As a writer, I am always looking for ways in which to fine-tune my craft. From
professional groups such as Romance Writers of America (which I highly recommend) to
educational seminars that teach how to avoid common first-time writing
blunders, there are myriads of lessons to be learned, and there is always room
for improvement. Not only is having the right tools an essential part of the
process, but also having the desire to succeed is critical to a writer’s
success.
This month’s Corinne Demas touches
upon this very topic in her latest release THE WRITING CIRCLE. It’s a
fascinating story about a group of eclectic writers who come together on a
literary journey like none other. From their diverse viewpoints comes a unique
story with an unexpected twist. Emotional yet engaging, this novel is a must-
read for every person who has ever contemplated becoming a writer.
As part of this interview, Hyperion Voice has generously donated five
copies for you, my favorite readers, to try to win. So, don’t forget to look
for the trivia question at the end. I hope you are enjoying the last days of
summer. Happy Reading!
Jen: The path to publication a writer has taken in order to achieve her
goal can be as interesting as the novel itself. So that my readers may have a
better understanding of the woman behind the words, please share with us a
brief overview of your educational and professional background.
Corinne: I went to Hunter High School in New York
City, (it was all girls at the time) then on to Tufts University, where I
majored in English and took a lot of creative writing courses, then on to get a
PhD in English and Comparative Literature from Columbia. I did my thesis on the
short story, one of my favorite genres. I taught for ten years at the
University of Pittsburgh, and ever since, I’ve been teaching literature and
creative writing at Mount Holyoke College; so, I’ve never left school!
Jen: No stranger to the publishing business, you have written a memoir,
short stories, and even children’s books. Your latest endeavor is a fictional
novel titled THE WRITING
CIRCLE. How did you arrive at the premise?
Corinne: I’ve always been interested in the way groups work—how a new
member fits in, what happens when someone betrays the group—and since writers
are the people I know best, I decided to focus on a writing group.
Jen: The story follows a group of eclectic writers each with his or her
own struggle in life, whether it is professionally or personally. Nancy, the
main character, is the newest member who has her doubts about joining the
group. Is her reluctance to belong due to her insecurities in the merits of her
work, or is it simply her fear of not measuring up to her counterparts?
Corinne: Both. The group she’s joining has several high-profile writers
in it and Nancy is worried about laying her raw work before them, especially
since her new novel is based on her father’s story, and close to the bone. Of
course all writers have some insecurity!
Jen: Bernard, the biographer, serves as the unofficial leader of the
group due to his varied history with its members. Even his ex-wife Virginia,
the historian, belongs to the writing circle. Why does he choose to bring Nancy
in the fold? Is it simply an act of kindness, or does he have an ulterior
motive?
Corinne: Bernard is rarely simply kind. He knows Nancy is an astute
reader and critic, and he thinks she’d be an asset to the group as well as
beneficial to him. He values her feedback. Nancy is also a genuinely nice
person, so he imagines her participation will be without conflict. (How wrong
he is!)
Jen: As I mentioned, Virginia wears two hats…Bernard’s ex-wife and
fellow club member. Why does she choose to keep Bernard close to the vest? And,
how has their post-divorce relationship affected the rapport with their
children?
Corinne: Virginia is genuinely fond of Bernard and respects him as a
writer. As I say in the novel: ". . . now that she was no longer married to
him . . . the love she felt for Bernard was undamaged by frustration.
Everything she didn’t like about Bernard was Aimee’s [his second wife] to deal
with. No marriage counseling could have ironed out all their difficulties as a
couple as neatly, as successfully as their divorce and realignment had done."
Virginia’s rapport with their two grown children has always been excellent.
Bernard has been on the outs with his son, and even though he and Virginia have
an amicable relationship, it hasn’t helped.
Jen: Gillian is the snooty world-famous poet who feels her opinion
matters most. Why has she chosen poetry as her means of expression? And, in
what ways does her superior attitude resemble a mask in which to hide behind?
Corinne: Gillian believes poetry is the superior genre—the most
intellectual, the most artistic, so of course she chose to be a poet. She’s
also not interested in other people, just herself, and a fiction writer has to
be interested in other people and their stories. You’re right that she hides
behind a mask—but don’t tell her that!
Jen: Chris is a divorced dad who writes thrillers. Seemingly, he is
always one step behind when it comes to the group due to his troubled personal
life. Of all the club’s members, which person does he most identify with and
why?
Corinne: Poor Chris, there’s no one whom he really identifies with. He
makes the most money as a writer of anyone in the group, but he feels no one
respects him because he’s a genre writer. He looks to Nancy, the new member,
with hopes she might become an ally.
