Here we are, with another interview, of authors Connie Payne and Patricia Kutza. They have co-authored "Don't Get Me Started!", which was published in August 2016.
Who are Connie and Patricia?
We are a bi-racial San Francisco Bay Area-based team (Connie is
African-American and Patricia is Caucasian). We are also related -
Connie is the niece of Patricia and we have known each other for 46 years. We
bring to the making of our book over thirty years of experience in the
education (Connie) and telecom/journalism (Patricia) sectors. Tell us about your new book.
A new model for etiquette –that goes beyond
traditional etiquette –is needed to keep our public-behavior-wheels turning
smoothly. Without it, daily life will continue to be a mine-field where people
stumble culturally-- creating the impression that they are ‘culturally
clueless’. In The Don't Get Me Started! Toolkit Strategies for a
Culturally-Challenged World we offer a toolkit of skills for skillfully
assessing and responding to the many challenging situations you may encounter
in this rapidly changing world.
So whether you are playing games online, using a ‘gender-free’ restroom, sharing a picture on Facebook, conversing with friends in a café, applying in person for a new job or hosting an intergenerational event – you will be able to determine how the rules have changed and act in a manner that assures more successful outcomes. Being ‘culturally-clueless’ may not land you in jail…but it could very well make you less competitive in the job marketplace, less admired among your peers and less respected within your family.
So whether you are playing games online, using a ‘gender-free’ restroom, sharing a picture on Facebook, conversing with friends in a café, applying in person for a new job or hosting an intergenerational event – you will be able to determine how the rules have changed and act in a manner that assures more successful outcomes. Being ‘culturally-clueless’ may not land you in jail…but it could very well make you less competitive in the job marketplace, less admired among your peers and less respected within your family.
Tell us about your other books.
Based on
the feedback we received during our initial book tour we have published workbooks
for 4th-5th graders, middle-schoolers as well as adults that key off
of the principles that we talk about in our original book. These books
are called: "The Don't Get Me Started! Toolkit Jr.
Workbook (for 4th and 5th graders)", "The Don't Get Me Started!
Toolkit Workbook (for grades 6 through 12)" and "The Don't Get
Me Started! Toolkit Adult Workbook."
What is your writing journey like,
where and when did you start? Are you a writer by choice or by chance?
We wrote
our original book over a period of 18 months. Both Connie and Patricia
have been writing for years - Connie wrote in her capacity as an educator and
Patricia wrote for her corporate career as well as her parallel career as a
freelance business, technology and lifestyle journalist.
As a new author, what is your
favorite part of the writing/publishing process? Least favorite?
We both
enjoy the give and take of bouncing ideas off of each other. Sometimes we
challenge each other's assumptions - that's when using our toolkit comes in
handy in order to make these conversations fruitful and not divisive.
Are you an avid reader as well? What
kind of books do you read? What is your frequency of reading?
Connie:
Romance novels and historical fiction
Patricia:
Many different type of magazines, newspapers.
Books:
Favor autobiography. .
Which is your favorite book and why?
Connie:
"The Giving Tree: (Shel Silverstein)
Patricia:
"100 Years of Solitude" (Gabriel Garcia Marquez) - For its compelling
weaving of mystery, literal exposition and magic.
Who are your favorite authors?
Connie:
Terry McMillan, Connie Briscoe, California Cooper, Amy Tan, Jerome Dickey
Patricia:
Jeffrey Toobin, Gloria Steinem, Barack Obama
Do you pursue any other profession
apart from writing? How do you manage everything? How do you find family time
amidst all this?
We both
have very busy lives: Connie loves to spend time with her grandchildren
and keep in touch with her friends from her teaching career. Patricia
runs a monthly jazz jam and boats/fishes with her husband. We both work
hard to carve out family time. It's very important for live/work
balance.
What does your writing
space look like?
Both Connie and Patricia have home office space. Patricia's is not as
tidy as Connie's.:)
How do you overcome
writer’s block?
Connie: Tends to resolve these blocks by concentrating on other
activities.
Patricia: Tends to 'power' through it.
What motivated you to
write this book?
Through the many family gatherings, we have attended over the years as
well as our individual experiences, we have noticed a growing disconnect
between common sense-based behavior and clueless behavior ---this cuts across
generations and nationalities. We think that the rapid growth of
technology, evolving gender identity, and shifting generational and ethic
differences is making many people feel disoriented. We passionately
believe that our toolkit of skills, if practiced regularly, can help people
feel more engaged and grounded due to better decision-making.
How long did you take to
finish this book? What was the process like?
18 months with many stops/starts and detours along the way! It's
also been exciting in ways that we didn't anticipate starting out.
We now also market a game show based on our book and currently present it at
workshops and other venues in the San Francisco Bay Area.
What are you hoping
people to gain from your book?
Being ‘culturally-clueless’ may not land them in jail…but it could very
well make them less competitive in the job marketplace, less admired among
their peers and less respected within their family. Being clueless is not
irreversible - but it takes will power and the belief that while practice may
not 'make perfect' ...Practicing our toolkit of skills will produce more
satisfying outcomes within a very short period of time.
What were some of the
challenges you faced on the road to publication?
As John Lennon like to say "Life happens, when you are busy making
other plans." Both of us had to deal with family-based challenges
(illness, death) that made an impact on our publishing timeline. When one of us
felt overwhelmed, the other tried to keep the momentum going.
What kind of research
have you done for the book?
We used both primary
and secondary resources. We also were able to draw on two lifetimes of
personal experience.
Any story behind
deciding the title of this book?
Absolutely! When we started noticing the type of 'clueless
behavior' we mention earlier in this interview, we would turn to each other and
say "Don't Get Me Started!" It became our mantra and
eventually the opening words of our book title.
Why should we read your
book?
For a fresh take on what we think is a critical challenge everyone faces
in this world today: How to be respectful and inclusive to each other
when the forces advocating disrespect and division are so amplified. How
to sustain the belief that the use of critical thinking is not just a luxury -
it is an absolutely essential part of staying engaged and 'culturally
tuned-in.'
Do you have any blog or
website the readers can visit?
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DGMStoolkit1/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfd-HI1gPW3X5v85fD3A07Q
What advice do you have
for budding writers?
Stay the course! The process is a marathon, not a sprint.
Look for ways to keep you inspired and motivated during 'dry' spells.
They will come, but eventually so will the rain and a new period of growth and
rejuvenation.
· Where can we buy your book?
The Don't Get Me Started! Toolkit - Strategies for a Culturally-Challenged World is available on Amazon as well as Barnes-Noble:
Amazon:
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Thanks for your awesome comment! I always look forward to it.