A few weeks ago I promised you a glimpse at other writers’ lives. Here is my next interview. I hope you enjoy hearing from Margaret Daley as much as I did.
Introduce yourself where you  live, what you write, your family.



I am Margaret Daley and I live in Oklahoma. I write for Love Inspired and Love Inspired Suspense. I have a wonderful husband of thirty-seven years and one son. I am the proud grandmother of three little girls who if I must say are adorable. When I’m not writing, I teach or tutor. I recently retired from teaching special education for twenty-seven years, but I’m going back in the classwork for the last two months of school year as a substitute in an elementary special ed class.
What brought you to writing?
I didn’t really write much other than what was required in school as a child. But I have always been a storyteller. I would make up elaborate stories when I played with my dolls or paper dolls (Boy, does that date me!).  One day I decided to see if I could put one of those stories down on paper. I haven’t stopped writing since then.
I’d forgotten about paper dolls. I had drawers full of them and created lovely tales for them.
Describe your writing area. Is there something special that seems to encourage you to write? Perhaps a memento that has special meaning, something that triggers your muse. Is there something people would be surprised to see?

I have an office in my house with lots of bookcases and a couch as well as my desk and chair. Two things are different about my office. The walls are hot pink and my husband years ago started framing all my books and they surround me on the walls while I write. When I begin to doubt myself and my writing, I can look at them and see that I have been able to do it over a career of twenty-eight years. And the hot pink walls are  invigorating. I didn’t think I would keep them long, but I’ve had them for years now. Also I’ve decorated my office with lots of flamingoes. They go well with my hot pink walls.
LOL. Dancing flamingos?? Sound like a title for a book.What is the wall paper on your  desktop? Why?
My three grandchildren–every morning I get to see them before I start to write. What a joy and a way to start my day!
I agree. My grandchildren are the best.
 Do you have little routines you  follow in your writing time? Special music, special tea or coffee, certain cup  or pen or color of paper you prefer?
I love French Vanilla General Mills International Coffee (not what I call real coffee) and have several cups in the morning. I also love to check my emails then play a couple of mind games to get myself in thinking mode.
I’ve recently discovered several new flavors of GM International Coffees that I enjoy too-my special treat to get me back to work for an hour or two in the afternoon.
Do you have a favorite dead  author? Favorite research or reference book that is always at your  fingertips?
My The Synonym Finder by J.I. Rodale is the best thesaurus I’ve found and believe me I’ve got several. I’ve also got various research books that help me when I’m planning a murder (for anyone reading this, the murder only takes place on the written page).
 Okay, let’s be brutally honest.  What is your biggest distraction, perhaps self-made, during your writing  time?
Promotion “stuff”, emails and playing games instead of working-most of the time it is because I’m stumped and just need time to come up with something that works. Writing doesn’t always happen on demand.
What is your favorite thing about  being a writer?
Creating stories–brainstorm a plot
 
Your least favorite?

The line edits–not the editing of the overall story but the one where you check your word usage and other picky items.
 
Is there something you secretly  would like to change about your writing live? 
I love my office. I could use more storage area for my books but other than that there’s nothing I would change.
 
Thanks for sharing, Margaret. I’ve really enjoyed getting a glimpse of you at work
You can find Margaret at the links below. She is giving away a free copy of the book pictured to one person who comments on this blog. Too bad I have to disqualify myself.
 
http://www.margaretdaley.com/
http://margaretdaley.blogspot.com/
 The winners of the books given away by Ruth Axtell Morren are Dubby Giusti and Renee Ryan. Congratulations.