Tuesday, October 09, 2007

When I Was Just a Kid...Michelle Sutton

mesilly

Michelle is one creative person and a busy reader. On her blogspot you can get updated about almost every fiction book published in the Christian market place. PLUS, when she finishes reviewing them, she GIVES THEM AWAY. So if you are looking for a book, plug into her book giveaways and check back often.

As if all the other things she does isn't enough, she is the American Christian Fiction Writers' Volunteer Officer, too.

She has an agent who believes in her edgy inspirational stories that she writes, so expect one day to see her own books in print. Now, let's see what Michelle's childhood was like and how it made her into the woman who has plenty of stories to tell:

Where Did You Grow Up? 

Syracuse, New York

Childhood Ambition:

Early childhood - to be a mom full-time, and in adolescence - to be a social worker.

Fondest Memory: 

 Personal achievement: Winning the spelling bee in 5th grade (for the whole school) and also getting a cash prize for runner up in the energy conservation contest in NY for my picture.

Family Related: When my brother graduated from the Coast Guard boot camp I sobbed my eyes out.

Proudest Moment:

Every time I won something as a kid whether it was a softball game, water polo tournament, I placed in Synchro for my routine,  or aced a hard test. I was an achiever. One year I sold so many Girl Scout cookies, I only had to pay $2 to go to camp for a week. I used to also win trips to amusement parks by selling newspaper subscriptions and I took my baby sister on several of those trips with me.

Biggest Challenge as a Child:

Having to deal with a chronically ill mother, which meant in many ways, I had to take care of myself. As the oldest daughter I also got the extra chores. I learned to cook at a very young age and do all of the laundry (is it any wonder I dislike those activities so much now?) Also, having to pay my way through college was very hard, but I was determined to graduate! Thankfully I did!

My First Job:

Delivering newspapers at 5 a.m. every day from when I was 11 to age 16. Then I got my first real job, which was as a library page for the Syracuse Public library system. I worked at the Carnegie building in downtown Syracuse.

Childhood Indulgence:

Chocolate. I also loved to mix flour, sugar and butter (stuff to make raw cookie dough mix) and ate that by the bowl full.

Favorite Outfit as a Child:

My Holly Hobbie summer jumpsuit. The very first time I wore it I wiped out on my bike and broke my thigh so the EMT's had to cut my Holly Hobby outfit to get to my leg. I was SOOO upset about that.

Favorite Childhood Movie: 

Probably Bambi. I really adored the Little House on the Prairie series, too. I wanted to be Mary, Laura's oldest sister.

Favorite Childhood Book:

I loved all of the Beverly Cleary books.

Childhood Hero:

Probably my mom, with teachers as close runners up.

Favorite Childhood Activity or Toys:

My Baby Alive and my Barbies, of course. It never bothered me that Barbie had a perfect bod!

Anything else? I hope to sell a book very soon as I have plenty of proposals "out there" at a variety of publishing houses both ABA and CBA.



Here's Michelle's childhood photos:







Be sure to check out more about her on Shout Life and her web page.

AND FOR FREE BOOK GIVEAWAYS check her blog, as well as reviews to see what books she tells about.

28 comments:

Edgy Inspirational Author said...

Thanks, Crystal. I had to reread the interview because it had been awhile since I answered the questions. What I discovered is that I've been an overachiever forever. Sheesh. Like that wasn't already obvious to everyone but me.

Cara Putman said...

What a fun interview. Thanks!

Bonnie S. Calhoun said...

LOL...that sounds like our Michelle...Always the overachiever! You go girl...that kind of tenacity will keep you young!

Anonymous said...

Great interview, Michelle! Adorable family pictures, too. I just can't wait to see one of your fabulous stories in a bookstore. You're so talented. I know it'll happen soon.

Nancy Toback

T. Forkner said...

What a great interview! I played with Barbies too and never noticed her bod until I was in college and took a women's studies course. Now that I'm enlightened I try to make sure my daughter has other dolls too. But sometimes we just end up playing barbies. :)

Anonymous said...

Great interview, Michelle! I love the family photos, too. I can't wait till I get an autographed book from you. You're so talented!

Paula Friedrichsen said...

Oh my gosh Michelle, you were reaching for the stars, even in childhood. Very cute interview!
Blessings,
Paula Friedrichsen

SHARLENE said...

Michelle, this interview was a hoot to read. And I loved every one of the pictures.

Thanks for sharing!

AngBreidenbach said...

Michelle,
We keep having things in common! I won my school spelling bee too, lol. However, you're smarter. You won in 5th grade. It took me until 8th!
Angie

Unknown said...

Sounds like you had quite a character building childhood.

Anonymous said...

