Interview: Becky Katz

I remember meeting Becky Katz when she visited HubPages, leaving heartfelt comments on our writing, especially fiction. We have become closer as we spent each day together at Emerald Wells Cafe.

The Cafe regulars were thrilled when Becky joined HubPages and began writing in her own unique style. I consider Becky a 'slice of life' writer. She can relay both family fun and hardships in a relatable and engaging manner. She is currently working on a fictional series, Finally, a Family to Love, that is charming and authentic about her family's ancestors.

Becky has one of the kindest hearts in HubVille. She is forever promoting new writers to help them feel welcome. She has showcased some of Hubpages greatest writers of fiction, including Docmo and Will Starr.

Today, October 3rd, happens to be the anniversary of Becky's Momma's birthday. I cannot think of a better date to showcase our Becky. Hope ya'll enjoy!

I have several things that I feel very relaxed while doing. I love to get in a car and just drive, all by myself. Crank up the radio and just drive. I don't care where I am going. I traveled quite a bit by myself before I got married and don't ever feel threatened or in danger. When my mom died and we drove back for her funeral, I drove her minivan back by myself while Dennis took the kids back early for school. I enjoyed the drive immensely and relaxed and got my mind straightened out on that three day drive. It restored my sanity and equilibrium.

I love it when everyone is asleep and the house is quiet. I don’t hear anything but the occasional snore or sleep talker and the dog comes in to lie on my feet.

I also feel very relaxed when I go camping and we all sit around the campfire, staring into the flames and being mesmerized.

The times I feel saddest are...

I get so sad when I read about children and animals being abused. They are so innocent and loving if we just give them a chance to be. I also feel sad when my husband’s PTSD is affecting him badly. He gets so upset that he can’t sleep, eat, or even think properly.

Something I'd like to teach others...

I love to teach others about antiques and have done it with quite a few. People used to come to my store because they liked to have me tell them about the history of the item they were looking at. They liked to know about what they were buying.

I also want to teach people that even when life is giving you fits, there is always something good that will come out of it. I am an optimist and pessimists drive me nuts even if I did marry one.

My secret passion ... my dream job....

My dream job isn’t even a secret. I love antiques and know quite a bit about them. I have owned an antique store and would love to be back in the business. The chance to be around all those beautiful things with all of their history is just too good to be true. I love to feel them and rub my fingers over things to feel the textures. People find it hard to believe but I can feel the difference between old glass and new glass. I love the old finishes that furniture had then. It feels so much more vital.

Most hated gift I ever gave someone...

I will go to ridiculous lengths not to give a gift that I don’t like. I have hunted for months for something else instead of... I have to like it in order to give it. I guess I am just selfish that way. I want to feel pleasure giving something that I like.

The gift I could have done without...

I cannot think of one which would not hurt someone’s feelings if I told about it. I could have done without the gift of my husband having PTSD but I don’t think that is what you mean.

If you peeked in my junk drawer, you'd be surprised to find...

I have a bunch of little puzzle toys. They were given to me by my children and my mother and I cherish them. I have sat and messed with them so much that I know how to do every one of them by rote. The closet question the guys got was more fun. I have all kinds of strange stuff in my closet. How many women do you know that bought themselves an entire set of power tools?

Uh... now I know one, Becky...(LOL)!

My date from Hades....

Back in my younger days, before I got married, a date took me to an opera. I do not care for opera. It just is not my thing. It was a nice thought but I am not a terribly cultured person. I am more country.

My worst/ or funniest vacation story....

The funniest one is when we went camping and Dennis and I were sitting up on the top of a bank watching the boys’ fishing below us. Rodger caught a fish and David came running up the bank yelling, “Mom, dad, Rodger caught a fish and it has PINK LIPS”. It was the hot pink rubber worm sticking out of the sunfish’s mouth. He was just so amazed at the pink lips.

Worst would have been the time it poured the whole week we were out camping and the tent flooded during the last night. Have you ever tried to sleep in a wet sleeping bag on a floating air mattress? I rolled off during the night and fell in the water, which was about six inches deep and really cold.

I want a house of my own. It doesn’t have to be fancy and I will even build it myself. I just want to not have to pay rent or ever move again. I hate moving, I have too much stuff.

What I most look for in a friend...

I look for someone that is true to me and does not gossip, I hate gossiping. I also look for someone that I can have a serious conversation with but I can also giggle with. Life is too serious not to have a good giggle. They have to have a large dose of common sense and compassion. Dennis and I cannot stand someone who doesn’t have common sense. Without compassion and intelligence, they do not understand the bond that Dennis and I have. I have had women question why I stay with him. He has PTSD and can be a bit testy at times. He can usually get it under control again but they can't seem to forgive his cruelty when he is in the throes of it. They do not understand that it isn't him, it is this trauma that he went through that causes him to act that way.

Something I will never part with...

I inherited my great-grandmother’s bible, trunk, and a handmade crazy quilt. I also inherited a set of china with matching crystal from my grandmother. She used to allow me to serve tea to her friends with that set when I came to stay with her. She knew I cherished them and so made sure that I got them. I also inherited a sapphire necklace, earrings and bracelet from my mom that was a wedding gift from my dad. I have an antique silver coffee and tea set that I got from my grandfather. I absolutely love them and could not give them up. These are things that are not cherished so much for what they are as for who I got them from.

Nobody ever said life was fair. Don’t ever tell me ‘That’s not fair’. I will probably jump down your throat.

Also, don’t complain to me about having to finally get glasses when you are in your forties or fifties. My husband did just once. I have been wearing them since I was 10. I could not wear contacts either.

The worst part of getting older...

I have back issues when I walk very far. It starts hurting so bad that I can’t go on and I want to go for long walks again.

A writing lesson I learned the hard way...

Just write, about anything that you know about. As you write, you will get better at it. Proofread everything three or four times, you will find something wrong every time.

My favorite movie and why...

I love the movie “Pay it Forward”. It is about a young boy who comes up with a project for school that snowballs into being HUGE. He says to do something for someone and have them pay it back by doing something for someone else. He wanted it to be really important to you when you paid it forward also. It is a joyful tearjerker. I always feel so encouraged by it.

Oh Becky, what a beautiful choice. I totally agree...!

What subjects / genres do you enjoy reading/ about ?

I read just about everything. I like sci-fi, fantasy, drama, animals, etc. I haven’t found a well written story that I do not like. I read how-tos, informational, and gardening books.

What would be a subject/ genre that you would like to read more/ about...I love Anne McCaffrey's Dragonrider books. I have all of them and her son is writing them now. He isn't as good as she was but she is retiring and some of her series, she has passed on. I will read any of her books that I can get and have read most of them several times.

I also love Diana Gabaldon's Highlander series. Very good books with some very vivid and interesting characters.

Can you take us to a favorite piece of writing on HubPages by you that does not get much traffic...

I love my Halloween story, ‘The Monsters, A Halloween Story’. It was my first fiction story and I giggled the whole time that I was writing it. It just flowed out and it was just fun writing it.

I selected "Never Can Say Goodbye" as your Supremes' song. You are loyal, true blue and understanding.

Thank you for allowing us to get to know you better through this interview. ♥ Maria

© Maria Jordan (October, 2015)