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Tiffany McDaniel on the ways her mother inspires her literary career

Tiffany McDaniel's mother made her an eager reader, and now she's the subject of her latest novel. In Betty, the author traces her mother's childhood and the Cherokee heritage that defined it. Below, the author tells us her trade secrets, from her earliest attempts to put pen to paper to why it meant so much to write about her own family.

What is the first thing ever that you remember writing?

I've been writing since I was a kid old enough to grasp the pen, so I can't remember the very first thing I ever wrote. But one of those very early books would have been The Big Bad Toothbrush. I wrote it when I was six. It was about two toothbrushes who were twins, one of which was evil. Isil have the book on my shelf, and always remember the opening lines, “Once there was a toothbrush I was a mean one, it was.” The evil toothbrush would do things like turn people's teeth black. The story ended with the toothbrush going to toothbrush heaven.

What is the last book that made you cry?

I have a pretty high tolerance level, so I've never cried during a novel, but children's picture books that feature the loss of animals are ones that stay with me like The Day Tiger Rose Said Goodbye And books like The Giving Tree and Donkey, Donkey.

Which book is at the top of your current To-Read list?

I read more non-fiction than I do fiction. Among those to read is a book about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and another book about the birth and final fate of the sun. Science, and planetary science, in particular, is fascinating to me.

Which book made you a forever reader?

Growing up, my mother Betty made sure books and reading were part of our lives. From the time my sisters and I were born, Mom was reading to us. And it became a bedtime habit as we grew older. That's what made me a forever reader. Having had a mother who made sure that from the time we were kids, we understood the importance of story.

What is your favorite part of this Betty?

My favorite part is that it features my mother Betty and her story. I wrote Betty to celebrate the voices of my family, and in particular the voices of the women in my family. This book is a personal journey for me and the generations who have come before me. It's why this book will always cast ripples in my life.

21. Who is the leading character in Tiffany's latest novel?

A. Herself.                           B. Her friend.                C. Her mother.               D. Her sister.

22. Which book is Tiffany going to read in the near future?

A. The Big Bad Toothbrush.                                      B. The Day Tiger Rose Said Goodbye.

C. Betty.                                                                  D. a book about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

23. What docs Tiffany owe her writing career to?

A. Her talent for writing.                                           B. The reading habit formed with the help of her mother.

C. Her love of fiction books.                                      D. The encouragement from her mother.