What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
My absolute favorite ice cream is Rocky Road. I never get tired of Rocky Road ice cream because it has the three ingredients I love best: chocolate, almonds and marshmallows.
If you could meet one person who has died who would you choose?
Ernest Hemmingway would be the one person who has died that I would want to meet. I really connected with his writing and style.
I am an early bird. I love to get up before the sunrise while the world is quiet and that is when I do my writing.One food you would never eat?
Although I love to try different foods, the one food that I would never eat is chocolate covered grasshoppers, or any other insect for that matter.
Pet Peeves?
One of my pet peeves is people talking negatively about others.
I will take M&Ms over Skittles any day! I love chocolate!
I have several books in the works. I am continuing the Bobby Jay series with the fourth book Bobby Jay, Brother Stealer, as well as three Young Adult novels, Snow Globe Girl, The Gifted Ones: The Dream, and I Don’t Live in a Box, Isiah and two adult novels, Hog Island Love and Death Will Follow. I also have started about sixty books of varying genres. I see signs, or people, or hear noises, and suddenly my imagination goes into warp speed. I have an app on my phone for writing down ideas while we travel. That is how Hog Island Love found its way to my mind.Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.
My most rewarding experience since being published took place at the Texas Reds Festival. A young couple of mixed ethnicity with a sixteen-month-old boy stopped to look at my Children’s Books. While the mother wandered to a jewelry booth, the father and son stayed at my booth to peruse the books. After picking up a copy of Master Stinky Dances and reading a few pages, the father asked to borrow it, took it his wife and proceeded to tell her why they needed to buy this book for their son. Words like diversity, multiculturalism, special talents flowed from his lips to my booth. Once they purchased it, and I autographed it, the little boy held his hands up for the book and his father passed it to him. The youngster plopped his diapered bottom on the concrete floor and proceeded to flip through the pages. His college student parents could not get him to leave without picking him up and there was no taking the book from him! That will always be my most rewarding experience.
What was your favorite book when you were a child/teen?
My favorite books to read when I was a young person were the Nancy Drew series and The Hardy Boys series. I loved mysteries.
What is your favorite Quote?
The Beatles’, “Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be, there will be an answer, let it be.”
When you were little, what did you want to be when you “grew up”?
When I was little, I always wanted to be a writer. Though a few of my friends guided me to teaching, and I have held so many other positions in my life, I knew that I would ultimately end up in the world of writing and books.
If a movie was made about your life, who would you want to play the lead role and why?
Sally Fields would be the perfect me. She can portray such a wide range of emotions and characters. Her roles in “Sybil”, “Forest Gump”, “Eye for an Eye”, and “Steel Magnolias” really touched me and made me realize what an incredible actress she is. Each of these movies came at important times in my life in which her roles meant more because of what my family and I were going through.
Can you see yourself in any of your characters?
All of them, every one of my characters takes a piece from me with them, whether they are male or female, some part of them is part of me, whether it is in their attitudes, the events in their lives, or the way they look. Most of the connections I share with my characters deal with nature, heart and compassion.
How do you react to a bad review?
The first bad review I received upset me somewhat. I tried to think what it was that made the person not like my book. Then I realized that not everyone is going to like my writing style or my books. When I get a bad review, I look for constructive criticism and ignore the the negativity surrounding it. If it is not constructive, then I just ignore it. Reviews are meant for other readers anyway. I do not let bad reviews bother me.
If you were a bird, which one would you be?
If I were a bird, I would be a hummingbird. In spite of their size, they are the most interesting birds I have ever had the pleasure to watch. Besides that, they get to eat all the sugar they want, still stay trim and they are super fast!
If you could have a signed copy of any novel what would it be and why?
I would like a first print, hard cover, signed copy of Watchers by Dean Koontz. That is my favorite book of all time, even above Harry Potter. I love dogs, big dogs, and Einstein is the most incredible animal character I have ever encountered in the world of literature. Throughout my young life, my dogs were my heroes, my best friends, and sometimes my saviors. I really connected with the characters in Watchers.
You have won one million dollars what is the first thing that you would buy?
I would not “buy” anything. First, I would donate to some very worthy charities like the Family Abuse Center and the Humane Society. Then, I would buy a Macbook, Ipad, a nice camera and wireless printer, so I could write and take pictures everywhere I go.
What’s your favorite season/weather?
I love winter! I love to play in the snow, build snowmen, throw snowballs, and make snow angels. After a full day of playing in the snow, I love to come in, make hot chocolate, popcorn, and watch a good movie while I dry out. Unfortunately, we do not get many snow days in Texas.
Who or what inspired you to become an author?
When I was in the second grade, we had a poetry assignment for our local newspaper. I wrote a poem about a clown. Our teacher sent the poems to the newspaper, and the editor selected my poem for publication. Seeing my words in print was the most amazing feeling. Aside from that, all of the wonderful books I read when I was young made me want to be an author even more.
In your wildest dreams, which author would you love to co-author a book with?
I would love to work with Dean Koontz on a novel because his ideas are so twisted. It would be wonderful to work with someone who writes such fantastic books with challenging vocabulary, suspenseful events and well-developed characters. I could learn a great deal from co-authoring with him.
My Seryniti 
Thank you, Nova, for the wonderful interview post! It was fun answering the questions. The Orangeberry Summer Splash book tour has been amazing! Have a wonderful week!
Gean (P.G. Shriver)
My pleasure! It has been a ton of fun for me as well.
I just learned so much about you I didn’t even know! You are definitely an inspiring and amazing person Gean Penny! You definitely have my attention in your books. AND I know what your connection is with most. Loves and Hugs! Keep the books coming!
[…] Gean Penny (Author Interview) […]
Thanks, Belinda! It has been so much fun doing this tour!