Turbo answers: I think the Lost City of Gold (or something like that) was an anime show that I remember watching with my Mom when I was a wee 4 year old. It was different from all the other cartoons because it had a CONTINUING PLOT!!! Astonishing.

HRH asks: Was there something specific that prompted your interest in anime?

Turbo answers: Not really, I've always just enjoyed cartoons and animation, so it was just a whole new batch of cartoons to watch.

HRH asks: What's your current favorite anime movie/series (or both)?

Turbo answers: Well, I haven't really been watching any anime lately.....for awhile actually. The last show that I was really into was Utena, and I still like to watch that movie every so often.

HRH asks: What's your all-time favorite anime movie/series (or both)?

Turbo answers: I really liked the Sailor Moon R movie, that and the Utena movie are both ones I could watch more than once.

Hunk asks: And who's the Hunk-iest anime guy around / Who's the hottest anime babe around? (And what anime series are they from?)

Turbo answers: Well, obviously Hunk's the hunkiest guy. :) The hottest babe has got to be Juri Arisugawa from the Utena television show. In my opinion at least. :P

HRH: What anime character do you relate to or consider yourself most like (and what series are they from)? What is it about him/her that you relate to/consider like you?

Turbo: I used to really think I was lot like Sailor Jupiter, just because we both stuck out a bit for our height and were a bit misunderstood. Right now I don't think that's as true. I don't know that I identify with any character at this moment....is there a rushed graduate student with little time for life? I would identify with that character immensely!

HRH: Who's your favorite anime hero (and what series are they from)? Why?

Turbo:Jupiter and Venus from Sailor Moon. They were the most average of the sailor soldiers, you know....not super geniuses, not a priestess.....just strong and pretty. And kicking butt! I liked that.

HRH: Who's your favorite anime villain (and what series are they from)? Why?

Turbo: Lotor! From Voltron. He made the show for me, as soon as he popped in I was hooked. And also Merla, the interactions between the two of them especially got me really into Voltron.

HRH: Who's your favorite anime character of all time (and what series are they from) Why?

Turbo: I like Anthy from the Utena series, because she's so complicated......there's so many different takes on her. She could be sweet, or she could be evil....it's up to a person's interpretation and I really like that.

HRH: Is there any one anime that really made an impact on you? Which anime, and what was the impact?

Turbo: I think the Utena series really resonated with me. It really crossed a lot of lines, with Utena, a girl, trying to be a prince. And I think I needed that, I needed a visual story that could be comedic at times and dramatic at times to help me think my life through. I liked that, that it was a show that could spark discussion.

HRH: Do you collect anime stuff? (Like videos, DVD's, toys books, etc.) What kinds of things and from which anime(s)?

Turbo: I used to collect and read a lot of manga, but I'm not able to do so much anymore. Crazy life of a college graduate student! I am poor!

HRH: Is writing/drawing a hobby for you, or is it something that you would like to pursue (or are pursuing) professionally?

Turbo: Drawing is a hobby right now, one that I would like to turn into some sort of profession. But for right now, it's a release and also a way to connect with people.

HRH: Do you have a favorite (published) author? If so, who and what is it that you enjoy about their writing?

Turbo: I haven't been reading too much lately, but a few years back I was really big on Kurt Vonnegut. His views on modern society made me do that thinking thing again. Hehe, I like being challenged I guess. I could go for mindless entertainment, there's definitely something to be said for sitting and reading an easy book after a hard day of work, but I also like when something makes me think and reconsider how I'm doing things and that's what Vonnegut did.

HRH: What's your favorite book or series of books?

Turbo: I have severe love for Catcher in the Rye as well as The Great Gatsby. I had to read them back in High School and never got rid of my copies just because I love them too much.

HRH: Do you have a favorite artist? If so, who and what is it that you enjoy about their artwork?

Turbo: I am such a visual person and love so many artists, that I can never say just one. I love comic book and manga artists, like Terry Moore. But I also love a lot of artists that I've only seen online. And fanartists too. Agh! I'm sorry, but anyone that has a style....I like that. I spend hours looking at art online just because I love to see how everyone draws things.

HRH: What's your favorite movie?

Turbo: One of my favorite movies would be Clue, but I also like the Rocky Horror Picture Show.....and Drop Dead Gorgeous.....and Austin Powers.....and then there's always the Wizard of Oz. :3 I'm a tad indecisive.....

HRH: What's your favorite TV show (non-anime/cartoon)?

