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Kerry Schafer is a good friend of mine. You’d know the value of that statement if you’d ever meet Kerry.  Her first book, the already 4* reviewed, BETWEEN, comes out January 29th.  You’ll want to read this one. How could you not? There be dragons, people. Dragons.

I was trying to figure out a way of smoothly integrating into the interview below, and I came up with the idea of trading first impressions. I’d tell you what I thought when I saw her for the first time, and she’d tell you what she thought when she saw me.

Yup. Kerry and I are relatively new, dear friends–we’ve known each other a little over a year. Based on another pal’s recommendation, we decided to share a room at last year’s RT Booklovers Convention. Up to then, we’d never met. We were planning to meet in the lobby. She told me to look for a woman with long blonde hair. I told her to look for an old bat with dark hair.

I was there first. Hanging over the mezzanine’s railing, on the watch, because I’m always early.  I was feeling frumpy, and fat. And for the record, there are lots of blondes in California. Blondes with streaks, blondes from the bottle, blondes with extensions….Oh. Wait. Who is that? A woman came strolling into the lobby. A long fall of real Nordic  hair swept over one shoulder. A motorcycle jacket. A t-shirt. Jeans that no soccer Mom would wear.  Oozing cool.

Things were looking up, roomie-wise….

When were you happiest?
Tough question, but I think my happiest moments were when I was a child. I remember these moments of total and utter freedom – climbing a tree, diving into cold water on a hot day, skating on the outdoor rink, sledding down the hill with snow in my face. I had an ability then to remain in that one single bright moment without intrusion of the past or future. As hard as I try, I can’t ever quite recapture that pure, uncomplicated happiness.

What is your most treasured possession?
Laptop, hands down. If there was a fire and I could only take one thing with me, my Macbook Pro would be it.

If you could bring something extinct back to life, what would it be?
The Dodo Bird.

What is your most unappealing habit?
Clutter. I am a total clutter bug. Even when I try to be neat, I tend to leave a trail of chaos behind me.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

A whole bunch of writers. Seriously. I don’t really care to meet any movie stars or historical figures or anybody famous. Some of the most fun I’ve ever had around a table was hanging out with writers at conferences. So I’d invite a bunch of people that I’ve only ever met online, and some that I’ve met in real life. Just to make it really perfect I would shake it up a little and ask Mark Knopfler to come and provide dinner music. He can sit by me.

What is the worst job you’ve done?
Baby sitter. I was a terrible, terrible baby sitter. Parents should not have trusted me with their precious darlings. I only wanted them to go to sleep so I could read books in peace and I was not patient with any child who strayed from my plan.

If you could go back in time, where would you go?
I don’t want to go back in time. The whole idea scares me. If I had to – maybe I could go hang out with the Ingalls family and be a pioneer. That might be okay.

What item would improve your life?
How about one of those replicator things like they had on the Starship Enterprise. One that knew when I said, “Earl Grey, hot,” whether I meant tea or something other.

What keeps you awake at night?
Teenagers. And a cat. They have all colluded in the evil plan to keep me from a good night’s sleep.

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So? Interested in what she had to say about her first impression of me?

My first memory of you? RT 2012 – my first RT conference ever. I showed up in my usual blue jeans, tennis shoes, and black leather motorcycle jacket, and there you are waiting for me – a study in casual elegance. Self possessed and cultured, I thought, with the white silk shirt and the classic slacks and flawless makeup. It didn’t take long to figure out your sense of humor was just as dark and twisted as mine, though!