I’m thrilled to welcome Michelle Ule as my guest today! Michelle is an agency-mate of mine who also happens to be Books & Such’s office assistant. I’m in awe of how she wears dozens of hats without even a stumble. Her new book just released this month, and I must say the setting of Coronado Island sounds wonderful (especially since I’m enduring frigid temps where I live). 🙂 For more details on her book and how you can win a copy, keep reading.
Navy wife Michelle Ule is a graduate of UCLA and the author of three novellas and a novel. She lives in northern California with her family where she works at a literary agency, teaches Bible study, plays in a woodwind ensemble, and writes.
Michelle is a long-time lay counselor in both crisis pregnancies and budget counseling. She loves to travel and is an accomplished genealogist. You can learn more about her at www.michelleule.com. You can also connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.
Welcome, Michelle! On to the questions we go…
Opener Question: What seven words best describe you?
Devout, Funny, Ironic, Musical, Well-read, Navywife, Family-oriented
Either/Or Questions:
1) Right brained or Left brained?
I can never remember if I’m right brained or left brained, which Janet Grant tells me means I’m right brained . . .
On the other hand, I just looked up a test, took it, and it says I’m left brained. (But, is that a right brained or left brained thing to do? So many questions . . . )
http://www.intelliscript.net/test_area/questionnaire/questionnaire.cgi
2) Jump in with both feet or Enjoy the view?
Enjoy the view if I’ve worked for it. Jump in if things are chaotic.
3) Anne of Green Gables or Little House on the Prairie?
Love them both. I’ve read Little House on the Prairie more times, so I guess I’ll go with Laura. (Have read the entire series out loud to my four children five different times.)
4) Gourmet chef or Chef Boyardee?
Gourmet. I’m Italian, the Chef B should be embarassed.
5) Classical music or Jazz?
Classical music, but I like Jazz, too. (I’m a trained musician. I played the clarinet in the UCLA Marching Band. I still prefer classical music–which is what I play on the piano!)
6) E-reader or Paperback?
E-reader–it’s easier on my hands to turn the pages. But if I was at the beach, I’d take a paperback.
7) Mountain cabin or Beach resort?
I’d say mountain cabin, but I’ve spent more time at beach resorts (headed to Puerta Vallarta over New Year’s for my nephew’s wedding).
Loved your answers, Michelle, especially the Chef Boyardee one. 🙂 I also loved learning that you’ve read The Little House on the Prairie series out loud to your kids five times. What a neat way to bond and instill a love of reading in them. I’m still trying to figure out if that makes you right brained or left brained… I took the test you linked to, and I fell almost right down the middle. Maybe this is a common quandary for us writers. 🙂
Thanks so much for visiting today! It was a pleasure to have you here.
Bridging Two Hearts
When Amy gets a job as a massage therapist at the glorious Hotel del Coronado, she is excited and terrified because it means driving across the Coronado Bridge to work every day. Josh, meanwhile, returns from a Navy SEAL assignment more than a little uncomfortable about possible claustrophobia–but he’s not afraid of anything, right? The two meet, spar and learn, together, to deal with two very different ways of handling fear.
(You can read about the book’s funny backstory and other information here, including the humorous tale of Michelle’s attempt to get information about SEALS out of the Navy.)
Blog Readers: Let’s talk…If you’ve had a chance to take the right brained/left brained quiz, what was your result? Or do you already know where you fall on the spectrum? If you’re confused like Michelle and I are, let’s talk books….What one book have you read the most times and why?
*keyboard photo by Twigy Posts
I’m not sure what side of the brain I am. My son would probably say bird-brained. He does love to joke.
I have a son, no three sons, just like that . . . 🙂
So I took the quiz and came out more on the left-brained side. I like to do creative things like sew and play music, but I realized that most of the creative type things I do have specific rules and guidelines. For example, I love to cross stitch, but that is a very detailed, read the chart, follow the directions kind of thing! As for books, I have read many different books over and over . When I was younger, I read books over and over because I had nothing else new to read. I think I have probably read some of Lori Wick’s books the most, followed by Chronicles of Narnia.
Great point about the detailed cross stitch, Debbie. I wonder if that’s why I like it, too–everything in a neat row. And it drives me crazy when the underside is chaotic–but that, of course, is always a neat image for God.
