Columbkill Noonan has an M.S. in Biology, and teaches Anatomy and Physiology at a university in Maryland. An avid history buff, much of her writing, which could be best described as “supernatural historical horror”, combines historical events with elements of paranormal fantasy.  Her first novel, Night Woods, is available as an e-book on Amazon.com. She is currently working on her second novel, which was inspired by a trip to Scotland, particularly by the grim castles and spooky underground alleys of Edinburgh. Which makes her story, "The Mislaid Heart", a real departure...

What would you like people to know about you?
That I am terrified of ghosts. I sometimes scare myself when I am writing scary stories, so that is why I really enjoy writing about ghosts who are silly and funny.

When did you begin writing?
I wrote my first story when I was five. It was a about an epic journey taken by a dog who was lost on vacation. The dog took trains, crossed mountains, and sailed across the ocean in order to get home. My mom liked it.

How did you get the idea for your story in Strangely Funny III?
I just randomly became obsessed with Egyptian mythology and began researching it. Once I had done that, I had no choice but to write a story about it.

Is there a genre you haven't written in, but would like to?
I like historical fiction very much. I've been working on an historical fiction novel for a few years now, but it's coming along very, very slowly.

What are you working on next?
It's another humorous story about the Egyptian afterlife, but this time it'll be a novel. I'm already in love with the characters!

What is your favorite writing snack food/drink?
Gum. I chew gum like a madman when I write. I'm actually chewing it now while I write this email.

What would you like people to know about you?
Well,  I’m a Sagittarius. So I’m half human and half horse. Guess which half is which?

When did you begin writing?
I began writing in elementary school, where the nuns at St. Stephens inspired me to write such prose as "See Dick run" almost daily. It was actually during those days that I first remember enjoying literature. As I learned to read I immediately was drawn to books on monsters, ghosts, unexplained phenomenon and animals. I would read these books and then write my own versions of the stories. I would read these books and then write my own versions of the stories. They were terrible rip-offs of the originals but eventually they made me want to create my own stories that people would
get excited for.

How did you get the idea for your story in Strangely Funny III?
I had written a list of story ideas for children that would never get published. For example: What to do When your Imaginary Friend Goes into Rehab, My First Prostitute and The Jungle Juice Book. But the one that I knew I could possibly get published (not for children) with a little finesse was, The Monster That Wouldn’t Come Out of the Closet. And with just a throw-away title, a story baby was born.

Is there a genre you haven't written in, but would like to?
Chick-lit. I love writing dialog and women talk a lot! Sorry, ladies we do; me included. It would be great just to let loose on each character. But knowing me, they’d end up at the mall and a huge creature would rise up from the pretzel dough at Aunt Anne’s and attack everyone. Which would bring me back to the horror genre anyway. So never mind.

Who are your current favorite authors? What do you enjoy about them?
I love reading Indie authors. They have such wonderful ideas and craft stories so much better than some of the well-known authors who write because they have to write, not because they choose to write. Independent authors write because they love to write and their ideas are fresh.

What are you working on next?
I'm working on a book with President Obama about his monster that he hides under the desk in the Oval Office. He doesn't know it yet. Damn Secret Service keeps yanking me out of the trees.  

What is your favorite writing snack food/drink?
Air. Butter flavored air.

Thank you for sharing your craziness with us!

You can read Ruschelle's story, "Quasi-Therapy" and other amusing tales in Strangely Funny III, now on Amazon.