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Interview with the Author |
Q: Your latest book
Plum’s Pleasure is a compilation of short stories. Is this a
divergence from your usual novel format?
A. I suppose, but the novella Plum’s Pleasure sets the tone for a
string of stories all focused on the same themes: women’s struggles
for independence and self-determination and the gray shades of
morality in their lives. I think that if you take a look at any of
the books I’ve written, there are strong-minded females who often
steer events around sometimes unsuspecting males.
Q: And the morality themes?
A. Morality comes in all shapes and forms. One person’s sin is
another’s salvation. Culture, social mores, religion, character –
all these things influence our views on what is wrong and right. My
books, and especially the stories in Plum’s Pleasure, delve into the
murky, undefined areas of morality. Often, the truth is found
somewhere in the middle, in the gray-zone. That is the most
interesting aspect of life, I think. We all operate from a personal
set of motives and beliefs. Who’s to say which are less noble or
more saintly? This question makes for some very intriguing
possibilities in human behavior.
Q. Was the short story anthology a new direction for your writing
career?
A. Oh, no. I started out by writing short stories, and it was
enjoyable to visit that format again. There are few tales that
cannot be told in fewer words than a novel requires. The challenge
for a writer is in pinpointing the crux of the dilemma in the
protagonist’s life. It’s a little like diagramming a sentence –the
literary chaff and obligatory sex and thriller scenes are pared in
order to get to the essential elements of the plot and the
characters’ motivations.
Q. Do you have plans for more such works?
A. Not really. My writing is driven by inspiration and not so much
by deliberate planning of what the market’s looking for. I believe
authors should listen to their own creative voice and write what is
in their soul. Each of us has a distinct view of the world, and
expressing that view in an original voice is what fiction writing
should be all about.
Q. Not all of the stories in Plum’s Pleasure are located in the
Pacific Northwest. Why did you decide to include Alabama, Georgia
and Philadelphia in the collection? Do you have a personal
connection with these places?
A. Sure. Even though the characters are geographically distant from
Oregon and the
West, people everywhere have the same dreams, desires, fears and
flaws. I’ve spent time in all these places and write from personal
experiences. Doesn’t every writer include something of his or her
life-story in their books?
Q. What advice do you have for an aspiring fiction writer wanting to
find a market for their work?
A. That’s a tough one because every situation is different. Some
authors strike it rich right out of the starting gate, finding the
right agent to market their work, and a publisher/editor who “gets”
the author’s voice and gives it time to attract an audience. Others
struggle for years, literally, and never seem to come up a winner.
The most important thing for any novelist is to believe in their
work, to take constructive criticism as an opportunity to hone their
talents and to keep writing. Just like any other skill, writing
takes daily practice and dedication – that includes syntax, grammar,
spelling, format, professional courtesies in approaching agents and
editors. Treat your writing as a business if you want to be
published and hopefully successful one day.
And most important, listen to your own voice and don’t be detoured
by what is currently hot. Write something every day. Write because
it is part of who you are and what you hold dear. If you write only
for profit or fame, you’ll end up with neither.
C. Reggin – NW Book Review |
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