Won’t You Be My Neighbor?—Cassie Cook

Cassie a.k.a. Miss Green Lantern 

Welcome, Welcome, Welcome to Won't You Be My Neighbor! Today I have a guest who really needs no introduction. She’s taken the internet by storm with her humor, Harry Potter references, self deprecating comments, and potty jokes. I now present...CassieMae! (Did you all read that in a ring master voice? That's what I was going for :)

Cassie: Oh! Now I can picture we're in some sort of circus! Let's just keep the clowns in the back. I may pee myself if they join us.

Angie: I agree no clowns! I don't want you to sit in urine the entire interview :) Alright are you ready for this? Are you wearing a Mr. Rogers sweater or sneakers? You have to pick one. It's tradition

Cassie: Crap, this means I have to wear clothes? It's not even Sunday! Okay, okay, I'll grab a sweater and sneakers, as long as I can stay in my PJ bottoms.

Angie: Of course you can! I live in P.J.'s—Don't tell my hubby though. He thinks I get dressed. I do, but sometimes not until right before he comes home :)

Alright I need a fun first question...What is your favorite house hold core? And what is your least favorite?

Cassie: Household chore? What is this you speak of? ;) I guess I would have to say I don't mind cooking. I make cookies and bread on a daily basis. (Not sure if that's a chore or not, but there you go.) And I hate laundry. I've told several people I'm ready to join the nudists just so I'd never have to do laundry again.

Angie: Laundry is the bane of my existence! I swear it multiplies like bunnies in my basement. You’d think I was playing Barry White down there! I wrote a flash fiction piece about laundry I'm going to link it here. It will make you laugh :)

Cassie: Oh my gosh, do it! The worst part about doing laundry is I swear I fold all the clothes but when I open the drawers all the clothes I've previously folded are strewn everywhere in there... including my hubby's drawers. What is the point, I say!

Angie: There is no point. Blast that laundry!

Okay, question...You are so open on your blog about your life and writing. Will you tell me something I don't know about you?

Cassie: Is there anything? haha! I talk in my sleep, but I think people assume that since I talk all the time, lol. Seriously, I've lost my voice due to talking too much. Anyways, one time the hubs tape recorded the conversation I had with him while I was sleeping... all about how Luke's light saber changes colors throughout the movies and I didn't understand it. I'm quite the thinker when I'm not fully awake, lol

Angie: What are you talking about? The color of Luke's light saber is super important. I love it when people talk in their sleep! It's so funny for those of us who are awake :) My son screams in his sleep, usually at his brother...or me. LOL!

Cassie: I freaked out all the leaders last year at girl's camp cuz I bolted upright in my sleeping bag screaming, "Where's the bacon!"                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Angie: But that is crucial information. A person can't be expected to sleep well if they don't know the bacon is safe. Why don't people get it?

Ooo, I have a good question...What has been your biggest accomplishment as a writer SO FAR ?

Cassie: Oh gosh, I have no idea! You come up with some tough questions!

Everything seems like an accomplishment. From putting down the first word to finishing the first draft, to having the guts to ask people to read it, then having the thick skin to hear honest answers, then rewriting and sometimes moving on to the next project. Querying alone is an accomplishment no matter what response you get. Same with entering contests and starting a blog and connecting with other writers and readers. It all feels so unreal to me, so I guess my biggest accomplishment would be just to have the right to call myself a writer.

Angie: I love this answer! It is an accomplishment just to have the gut so follow your dream.                                                                                         

Cassie: That and when you tell people, it's kinda like you're a celebrity, lol. They have no idea how to respond!

Angie: It is like you've said, "I'm Cassie and Princess Leia is my mother." People get this weird look on their faces and say, "That is nice." It is hard to tell people you are a writer especially when you aren't published.

Besides telling people, what specifically is the hardest thing about writing for you?

Cassie: Waiting. I'm totally not a patient person.

Angie: LOL! I can see that about you :) If it makes you feel better I'm not patient at all either!

Here’s a very revealing question...What would be the perfect day for you? Sun up to sun down (keep it PG Cass :)

Cassie: A PG perfect day, hmmm? Well, I'd wake up to the sound of crackling bacon (any Office fans out there? ;) ) then me and all my peeps would head to Harry Potter world and spend all day drinking butter beer and riding the rides. We'd taste all the candy in Honeydukes, then we'd hide behind bushes or walls and jump out at people walking by calling out random spells. I'd use Levicorpus the most because it's my fav. ;) Then we'd pass out in the Gryffindor common room while the HP theme song played in the background. 

Angie: I almost asked you what book you would live in if you could, but I was pretty sure I knew the answer :)

I can picture you jumping out and pelting people with spells! Under what circumstances would you use an unforgivable curse?

Cassie:  I would NEVER use an Unforgivable Curse! They probably wouldn't work anyway cuz I wouldn't mean them. Okay, maybe that's a lie. I would use the Imperious Curse on the hubs in an argument, just so he'll say I'm right and then move on. :)

Angie: Oh I wish we weren't muggles :)

You write terrific male characters. In fact one of your MS is from the POV of a teenage boy. What do you think teenage girls can learn by reading male POV's

Cassie: The reason why I love reading male characters, whether it's in their POV or not, is I like getting inside their heads. Men fascinate me, lol. I think the stereotypical thing about men being on a one-track mind is a bunch of fooey. Girls can read about a guy and realize, "Hey, he worries about some of the same things I do." It may not be all at once, but he worries about them. :)

Angie:  I think that is SO true! Men have feelings too :) How revolutionary. I love to write men. I steal A LOT of my material from my hubby who tells me how he feels about everything.

Cassie: I just channel my inner dude and hope it comes out sounding like a guy, lol.

Angie: You do dude very well :)

Time for the pageant question. You don't even have to change. I'm going to use my homemade elder wand on you...Somunium Vestio! I hope you like green.

Cassie: Not to strum my own guitar, but I totally look hot in green! 

Angie: Yes you do!

Now to the question...Who are you more like, your mother or your father?

Cassie: Definitely my mommy. My daddy is an introvert all the way, but my mom and I are the loud ones with no filters. Our family dinners are epic. We once had a whole discussion on animal pee on trees, and if certain kinds would change the quality of the paper. My dad kept his head down during the convo while my mom laughed her butt off while my brother debated and I. My mom also talks to herself and often gets ignored cuz we have no idea if she's talking to us or not.

However, if you’re talking about looks, I take after my dad. Big round eyes, big round butt, dark hair that’s turning gray, long toes and hairy legs.

So, I look more like my daddy, but I act a hecka lot more like my mommy.

Angie: That is so funny! Your mom sounds awesome!!! I would love to meet her :) And does your dad know you think he is a hairy long toed introvert?

Cassie: Haha! I'm not sure. But he will now!

Angie: I'm going to tell him :)

Thanks for stopping by Cass! You are one of my favorite people on the web :) I'm so glad you wrote me an e-mail asking me to cohost a blogfest with you—before we were even friends.

Cassie: Thank YOU Angie!!! Gotta say, once you started this neighbor thingy, I was like, "Oh! I hope she asks me!" Hehe! I like feeling special like that.

Angie: You are special. Thanks for answering my weirdo questions. 

Well there you have it. Everyone check out Cassie’s blog and give her a thumbs up! She also shares a fun blog with her CP’s—Falling for Fiction. It rocks :)

I won’t have a Neighbor post next week, because I’m going to be too busy getting ready for my writing conference. But don’t worry. I will have some fun ones lined up when I get back.

-Angie