I am Egypt. You are Rome. We rule the ancient worlds and bring magic to the modern world between our hearts to work with children, sensibility, childlike wonder, love for animes and our loved ones, and nerd pride. Alesha always allows me to be myself, in good times and bad. I like how she isn’t scared to try new things, her love of travel, and her inquisitive nature. She is golden, rocking, and a fantastic amiga. Make sure you click below to learn more about her and our decade-plus of adventures, bold and quiet, but always a blast, together! 😀

Here is the interview I did with Alesha years ago when she was working on writing a manuscript.

The Questions I Asked Her:

What are your three favorite memories we have had in our friendship? – All the memories I have of our friendship are my favorites. I can’t really pick just 3.

I know you like to travel. What are the three places you want to travel to the most and why?- First, I would like to travel to the Grand Canyon as that is a dream of my and my dad’s. The second would be to travel to California to spend time on one of the beaches so I can say that I got to swim in the Pacific ocean. The third would be to travel to Europe because I want to see as many beautiful places as possible.

What five movies helped shape your life?- Sword in the Stone, Mulan, The Goofy movie, Wishbone- Prince and the Pauper, and Robin Hood.

Tell us about your fur babies. – I have three furkids. Their names are Baby, Penny, and Milo. I got Baby a few days after my 23rd birthday and he is a sweetheart. Penny, I got in 2018 as a buddy for Baby as I felt he needed a friend to play with. They enjoy each other’s company very well. Then in 2020, I decided to get a puppy and that is when Milo joined my fur family. Baby took a parental role toward him and ever since they have been attached at the hip. Milo and Penny get along well and love to wrestle around the house or outside. I love all three of them because they always keep me on my toes.

How do you relax? – I relax by watching Netflix with my furkids, reading a good book, watching movies, listening to music, or just going for a drive with the windows down if it’s a nice day.

I know we have a blast at conventions together. Which were the five best interactions you’ve had with celebrities (movie, TV, voice actor, and so forth?) – I would say meeting Carl Ewles, Jodi Benson, Luci Christian, Todd Haberkorn, and Keith David to name a few were some of my best interactions with celebrities. They were all very kind, and easy-going, and I just overall loved spending time just talking with their fans.

What inspired your career and what have you learned from your job? – When I was a kid, I went through special education classes. As I got older, I was able to graduate from those classes with the help of some amazing and loving teachers. Due to those teachers, I felt like I wanted to give back in order to help others who where in special education classes too. So, I became a teacher. My current job has taught me a lot about different ways to help non-verbal students and low-functioning students communicate and retain knowledge.

What does being a nerd and a part of our Otaku Girls Anime Club mean to you? – It means that I don’t have to have a filter around people who understand and like some of the things that I like also. I have picked up new hobbies and new books to read. I am able to let people see the relaxed side of me more since I have joined this group and became more open about being a nerd.

Go through your average week. Pick ONE food or drink for each day (that you enjoy) that represents your feelings on those days and why you picked that goodie. –

*Monday: Coffee because it’s the beginning of the week and I need an energy boost.

*Tuesday: Chicken because it’s quick to cook in the air fryer and it makes me feel like I am not really having to cook a lot.

*Wednesday: Carmel coffee because it is the middle of the week and that means two more days til Friday! Lol

*Thursday: Slow cooker pork chop because by the end of the day it is relaxation time.

*Friday: Fast food because at the end of the day, the fun begins!

Our friendship means a lot to me. I appreciate all you do for others. Why do you think our rapport works so well and have you learned anything from me?- Our rapport means a lot to me. You have taught me its okay to show the real me no matter who I am around. I have also made more friends since we met 12 years ago. I am so glad we got to meet at College for kids.

QUESTIONS FOR ME:

1. What or who inspired you to become an author? – “I was an extremely shy kid and it was hard for me to express myself verbally. So, when I discovered poetry in middle school, it became my way to communicate. Writing has helped me share the overactive imagination I used my whole life, connect to others, and get me through hard times.

