Question: How do you pronounce your last name, Aksomitis?
Answer: Really, Aksomitis is not as hard as it looks written down! It is pronounced like this: The Akso sounds like oxo, as in oxo cubes; the mitis sounds like Midas as in Midas mufflers. So all together Aksomitis sounds like “oxomidas.”
Question: At every school visit someone inevitably asks: How old are you?
Answer: Linda’s birthday is August 7th, and the year she was born: Bill Haley and the Comets recorded “Rock Around the Clock” in New York City; Hank Aaron hit his first major league home run; and WHBQ In Memphis, Tennessee, became the first radio station to air an Elvis Presley record. See if you can figure out how old she is!
Question: Where did you grow up?
Answer: Linda grew up nine miles southeast of Qu’Appelle on the Qu’Appelle Appaloosa Ranch, and started school in Grassmere School, a one-room country school. In sixth grade, Grassmere closed and she took the school bus to town, so graduated from Qu’Appelle High School.
Her first job after high school was at Wilson’s Supermarket in Qu’Appelle, then she moved to Regina for a year and work at O.K. Economy. After she married David Aksomitis, they lived on the the Aksomitis Family Ranch (situated 15 miles northwest of Qu’Appelle) until 1981, when they moved to Qu’Appelle, so their sons also graduated from school in Qu’Appelle.
Question: Where do you live and who lives with you?
Answer: Linda lives in the town of Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan, Canada, with her husband, David Aksomitis. They were married June 16, 1973, so have been married forever. They have three sons and three great daughters-in-law, and two grandsons who are 24 years apart!
Question: What’s your favourite …?
Answer:
Food — Dessert.
Colour — Blue.
Music genre — Rock.
Book genre — Science Fiction.
Holiday — Christmas.
Season — Fall.
TV shows — NCIS and FBI (all locations!).
Question: What are those 45+ different things you’ve been paid to do?
Answer: Stock clerk, Grocery Cashier, Furniture Upholsterer, Cake decorating, Meat market, Bakery, Head Cashier, Seamstress, Babysitter, Barrel racer, Journalist, Poet, Author, Storyteller, Editor, Snowmobile racer, Librarian, Teacher, Computer lab instructor, Network Administrator, Secretary, Teacher’s Aide, Special Education Assistant, Bookkeeper, Income tax Accountant, Carwash attendant, Web site designer, Online training developer, Home Party Sales, Marketing consultant, Travel writer, Bar maid, Waitress, Sewing consultant, Sales representative, Serger Sewing Machine mechanic, Video producer, Book Publisher, Importer/Exporter, Graphics designer, Lecturer, Motivational speaker, Barber, Data Entry clerk, Receptionist, Photographer, Acquisitions Editor, Online Curriculum Developer, Instructional Designer.
Question: What’s your favourite trip you’ve been on?
Answer: Linda loves visiting Lousiana, so that’s her favourite state although she also spends a lot of time in the midwest of the U.S. However, she’s had some pretty awesome trips to other destinations, including three weeks in Malaysia and Borneo, and the Trek Over the Top snowmobile ride from Tok, Alaska to Dawson City, Yukon, that she and David did together. In 2009, David and Linda visited Budapest, Hungary, which was a great trip for both of them as Linda has a Hungarian heritage and they attended an F-1 car race. In 2019 they took a cruise from Vancouver to Hawaii for her 65th birthday, which was awesome!
Question: What are your hobbies?
Answer: Linda likes to go for long walks all year round, although she skips them when it’s -40, and does exercises inside instead. Every night she relaxes in her hot tub for twenty minutes, which is wonderful before bedtime. She enjoys photography, web design, and writing.
Question: Is there one author or writer who has been particularly inspirational in your career?
Answer: Linda has been most inspired in her writing life by Harry Chapin (singer, songwriter, & performer), who she saw live in concert four times–and whose songs are still her favourite concerts when she takes a long road trip.
Linda Aksomitis in Switzerland.
Question: If you could change one thing you wanted to do, but didn’t, what would it be?
Answer: David and Linda would have found the $700 each to accompany the Sno Pro racers through the Scandinavian countries in 1975 on a two-week tour, attending the three snowmobile races.
Question: What is the most rewarding thing you’ve done in your career?
Answer: Linda’s career has spanned many different activities, many of which she never dreamed of doing! So, perhaps publishing books for children, which she always wanted to do, has been the most rewarding.
Read an Article by Linda
- Write Effective Web Content
Write Effective Web Content is an online course offered through community colleges and public libraries. AI tools are integrated throughout the writing strategies to help with research and productivity NOT replace you as the writer. Linda Aksomitis is the instructor. - Is Publisher Rocket Worth It?
Publisher Rocket is an indispensible tool for authors at every career stage. Learn about what’s selling in the Amazon marketplace and how authors’ are doing it! - 4 Inside Scoop Tips to Easily Choose Character Names
Discover four insider tips on how to choose a main character’s name using great free tools, including ChatGPT. - How to Plan a Novel Series Made Easy with AI: Setting
Learn how to plan an outline for a novel series, starting with setting. This article shows how to conduct setting research using ChatGPT artificial intelligence or AI. - An Easy Trick to Know Whether to Ask KDP to Change Your Book Categories
Trying to decide whether to ask Amazon to change your book’s KDP categories? Here’s an easy trick to help you decide and the data’s all free!
Linda Aksomitis 