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INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR

What initially got you interested in writing?

I’ve never not been interested in writing. (Yes I know, double negative) I’ve been writing for so long I don’t remember NOT writing.  It’s never been a choice for me- when the Muse hits I go with it. I enter a trance-like state that takes me over. I don’t eat for days, I don’t sleep, and I walk around mumbling. I bump into walls because I’m having a dialogue in my head. I honestly don’t believe the words that come out of my fingers in those trances are mine… I think they are some sort of higher power. That being said, when I have to go back and edit my work, that’s where I come in. That’s when the real writer comes out.

How did you decide to make the move into becoming a published author?

I never planned to write The Outmate. It just sort of happened. But when it did, I knew it was time to publish for the first time. I decided early on to self publish. It was not that I felt a conventional publishing house would not be interested. It wasn’t self-doubt. It was control. I am a control freak, and I wanted complete creative control over my novel. I couldn’t stand the thought of someone who had no idea who I am or what my story is telling me what parts of my novel to cut or change. Is that helpful or a hindrance? Is it arrogance? I am not sure. I did what I felt was the right thing for me personally, and I have no qualms now over my decision. It’s harder to market my book as a self published author for sure… but I’d rather know that the finished product is completely mine and told the way I want it told.

What do you want readers to take away from reading your works?

I want them to lose themselves in the story just like I did. The most gratifying experience of my entire life was when my first fan came back to me and told me they understood what I was trying to get across, creating such dark and sexy characters. Readers might not agree with me. They might be disturbed, horrified, turned on, or any combination of emotions by the contents of my book. It is a rather shocking book and it’s not supposed to leave you with warm fuzzies. But when I hear from a reader who allowed themselves to get sucked in to my novel without preconceptions, it means the world to me. I believe we all have darkness within us and that there are many ways to express love if only you step outside the box.

What do you find most rewarding about writing?

The most rewarding thing for me is to know I’ve created a world that lives now in the minds of others. If I die tomorrow my words will still be here. I guess you could say this is my legacy. I have no children and I cannot have them for biological reasons… But I have my writing. That will never go away.  In a way, it’s embracing immortality.

What do you find most challenging about writing?

Editing! Writing when the Muse is on your shoulder is practically orgasmic. You are so deep in the throes of your addiction to words that all the cares of the world fall away. Editing, however, takes focus- discipline- and some sort of attention span. Icky! I would much rather be lost in the Muse than edit, however I see the balance of doing both, as an artist, and as a human being. Sometimes we just have to do what we don’t like in order to be a well-rounded individual.

What advice would you give to people wanting to enter the field?

The same advice I would give every time to this question, and I hope every writer out there would give when asked the same. Write! Do it every day. Sit down every day and write no matter if what you churn out is brilliance or crap. Hemmingway said, “There’s nothing to being a writer. You just sit down to a typewriter and bleed.” That’s so true. Just do it. Sooner or later the Muse will hit you like a freight train and everything will fall into place.

Is there anything else besides writing you think people would find interesting

about you?

I would hope there’s lots people would find interesting about me besides my writing… (For instance I can cook! And sail!)  But for now, I’ll simply say that I am the dedicated beloved of an inmate, and my story comes mostly from true-life experiences. Not all of them. I didn’t burn anyone’s face off or go on a massive crime rampage with a serial killer. Not yet anyway. But yes, I am an inmate’s proud woman. A lot of my hopes, fears, frustrations, and feelings while I wait for him went into this book. I hope when people read it they see that beyond the sex and the violence, there’s a lot of humanity, too. I hope it gives them new insight into the life of an Outmate. I paid my dues to see my work in print, and I wrote it as much for my sister prison wives as I did for myself.

What are the best ways to connect with you, or find out more about your work?

You can reach me and see more regarding the book via my website, www.theoutmate.com

Also you can connect with me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Outmate/