Thursday, January 29, 2015

Dear Wonderful You: Interview with Contributor BRENDA M. COTTER






DEAR WONDERFUL YOU,
Letters to Adopted & Fostered Youth

Interview with Contributor:
BRENDA M. COTTER
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How did you become involved with contributing to Dear Wonderful You: Letters to Adopted & Fostered Youth?
My daughter Charlotte, who is also a contributor to “Dear Wonderful You”, asked me if I wanted to contribute my story.  I was so touched and honored that she asked and I am very grateful to her for introducing me to this incredibly meaningful project and the extraordinary people that made it happen.   Participating in this project with Charlotte has been a sweet and profound gift that I will forever treasure.

Tell us about a memorable letter you have received. How did the letter impact your life?
There is not just one letter I can point to but this question made me think of the many dozens of letters that I received over the years from my adoptive father.  The letters were mostly just chitchat, but I can still remember everything about them:  the feel of the paper, his handwriting, reading and re-reading them.  They were love packed in an envelope. 

When you reflect on who you were as a child—what three words would you use to describe your younger self?
Curious, reading-obsessed, and energetic

Pick one: pencil, pen, sharpie, crayon
Pen

If you were having a really bad day, what song would you listen to?
“A Beautiful Day” by India Arie & “Think About Your Troubles” by Harry Nilsson

If you were having an amazing day, what song would you listen to?
“One” by India Arie

Pick one: morning, afternoon, evening, late night
Morning 

Name a literary character whose “character” you find admirable. Why?
T.S. Garp [The World According to Garp] for his wit, compassion, earnestness, intelligence, loyalty, and essential goodness.

Describe your perfect dessert.
Sharing strawberry shortcake with my family.

Would you describe yourself as superstitious? Why or why not?
No.  But I do resonate to the idea of karma.  Events, good and bad, are so often random and inexplicable, but what we put out in the world does build our own soul.

Pick one: blank piece of paper, lined piece of paper, piece of construction paper—
Lined piece of paper

When you are writing, do you prefer silence or sound? Why?
Silence.  But, on the other hand, I can get so focused, reading or writing, that I am not aware of sounds around me (much to the annoyance of anyone trying to speak with me in that state).

Pick one: Coffee, tea, water, soda—
Coffee

What is the first thing you do when you get out of bed in the morning?
Coffee

Tell us about your life now. What are you working on? Do you have any projects recently released or in the works?
I am General Counsel at a tech company called Aereo.   One of my favorite parts of being a lawyer is writing and I also love to write in other contexts like  “Dear Wonderful You”.

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