Q:    When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
A:    Like most writers, wanting to write was always there.  But raised in a traditional mid-western household, writing was encouraged only as a hobby or a distraction at best.  Later, marriage, making a living, running a home ~ all of these things kept me from actually writing, but did give me the time to mature and then, lots of material to work with.

Q:    How and when did you make this dream a reality?
A:    In a five year span during my mid-40s, I lost six members of my family.  This included becoming a widow at age 46 after two years of almost round the clock care-giving.  It took a while, but sleepless nights forced me to seriously ask myself why I came to this planet.  I decided to relocate, to start over.  I made a promise to myself that this was my time, and I wouldn’t get distracted again.

Q:    What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in your writing career?
A:    To be courageous!  Early on, I threw out the first six chapters I wrote because it didn’t have any guts.  The last thing I wanted to do was produce a book I wasn’t proud of.  One of the attractions of the writing life is its solitude, but when I realized I could ask for advice and accept critique, it fueled my enthusiasm to dig deep and honor the words.  Eighteen months later, “In Search of the Menopause Ranch” was a reality.

Q:    What are you working on right now?
A:    An editor who helped me suggested I was trying to cram too much into this book and that I actually had the first several chapters of a sequel already mapped out.  So, I found the logical place to write ‘the end’ and am now deeply into the next one, “Beyond the Menopause Ranch”.

Q:    Name some authors or books that have influenced your writing life in a positive way.
A:    Barbara G. Walker’s The Women’s Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets.  Every girl in the world should be given this book at about age eleven and encouraged to refer to it often.  Also, The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley.

Q:    What have you recently read or what are you reading right now that you would consider an outstanding work?
A:    The Dance of the Dissident Daughter by Sue Monk Kidd.  Fabulously written memoir about a woman’s journey from the entrenchment of patriarchal religion to her own very personal spiritual enlightenment.

Q:    What excites or ignites your soul?
A:    Women’s history!  This is a subject that’s too long been neglected and misrepresented.  The best teachers I’ve had throughout life could entertain as they taught.  I love to weave true women’s history into works of fiction.  If I can intrigue you to question all we’ve been told about ourselves, I’ve found my purpose.

Author Bio:
Deborah’s grandmother, Louise Davisson Templin, was her biggest inspiration. Gramma was a published poet and short story writer in the day when that was not considered proper, especially for a married woman with children. Deborah is grateful her Gramma saw more value in creative expression than in keeping a clean house and cooking meals. It’s an attitude and philosophy she wholeheartedly shares.

Deborah was born in the middle of the Baby Boom generation, raised in the rural heartland, married for half her life and is now delighted to be starting over in the best of times. Both her parents worked for the U.S. Postal Service and her Dad was also a Funeral Director. Parents’ Day at school was always something to look forward to. You grow up with that background, you will develop a sense of humor. And a rich fantasy life.

Eleven years selling advertising for Gannett Newspapers and 10 more in bank mortgage offices, however, was more fantasy than even she could stand and she was convinced she wasn’t really the corporate type. At 47, she decided it was time to decide what she wanted to be when she grew up. Before settling down to write her first book, she did some exploring of Sedona and played a bit. She won the role of Trudy in the Zaki Gordon Institute student film, “Isabel” (playing a trailer-trash mom) and portrayed Woman Number Four in the benefit performance of “The Vagina Monologues”.

She’s written poetry since she was a moody 13 year-old (none of which will ever see the light of day), is a crossword puzzle junkie, enjoys music of all kinds, and loves studying the rich history of women. Visit Deborah at www.menopauseranch.com.

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