Meg Donohue, author of HOW TO EAT A CUPCAKE --- on-sale today --- answers our 20 Questions, sharing details of her writing routine, a human alarm clock and a guilty pleasure --- her passion for US Weekly.
What time did you wake up?
6:45 AM. That’s when my nine-month-old daughter woke up and she’s my alarm clock.
Did you make your bed?
Sort of. I always pull up the duvet so the bed looks neat (thus hiding the tangle of sheets below).
Where did you spend your day?
I spent my morning writing in a coffee shop while my older daughter was in preschool and my younger daughter was with our part-time nanny. I spent my afternoon at Trader Joe’s and at home with my kids.
Who did you see/call?
I saw my husband, our two daughters --- 3 years and nine months old --- our part-time nanny, my older daughter’s teachers, the barista at the coffee shop, and the checkout person at Trader Joe’s.
I don’t think I called anyone! Which is a good day for me --- I don’t usually enjoy talking on the phone. I’m more of an email/text/face-to-face conversation person.
How many times did you check Facebook or Twitter?
Probably six times each. That’s embarrassing to admit.
Did you respond to reader mail?
I responded to a couple of early reader Facebook comments.
What did you do on a book project today?
I wrote about three pages of my new novel.
How did you procrastinate?
Twitter and Facebook, though I like to justify those minutes by saying it’s all part of marketing my book. I also checked US Weekly’s website a couple of times --- and I really can’t justify that at all except to say I am deeply addicted to celebrity news and need, at minimum, a daily fix.
What did you accomplish?
Writing three pages of my book was an accomplishment that will help me meet my goal of ten new pages each week.
What did you want to accomplish?
I don’t have set daily goals, just weekly ones because I feel like I can’t always force a good writing day to happen.
What was the weather?
Raining! While I’d almost always prefer a sunny day, California desperately needs some rain so I’m happy for our ecosystem.
What were you wearing?
A super comfortable pink check button-down, dark jeans, black knee-high boots, and a black wool coat with a fuzzy fake-fur hood.
What did you read?
New York Times (online), US Weekly (online), emails, Facebook, Twitter feed, my manuscript-in-progress.
Did you listen to music, if so what?
When I was writing in the coffee shop I listened to Pandora’s “solo piano radio” station. I like to listen to word-less music while I write, especially if I’m around other people.
What was the healthiest and unhealthiest thing you ate?
Healthy: egg whites for breakfast. Unhealthy: vegetarian General Tsao chicken (translation: fried, greasy, meatless goodness).
Did you exercise?
Does walking a block back and forth to the train count? And then walking around a grocery store? And playing with small children? Then, yes!
What was the best part of the day?
Those last snuggles with my girls before I put them to bed.
What was the worst part of the day?
Waiting for the train in the rain.
Any surprises today?
I ordered a pair of black patent heels for my upcoming book tour and they arrived early! That was a nice surprise. The only thing better than new shoes is new shoes that arrive early.
What device did you use to answer these questions?
My MacBook.
