Volunteer Spotlight: Asteria Gonzalez
Welcome to the Mighty Pens 2021! This year we have so many wonderful volunteers standing behind us and we want to make sure everyone gets the recognition they deserve. Each week, we’ll be spotlighting one or more of our volunteers, and they can tell you in their own words a little bit about them and why they are a part of the Mighty Pens team.
Up next is Asteria Gonzalez (she/her)! She’s always down to chat about writing and share nerdy memes, so if you want more A+ content, you can follow Asteria on Twitter @SNAGonzalez.
Q: Tell us a little about yourself.
A: When I’m not in class or working my way through assignments for my grad program, I am–you guessed it—writing. I love taking an idea and turning it into something far more complex through words alone. Outside of writing, I enjoy cooking and playing video games.
Q: Tell us about your pets!
A: I have an ancient cat, who loves to sit on my laptop keyboard and generally be a fluffy nuisance.
Q: What are you currently reading/watching? What was your last 5 star read?
A: At this moment, I’m rereading the Something Strange & Deadly trilogy by Susan Dennard. It’s by far one of my favorite autumn-time reads. As the weather turns cold, I like to curl up in a chair with a cup of spice tea and read SS&D.
Q: Are you a plotter or a pantser?
A: Well, a bit of both. I tend to have a general plotted outline, but I leave minor points up to whimsy/intuition guided by where the characters are in their own arcs.
Q: What’s your favorite writing snack or beverage?
A: Tea, hands down. A nice cup of hot black tea.
Q: What’s in your ears while you write?
A: Recently, there hasn’t been music since I steal time to write before classes.
Q: Have you participated in NaNoWriMo before? Have you won? Are you participating this year?
A: I have participated in NaNoWriMo every year that the Mighty Pens have been active and plan to participate again this year.
Q: What do you write? And if you can, tell us what you are working on now or will be working on for NaNo.
A: For the most part, I write high fantasy, some suited for YA, others for an adult audience. This year’s NaNo, I am undertaking the task of revisions on a story you all might remember as IN THE DARK, highlighted during a Mighty Pens interview in 2018.
Q: Any advice for someone who is joining the Mighty Pens or NaNoWriMo for the first time this year?
A: Take it slow, take it a day at a time. Don’t worry about word count and don’t feel bad if you don’t “win” NaNoWriMo. What matters is that you work on something creative, whether that be a novel draft, revisions, short stories, poetry, however you are telling a story this year.
Q: Are you a Mighty Pens vet or a newcomer? Why did you decide to become a volunteer?
A: Mighty Pens vet from the very first year. I want to give back as much as I can because Kat and Sooz have done so much for me over the years, and I just love the community here.
Q: What’s your favorite part about the Mighty Pens?
A: The Mighty Pens community is wonderful and unmatched. It is home to the most generous people you’ll ever meet.
Q: Do you have a special connection to WeForest? Or just like raising money for a good cause?
A: Raising money for a good cause!
Thanks for all you do, Asteria! Good luck with revisions 🙂
