Winona Howe Firebird Winner Author Interview

 Winona Howe grew up in Oakdale, California where she listened to her grandmother’s stories of pre-1900 ranch life in Nevada, played in the barn and climbed trees. These activities were far preferable to practicing the piano and cleaning her room, duties she tried to avoid.Like many writers, Winona was an avid reader as a child. When her family visited friends and relatives, she would head straight for their bookcases, hoping to find something to read–and she usually did. Everyone seemed to own a set of Reader’s Digest Condensed Books, but she also dipped into Charles Dickens and Sir Walter Scott. Reading during these visits was wonderful and exciting, but it also rescued her from having to sit still and listen to what she considered boring, adult conversations.After finishing college, Winona married and moved to Massachusetts; she lived for several years in New Hampshire and Arkansas before returning to California. She has lived happily in Riverside ever since. After Winona’s children were in school, she returned to school herself, completing a PhD in English literature. Her focus was Victorian literature, which allowed her to once again spend long hours reading Charles Dickens, along with his friend and fellow author, Wilkie Collins. For years, she taught literature in the college classroom, transmitting her love of books to her students.Travel and roses might compete with reading and writing for Winona’s affection. She and her husband garden together at home and are travel companions on the road. Most important, however, is spending time with their children and grandchildren—and sometimes that’s on the road, as well.Some random facts about me:* I can’t decide on a favorite place we have traveled to. They’re all wonderful, but in different ways.* I hated reading animal books when I was a kid, because the animals always died. I loved animals, though, so I read the sad books anyway.* I could never learn to roller skate or water ski.* I’m the middle child of three—a brother 5 years older and a brother 5 years younger— well, make that 4 years and 9 months older and 4 years and 9 months younger.* I can tell when the temperature is 0°F or below, just not how far below.* I played the flute in high school band and, for a couple of years, with a local semi-pro orchestra. We were described as semi-pro because we got paid gas money—I got $5 per concert because I played 2nd flute.* I met my future husband on a train in Chicago when we were both 17.* As a kid, I would go barefoot all summer, only putting on shoes for church.* Although I love flowers, I hate getting dirt under my fingernails. Of course, I wear gardening gloves, but they never do a good enough job of keeping the dirt out.* I am a member of the Four Thousand Footer Club—look it up!VISIT THE WEBSITE