“The action of writing a full book came thanks to my 9th grade ELA teacher, Mr. Banger. He is an over-the-top teacher, with no filter, has loud passion, and a spaz in the craziest ways. Boldly, he declared one day that he was going to write and book and called my name (Straughan, making me jump a foot in my chair,) informing me I would be a good character in his book. I laughed and decided I should try writing one, my creative mind going into overdrive, inspired by spirits, my family and friends, Sonic the Hedgehog, and my imagination. The following year, I took Creative Writing with Mr. Banger (everyone said I was nuts, lol) to sharpen my skills and get practice. He told me “Your ideas are great, but your mechanics suck.” It lit a fire in me and made me care about the structural components of writing, not just the story.

“Now, once a year, I go back to my high school that nurtured my dream and read to Mr. Banger’s and other ELA teachers’ classes, reading from my book and answering questions. It is very rewarding. ^_^”

2. What has been one of your favorite restaurants we have visited during our convention trips and why? – “I always like trying new Japanese restaurants. Everywhere in Knoxville is wonderful! 🙂 The only time at cons I get leery is when I have to go to one in Collinsville. I adore the town and the conventions and community there, but there is something about the food sadly. OH! We always try to find a Starbucks too. LOL!”

3. What are your top 3 favorite movies that you loved watching over and over as a kid? – “SOOOOOOO many! ‘The Lion King,’ but for the other two, it could be any of these: ‘Anastasia,’ ‘Swan Princess,’ ‘A Goofy Movie,’ OR ‘Aladdin.’ My dad would say “Mary Poppins.” One summer when I was a toddler, we watched it like three times a day. He said he was so sick of it, HA! ^o^”

4. Who is the top 5 celebrities (voice actors, tv, or movie) that you would like to meet in person and why? – “Yui Horie, Rick Riodan, Amy Jo Johnson, Tim Gunn, and Chris Evans. I tried to pick one celeb per media genre, lol! But, there are A LOT of voice actors (especially anime) I would be delighted to meet! ^_^ I have done lists on HERE and on GeekyKool discussing just that, lol!”

5. If you could go to any anime convention in the world and the cost was no problem where would you go and who would you like to see there? – “Anime Expo in Chicago OR Galaxy Con. I heard they are amazing and have a lot of great guests. Ramen Con too. Many voice actors have said Ramen Con is a good time. 😉 But I will always support the conventions I go to!”

6. If you were able to visit any anime world and bring someone back with you from that world, who would it be and why? – If I were visiting an anime world, ‘Cardcaptor Sakura’ would be epic. There is magic and can be some high-stakes adventures, but it is also wholesome and the characters always do their best and save the world. Plus, I would want Tomoyo-chan to make all my kawaii clothes!

“To bring someone back, that’s hard. There are so many I love and want to be friends with. I’d pick Minako from “Sailor Moon” for we would have a blast, but balance each other out. For a male, my first crush IS Seto Kaiba: brains, power, looks, money, but I’m not sure he’d have a change of heart for me, HA! So, I think Usai from “Maid Sama.” He reminds me of Jeremey and I can handle that crazy!”

7. What are some of your favorite memories of us together? – “One would be that long year at College for Kids and how on the last day of class, we ran into each other’s arms happy dancing and you flung me in the air! HA! Playing games, hanging out, and cons are always amazing too.”

8. We have been friends for over a decade. What does our friendship mean to you?- “I cherish your caring heart and how you never judge me when I get afraid or panic from little things. I know I can be myself with you, someone who is responsible, reliable, compassionate, but still fun.”

About Alesha:

I have lived in Missouri my whole life. I love to travel and spend time with friends and family. I have three furkids: Baby, Penny, and Milo. Baby is my oldest and the big brother to both Penny and Milo. Penny is my middle child and she acts like a sassy teenager most of the time. Then there is Milo. He is my alarm clock in the morning and my wild child that loves to play all the time with his sister Penny. He is also protective of his older brother Baby. I currently teach at a state school for the severely disabled and I enjoy the time I spend helping kids learn to the best of their abilities. During my free time throughout the year, I enjoy going to anime/comic con conventions as well. I love to read so anytime between watching anime and Netflix you will most likely find me with a book in my hand and a cup of coffee or tea nearby depending on the day.