Ask the Author: E.E. Fossum
Answered Questions (8)
E.E. Fossum
Oh, there are several! Like the strange storage building where me and a close friend used to hide ("who owned it, what was really stored in there?") or the time I had such a bad concussion I had to spend the night in the hospital and got to walk around the dark corridors with a nurse giving medicines and checking on patients (I was a kid, it was super eerie). There are many family mysteries to choose from too, like when my mother's father had a great excavation going in his and grandma's garden, and he unearthed lots of mysterious things (never mind the dig was a result of mental instability). Or when my father's father was a young sailor and disappeared in the US for half a year, never telling anyone what he had been up to (he was 16).
E.E. Fossum
Right now, my favourite couple is Hirka and Rime from the Raven Rings trilogy by Siri Pettersen. They have all the odds stacked against them, but I find myself rooting for them and waiting for their encounters throughout the books. They are so loveable (yes yes, I know Rime is a badass warrior, and Hirka is such a brave and fierce girl, but they are adorable too)!
E.E. Fossum
It was during the summer of 2009, far north in the world, where Norway has a border to Russia and Finland. I woke up two in the morning after a very vivid dream, in which the protagonist of the story "came to me" and revealed his struggle and his abilities. He was so alive and fascinating to me, I hurried up in the living room and wrote twenty pages in the light of the midnight sun. So it all began with Orian, the lost soul from a world far away.
E.E. Fossum
There are so many sources of inspiration, in nature, in everyday life, in books, films, art. It's almost easier to say what doesn't inspire in any way, than to make a list of what does. Music is probably my greatest inspiration; I'm always listening to music while writing, preferably something which goes with the mood of the scene I'm working on.
E.E. Fossum
I'm currently working on another fantasy novel (surprise!) :) This one is about unconventional love, persecution of a minority, cultural differences, self-loathing, fear, music, magic, passion, rage. And so much more.
E.E. Fossum
To be a writer, and especially in order to become a published one, you need to have an urge to write. It is hard work, and a lot of the time you're very much alone in what you do, so passion and dedication needs to be a big part of your "writer's nature." Also, don't give up. Tell yourself that you believe in what you do, even if deep inside you're not too sure. And read! Broaden your horizon, increase your vocabulary, learn how to see the world through the eyes of others. Good luck!
E.E. Fossum
When I write my stories, I process my own experiences in life. Writing makes me a better person, with a broader perspective and increased empathy - just like reading does. To be the creator of whole worlds and to be in control of so many destinies, invokes a great sense of power and achievement - and getting to share my creations with the real world and touching peoples minds and hearts, is the greatest reward of all.
E.E. Fossum
I don't - I've never had a writer's block. Writing isn't always easy, but if I'm stuck in the process, listening to a song or making a cup of tea is all it takes to help me move along. My imagination is probably my strongest asset, which is probably key to why I never run out of ideas or things to write about.
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