by 
Interview – Melinda J. Kelly
– When did you start writing novels, what moved you to start writing?
I have written most of my life. At a young age I loved poetry and would give poems as gifts. Imagine my surprise to find my father had kept some of them over the years, tucked in his dresser top, yellowing from age! I come from a tradition that loves words, language, the nuance of a word, the subtlety of a phrase, the rhythm of language, the cadence of speech. I am thankful for and to the storytellers who surrounded my formative years.
With age, comes college, and then distraction. When I returned to writing, I went to a writing coach, which sadly was not a good fit. The result chilled me for years. I wrote for myself. I wrote to myself. I wrote to process both the good and bad of my life, and played with ideas and concepts. I was very blessed to have a family that believed in me, often when my knees were knocking with nerves. My father bought me a computer in the early ‘90’s to encourage me to write, back when personal computers were a true luxury.
Starting with the National Write A Novel in A Month (NaNoWriMo) program in 2012, my first foray back with pen and paper was a novel, a generational tale. Then another shorter work caught my attention. I realized I was stopping myself from pursuing a dream. I would fall in love with an idea, flesh it out, get it half way done, and then leave it for a different shiny story. That is when my journey and questions began. I was smart enough to know there was something going on, but not smart enough to figure out why.
– In
what genres do you write? Do you plan writing in other genres?
I have always loved poetry. There is something within it that calls to the soul, the spirit, and allows you to fly. I have a novella and a novel in bits and pieces that I look forward to completing. They feel like good friends who are waiting for me to come home and sit down. I might consider another non-fiction work, but only if it can be written from a place of generosity and hope. I am not a fan of the self-help arena that tells you what to do. I believe our best learning comes when it is our own discovery and process.
I have heard people through the years say that something compelled them to write what they did. And I have rolled my eyes at that remark. Then it happened to me. As much as I wanted to finish another work, Finding Your Coach, Diving Deep Within called to be written. When I finally gave in to the request, it felt right. I am looking forward to returning to the others. I had not planned to be in non-fiction. But I had to listen to where I was being called.
– Tell
us about your novels. Why should everyone buy them?
This non-fiction work is for all of us when we are on the road to discovery. Whether it is your professional, personal or volunteer life, the quirks we have in one area of our life frequently show up in other areas as well. My quandary came as I was wondering what direction to take my life into when everything I had thought would fall into place and it didn’t. I don’t believe I’m alone having that happen. It’s not what happens to you that counts, but how you choose to address it.
– What
is your all-time favorite novel/book? What makes it special?
Apparently, I am a mystery person. I read the complete Sherlock Holmes as a preteen. I loved that keen mind and intellect. As a teenager I discovered Victoria Holt and her historical romance novel that later I realized a la Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca had a dark lady haunting the present. College I discovered Stephen King, and as much as his works had a puzzle to them, they also astonished me with the concepts they presented, large and sweeping. I loved the Agatha Christie’s and one year went through each and every one. I still can tell you the first one I figured out who dunnit!
Like a lot of young girls, I was given a well-loved copy of Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea by a cousin for Christmas. It was a pivotal time in my young life, and the writing and approach to life touched me, touches me to this day. I felt very special that I knew L.M. stood for Lucy Maud Montgomery.
My other favorite author is Paulo Coelho. The stories seem so simple and easy, yet so often have nuggets of truth to offer.
And I would be remiss if I did not mention Isabel Allende. The complexity of her tales, her families, the magic within her worlds, the extent of her writing and the different styles, her sense of humor and her attention to detail all delight me.
– Tell
us a bit about your writing process.
My ideas often come fairly well formed. Then I fight with myself. I distract myself. Once I stop that, I find there isn’t enough time to get it all down. I have had moments it all flowed, so fast and so wonderfully I was afraid to trust it.
I find that when something arrives, it is best to write it down. Then I start to flesh it out, sometimes with a diagram or flow chart or something very analytical, but the order helps me move or re-arrange things later. I have found that I have words I definitely repeat. I have discovered some quirks that people either love or roll their eyes. To me, a good editor is a gift that can both refine and enhance your voice.
– What
author would you love to have dinner with?
