My Process
Looking back on the writing and editing now that they are done, I can talk intelligently about how I did it. What factors led to the hyperfocus, how I approached it.
The Image That's Worth 93,559 Words
That's close to 100x more than most.
I stumbled on the IG account of Abigail Larson one day out of nowhere, and immediately was struck by the expressiveness of her characters. Instant fan. I always stopped and looked closer when she'd post something new. One day, she dropped an image that would wake me up, and that's the topic of this article.
Discovering the Roma
Deciding to write a main character who is part of an ethnic group that is not well understood by outsiders was very challenging. As much as I loved the cover image, I knew I wanted to dig past the "Gypsy Fortune Teller" stereotype and get to the real culture behind it. To create a three-dimensional person who does play that role, but is deeper and more engaging to a reader.
Taliba's Love of Food
Two things she and I share in common:
- An unending appetite
- A curiosity about new flavors
The question is, what things would be typical for her in that time and in those places? And what exotic things might she be introduced to along the way?
Writing as a Calling
After a long time away from putting words together in compelling arrangements, I have found my way back. Not only back, but more ambitious than ever. What possesed me to write a novel? Possessed...interesting word choice. Appropriate. When you're in the zone, flow state, whatever you call it, you're there because you must be. Because the story is telling itself through you.
Well...how did I get here?
