Tuesday 15 March 2016

GUEST POST: Confessions of my Past, Present and Future #27 - Pembroke Sinclair


Confessions of my Past, Present and Future

by

Pembroke Sinclair


The Past


For as long as I can remember, my mom always had her nose buried in a book.  I have vivid memories of her sitting on the couch, turning the pages, and being lost in whatever world she was reading about.  Our house had several bookshelves, but she would go through so many, books would be stacked on the floor beside the shelves.

This was what was modelled for me, so I wanted to be the same.  I too wanted to bury my face into books and lose myself to multiple worlds.

When I got older, I realized that she was devouring Romance novels.  And that was fine.  Everyone is allowed to read whatever they want.  I wanted to mimic my mom, but I couldn’t stand reading Romance.  It wasn’t my cup of tea.  Instead, I found Christopher Pike.

He was my all-time favorite author, and I read every one of his books.  We didn’t have Amazon back when I was reading him, so whenever we went to the mall, I made a beeline for the bookstore to see if they had his new novel in.  Rarely was I disappointed.

I would spend afternoons reading his books.  My brother could get through one in about two hours, so I thought I would see how long it took me.  I was never able to get through one that fast, but I never really wanted to.  I wanted to be lost in the world Mr. Pike created for as long as I possibly could.

When I started writing young adult novels, I tried to model myself after Mr. Pike.  I tried to invoke the same excitement, wonder, and emotion that he put into his works in mine. He was a huge influence on me writing in the young adult genre.




The Present


My current reading list is a bit more eclectic than it used to be when I was younger.  When I went to college, rarely did I have time to read for enjoyment, but as an English major, I was exposed to the classics.  And I loved the vast majority of them.  Every so often, I will pull Alice in Wonderland off the shelf and reread it.  Milton’s Paradise Lost helped shape the themes I explore in my own stories, and I am forever grateful to my professors for helping me learn to look at the world critically.

I read to my boys every night before they go to bed, and we read so many different things—from Star Wars to Diary of a Wimpy Kid to Choose Your Own Adventure stories to dinosaur encyclopaedias and everything in between.  It’s our way to relax and unwind after a long day, and I want to read whatever makes them happy.

If I’m working on a nonfiction project, you can usually find me reading something that has to do with research.  I’ve read textbooks and histories and scientific articles—all for the sake of expanding my knowledge.  And I’ve enjoyed them all.  I love learning new things.

When it comes to fiction, what I read can be incredibly eclectic also.  But there’s always one type of book I come back to for a quick, mindless read:  Alien books.

Recently, I realized that my love of Alien books is like my mom’s love for Romance novels:  they are predictable and formulaic, but they are a great escape from reality.  They are the perfect way to unwind and get away for a little while.  They are amazing.




The Future


In the future, I have a feeling I will be doing a lot of the same things I am now.  What I read will depend on what I’m writing.  I hope to continue to research and learn, and I hope Alien books will continue to be written.  Perhaps one day, I will have the chance to write an Alien book.  I’ve been working an idea out in my head, but I don’t quite have the confidence yet to put it on paper.

As for writing, it’s hard to say.  I write such a mix of genres now; I don’t really see that changing.  It’ll be exciting to see what the future brings, and I’m looking forward to it.




You can buy Life After the Undead here:




You can buy any of Pembroke’s other books here.




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Thanks.




Pembroke Sinclair is a literary jack of all trades, playing her hand at multiple genres. She has written an eclectic mix of fiction ranging from horror to sci-fi and even some westerns. Born in Rock Springs, Wyoming--the home of 56 nationalities--it is no wonder Pembroke ended up so creatively diverse. Her fascination with the notions of good and evil, demons and angels, and how the lines blur have inspired her writing. Pembroke lives in Laramie, Wyoming, with her husband, two spirited boys, a black lab named Ryder, and a rescue kitty named Alia, who happens to be the sweetest, most adorable kitty in the world! She cannot say no to dessert, orange soda, or cinnamon. She loves rats and tatts and rock and roll and wants to be an alien queen when she grows up.



And for more about Pembroke, visit her site or find her on social media:


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