Writers4Higher features Tricia Booker

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The purpose of the Writers4Higher blog: to feature authors in a new light, a fresh look at the way writers use their talents and life energies to uplift humankind. Writers4Higher doesn’t promote religious or political views. Authors are asked to answer three simple questions: simple, yet complex.

This issue, Writers4Higher features

Tricia Booker

Hi Tricia, welcome to the Writers4Higher family!

Tell me about yourself. Your book(s), your life, your inspiration.

I’m a 48-year-old suburban housewife who just tried Botox for the first time. My forehead wrinkles are gone, but my eyelids are droopier, so it’s a wash. I still look 48. I have three children adopted from Vietnam and Guatemala who are 10, 7 and 5, and they kick my ass every day. My husband is a former journalist who used his mid-life crisis to turn into a firefighter/paramedic. My dog eats paper.

I work part-time as a fitness instructor and personal trainer, and my specialty is boxing. I love to box. Hence, the name of my blog: My Left Hook. It’s good. My left hook, I mean. Although the blog is pretty rockin’, too. I’ve also worked as a journalism instructor at the University of North Florida, but I’m taking a break from explaining to college students that its’ is not a word.

I’ve had the heart of a writer since I was a kid - I’ve sketched a thousand stories in my head. Sometimes I’m just driving down the road and think, “What if I cheated on my husband and he left me and took the kids? That would be a great story!” Seriously, though, it’s just in my head.

I started my writing career as a journalist. I wrote for magazines and newspapers in Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Florida, eventually coming to focus on creative nonfiction stories portraying social justice issues. After my oldest daughter came home, I cut back on writing, and it took me years to realize what an important role it played in my personal fulfillment. So a few years ago, I started my blog. I write about parenting hilarity, current events, adoption, fitness, boxing, and sex. Sometimes I make things up.

I’m inspired by my children, of course, who pretty much ruined my life, but, you know, in a good way. The idea that my husband and I are in charge of ushering these three little bugs into a respectable adulthood is both terrifying and humbling. But I’m also inspired by the routine of life, and by how lucky I am to breathe and eat and sleep on (relatively) clean sheets every night. So many people have so little and manage to be happy. I have a nice home, a hot husband, healthy children, and an unlimited supply of Cymbalta. Certainly I can be, at a minimum, content.

Where do you see your writing taking you in the future?

Whew, this is a tough one. It’s astounding to me that Oprah hasn’t called and declared me Blogger of the World. Let me just confess right here: I HAVE NOT WRITTEN A BOOK. Don’t judge me.

If I died tragically right now, I’m pretty sure someone would bundle up my blogs into a book and make me a famous writer for, like, 15 minutes, complete with appearances by my family on the Today show. I’m trying to preempt that possibility by writing and e-publishing a book myself. (Informal survey: would you buy it? What if I just gave it to you?)

The book would consist of personal essays and stories about my childhood in New Orleans, our decision to undergo infertility treatment, and how we adopted our children. I’ve written about all of these topics in my blog, so I’d be re-using some material, then expanding and organizing it.

Beyond that, I just don’t know. I feel confident that writing will always be a part of my life, and I have high hopes of one day being interviewed by Terry Gross on NPR’s Fresh Air. That might be just a pipe dream.

How do you use your talents/time to help others?

Okay, let me just be honest here. Many people assume my societal contribution consists of rescuing my children from their impoverished birth countries and teaching them how to use spoons. But as most of you know, our children give us so much more than we ever give to them. So that doesn’t count at all. Which means: I got nothing. I do zero volunteer work. I barely help out at my kids’ school. Last week I picked up my neighbor’s paper while she was out of town, and currently I’m editing a friend’s daughter’s college entrance essay, but I’m guessing those don’t count.

I suppose I help others through my blog by assuring them that they’re not alone when they’re tempted to scream, IF YOU PINCH YOUR SISTER ONE MORE TIME, I’M GOING TO TIE YOUR FINGERS TOGETHER! I give them something to laugh about, or cry about, or just think on.

One day, when all of my children can use the bathroom independently, I would love to teach creative writing to young girls, particularly needy children.

In the meantime, I believe that the best way to serve humanity is to be kind, generous and knowledgeable about the world. I’m mostly kind, very generous, and Husband keeps me informed on current events. He remembers every political fact going back to 1983.

Would you like to find Tricia?

Check out these links to this talented author:

Tricia's My Left Hook blog

Tricia on Facebook

Tricia on Twitter


Tricia's blog fan page


Thank you, Tricia. I have to learn not to take a sip of coffee before I read your stuff. I always end up nearly shooting it from my nose. :)

Rhett DeVane

Fiction with a Southern Twist

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