This took a long time to think about. I thought about living or dead, famous or not. I found for those no longer with us I kept returning to Oscar Wilde and James Joyce. Once for the well-turned line and wit, the other for the elegant portraits created. For those with us, Margaret Atwood’s mind fascinates me. Stephen King is another author whose prolific ability and well told novels and short stories always entertain.
– Tell
us about your hobbies and passions other than writing.
My garden is my well-loved other passion. I talk to my fruit trees, my roses, my gardenias. They are all friends who startle me with glorious color and fragrance. Gardening keeps you humble, confused, excited, delighted. You never know what will surprise or disappoint you, and it is never boring. Sitting in the afternoon sun, light breeze blowing, hummingbird or butterflies fluttering always feels like a moment in a magical world.
I am fortunate to have an incredible wealth of music and venues to see musicians where I live. There is no better evening than a picnic, good company and the music floating through the air. Whether it is a new discovery, an old favorite or a what was I thinking moment, I find myself thankful for the adventure.
– We
have many followers who would like to start writing a book or are
already writing their first novel, any advice for these brave people?
Just do it. Do it for love. Do it for the future. Do it for bragging rights. Do it to share at book club. Do it for your self-esteem. Do it.
The world needs your art. The world needs your voice. And whatever medium you choose, do it. We tend to be too critical. Too harsh. Too opinionated. And too often, what has been completed or worked on is pretty damn good. But we self-censure and criticize ourselves, and we have no distance of how great what we have done is. Be kind to yourself. Believe in your dream. Own your literary hopes.
And offer the world your work. It will always be your special creation. You never know who you might touch.
– How
often do you write, daily, every other day or?
I go through feast and famine cycles. When I am hot, I am red hot. I might be writing for weeks or months on an item, in long stretches of time. But then I can neglect my writing while tending to other things. It has been a disappointing discovery to realize that I am not as disciplined as I like to believe. I have listened to the greats and the most prolific and they all agree that working hours for your writing are essential. I am working on enjoying the schedule and embracing what all I could do as I embrace being and accepting discipline.
– Do you
keep a notebook with ideas for your novels? If so, do you carry the
notebook with you so you won’t forget any ideas?
I am constantly emailing myself ideas. It seems to be the one place I can create files I can actually find and use! I have several little notebooks I carry in my purse or keep in the car, but my one constant is emailing myself.
– How
important is it to have your facts right and are there any instances
when you bend history to fit your story?
Interesting you should ask that. In my generational tale I found that researching facts could truly disrupt a great story line! Do I stay true to history? Do I compromise for my tale? Or do I find a way to keep both honest? Ultimately for me, I felt the history being incorrect had the power to undercut the story I wanted to tell. I know for me a historical inaccuracy takes me out of the book and leaves me wondering, then looking up, then feeling disappointed when the truth is finessed. That is my choice.
– What
are you reading at the moment?
I was just given a copy of The Library Book by Susan Orlean. I remember when our library caught fire, and I am looking forward to see the magic that is wrought in this work.
– How is
it to be an author in your country? Do you have a good support from
the local public?
In some ways there is a wonderful renaissance of the written word, and people are writing as never before! That, to me is very exciting. But it also means with the sheer number of books available, being discovered or found is often harder than ever. I also bemoan the lack of independent book stores. I used to love wandering into a book store and a book cover would jump out to me. I would stop and look it over, and often discover something I never might have found otherwise.
On another level, authors are more and more asked to speak on their work, and being given that prominence and the ability to interact one on one with their audience is quite special.
–
Certainly, you have had some interesting episodes as an author, fans
related or others, share one of them with us.
The Festival of Books started in 1996 in Los Angeles. In the early years, I was able to listen to some of the literary giants and pop culture favorites talk about their craft, their work, their style, their philosophies. The generosity of spirit they offered to their fans and aspiring writers was amazing. They set a high bar to which to aspire.
– A
final message for our circleofbooks.com
readers.
The best gift you can give to anyone is your opinion on a book you liked, loved, loathed. Every time we talk about something we have read, we give life to the written word. I have found books through a friend’s suggestion more times than not. Our sharing works we like is an incredible offering to one another and the world. Supporting ideas, hopes, beliefs, expression keeps all of our spirits soaring. Keep reading. Keep discussing. Keep sharing.
Thank you Melinda. We at circleofbooks.com wish you much success!
Click here to visit the author page here on circleofbooks.com
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