Walnut Springs Press March Madness Sweet 16 Questions--Tristi Pinkston

Just like you never know what you're going to get with March Madness Tournament, we love the creativity of answers from our authors.

In our West bracket we have the multi-faceted Tristi Pinkston.

If you could be a character from any book, who would you be and why?

I would like to visit different books, but I wouldn’t want to live in any of them. I’m busy writing the story of my own life right now, every day!

If you could co-write a book with any author, who would you co-write it with?

Political thriller novelist Gordon Ryan and I were good friends, and he came to me one day and pitched an idea for us to coauthor. We never got around to it, and I wish we had.

How many hours do you spend on writing a day?

That varies. When I’m working hard on a project, I’ll put in about two hours a day. Most of my time is spent editing for my clients, which I do full-time.

What advice would you give an aspiring writer?

To sit down, do it, understand it will be hard, and understand it will be worth it.

How have your personal experiences affected your writing?

There’s a little bit of me in each of my stories. All the books I’ve read and all the movies I’ve seen have built up my imagination, and all the hard stuff I’ve gone through has given me empathy. I’d say that Turning Pages is the most “me” out of any of the books I’ve written so far—I wrote it to work through some of the feelings surrounding my dad’s death in 2010.

How long did it take you to publish your first book after you started trying?

If I remember correctly, it took about two years. A large house had it for a year before rejecting it, and then it took another year to revise and submit other places.

Is there a movie (gasp) that you prefer over the book version?

Somewhere in Time, hands down. The movie is sweet and romantic and tender. The book is pretty much soft erotica. (You can watch the movie trailer here.)

Do you write in your PJ's?

Absolutely. Is there any other way?

Do you use a laptop or a desktop for writing?

I use both, whatever my back is asking for at the moment. I used to write exclusively on the desktop, but after I got a laptop and realized how wonderful it was to have both, I’ve been going back and forth.

What is your favorite quotation?

“Believe in me in every thought. Doubt not, fear not.” Doctrine and Covenants 6:36

What is your favorite cereal?

I really like Grape-Nuts. But you have to get them just right. If you eat them as soon as you pour the milk, they’re too hard. If you let them soak too long, they’re mushy. I like to let them sit about a minute. I haven’t had any for a long time, though – and now I’m a little hungry …

If you were a crayon, what color would you be?

Carnation pink, baby! And yes, I felt that way even before I married a Pinkston, and no, I didn’t marry him just for his name. Although, you have to admit, it’s a cool name.

Do you prefer summer or winter?

Fall. I prefer fall.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish this year?

I want to keep doing what I’m doing – writing and editing. I really love what I do. I also plan to continue my weight loss, and to pay off some debts. Oh, you asked for one thing. That wasn’t really one thing.

The world would be a better place if . . .?

If everyone would just listen to me and do it my way. Hmmm … that’s probably not going to go over too well. How about, if everyone would just do what they know is right, no excuses.

What is something you've always wanted to try?

Horseback riding. That probably doesn’t sound too adventurous to some, but believe me, it’s plenty adventurous for me.