children get ready for church. But when I work I listen to a couple of Pandora stations that I love – Five For Fighting and Lead Me by Santus Real. I love letting Pandora do all the work. I tell her one song I like, and she goes to work picking out more.

5. What's for dinner?

Homemade pizza, a recipe from my mother. And maybe a salad.


Thank you so much, Heather, for being my guest today! Homemade pizza sounds delicious. I would totally adopt your unaffectionate cat if your daughter would let me. I'm all about the kitties--even the unlovable ones. I think you and your husband (and your personal assistant, ahem, me) should spend an entire summer in Sicily. Wouldn't that be amazing? Sun, food, research--good times! Thanks again!

What fresh, summer fruit or vegetable are you salivating for?

Me? Watermelon!
Heather Sunseri is the wife of one amazing husband and two inspiring and adventurous children. She has spent the past seventeen years working as a CPA for thoroughbred horse farms and in public accounting in Central Kentucky. When she’s not crunching numbers or carting children to soccer practices, Heather likes to dream up impossible situations to stick her characters in just to see if they can get themselves out. She writes romantic suspense novels about beautifully flawed people with a strong desire to do something good in life and find their God-given purpose.

To learn more about Heather, visit her blog, Heather Sunseri: One Writer's Journey Through Life, be friends with her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

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Brainstorming to Ease Your Fall Schedule

Summer's sprinting away. I can see the dust trail left behind and I'm waving--a sad, mournful little wave--as it disappears. Sigh. See you again next year, my playful friend.



And here comes fall, brisk and welcoming. I stand a bit straighter, gird myself for productivity. But fall is no slave driver. Fall knows how to have fun too.

Heather Sunseri wrote a comforting series about the seasons of the writer's life over at her blog, Balance with Purpose. Here's the link to her take on fall: Seasons of the Soul, part 4, Fall. If you get a chance, read through the entire series--it's very reassuring.

With a new season, comes a new schedule. I have to adapt to a frantic pace as soon as September hits. I rise earlier, cram more in during the day, and am bound to a variety of late afternoon activities. Over the past week, I've brainstormed ways to keep my sanity with the new schedule. Here are a few things I'm doing:

• Wake up 30 minutes early for Bible study, prayer, and a quiet time before I have to get up.


• Simple wake up routine with minimum fuss.


• Pack snacks, drinks, and reading material for my never-ending car time. Sometimes I think I spend more time in my mini-van than I spend at home.


• Take an hour on Sunday to plan the week's meals and create a shopping list. (I've been doing this for years. It saves me so much mental stress!)


• Deal with incoming paperwork (mail, children's homework, permission slips, etc...) immediately.


• Shorter, realistic exercise routine. I know I can fit a 20 minute walk in my weekdays, whether on the treadmill or outdoors, but a 50 minute yoga DVD will only collect dust.


• Continue my fall/winter weekly writing session with a dear friend. I can't tell you how much I've missed our sessions this summer!

I'll admit the one item on the list that gives me the most grief is exercise. It's the first thing I give up when I'm busy. But I don't want to. I'm a nicer person, not to mention healthier, when I exercise regularly.
Also, the packing of snacks, drinks, and reading materials each morning for my mini-van time has kept my stress levels low. We're always hungry and tired in the afternoon, but due to activities, we can't go home. I feel guilty if we head to a drive-thru, but with snacks in the car, there's no need. And I can catch up on my magazines or read a few chapters of a book while I wait. I always, always, pack snacks and books!
What challenges do you face as the new season arrives? Can you let a few of your summer routines slide until next year? Is there a way to adapt your morning routine or your exercise routine to fit in your life better?
Join me on Wednesday when we'll dive into a new month with a new topic: career planning!

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