Resort Chat: Dee Garretson

The Book Resort is thrilled to have the charming Dee Garretson over for a little gab.

Dee is one of the incredible 10'ers!


Ready? Let's go!


Me: What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)

DG: I'm outlining another adventure with the same three characters from Escape from Camp David. This one is set in London, a city I love, so it's fun to work out the details.


Me: Spiderman or Superman:

DG: Superman all the way. I always thought Clark Kent was cute in a geeky sort of way.


Me: Wonder Woman or Batgirl:

DG: Batgirl. I like black clothes.

Me: Chunky or Smooth:

DG: Smooth-makes better peanut butter cookies

Me: Favorite flavor ice cream:

DG: Strawberry Chocolate Chip!!! We have a local ice cream store that has this flavor in the summer and I can't stay away from it.


Me: Favorite ice cream topping:

DG: Dark chocolate syrup


Me: Subway or Taxi:

DG: Subway. I grew up in a small town in Iowa, so when I went to college in the Boston area, one of the first things I did was get on the subway and ride it to the end of the Red line. It was a huge thrill, silly as that sounds. I did the same with the city buses. I had never been on one.

Me: Broadway Show or Movie Theater:

DG: Movie Theater. Movies are something I couldn't live without.


Me: TiVO or DVR:

DG: DVR.

Me: Favorite vacation place:

DG: Hard question! My latest fascination is scuba diving, so probably anywhere I could dive. I love London as well, though, so it's hard to choose.


Me: Next vacation destination:

DG: It depends on which book I write next. I'll combine research with a vacation.

Me: Favorite NYC hotspot:

DG: I haven't been to New York in a long time, so I don't have one.


Me: Guilty Pleasure:

DG: Buying a stack of hardcover books

Me: Good luck charm:

DG: I don't have one. I'm one of those 'luck is what you make it' sort of person.

Me: When you were a little girl, you thought you would grow up to be a….

DG: Spy or an archeologist.


Me: Last thing bought at the mall:

DG: I'm not much of a shopper. Hmmm.. Probably clothes for my daughter. She's only nine, so she likes shopping with me, and she has a better fashion sense than I will ever have.


Me: Item on your grocery list:

DG: Coffee, always

Me: French fries or Onion Rings:

DG: French fries-they are another guilty pleasure

Me: Pizza: New York or Chicago?

DG: Chicago-Pizzeria Uno

Me: Midnight snack:

DG: Cheese

Me: Bookmark or dog ear?

DG: Neither, I just find the place where I stopped.

Me: Read with dustjacket or remove it?

DG: Remove it

Me: Ocean, Lake, Desert, Mountain:

DG: Lake-I'm crazy about water.

Me: Favorite book:

DG: It changes slightly. Today I would say Mary Stewart's The Crystal Cave

Me: Item you can't live without:

DG: I have a satin blanket, the latest in a long line of them I've had since I was a child. I can't sleep well without it.


Me: Who is your favorite writer that most people have never heard of?

DG: T.R. Pearson, who wrote A Short History of a Small Place. Pearson is a brilliant storyteller.


Me: What kid or teen books made a difference in your world growing up?

DG: When I was growing up I was desperate to see the world, so any book set in an exotic place or time was a magnet for me. I loved Mara, Daughter of the Nile, by Eloise McGraw, because of the ancient Egyptian setting, and because Mara was so independent. I also read quite a bit of science fiction, because my older brother would pass on books to me.


Me: Where do you like to write your books (bed ~ coffee shop ~ an office)?

DG: I usually write at my desk, which is next to a window so I can look out. If I'm trying to meet a deadline, I'll take my laptop to the library, so I can focus better. I am easily distracted.

Me: Describe your ideal place to write:

DG: We have a cabin overlooking a lake in Missouri, so when we are there, I like to sit with my laptop where I can look up and see the water.

Me: What are you reading @ the moment?

DG: Sharon Shinn's Twelve Houses fantasy series

Me: Where do you usually read?

DG: On the sofa, preferably with a cat next to me.

Me: Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time?

DG: Yes, I'm not happy if I don't read every day, but if I'm very tired, I'll put aside my current book and reread an old favorite.

Me: Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?

DG: I don't usually read nonfiction from cover to cover anymore. Most of the nonfiction I read now is for research. I used to read more biographies, but now, with limited reading for pleasure time, I'll always choose fiction over nonfiction.

Thank you so much, Dee!



About Dee:

I write, and read, and then write some more, in between juggling the rest of life. I live with my husband, two children and two cats in a cluttered house surrounded by semi-wild gardens. A dog is on the wish list (my list, not the cats' list).

I grew up in a small town in Iowa, spending my time outside playing in the woods, or helping my father build his offbeat inventions, and writing stories. When it came time to decide on a college, I thought I would try out city life for a change, and so I moved to Massachusetts to attend Tufts University, where I obtained a degree in International Relations.

Degree in hand, I quickly realized I was not meant to work inside in an office, and because I had become obsessed with plants, I decided to get a degree in Landscape Horticulture, as a way to get back outside. I worked as a landscape designer and taught landscape horticulture classes for several years before returning to writing.


Check out:

Dee's Website

Blog

Kids Adventure Books

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Escape from Camp David arrives from HarperCollins Children’s Books, Early Fall 2010

Inside flap copy:

The presidential retreat, Camp David, is one of the safest places in the United States. So why can't the President's son, Luke, and his friend Theo stay there without Secret Service agents constantly hovering over them, watching their every move? But what should be a fun summer for Luke, Theo, and Luke’s once-friend Callie suddenly turns deadly when an earthquake sets off a raging wildfire, causing a chain reaction that wrecks havoc on Camp David’s security—and everyone’s safety.

Now, Luke needs a plan
To override the security systems
To save those who were supposed to save him
To get through an impassable gate
To escape Camp David


Back cover copy (this is going to look like an official memo):

TOP SECRET/CONFIDENTIAL
Subject Luke Brockett
Status: Son of President Brockett
Agents Assigned: Adam Martens and Isabelle Keller
Location: Camp David presidential retreat, Maryland
Coordinates: 39°38’54N 77°27’55”W
Mission Statement: To protect the President’s son as he vacations with his friends Theo Ellias and Callie Lansa from physical harm, terrorist threat, and their own curiosity. Subject is highly intelligent, but prone to endangering himself…



Now available for pre~order!

Amazon.Ca