Louisiana Saturday Night - Meet Author Alyssa Paul

Meet nine-year old Alyssa Paul, a Louisiana author. Alyssa has written her first book, Meet Daisy, published by AuthorHouse. For a self-published, first-time author, Meet Daisy is well-done. The illustrations are cute and Daisy is a likeable character. If Alyssa Paul can tell interesting stories at nine what kind of writer will she be at nineteen . . . or twenty nine? Congratulations to Alyssa on her first published book, but especially for having the kind of parental support and encouragement every child needs and deserves. Read to the end to learn how to win your own copy of Meet Daisy.

1. Where did you get the idea for Meet Daisy?

I got the idea of Meet Daisy last summer. We go to the mountains every summer and we go camping alot. I wrote in the past because I like reading the Laura Ingalls books. So, I just pulled everything together.

2. Are your characters based on people you know?

No, they're not.

3. When did you first know that you were a writer, and how did you know? Well, I didn't really know I was a writer until I sat down at the computer and completed the story.

4. What has surprised you most about being a real author?

What really surprised me is that people are saying how good my book is and how many they've bought. I didn't really think my book was a big deal.

5. You've had several book signings. How many? What do you like best about them and what do you absolutely hate about them?

I've had four book signings. What I really like about them is getting to meet new people and other authors. What I hate about them is how long they last and not being able to take a break.

6. Do you have any advice for other young people who want to write a book? All the advice I have is use your imagination and be creative. You can do it!!

7. What do you find to be the hardest part of writing?

The hardest part about writing is thinking up the names for the characters. All the good names that I think of are taken by my family and friends. I don't want to use their names.

8. What is your work schedule like when you’re writing and does it interfere with school? Will you keep writing when school starts?
Well, I don't really have a schedule. Some days I don't feel like writing. But when school starts back, I'll have to write early in the mornings and in the afternoon, after my homework is done.

9. What do you like to do when you’re not writing? Read? What do you like to read? Yes, I do love reading. I also like watching TV, playing with my dog, riding my horse, and drawing. I like reading mystery stories and horse stories.

10. What kind of research went into the writing of Meet Daisy? When I first wrote the book I had it in the 1800's. My mom read it and said that they didn't have electricity or automobiles in the 1800's, so I changed it to 1908.

11. What do your friends think about you being a author with a published book? They think it's cool, but we really don't talk about it.

12. What are your goals for the future? Do you have another book in your head? Tell us what's coming up for you? Well, I want to have a horse ranch, and I would like to be an animal trainer at Sea World. But I still want to write, of course. I have another book finished, but it has not been published. The title is "Let Me Tell You About My Horse." It's about a girl named Grace and her horse. I want to get it published alot.

If you'd like to leave a comment for Alyssa, we'll put your name in a hat and draw. One lucky winner will get a copy of Meet Daisy and the bookmark shown above. If you don't win, you can visit Alyssa's website to order your own copy of Meet Daisy.