Questions and Answers Sephera Giron lives by the lake just outside of Toronto with two sons, two cats and a large black dog. When she isn't tearing around in her station wagon, she is watching her neighbours from her top story window and wondering what REALLY goes on behind closed doors in the suburbs.... As well as being a full time author, Sephera reads tarot, teaches theatre and dreams about going to the West coast. What are you currently working on? Right now I am finishing up ETERNAL NIGHTMARE, the sequel to ETERNAL SUNSET. Both are available from Darktales Publications at http://www.darktales.com I am also working on a couple of short stories for a couple of anthologies that I hope to get into! I've started working on my next Leisure Book, THE BIRDS AND THE BEES. Also am finishing up an article called FENG SHUI FOR WRITERS for Writer's Digest. With which of your works are you most satisfied and why? ETERNAL SUNSET, is what I consider my first real novel, though I had written several before that, albeit not neccessarily horror although I'm sure they would be a horror for anyone to attempt to read! This has been a book of much mutation. I started it in 1982, on a typewriter...remember those? I have rewritten it many times over the years. I'd write other books and stories and screenplays and then come back to it and rewrite it. It has been through a couple of computers and has changed alot from the original concept. Some characters disappeared. Some story lines disappeared. Other characters became more important. The whole concept changed, really. I started the first draft before I even met my husband, when I was just a young naive university student. I finished the absolute final draft a few years after we had a couple of kids and divorced. I am pretty happy with it as it is now, for a first novel. It just feels weird, not to rewrite it ever again. However, in writing ETERNAL NIGHTMARE, I still have most of my characters and am taking forever to write that one too, since I enjoy putting them in and out of various situations and seeing what works. I started NIGHTMARE back in 1991, when my second son was born and almost got to the end. I've rewritten those pages several times but now I have to just get to the end, cos Darktales is waiting on me! I find it very hard to let go of my ETERNAL characters, and have a third book in mind, although I've not written a word on that one!! Who (Fact or Fiction) would you most like to meet, and what would you ask them? I'd like The WHO to put on a private concert for me!! I'd be too tongue tied to ask them anything but I'd sure have fun rocking out on my air guitar!! If you could have one wish granted what would it be? To fall in love with someone who is also in love with me. Is writing your full time occupation, if not what is? Yes, I am a full time writer although I do a couple of other jobs as well. I teach theatre at a local dance studio which helps me to get back in touch with my theatre roots. Also, I am a certified tarot counselor. With another tarot counselor, Twilah, I run a little company called TWO STUPID WITCHES. Mostly we read tarot in our homes and in other people's homes and have tables at a few conventions. The next con TWO STUPID WITCHES will be reading at is WFC 2001 in Montreal. Look for us in the dealer's room! What was your first professional sale? How did it feel when you received the acceptance? This is going to sound cheesy, but I really don't know. I did a lot of well paying journalism for many years. My first really feeling real professional erotic horror sale was the story "Rael" to SEX MACABRE edited by Amarantha Knight aka Nancy Kilpatrick. Nancy has been my mentor as well as good friend for many years and I owe her a lot for all her support, guidance, enthusiasm and kicks in the butt!! If you could give one piece of advice to a would-be author, what would it be? You've heard it all before...read, write, rewrite...but the biggest piece of advice is be tenacious. Never give up. If writing is boiling in your blood, go for it. If it's not, then don't bother. There are very few over night success stories in this business. When did you first decide that you wanted to be an author? When I was a little kid. I've always been writing. I wrote stories and poems in kindergarten. I wrote my first "novel" albeit a short one in grade three, called PONCI THE AFGAN HOUND, inspired by the horrific novel, BEAUTIFUL JOE. For a few years, I thought I might want to be an actress, but I also wanted to get married and have children and I don't believe in having other people raising my kids, which is what would happen should I be an actress going out on auditions and so I put my acting hat away and cemented on the writer's hat for good when I was around twenty. When did you first feel that you were an author? I've never not felt like an author. Are you a music fan? If so, what? Yes. I am the daughter of classical musicians and so was raised on classical music until I discovered rock music in my early teens! I like loud, enthusiastic, aggressive music most of the time, however I do still enjoy classical music and some broadway tunes Those that have been following my work might notice I use a lot of WHO songs for titles of my short stories. They are a group I grew up with and spoke to my generation. I dig most music, except I'm not big on jazz or country...but even those I'll tolerate in tiny doses. Do you enjoy book signings/conventions? I love them both. I like connecting with people and finding out what makes them tick. Writing is such a solitary occupation that conventions and signings are exciting and fun social events for me. If you ever see me at a con, please come up and introduce yourself. I love to meet new people. Do You Always know a Story's Ending When You Begin Writing? No. Are you a member of any writing groups? I have belonged to the Horror Writer's Assoication for over ten years. I have been their Canadian Content Corner Columnist for many of those. If anyone ever has Canadian news in the horror field, please email me! What's you main ambition? To be a full time writer that is able to independently care for my home and children. I want to write a couple of books a year until I drop dead! Plug away - what do you have coming out? HOUSE OF PAIN, Leisure Books, August 2001 ETERNAL NIGHTMARE, Darktales Publications, 2002 BIRDS AND THE BEES, Leisure Books, TBA Recently released: HOUSE MAGIC:The Good Witch's Guide to Bringing Grace to Your Space by Ariana (pen name), Conari Press MAY 2001 ETERNAL SUNSET, Darktales Publications, 2000 Watch my web page for late breaking news and short story sales: http://www.sff.net/people/seph Darktales Publications: http://www.darktales.com Two Stupid Witches : http://www.twostupidwitches.com Leisure Books: http://www.dorchesterpub.com Conari Press: http://www.conari.com Many Thanks, Sephera Relevant Links Sephera Giron Main Bibliography Sephera Giron Short Story Guide Sephera Giron's Web Site