Turbo: Right now I love to watch the L word.

There are lots of things you could tell us about yourself, like...

Are you a student? What are you studying?

Turbo: A poor, poor, did I mention poor student. I'm working on my Master's Degree in Agency Counseling right now....and it makes me so poor. Oh the poorness, but the richness of knowledge!! Or something....

HRH: What's your profession? (Job title?)

Turbo: I'm currently a therapist for autistic children. I help them with behavior problems and help them learn how to speak and to play with other children.

HRH: Outside of anime, what kinds of interests/hobbies do you have?

Turbo: I like music and searching down new music to listen too. I've been getting back into photography. I was an avid scrapbooker for a little while there, but have waned on that. Mostly I seem to work and study and eat and breathe psychology. And draw. Can not live without drawing!

HRH: Anything else?

Turbo: I love to go dancing! I wish I could play piano. I used to twirl a rifle. I have a motorcycle. I love my motorcycle. I go out on it a lot, except for when it's cold or raining.....or snowing.....snow is bad for motorcycles, right? Right.

FANFICTION / FANART:

HRH: We know that you've written fan fics about the series Voltron, are there any other series that you write fics about?

Turbo: Uhhh.....hm......I think I wrote some Sailor Moon.....I think? Okay, yeah, I did! Hooray!

HRH: Same question as above, as it pertains to fan art.

Turbo: Oh man.....I've done fanart all over the place. I'm actually working on a fandom alphabet right now, for every letter of the alphabet I'm doing a different fandom. (A is for Amazing Spider-man, B is for Batman, und so weiter und so weiter) Shameless plug! You can see it all at tomturbo17.com :)

Hunk: What's your favorite snack/drink to have when you're writing/drawing?

Turbo: Copious amounts of chocolate!

HRH: What about writing/drawing do you find the most challenging? Why?

Turbo: Getting the picture in my head onto the paper....actually, no, strike that. When I want to draw and can't get a picture in my head to make. That's frustrating.

HRH: What about writing/drawing do you find the most fun? Why?

Turbo: The act of drawing itself is fun for me, I love to watch something come alive underneath my pen.

HRH: Where do you find your inspiration?

Turbo: EVERYWHERE! I look for inspiration everywhere I can, from walking to my car, to going shopping, to playing online, anything is fodder for a drawing really.

HRH: What was it that made you want to write fanfics and/or draw fanart?

Turbo: Good question! It's stuck in my head and needs to get out or else it'll explode. I don't want my head to explode!

HRH: As a writer, who (or what) influences your work? Why?

Turbo: When I did write it was always because I would want a certain story and couldn't find it....so I'd make it.

HRH: There are so many different writing techniques, maybe you start with an outline, or maybe you just start writing and see where the story goes. Would you tell us a little bit about your writing technique/style?

Turbo: The writing I did was always free flow.....get the words from my head onto paper, maybe edit it a bit.....this type of writing is bad for writer's block. Yes!

HRH: Likewise, many writers just have characters "appear" - some spend months creating their characters. How do you develop characters?

Turbo: With gusto!

HRH: As an artist, who (or what) influences your work? Why?

Turbo: Other artists and styles. How I feel at the time has a big influence. That really impacts how sketchy of finished a piece will look.

HRH: Likewise, there are many ways an artist creates. Would you tell us a little bit about your artistic technique?

Turbo: I work with pen because I hate pencil. I get an idea in my head and sketch it out very lightly in pen, and then use more pen to make the lines darker and add in all the details. Sometimes I clean the picture up a little with photoshop, or maybe add colors....but mostly I have a pen and a paper and I make a drawing. Every once in awhile I won't have a picture in my head and can just feel one out on the paper....but this usually doesn't work as well and is often sketchier.

HRH: Does your real life, or do your real life experiences, affect your writing/drawing? How?

Turbo: Yes. And no. I draw pictures to reflect what's going on in my life sometimes, like if there's a problem, I draw an angsty picture. Art has always been a release of some form for me. Sometimes my drawings reflect life, sometimes I make them because I need to escape life, sometimes I make them because life is wonderful.....all those things come into play I think.

HRH: If you could offer one piece of advice to new fan fic writers, what would that advice be?

Turbo: Do it cuz you like it! Don't write for other people, but share with other people. And take the time to look at what your fellow fans are doing, you'll meet some great people who you would have never had contact with before. :)

Cheers! Turbo