Ask the Author: Debi Matlack
Answered Questions (5)
Debi Matlack
Mostly crying and drinking... well, coffee helps. I just try to think about what I'd do in whatever situation my characters end up in, after all, they are all aspects of me.
Debi Matlack
Poverty?
In all seriousness, it's having an outlet for feelings, ideas, to explore things you've always wanted to try from the safety of your recliner. It's a way to be all those people that live inside you. Sure,you're the one writing down the words, but they're running the show. It's amazing how these characters become real and important to you,like family. That's sounds pretty schizophrenic, but there it is. Everyone has little fantasies about things they'd like to do, through our characters we get to do those things.
In all seriousness, it's having an outlet for feelings, ideas, to explore things you've always wanted to try from the safety of your recliner. It's a way to be all those people that live inside you. Sure,you're the one writing down the words, but they're running the show. It's amazing how these characters become real and important to you,like family. That's sounds pretty schizophrenic, but there it is. Everyone has little fantasies about things they'd like to do, through our characters we get to do those things.
Debi Matlack
Write, a lot. Every day. Not that I follow my own advice, but the basic advice is get some words out every time you can. Jot down notes and ideas AS THEY COME TO YOU, don't think that you'll remember it for later. You'll forget most of it and it will sit, just out of reach, teasing you.
Also, READ. All the time. Read authors you love, and pay attention to how they write. Read new authors and do the same. Wail and gnash your teeth at the absolute crap that gets published and pay attention to how they write and then don't do that.
Most of all, write for yourself. Don't try to fit your stories into someone else's idea of what it should be, write what you want. Make yourself happy and damn the rest.
Also, READ. All the time. Read authors you love, and pay attention to how they write. Read new authors and do the same. Wail and gnash your teeth at the absolute crap that gets published and pay attention to how they write and then don't do that.
Most of all, write for yourself. Don't try to fit your stories into someone else's idea of what it should be, write what you want. Make yourself happy and damn the rest.
Debi Matlack
I am about halfway through the sequel to my first book, Old Dogs, and there is a lot of material for a sequel to The Lucky Cat Shop that begs for attention from time to time. I always have multiple ideas going on, it's just waiting for the characters to say something to me that can be frustrating.
Debi Matlack
I had the idea for The Lucky Cat Shop rattling around in my head for a long time. I saw businesses in old downtown areas and always thought how cool it would be to have a shop of some kind and live upstairs from it. This merged with another idea about someone who was psychometric, that can know things about objects by touching them. And thus, Maeve Kavanaugh was born.
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