What was the pivotal moment during your career in advertising and marketing that inspired you to transition into writing fiction?
A friend of mine and I had an adventure that seemed like the perfect story for the big screen. Since I grew up in L.A., I foolishly tried to talk a couple of screen writer friends into the idea. Their response? "It's your story, you write it." Well, that left me stuck with a story I didn't know how to write. After stewing over their lack of interest, I signed up for a Creative Writing class, and fell in love with all the elements it takes to write a good story. Short stories became my passion, and I honed them while traveling for business. The cocoon quality of an airplane seat became a muse for my imagination.
What challenges did you face moving from short stories to novels, and how did you overcome them?
I had given up on the adventure turned movie fantasy, and was more than happy to write, re-write, and play around with my stories. In fact, my first novel, "The Clock of Life," began as a short story of about 4,000 words. In my mind, that was it, until one morning while in a workshop at The Santa Barbara Writers Conference, I read an excerpt. When finished, the instructor asked what I was doing for the next couple years, because, "What you wrote isn't a short story, it's a novel."
I was not motivated, as I thought of myself as more of a sprinter than a marathoner. It took about a year for the seed he planted to take root and begin to sprout. I thought, I can at least try. And, for me, it was extremely challenging to come up with sooooo many words. In novel writing, brevity is the enemy.
“Like The Flies On The Patio” features award-winning short stories. Is there one story in the collection that is particularly close to your heart? Why?
All my characters struggle with something. Of course I have to say I love my children equally, but the one I titled the book after is perhaps my favorite. The main character is unstable and working through loss in her own quirky way. Her coping method is put on display as "rhyme flits." Her gradual healing is reflected by the four separate seasons of the year.
“The Clock of Life” addresses powerful themes like the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement. What inspired you to tackle these themes in your debut novel?
The idea of human inequality and how it comes to be has always baffled me, so the foundation for the book was more emotional than cerebral. It's a coming-of-age, Southern tale set primarily in the 1980's with elements and lessons from the 60s Civil Rights Movement and the 70s Vietnam War, woven through. It's about doing the right thing, just because it's right. Having said all that, I have to add, it's also a feel good story.
In “Love and Protest”, how did you approach weaving together the anti-Vietnam War protests and the modern Black Lives Matter movement?
Finding the right pacing was ongoing. I experimented with how to juxtapose the two girl's challenges and eventual transformation. At first I switched back and forth from Harpers present-day struggles to Libby's historical journey, by giving each one an alternating chapter. As unsuccessful as that was, it helped me differentiate their voices. Harper's story is written in first person, while Libby's is in third. The weaving of the stories began to grow organically as I flushed out their struggles and understood each girl better.
Can you share the story behind the diary discovered in a thrift shop in “Love and Protest?” What inspired this intriguing narrative device?
Yes, many years ago, a friend and I found a diary tucked away in a drawer in a second-hand store, and we cherished the find. Once I began my writing journey I knew one day I'd get around to using the idea in a story. But I thought I'd write about a road trip in search of the "old lady," with several adventures along the way. A Thelma and Louise sort of thing. But alas, my perpetual obsession with civil and social issues kicked in.
Both of your novels delve into significant social and political movements. How do you balance historical accuracy with fictional storytelling?
Great question. There are times while researching the actual events, there is the impulse to include all you have discovered. In this case, factual accuracy dulls the storytelling and strips out the emotional factors. When it slows down the pace and gets boring, it's time for a cut, cut, cut, and rewrite.
How do you hope your novels will resonate with readers regarding social justice and activism?
I hope both of my books encourage the reader to think about the strength of involvement and the belief in something worth fighting for. It's my nod to all the past, and future, social activists. There's a line in "Love and Protest" that says, "Activists are the shining lights of our democracy. They expose the dark corners of government and power."
What does your typical writing day look like in Laguna Woods?
Very few are "typical" because I'm undisciplined and don't keep a strict routine. I'm more of a whenever-the-inspiration-strikes girl. I don't write in coffee shops or public places, and I don't have a musical playlist. I see the scenes in my head, and hear the voices during the conversations. Outside noise get's in the way. During the times I suffer with the idea that the writing is lacking creativity and it's boring—as if the muse has gone down for a nap—I let it sleep for a few days, then return to the work refreshed and creative again.
How do you develop such unique and distinctive voices for your characters?
I like to write about working-class, blue-collar relationships, and people on the opposite side of success. Their voices come from within me. When I write, I become my characters—vulnerable and empathetic, brave and purposeful.
Do you find it easier to write short fiction or novels, and why?
One is designed for power, the other, endurance. I feel a great sense of accomplishment when I finish either. I'm partial to the short form.
Living in Southern California, how has the environment influenced your writing, if at all?
I don't believe so.
Your husband is a retired architect turned ceramic artist. Do you two ever inspire or influence each other’s creative work?
We are great fans of each other's work, and our support is a constant. I'm not sure how much I influence his work, because his artistic sensibilities are organic and seem to have been with him since birth. The way he has influenced me is with his encouragement for me to delve deeper, go further.
What are your thoughts on AllAuthor? Is this a website you see yourself using for some time, even in the future?
The AllAuthor platform is a real positive. The frustration of feeling alone in the quest of getting the word out about my work is less of a burden with AllAuthor's support. I have collected and used the fun Book Mockup Banners to promote my book and really appreciate their support. My love/hate relationship with social media is complicated, and I appreciate their postings on Twitter.
