Zoe: The Interview
by Belle Starr
Does
your character name have any special significance to you?
I got my start at Ancient Sites where one was obliged to pick a name suitable to one's city, which in my case was Athens. Over the years there had gotten to be a lot of repetitiveness in the names, as there are only so many of them. I was looking for something short, that wouldn't get mangled by the non-spellers, and that was not so common. I've gotten used to being Zoe in front of the computer, so I've kept it all this time. The Greek zoe has a complicated meaning, but basically it refers to the life force. I must write this up sometime, it's interesting and I've got notes.
What is your favorite historical period and why?
This is hard, as there are so many of them. It pretty much depends on the current mental tangent. Ancient Greece, Carthage, and the Etruscans greatly interest me, as does the Victorian period in England and Colonial America. And then there's World War I, and... Well, you can see that I can't choose.
Have you ever been a librarian in real life?
No, I haven't, but perhaps I should have been. I probably would have been good at it.
Tell us something about you that would suprise us.
What are you looking for here Belle? My innermost secrets? Tales of my scandalous youth? Dream on! Perhaps it would surprise you to know that I am very shy. It's not so bad on the computer, but it's still there. It's been quite comforting to read in the blogs that many of us have this trait.
What or who inspires you the most?
I am most inspired by books, which open the doors to absolutely anything, and by new ideas, which drive me back to those books to look things up.
What is your favorite book and/or author?
This is impossible to answer, again there are so many of them and it really depends on what I'm reading at any given time. But there are books I have gone back to for a 'comfort read' time and time again. The Shell Seekers by Rosamund Pilcher for example, and (go ahead, laugh!) The Wind in the Willows and Winnie the Pooh.
With all that you do at Pan how do you manage to stay so organized and motivated?
The secret of organization is lists. Lots of lists. And keeping copies of anything I might ever need again, along with a good filing system, inside the computer and out of it, so I can find all those copies. Motivation? I'm not sure. There are days when I am totally unmotivated and then I just go do something else to recharge.
What color are you most drawn to and how does it make you feel?
I like blue. It's supposed to be a peaceful color, but I don't know that it has that effect on me. Blue visually pleases me in some way. I've never analyzed it.
Are you an earth-friendly girl? (i.e. do you recycle, etc)
I hate to admit it but I don't do a lot of recycling. We have a dumpster and the garbacheros drive in and dump it into their truck. They don't offer any other options. I do save drink cans though, and donate them to the local no-kill animal shelter. I also am a pack rat, since I've got the space to hang on to stuff I'm not using. You never know when you might need it for something. Does that count?
Do you have any pets?
I have six cats, or they have me I suppose. I know you've met Clare, my most outspoken Siamese. She is a real cat, though some of her character traits and antics have been borrowed from every cat I've known, and there have been a lot of them. You really ought to be interviewing her. She's not shy in the least, and she's far more entertaining than I am!
Describe your vision of an idyllic life.
Funny you should ask, Belle. I've been trying to figure out the answer to this question myself. As one gets older, one needs to have a plan. When I get one, I'll let you know. *g*
What is your most beloved area of Pan?
The Reference Library, as there is a place for whatever catches my interest, and the Gaia's Daughters Reference Book. I have been enjoying the new blogs, though I never quite know what to write in mine.
Reality TV or old movies with happy endings? History Channel or Animal Planet?
I lumped these two questions together since I don't watch TV any more and I rarely see any movies. From what I've read about the reality shows, I wouldn't like them. Happy endings are always nice though, and I have seen things which I enjoyed on the History Channel. I don't think I've ever seen Animal Planet but I used to watch that old animal show - the one in which the narrator always signed off with "Enjoy your Wild America!" Remember that one?
Do you solemnly swear that your answers are true and accurate to the best of your knowledge? *BG*
Why of course! I'll swear to and on anything you like! Don't I look honest to you? *G*
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