AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT WITH DAWN RENO LANGLEY

I am delighted to announce that Dawn Reno Langley is the next author in my new series.

As you may be aware I asked authors on my facebook page if they would like to appear in a series of *interviews*. I wanted to connect with other writers, find out what they write about, why they write, their thoughts about the writing process, their drives, likes/dislikes and learn a little more about them.

I've known Dawn for a number of years and she is an award-winning author of nonfiction books on art and antiques, novels, children’s books, short stories, poetry, theatre reviews, and a writer of academic essays.

Please find the full interview here (also linked to my twitter, tumblr, facebook, Goodreads, and google + account) and do share with your circle of book friends - thank you:

 

Tell us about your first novel? When did you start writing?

All That Glitters was my first published novel.  It started about two years before it finally found a publisher interested in publishing it.  The story's details were largely based on some bits and pieces from my life as an antiques dealer.  I set the story in Boston, where I grew up, and my nephews became characters in the novel.  It went through many iterations before publication, some of which I was happy with, some I wasn't (including the title).  My editor forced me to change the title from the original (Amaryllis) to the final one, and when the book came out, there were two others with the same title.  That didn't help sales much.

I can see why you weren't happy. Are you self-published or traditional?

I'm traditionally published.  All of my books have been published by major publishers or by e-publishers.

Who publishes your body of work?

Each book was published by a different publisher:  Crown Books, Avon, Zebra, Simon and Schuster, Alliance, Random House.

How many books have you written?

I've written nearly 40 books; 29 have been published.  Some of them (my favourites) are adult novels, some are children's books, and a number are nonfiction.  I love working on stories that have social justice themes, and the novels I currently have in my queue focus on animal abuse, civil rights, gender activism, and ageism.  In the past, I've written novels that have been shelved as romances, but I've never considered myself a romance writer.  If I'd written just that type of story, I'd probably be rich by now.

That's a body of work. So have you *secured* a literary agent? If so, at what point in your writing career?

I've had several agents during my writing career.  My first one was located in California and worked on my nonfiction with me.  I foolishly believed she couldn't do what a New York agent could and terminated the relationship.  My second agent was in New York, but she didn't sell anything for  me, so I terminated that one, as well, and I sold a couple of books on my own.  My third was a top NY agent who sold quite a few books, but, ironically, she thought I was writing in too many genres and let me go.  I hired a friend of mine after that, but we both agreed that it wasn't working, and I found another NY agent who had been an editor at some major publishing houses.  I really liked her, but I had started writing in a different genre, making it more difficult for her to sell.  We parted on a positive note.  I've been without one since then and am currently searching for a literary agent who I can work with for the rest of my career.

Where do you do your writing?

I often do my best writing in barrooms or cafes, but I write in my office on the second floor of my home, overlooking the parking lot.  I also write on my kitchen table, looking out my patio doors at the beings who might visit my little backyard.  And there's a place in the Raleigh-Durham area called The Frontier where my writer friends and I meet to write.  And, of course, any bar or cafe that will let me in its doors.

I've tried writing in public places and I find it too distracting. There's a question I want to ask you about that later. So with your stories, do you start with an outline, plot or just go straight into it and see where it goes?

I'm more inclined to create a pretty strong outline before I dive into a story.  I always know where it will end, but I'm not usually sure how the characters will get there.  However, that said, the outline usually changes as I work through the story -- and most certainly changes during the rewriting process (as it is doing right now on my latest novel, The Mourning Parade).

Who is your favourite character of your books and why?

I adore my Sophie, who's a major character in a novel that's almost ready to go out to agents (for the second time -- it's undergone a major rewrite).  She's an elephant who has endured an abusive life, yet she falls in love with Natalie, the protagonist in the story, and together, they teach each other how to trust again.  She has a huge heart.

How do you come up with the names of your characters?

Sometimes I name the character depending upon their personal background, but there are many times when I'm likely to just look around my current location and pick a name based on what's in my line of vision.  It's not, as they say, rocket science.

Have events in your own life made their way into your books?

