An English Instructor and editor, Red Harvey pretends to know a lot about writing. When she's not pretending, she's churning out fangirl-isms for Richonne, or belting out songs in the shower. Read below for a glimpse into just how much she love/hates Natalie Portman. 

1. Share some embarrassingly personal things about you.

If I wanted to embarrass myself, I'd share all my nerdoms. Since I don't have enough space to name them all and still keep this chapter short, I'll embarrass myself by disclosing my height....drum roll...I'm 4'11.

Other personal things about me:

*Although I have two kids, I'm not a Pintrest kinda mom, but I wish I had the stones for it.

*I'm a Puerto Rican who understands Spanish, but can't speak it 

 *I fangirl over Richonne in a HARD way, like, from years back  

*My name isn't really Red Harvey (shocker), but since I teach, I enjoy the anonymity of a pseudonym

2. What is the biggest thing that people THINK they know about your subject/genre, that isn't so?

That once you write in one genre, that's it for you, or that a story has to stay true to one genre. How boring. Who wants to read straight up romance, or straight up sci-fi? Weave in some mystery, fantasy, or steampunk, and then gimme romance.

Also, it bugs me when people try to pin down what's "true" about spec lit. Ultimately, in pinning down the elements of a genre (or genres), what's really happening is an excuse for exclusion. Yes, definitions are useful, and I love tropes as much as anyone, but the more inclusive a definition is, the more I trust it. Recently, I read one the best definitions by R.B. Gill: "works presenting modes of being that contrastwith their audiences' understanding of ordinary reality". If the definition is too broad for some, I say too bad because the whole of spec lit is impossibly large anyway, and that's part of the allure.

3. What do you think makes a good story?

Heavy loads of characterization sprinkled alongside crazy situations.

4. What secret talents do you have?

Not really a talent, but I can hold a tune in the shower.

5. Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

How new they are is up for debate, but seeing as how I didn't know of them before, they're new to me:

@Cheshirecat84

and

@GabeMcCeldry

There's plenty more I could name, but these are two I've been reading lately.

6. Who do you just hate the most?

Hmm. I'm too much of a hippie to hate. If anything, I get extra frustrated when people are unkind.

Okay...wait...I kinda hate Natalie Portman, 'cause I can't have her, but that's that.

7. What are you working on at the minute?

For the first time, I'm trying my hand at erotica. No, I'm not just reading erotica one-handed, I'm actually writing it, ya perv.

In my down time, I am reading it though...

8. How lucky are you and why?

I think, concerning some things, I've been extremely lucky, and concerning others, I've been extremely unlucky. Cryptic? Very much so.

9. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Sometimes before typing up a scene, I'll talk it out with myself.

10. Which literary invention do you wish was real?

Easy. An ansible. Communication would be a breeze!

12. Is there intelligent life in outer space?

Yes, and they're so smart, they're staying away until we've become way less stupid.

Hippies are fun, but a hippie writing erotica? Could spell disaster. 

If you're way more into horror-ish kinda tales, check out Red_Harvey's novella, The Dark :D