Adam Gaffen
- Jun 6, 2021
- 4 min read

Barbara Gibson Interview!

When did it become June?

No, seriously. It was March, like, yesterday.

Where’s the coffee? I need coffee.

Can you tell it’s Monday? Right, then, let’s get to it.

Today on our Monday Morning Author Interview I’m pleased to welcome Barbara Gibson to our pages! Barbara is the creator of the Future Apocalypse series and has taken time to drop in and talk about what she’s got in the fire now.

Barbara J. Gilbert was born in Ft Jackson, SC. Her early years were spent between there, Ft Hood, TX, Bonner, Montana, and Kennewick, WA. She graduated high school in 1985 from Kennewick High and entered the United States Air Force in July 1985. Her USAF career started as an Administrator, then Information Manager, to Aerospace Systems Warning Operator (tracking missiles and other threats).

After a medical retirement she worked for the RadioShack, moved over to an IT position at a Marketing company supplying condiments to the US Commissary Service World Wide and finally opening up a computer consulting, sales, and service company with her husband. As a spare time project while running an IT department and family consulting firm she had two boys.

While still running the family business she was offered a teaching position at a Charter High School. Changing career tracks yet again, she became a teacher of English, computer apps, computer repair, consumer math, principles of business, physics, and earth science. In the Public School System, she taught computer apps, business, E-commerce, and Web Design.

Moving back to her spiritual home in Montana she again taught Earth Science and Computer Applications (MAC), until a second medical disability ended her teaching career. Her hobbies in (prize winning) photography, painting, Ham Radio, SCUBA Diving, and a host of other interests keep her busy on Good Days, and she manages to get by on the bad ones. Writing got started with a NaNoWriMo challenge to her sons and seems to have led her to yet another success.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I have always dreamed up stories when I was young. Those stories continued to percolate as I got older and eventually, I joined in to inspire my two boys, and enter the Nano wrimo competition. Several years later, I successfully completed the challenge and decided to publish my first story.

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What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

I work on my writing when I am feeling well. Sometimes that means I write early in the morning, or sometimes mid-day or at night.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I tend to write as I go.

What does your family think of your writing?

They are proud of me for publishing my stories.

Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

Many of my readers have told me how much they enjoy the “Future Apocalypse” story. I interact with some fans via messenger, others through email. All have had positive words about the books.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

Honestly, I wanted to be either a fire fighter, EMT or police officer.

What is the first book that made you cry?

To be honest, I have read so many books in my life that I can’t remember the first book that made me cry.

Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

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Being a new author, I wrote the story that was in me and hoped the readers would enjoy it.

What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?

I am lucky to have many author friends. Tom Abrahams helped me learn to show more vs. telling, and even read my first manuscript. Patty Glaspy helped me by pointing me to a good editor. Boyd Craven pointed me to an excellent book cover designer. Others helped me by either pointing me to Facebook pages that could give me more info, to helpful books, to reading and commenting on my story.

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

I would tell myself that I should have paid more attention in English class.

What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?

I think the best money I have spent would be on my editor and book cover designer.

What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?

I would say a fellow Indie author, Robert Wilson’s “Day’s Since….” Series. It is a great post-apocalyptic story from the view of different characters. They struggle to survive the aftermath of a virus and must deal with a new threat from a military style group who thinks they know how to run things best.