Jen: Adam is the youngest member who is pursuing a career as a novelist.
Not surprisingly, he latches onto Gillian in a state of awe and admiration.
Does he believe that his desire to emulate the successful poet is an effective
way in which to achieve his literary goals? Or, does he single her out simply
due to his inability to define his own path?
Corinne: You put that well, yes; Adam is definitely "in a state of awe
and admiration." He finds Gillian beautiful, seductive, and mysterious, and
has fallen under her spell. He’s a devotee of her poetry, but my guess is that
his infatuation is sexual as much as intellectual.
Jen: Which member is the most talented of the group and why? And, which
member is the weakest link and why?
Corinne: What an interesting question! Everyone in the group is working
in a different genre—except Nancy and Adam, who are both novelists—so we can’t
really compare their talent. Gillian, Virginia, Bernard, and Chris are all at
the top of their game. Nancy hasn’t published a novel for years, and Adam is as
yet unpublished, so they might seem like the weakest link. But what seems to be
the case doesn’t necessarily prove to be true.
Jen: Interestingly enough, within the storyline you raise the issue of
the potential risk of an author having ideas stolen by fellow writing circle
members. In light of this, are you a big proponent of writing circles? Why or
why not? And, are you a member of one?
Corinne: Plagiarism is a hot topic in the literary world these days, and
it’s a subject that certainly comes up in my novel.
I’ve belonged to a number of writing groups, and belong to two, now—one where
we share manuscripts, the other where we just gather for coffee and offer
support. Writing is a lonely profession, and I’ve loved being part of a
community of writers. My writing critique group (who are all thanked in the
acknowledgments for THE
WRITING CIRCLE) listened to me read aloud drafts of this novel, chapter by
chapter, and offered me wise advice.
I think writing circles can be beneficial at any stage in your writing career,
but of course it will depend on finding a group that it is both supportive and
smart.
Jen: Let’s switch gears and talk about your website. Please take us
on a
brief tour.
Corinne: Because I write for both adults and kids, my web site
offers two different directions from the home page. Each of my twenty-five
books has its own page, which includes reviews and relevant background
information. For my children’s books I have "behind the scenes," as well as
profiles of the illustrators. My website includes biography (you can even see
photographs of my miniature donkeys), a bibliography, and contact information.
The great benefit of my website is that my name is spelled correctly!
I hope readers who enjoy THE WRITING CIRCLE will join the Facebook fan page and follow me
on Twitter. You can link to both through my website.
Jen: Will you be heading out on a book tour? If so, where can readers
find a list of dates and locations?
Corinne: I just finished a book tour, but will be doing a reading
September 22 at the Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley, Massachusetts, right
across the street from Mount Holyoke College. Details about that event and other
future appearances are all listed on my website under Events.
Jen: Do you participate in author phone chats? And if so, how would my
readers go about arranging one?
Corinne: Yes! Contact information is on my website.
Jen: Are you currently at work on your next novel? If so, what can you
share with us?
Corinne: I just sent the manuscript in to my editor at Hyperion. The
novel is about a family--two sisters and two brothers--who inherit an old house
on Cape Cod at the death of their eccentric mother. The working title is The
Married House, but that may well change. Part I of the novel takes place on
the wedding day of Sofie, an entomologist, the youngest of the clan. She’s
getting married at the seaside house the week before it goes on the market, and
has invited all her siblings, with hopes the wedding will bring peace among
them. But instead of settling their differences, something occurs at the
wedding which divides them even further, and Sofie uncovers a well-buried
secret which not only changes the way she sees her family, but the way she sees
herself. Part II of the novel takes place twenty four years later at the same
house, at another family wedding. Startling changes have taken place in the
family, and a new secret comes to light which turns everything upside down.
Jen: Thank you so much for stopping by to chat with my readers. I truly
loved the depth of your characters and the way in which you tied the storyline
together. Bravo! I highly recommend it to all of my readers. Best of luck with
its success!
Corinne: It’s been a treat being your guest. Many thanks for your
penetrating reading of my novel and your thought-provoking questions. And thank
you for all you do to help connect books and readers.
I hope you have enjoyed my interview with Corinne. Please stop by your favorite
bookstore or local library branch and pick up a copy today!
Five readers to correctly answers the following trivia question will win a copy
of THE WRITING CIRCLE.
Name the
snooty world-famous poet in THE WRITING CIRCLE.
Next month, I will be bringing to you my interview with Melissa Clark, author of
the New York Times column "A Good Appetite." You won’t want to miss it.
Until next time...
Jen
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