I love the family photos, Michelle. And what a fun interview. I can't wait to get an autographed copy of one of your books. Soon!!

Blessings, dear friend,
Nancy Toback

Pammer said...

I love learning more about you, Michelle. A cute little girl turned into a beautiful woman. (Of course there is the overachiever thing too. LOL) Thanks for sharing.

cathikin said...

What a nice interview. From my communications with Michele I know her to be such a great person. She seems so sonstatnly full of life and optimism. I am one of the blessed readers who one in one of her give-aways, the George Polivka books. They were great!

Bonnie Leon said...

Well, it true, then. Michelle has always been going at full tilt.
:-)

On a more serious note. I'm on the other side of that child/mother thing. I was the mom who needed her kids to help her. I felt so bad. When I think about it, I still tear up.

Thanks for the great interview, Michelle.

Bonnie

Tiffany Amber Stockton said...

Hmm, learning to cook and do laundry at a young age. Sounds familiar! I knew we had something in common besides chocolate! Only my mother was just a taskmaster. :)

I was the only girl and when brother #2 came along, mom had to go to work full time to cover expenses. That meant I became a SAHM (stay-at-home mom) at the tender age of 9 without being a bonafide mother.

The difference? I still LOVE doing that and my only desire is to be a SAHM once we start our family. That's why I write and design web sites. It'll keep me home but also let me contribute to the family income. :)

Great interview!

Nancy said...

Michelle,

I LOVED the interview!
Your childhood sounded so great.
Love the pictures too, adorable.
I just know before long we will
see your name on the best seller
lists!
Blessings,
Nancy Mleczko

Anonymous said...

gee whiz.. you didnt mention your best bud, me ;) loved it! oh yes, and to all of you who didnt grow up near Michelle, if you spent the night at her house, well you too got to go and deliver those newspapers with her! Percy

Georgiana Daniels said...

Aww, how cute!! Although I'm not convinced your brother is hugging you ;)

Crystal, these are so fun!

Anonymous said...

it was so much fun reading about all your childhood memories!!
thanks for sharing them :)

-rebornbutterfly

carla stewart said...

Congrats, Michelle, on your first interview! How fun.
I cried through a Coast Guard graduation, too, only it was my son who survived boot camp! He liked it so much, he's made it a career (12 years so far). You're a special gal, and I can't wait until you get your first contract.

Susan Meissner said...

I shoulda guessed your love affair with chocolate began way back.
And I can see you selling Thin Mints and Scot Teas with unbridled passion. You'll sell a gazillion books some day. . .

Anonymous said...

This is an awesome interview Michelle. I don't think you could have been any cuter as a little girl. I'm so glad I got to know you at the conference and I look forward to hearing great news about your first published novel.

Sharon Ball

Jennifer AlLee said...

Great interview, Michelle! How sad about your jumpsuit! I had a Holly Hobby sleeping bag that used a lot... not for camping or anything, just in my own bed. And I used to make cookie dough just to eat it, too. Ah, the innocence of youth!

Anonymous said...

Hey, Michelle, I learned some new things about you, dear friend! I don't know why, but I could not see the pics from your childhood. :O(

I, too, was a Holly Hobbie fan...you can ask Chelle...I still am! :O)

Looking forward to holding one of your books in print!

~Jeanie:)

Crystal Laine said...

Jeanie, It may be because you don't have something (flash) on your computer in order to view a slide show? This is the first time I've used a slide show because it is how Michelle does photos on her web site. You can see her childhood slide show on her site. Or it could be a temporary feed thing.

This was another fun kiddo interview, Michelle, like all of them are for me, and thanks for being a victim of my curiosity into people's pasts!

I still can't figure out why they had to cut up your Holly Hobbie dress to get to your thigh, but I suppose with a serious injury they weren't thinking of saving the clothes--just the girl! (And we're glad they saved the girl.) Maybe you'll get a new Holly Hobbie dress for Christmas now!

Crystal

Tosca said...

Oh, Beverly Cleary! Those were some of my favorites, too. Thanks for sharing yourself and for the great blast from the past!

Tosca

Oracle_Link said...

Hi, mom I finally got around to reading this. How come I've never seen those pictures before? Anyway, you look a lot better now than you did then. ;) I had no idea you played with Barbies. :O

®AffinitysEdge® said...

Hi Michelle,
Thank you for sharing this wonderful part of your life with us. You know, I never viewed you as an overachiever. I guess I was always most impressed with the Michelle that connects so well with people, from those you serve in your work, to your co-workers and friends, family, even someone like me :-) I am proud of you and continue to smile at everything you do. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to know you. You really are more of an angel then you will ever know. I also enjoyed reading Beverly Cleary books. What does they say about me? :-) Enjoy life my dear friend!
Affinity of Phoenix