FAQs
What is a typical day of writing like for you?
Atypical. I write whenever I can squeeze in time during the week or whenever an idea floats to the surface. I’m much more flexible in my process than I used to be. Sometimes ideas and material will come in the middle of the night, in the car, in overhearing a conversation or just in observing the everyday stuff of life. I carry a little notepad and pen with me at all times as I never know when inspiration will come or in what form. But I most often write at night and in solidly chunked hours on weekends. I use the "Swiss cheese method" a lot.
How would you describe your work?
My novel-in-progress is upmarket historical fiction with nuances of female Gothic. The old soul in me prefers period pieces. Yet whether set in historical or contemporary times, almost all of my work explores, in some way, the different types of relationships women can experience with each other: as mother and daughter, sisters, close friends, and lovers. At the heart of those explorations is a desire to uncover how and in what ways we as women can often be our own worst enemies and strongest allies.
Themes which emerge frequently in my work are authenticity, performativity, and struggles with identity.
Why do you write?
Reading and writing take you up and out of yourself, confirm experiences or thoughts for you, introduce you to new ideas and perspectives, and maybe even inspire you or move you to action. They are journeys into the human condition and they let us know we are not alone.
What advice do you have for other writers out there?
MFA programs, writers' conferences and groups, workshops, and peer critique are all great ways to develop and hone your skills. But here's what's really necessary to write: the persistence to keep doing it, even when the chips are down and when you feel it's not your best work, or when the rejection letters keep piling up and the competition out there is pretty stiff. Never sell yourself short. The most important thing is to stay true to yourself and to your ideas. Keep working hard and giving your best. The rest will follow in its due time. Above all, write because you love it. Write to enjoy the process.
What are some of your favorite books?
There's too many to name. I studied literature and literary theory/criticism before I earned my MFA so I could go on listing names and periods.
Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca is the novel that had the most impact on me as a young reader and future writer. Thereafter I began devouring everything du Maurier had ever written, admiring her rich and haunting descriptions, her ability to mirror the psychology of her characters in setting, and her understanding of relationships and what makes characters tick. Everyone labeled Rebecca as romantic suspense but the story is really about jealousy. And the novel does have its Gothic elements. I also used to love Jane Eyre and The Haunting of Hill House. I'll revisit anything by Edgar Allen Poe. Aimee Bender's The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake was a strange but moving story that I couldn't put down. Cat's Cradle will always be my favorite title from Kurt Vonnegut.
What book changed your life?
Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich
What books are currently on your nightstand?
Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link
First Person Singular by Haruki Murakami
What is a typical day of writing like for you?
Atypical. I write whenever I can squeeze in time during the week or whenever an idea floats to the surface. I’m much more flexible in my process than I used to be. Sometimes ideas and material will come in the middle of the night, in the car, in overhearing a conversation or just in observing the everyday stuff of life. I carry a little notepad and pen with me at all times as I never know when inspiration will come or in what form. But I most often write at night and in solidly chunked hours on weekends. I use the "Swiss cheese method" a lot.
How would you describe your work?
My novel-in-progress is upmarket historical fiction with nuances of female Gothic. The old soul in me prefers period pieces. Yet whether set in historical or contemporary times, almost all of my work explores, in some way, the different types of relationships women can experience with each other: as mother and daughter, sisters, close friends, and lovers. At the heart of those explorations is a desire to uncover how and in what ways we as women can often be our own worst enemies and strongest allies.
Themes which emerge frequently in my work are authenticity, performativity, and struggles with identity.
Why do you write?
Reading and writing take you up and out of yourself, confirm experiences or thoughts for you, introduce you to new ideas and perspectives, and maybe even inspire you or move you to action. They are journeys into the human condition and they let us know we are not alone.
What advice do you have for other writers out there?
MFA programs, writers' conferences and groups, workshops, and peer critique are all great ways to develop and hone your skills. But here's what's really necessary to write: the persistence to keep doing it, even when the chips are down and when you feel it's not your best work, or when the rejection letters keep piling up and the competition out there is pretty stiff. Never sell yourself short. The most important thing is to stay true to yourself and to your ideas. Keep working hard and giving your best. The rest will follow in its due time. Above all, write because you love it. Write to enjoy the process.
What are some of your favorite books?
There's too many to name. I studied literature and literary theory/criticism before I earned my MFA so I could go on listing names and periods.
Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca is the novel that had the most impact on me as a young reader and future writer. Thereafter I began devouring everything du Maurier had ever written, admiring her rich and haunting descriptions, her ability to mirror the psychology of her characters in setting, and her understanding of relationships and what makes characters tick. Everyone labeled Rebecca as romantic suspense but the story is really about jealousy. And the novel does have its Gothic elements. I also used to love Jane Eyre and The Haunting of Hill House. I'll revisit anything by Edgar Allen Poe. Aimee Bender's The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake was a strange but moving story that I couldn't put down. Cat's Cradle will always be my favorite title from Kurt Vonnegut.
What book changed your life?
Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich
What books are currently on your nightstand?
Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link
First Person Singular by Haruki Murakami