From our point of view, our lives look messy and crossed over and anything but neat. But if you look at it from God’s point of view, (the “right” side of the cross stitch), God sees beauty and a plan.
Thanks for sharing!
Lori Wick, by the way, used to live in my town and several people I know, knew her at church (one even has her former dining room table . . . ).
I agree – Chef B should be embarrassed. (I’m Italian too!) I must take that test. What a fun interview, ladies.
Okay, true confession. No Chef B since the one time in college. He may have improved since then . . . but Costco makes terrific ravioli and, really, just a little marinara sauce or garlic, olive oil and parmesan, tastes terrific! 🙂
Which book have I read the most times? Probably Little House on the Prairie if we go over my whole life . . . Among my “comfort” novels is Eva Ibbotson’s The Morning Gift, but I wrote about the subject here: http://wp.me/p1ektw-5B
I took the test, too, and had similar results to Debbie. I also cross stitch, quilt and sew. I like to be organized and usually will use a recipe or pattern as a basis for further creativity. I see no point in inventing the wheel over and over again. Like my spaghetti sauce recipe: I got the basics from someone else and then doctored it to my tastes. I do like Chef B’s pizza sauce, although I doctor that a bit, too. Yes, I am definately, somewhat middle of the road. 😉
I seldom read a book twice. Too many to get through!
So, only reading a book once–my father said the same thing–does that make you logical and organized, thus, left brained, Kathleen? 🙂
It’s nice to meet Michelle, thanks to both of you for sharing this interview! 🙂 I’ll have to take that test. I think I took a similar one years ago but forget the results.
Have a great week!
Fun interview! Nice to meet you, Michelle!
I guess, Michelle–10 for left brain and 6 for right on this test. I do like organization, but like little surprises, deviation or diversions within that organization. 🙂
Fun interview, Ladies. I always find myself going back to Anne of Green Gables. 🙂
I reread Anne of the Island last week because my 15 year-old niece was desperate to discuss the Anne books with someone. We may just have to take a trip to Prince Edward Island someday, but as soon as I said it, I thought, “Traitor! You haven’t made the pilgrimage to DeSmet yet!”
regarding the brain test, I seem to fall right down the middle of left/right brained….does that explain being able to see both sides of an argument and my difficulty making decisions?! ;-} Narnia is probably the most read….read them aloud to all 3 of our children. Thanks for sharing, Michelle. Look forward to reading your new book.
Either that, Beth, or you’re very fair minded. Have you been a journalist? 🙂 Narnia I read out loud several times, the last time into the tape recorder so the kids could listen in the dark. I should find those tapes . . .
I’m just like Michelle; I can never remember which brain I am! Thanks for the tip, I’ll call it tight from now on ;-). Sharing this on Facebook!
Skipping to the book question:
I read Little Women over and over again when I was growing up.
But I also read and re-read The Little House on the Prairie series to my kids, as well as The Narnia Chronicles … yes, some books demand to be re-read.
Loved learning more about Michelle. Her book sounds great!
I loved Little Women, too, I even invented a fifth sister so I could participate . . . 🙂
Great interview, Michelle. I read my books over and over and enjoy them each time. Give me a book and i’m never lonely. What “brain” am i, i wonder?
A brain rich with ideas if you love books, Jo!
I would pick a mountain cabin over a beach resort too. I love the woods. Sitting on the porch of a mountain cabin with a ton of books to read would be ideal.
I need to take the test for right brain / left brain.
Hi everyone! Sorry I couldn’t join the discussion yesterday. Thanks for giving Michelle such a warm welcome, though. I’ve loved reading all the wonderful books you shared about, and the right-brain/left-brain discussion has been interesting too. Sounds like Michelle and I aren’t the only ones who fall in the middle.
Michelle, I loved your analogy of how cross stitches show the messy way we see our lives versus the ordered, beautiful way God sees us. That’s true for us all, no matter which side of the brain we use. 🙂
Have a wonderful week, everyone!
I hope it’s not too late to have my comment “count” as an entry. And I’ll share this post on Facebook, too!
Last time I took the Left Brain-Right Brain test, I came out right in the middle. This time, I’m leaning a bit more towards being Left-Brained. But I would have thought I’m more Right-Brained. Hmmm…