South Flatland Fiction

Jozette Aaron aka Georgie DeSilva

Author of Next Stop, Georgie has become an irreplaceable presence for SunnySide Up Publishing and our exceptional community of authors. Her writing is poignant, intriguing and powerful. Taking the reader deep into her story, she is honest and believable. Read Her Interview below and find out more about this desirable writer and wonderful person. You can visit her home page, In My Own Words to learn more and get to know her and her family better.

Interview with Jozette (Georgie):

1. Who or what has inspired you to become a writer?

I have always loved to write and it is for this reason that I kept at it.

2. How long have you been writing?

Wishfully, as a child and seriously since I was in my teens...journals and diaries are amazing tools.

3. Tell us about yourself; family, kids, pets, etc.

I am the second oldest of six children and was born and raised in New York City. I have four grown children: my daughter Crystal who is the oldest and also my best friend; my oldest son, Zeb who remains my hero for his ability to smile in the face of adversity; my son Seretse who is always smiling and can brighten the darkest day and my youngest son, Seneca who is my strength.

I also have three grandchildren: Nathin, Jalyssa and Anthony whom I treasure and my three cats who still can't get it right that THEY live with ME and not the other way around.

4. Who is your favorite author and why?

Terry McMillan is an author that my daughter introduced me to many years ago and I have admired her gutsy way of telling a story "like it is"!

5. If you could go anywhere in the world, money is no object, where would you go and why?

Greece...and I don't know why. this has always been one of my dreams (maybe I was Greek in a former life)!

6. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I study metaphysics, and I am working on a genealogy course right now - delving into the myriad of ethnicity that makes up my family history.

7. Tell us about the first story that you ever wrote?

I wrote a true story about my close encounter with the spirit of a dearly departed. It is currently for viewing at: http://thewriterslife.net/thatsimpossiblehesdead.html.

The author of this and I are one and the same.

8. If you could meet one person, past or present, who would it be and what is the first question that you would ask, why?

I would like to meet the first leaf on my family tree...the question....can you fill in the blanks for me...why? Research is hard and takes a very long time and doing this type of genealogy study is something that takes generations to do...do I have enough time???

9. Aside from writing, what other work related aspirations do you have?

I have been in nursing for many years and I am presently managing the Prenatal Fetal Surveillance Clinic in the Maternal/Child Program at the hospital where I am employed. I would like to expand this clinic into a Women's Health Center so that all issues relating to the physical, social, emotional, spiritual and psychological well being of women can be assessed and treated in a non-judgmental, safe-haven environment.

10. What is your fondest childhood memory?

Walking with my grandmother around the stone path surrounding her tiny garden in the backyard of her brownstone in Brooklyn, New York. We used to go out and pick fresh mint for our tea, which she served to me in a huge white ceramic mug with a long-handled ice-cream spoon (so I wouldn't burn my fingers). We had "pilot" crackers with butter as well. (I wish I could get those crackers here).

11. What do you consider to be your three biggest strengths and why?

My independence because it was hard earned and has gotten me to where I am today; my optimistic attitude...it has kept me from giving up when I felt I couldn't go on; and my ability to look beyond the facade and see what is real.

12. If you could give one piece of advice to another aspiring writer, what would it be?

Don't want to write for fame and fortune...write for the pleasure it brings you and for how it makes you feel to know that someone else found that same pleasure in your written words.

13. What are you goals for the next five years?

To get my other four novels completed. My characters are all getting impatient for me to get on with telling their stories. If they wouldn't try taking the whole process over, I would let them out more often but, alas...they'll never learn so it's by role call only.

14. What was your favorite subject in school and why?

Penmanship...I loved to practice writing in different ways using different tools.

15. Time to promote! What other works do you have in progress, when and where will they be available?

I have my first full-length novel in the final stages...looking for release sometime next year... The title: If I Would Love Again. I have three more in the works: For The Love of Madrid, The Stranger I Used to Know and Maybe in Another Love. If I get these done...I'll then work on the others stories swimming around in my head. If I put them on paper, I'll run out of room in my character-drawer.