Five Things Friday: Mini-Interview with Author Priscilla Bettis

On By Willow CroftIn Uncategorized

The “Five Things Friday” interviews have resumed!

We’re getting things “rolling” (do hay bales even roll?) with horror author Priscilla Bettis, whose spooky novelette The Hay Bale was recently released on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hay-Bale-Priscilla-Bettis-ebook/dp/B09P4PJQLT.

Willow Croft: I read on your Amazon author page that you now live on the northern plains of Texas. I think that every geographical locale has its own inherent spookiness to it; so what defines the Plains area of the country in terms of creepiness?

Priscilla Bettis: The wind is constant, first one direction then the other, like a Lovecraftian entity breathing in and out. Sometimes the breath hisses through the trees. Sometimes it just howls.

Willow Croft: I’m always very curious when it comes to science and other fields; could you tell me what sort of projects you engineered as part of your work as an engineering physicist?

Priscilla Bettis: We live in a world where nuclear war is a horrible possibility. My job was to ensure nuclear survivability of military airplanes. It means I had to be well versed in electromagnetic fields and radiation and all sorts of dire subjects. On the positive side, I met a kind, brilliant, sexy man who was a reliability engineer for the same airplanes. We’re now married. 🙂

Willow Croft: I see in one of your interviews (https://marciamearawrites.com/2022/01/19/tenthingsyoumaynotknow-about-priscilla-bettis/) that you like dark chocolate and dark coffee, but I’d love to know what local Alaskan dish, since you grew up there, is your favourite?

Priscilla Bettis: Do drinks count? Because I’d pick hot Christmas eggnog. When I moved to the lower 48, I was astounded to learn everybody drank it COLD! There’s nothing like wrapping your hands around a warm mug of sweet, fattening eggnog at Christmastime.

 Willow Croft: I love taking walks in cemeteries, especially when they are historic cemeteries! What’s the most interesting historic cemetery that you’ve visited?

Priscilla Bettis: In Lynchburg, Virginia, there is an old city cemetery with Civil War graves. Antique roses planted in 1860 line the wall of the cemetery. A cottage sits among the graves. It was a pest house in the 1800s, and the floor is deep with sand. It’s not like they had Depends and Maytag washers back then, so patients close to death lay on the floor, and the sand absorbed the, um, effects of dysentery and was easily shoveled away. It’s a beautiful cemetery with all the roses, and it’s a sobering cemetery with the War graves and the conveniently located pest house.

Willow Croft: Let’s talk about your interest in angels and miracles: have you ever received a visit from an angel-type being, or witnessed any miracles yourself, personally?

Priscilla Bettis: Once, on a sweltering summer day, my full-sized sedan broke down in bumper-to-bumper traffic. A handsome fellow with long, wavy hair pushed my car into the next driveway which was a church entrance that slanted UPHILL. I don’t know how he did it! Then he disappeared. I wonder to this day if he was an angel. Also, a kind lady stopped and gave me a bottle of cool water while I waited for the tow truck, so THANK YOU, kind lady, whoever you are!

Discover more about how Priscilla Bettis “rolls”–her literary adventures, book reviews, and more cemetery strolls here:  priscillabettisauthor.com.

56 thoughts on “Five Things Friday: Mini-Interview with Author Priscilla Bettis”

  2. Pingback: Goodbye, Virginia – Priscilla Bettis, Author

  6. Great interview, Willow and Priscilla! Loved the car-pushing angel, especially! But can’t say as the thought of hot eggnog appeals to me very much. I’d give it a try, though. Maybe. 😁

    Good to learn more about you, Priscilla!

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  7. Oooo! This was SUCH a great interview with amazing questions to let me get to know someone I’m always intrigued by. I always wondered what she did as an engineer. I’m SO glad you asked that. WHOA! Holy smokes! I knew she was smart but…dang. What a job!

    I’m also a hopeless romantic so learning how she met her hubby…awwww! Made me smile.

    And bravo to you for expertly weaving in mention of her novelette, which I’m so excited to make time to finally read!

    And the warm eggnog! I loved you asked her specifically about AK because that’s one of my fave places and I love she came from there and when she shares stories from it.

    AND…her description of the wind…Well, that’s an example of her exemplary wordsmithery.

    AMAZING interview! So glad to get to know more about both of you in this fun way!

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  13. I enjoyed this interview so much! Great to learn more about Priscilla. I think the man who helped you with your car and the woman who brought you water were both angels! And Priscilla, I’ve been to Lynchburg a bunch of times, but didn’t know about the cemetery. Maybe I’ll get to see it on a future triip! Good luck with your move and thank you for showcasing Priscilla, Willow. I’m looking forward to seeing more of your blog posts 🙂

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    1. Hi Barbara! Isn’t Lynchburg a cool place? The historic architecture and educational opportunities are wonderful, and it still has that small town feel even though it’s a midsize city. I actually lived in Bedford County, well outside the city, but Lynchburg was a nice place to visit!

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  14. What a fascinating interview! It was great learning about Priscilla’s career. Wow. And very creepy but beautiful description of the Civil War graveyard. And no doubt an encounter with an angel. Thanks for the lovely read, Willow and Priscilla.

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  18. loved learning more about Priscilla and what we have in common! Like besides loving dark chocolate, books and writing, we both find angels, engineering and “Lovecraftian” inspiring. Fallen Angels used to be the first characters I wrote about, I’m an engineer and quantum physics is always an element in my work and I work in Providence, Lovecraft’s town and it does influence my work a lot as well. I’m a big chicken so would NEVER walk a cemetery, especially at night but I’ll have to try hot Christmas eggnog! Hadn’t even heard of it before. Hope you enjoy Texas a lot Priscilla. Willow thank you for this wonderful interview.

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    1. New Mexico has very strong winds too…I grew up in Florida, so I’m used to winds, but there really is something unsettling about the wind out this way…sometimes it makes this high-pitched keening noise as it whips around the buildings…

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  21. Pingback: Five Things Friday: Mini-Interview with Author Priscilla Bettis – Nelsapy

  23. Very cool interview! I used to run through a cemetery in Springfield, Ohio every day for about a year when I first moved there. I asked local people who lived there where a great nearby park would be to run, and they said that this particular cemetery was beautiful and safe–and both things were true.

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  24. What an interesting and varied life Priscilla has lived, and I can’t say I’ve ever met anybody who does her kind of job either. I’ve only recently started reading her blog and didn’t know many things about her, mostly about her writing, so this was a great starting point. Thanks, Willow!

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