{"id":2414,"date":"2013-05-28T03:03:39","date_gmt":"2013-05-28T03:03:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dsavannah.com\/blog\/?p=2414"},"modified":"2015-05-14T16:10:51","modified_gmt":"2015-05-14T20:10:51","slug":"the-questions-west","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dsavannah.com\/blog\/index.php\/the-questions-west\/","title":{"rendered":"The Questions with Dr. Shay West: writer, scientist, teacher"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ShayI met Dr. Shay (yes, she\u2019s a doctor. A total smarty-pants. A scientific<\/em> smarty-pants, to be precise.) in the online writers\u2019 group I\u2019m always blathering on about. {An aside \u2013 if you want to be a writer, find a community of writers. They\u2019ll always lift you up when you\u2019re down, and cheer you on when something great happens.}<\/p>\n

Shattered Destiny<\/em><\/a>, the second book in her Portals of Destiny fantasy series (book one in the series is The Chosen<\/em><\/a>), was just released last month\u2026 and Dr. Shay stopped by to answer The Questions<\/a> to celebrate the launch! Please give her some love\u2026.<\/p>\n

And aren’t these covers gorgeous?!?! ———>
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

The Questions<\/h2>\n

3. If you could trade places with anyone for a week, living or dead, who would it be and why?<\/h3>\n

Taylor Swift. I\u2019m so curious to see what her life is on a daily basis. And the girl can write. True, it\u2019s lyrics and not books but still, writing is writing. I\u2019ve always wished I could sing so there would be the awesomeness of performing on stage in front of thousands of screaming fans.<\/p>\n

(dSavannah note<\/span>: I can sing, and I\u2019ve performed on stage in front of one or two screaming fans. They were fighting, but it still counts, right? As far as Taylor Swift goes, wouldn\u2019t you also like the ability to wear any ole crazy thing and it look great<\/em> on you?!??!)<\/p>\n

7. What was the name of your first pet and what was it?<\/h3>\n

My first \u201cpet\u201d was actually a pair of white cats (surprise surprise) named Cloud and Fluffy. They were pure white and just the cutest little things. I have no idea what ever happened to them. We lived out in the country at the time so maybe it\u2019s best not to question…<\/p>\n

(dSavannah note<\/span>: I would agree\u2026 best to imagine they\u2019re still out there frolicking\u2026)<\/p>\n

11. What three items will always be found in your refrigerator?<\/h3>\n

Fancy creamer, wine, and Olive Garden salad dressing.<\/p>\n

(dSavannah note<\/span>: Hopefully not consumed at the same time. Maybe someday a guest will answer my question #4, \u201cWhat\u2019s the worst meal you\u2019ve ever eaten and where?\u201d, with \u201cWell, I had been invited to a dinner party at the house of that famous writer, Shay West, you\u2019ve read her books, right? and well, you wouldn\u2019t believe what she served!\u201d)<\/p>\n

19. What is one of your pet peeves?<\/h3>\n

Only one??? *scratches head* It\u2019s so hard coming up with only one…hmmm…I\u2019d have to say people that stay in the left line on the interstate and refuse to get over despite faster vehicles riding their butts for miles and miles. Seriously. Drives me crazy. The signs clearly state \u201cKeep right except to pass\u201d. Guess these are the same people who have those cars that come without turn signals.<\/p>\n

(dSavannah note<\/span>: All I can say to that is: Karma will getcha.)<\/p>\n

26. I wish I was rich enough to ____?<\/h3>\n

Build a friggin\u2019 castle! Not even kidding. Big giant frickin\u2019 castle complete with a moat, drawbridge, perhaps sharks with laser beams on their heads, definitely with trebuchets on the towers, wine cellar\/medieval torture room (just for show of course), hidden passageways, and a library made to look like the Gryffindor common room.<\/p>\n

(dSavannah note<\/span>: A real castle<\/a> is actually being built near where I used to live in Arkansas. I don\u2019t think it will include a Gryffindor-esque library, tho\u2026 I\u2019m pretty sure the sharks with laser beams {said in my best Austin Powers voice} will not be available either, which is a shame. I like your version better. Assuming the wine cellar is for realsies.)<\/p>\n

30. What\u2019s the most expensive crap you own that you can\u2019t live without?<\/h3>\n

My signature scent, J\u2019adore. Mom and I were out at Ulta one day trying on scents and this one was so amazing when I put it on I literally couldn\u2019t quit sniffing myself. I get more compliments when I wear that stuff.<\/p>\n

36. What is the first thing you remember creating as a child? Do you still have it?<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s sort of two things, really. I read Piers Anthony when I was younger and I loved the characters so much that I couldn\u2019t be without them. So while waiting for Piers to write the next book in the Xanth series, I would write my own. I don\u2019t have those, unfortunately. But I also dabbled in drawing back then as well. Usually something I was looking at but it was fun and kept me busy. I do have those but alas, they are packed away in a box out in the garage (in the process of moving). I\u2019ll have to dig it out and blog about it someday \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

(dSavannah note<\/span>: Please do!)<\/p>\n

About Shay:<\/h2>\n

\"Dr.<\/a>Shay West was born in Longmont, CO and earned a doctorate degree in Human Medical Genetics from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, CO. (dSavannah note<\/span>: Told you. Smarty.Pants.) Dr. West currently lives in Grand Junction, CO with her two cats. When not writing novels, she plays with plushie microbes and teaches biology classes at Colorado Mesa University. She is the author of the Portals of Destiny series and the Adventures of Alexis Davenport series. She has also been published in the military scifi anthology, Battlespace<\/em><\/a>. Her final book in the Portals of Destiny series, Resigned Fate<\/em>, is forthcoming in 2013.<\/p>\n

(dSavannah note<\/span>: She forgot to mention that she also has a story in the #OrangeKaren<\/a> anthology! With me! Squeee!)<\/p>\n

Find Shay:<\/span><\/h2>\n