tell us about you and your books
Do you plot or let
the story unfold as you write?
Both. I sketch a few characters first. The author Michael
Stackpole, from whom I took a writing class, advised imagining two characters
who write a letter to one another. Next day, add another character – conflicts
will appear. I guess this is a pantsing, with a strategy.
Once I have the characters, I can write out a basic plot.
But the ending of Lipstick on the Strawberry eluded me
for a while. I took the advice of Julia Cameron and wrote “morning pages.”
That’s a technique when you keep paper and pen by the bedside and the moment
you wake up, write freely. Somehow the subconscious responds, and I had my ending.
Are your characters
based on real people?
Everyone asks that question! Usually not, though writers do
write from experience. The character of Frederick Fethewell, the father of my
heroine, Camilla, in Lipstick on the
Strawberry, is drawn from real life – someone I met only once. At a
formal dinner, I sat next to a man who was both a clergyman and a physician. I
wondered what drove a person to choose two professions which gave him such
psychological power over others. His demeanor was dour, (he obviously would
have preferred to be seated next to someone more important!) and I wondered,
what would it be like to be the daughter of such a father?
When did you decide
to become an author?
I wrote a book at age eleven. I found it, written in penciled cursive in a blue exercise book,
while cleaning out old papers.
How did you come up
with the title?
I researched what food stylists do. They’ll take an unripe lipstick and color it
to make it look luscious. I felt that fit the plot of Lipstick
on the Strawberry, where what’s underneath a family’s respectability
is not so pretty.
What tips would you
give a new writer?
Keep going. Rejection is just part of it, and makes your
writing better. Join a writers’ critique group before trying to publish. Every work needs
improvement and editing. This is one career that’s like wine, age improves it.
Do you have a
favorite quote?
“The only time to eat diet food is while you're waiting for the
steak to cook.” – Julia Child
What is your
favorite drink?
I
love a good pinot noir. Other than that, I am a complete and utter coffee
addict.
What makes you
laugh?
I
actually love puns. Most people find them groan-making. I adore the word play.
Do you have any
hobbies?
Always
have my head in the oven – baking! And I claim to be a gardener, though the
results don’t justify this title.
What is your
favorite comfort food?
Just
made some delicious banana bread. Want some?
My
website: www.margaretannspence.com
My
facebook: www.facebook.com/margaretannspence
My Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/@MargAnnSpence
Goodreads www.goodreads.com/margaretannspence/
Download Lipstick on the Strawberry at your favorite online retailer
https://www.amazon.com/Lipstick-Strawberry-Margaret-Ann-Spence.../B0716X9MB9
3 comments:
HI Margaret. Fun to get to know a little about you. Banana bread sounds yummy this morning. I like baking too. Lipstick on the Strawberry...what a great tile.
Margaret, I love puns too! I think they're punderful. It was great learning more about you!
I love finding a book written at age eleven. How fun!
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