CLP Blog Tours Interview and Giveaway : Unwell by Marie Chow
When did you know writing was for you?
I’ve actually tried to quit writing several times now. I’m not one of those people who always knew they wanted to write. I told myself that writing was one of those things you had to have some deep all-knowing/always-known passions for, and so I kept thinking I could talk myself out of it.
I told myself to try something else. Anything else. Along the way, I had some very interesting careers and side trips.
But, like any addict, I would stop-writing for not just days and weeks, but sometimes months at a time. At some point, I realized that trying to quit was a bit futile. It was something I was going to keep coming back to, and keep trying. So… I might as well give it an honest full-time shot, which is how my year-off-writing started (four months in and counting:)).
Why was Unwell a book you wanted to write?
I had a moment of panic when I was pregnant with my first child. I wasn’t sure I was ready, I wasn’t sure I was prepared. I wasn’t sure I could go through with it. Options and thoughts that I had never once considered started to float through my head.
My moment of panic eventually subsided, and I am now the proud (and long-suffering) mother of two very spirited… toddlers. But the idea of being trapped by motherhood, of being unwilling to give up the part of your identity that does seem to get inevitably subsumed by being a parent, was an idea that stayed with me. Eventually, after marinating for long enough, it became this book.
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
Knowing when the editing process was finished. I got into a bit of a sinuous loop, where I would change A to B, B to C, and then C… back to A. At some point I had to recognize that I’d taken it as far as I could, and that part was both terrifying and liberating!
What are your favorite genres to read?
Young Adult, Literary, Children’s, Contemporary, Regency Romance, Nonfiction
What do you want readers to take away from your story?
The idea of both a failed life and… the ability to escape it.
How important do you think social media is for authors these days?
Too important. It’s a weakness of mine, and something I’m trying to be better at, but it’s just not something that comes naturally.
What would be your advice to aspiring writers?
Quit if you can, commit if you can’t.
Author Bio:
Marie is a former teacher, education evaluator, and engineer. A lifelong student, she has degrees in degrees in chemical engineering, teaching, an MFA in writing, and a doctorate in educational leadership. Her writing focuses on bilingual and English-only children’s books that feature mixed families, as well as literary and contemporary fiction focused on Asian and Asian American characters.
Connect with Marie!
Buy the Book!
http://www.amazon.com/Unwell-Marie-Chow-ebook/dp/B00HQSO5SW
http://www.amazon.com/Unwell-Marie-Chow/dp/1494941201/
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