I've definitely used some of my own experiences, but they make their way into the books in a very changed fashion.  For example, in my first published novel, ALL THAT GLITTERS, my main character is an antiques dealer, as I was, but that's where the similarity ended.  In the book I'm currently rewriting, the main character travels to Thailand to volunteer at an elephant camp.  I'd travelled to the same place, but other than utilizing the place as setting for that book and my love for elephants, the rest of the story is fabricated.

To be honest, I think there's probably not a writer out there who doesn't incorporate some of his/her own experiences into the writing s/he does.

Which authors have enthralled you?

Enthralled . . . such a good word.  Not many authors enthral.  Shakespeare is one.  I can go back to his work over and over again and every time I will find something new.  I know that it's not "cool" to return to him rather than to extol an author less known by the reading public, but there's a reason he's the master.  Others that I love include Virginia Woolf (her sentence structure and courage have always inspired me), Michael Ondaatje (even his novels are poetry), and Barbara Kingsolver (Poisonwood Bible is a brilliant example of point of view).

What book has had the biggest influence on your work?

It's so difficult to choose one book since there are so many that have taught me lessons in language, point of view, setting description, and plot movement, but if forced to choose only one that influenced what I have written, I'd have to say Poisonwood Bible.  As I said previously, it's a brilliant example of point of view, but it's so much more than that.  It's a treatise on characterization, setting, and theme.  It's nearly a perfect novel.

What book are your currently reading?

I'm almost finished with The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt.  I'm late in coming to this novel, largely because I had so many others to read, but I finally picked it up.  Tartt deserves the Pulitzer for her brilliant writing, and in deconstructing it, I see that the writing comes alive because of her specific details.  She has taught me a lot about what to do, as well as what not to do.  I think details can liven a story, but I also believe they can slow a reader--as well as the  plot.

Why read that one? What it's about?

I've chosen it because of the press and awards (to be honest), as well as to challenge myself in the deconstruction of the text.  I'm glad I did so, because it's taught me a lot.

The story is of a boy traumatized by his mother's death in a bombing and follows how he continues to try to live, in spite of the horrible guilt he carries (in the form of a symbolic painting, a master work of art, a little gem, an image of a goldfinch that he has stolen after his mother's death and carries with him throughout his teenage years and into his adulthood).

I love it when authors recommend another authors work. Do you listen to audiobooks?

I have on occasion, but my drives aren't as long as they used to be when I was commuting, so I'm more likely to read than to listen to my books.

I usually listen to a book if I'm out walking. For some reason I can't listen to one inside. Do you agree with the statement: write about what you know?

Yes and no.  There's always something in my novels I know really well, but no matter how well I know details, there's always more research to do.  I don't believe there are many stories that don't rely on a writer's imagination, though.  No matter how many true tales there are that are weird or enthralling (to use your word), the novelist has to employ imagination to put the story pieces together in a way that build toward the climax.  Life doesn't work in such an organized fashion.  A writer's responsibility is to present a story with a proper antagonist and protagonist, a series of events that build to a climax, and a believable denouement.

What challenges do you face when writing? Are you easily distracted?

The biggest challenge is having enough time.  I'm distracted by social media, but I'm always multitasking, so no matter how much I'm distracted, I always meet my own self-imposed deadlines (which are usually a lot tighter than any editor has given to me).  I'm determined to get my work out there.  I have a goal that might be a bit pie-in-the-sky, but I'm focused on it.  Come hell or high water.

Are you self-employed or do you have another job?

Aren't all authors self-employed?  And, yes, I have another job, but it's too much fun to be a "job" (I rehab old houses).

What has surprised you most about writing?

That no matter how much schooling I have gotten (I have a PhD), I'm still learning more about writing and probably will never be satisfied with what I produce.

What are the best and worst things about being a writer?

The best:  I get to work whenever I want to, I find new worlds to explore, I learn something new every day, I entertain my friends and family and strangers, I get to spend lots of time in bookstores and cafes and libraries, I wear lots of black clothing so I never have to match anything.

The worst:  There will always be authors better than I am, I have to deal with criticism all the time, I am never satisfied with what I do, I watch other writers who can't put a sentence together make the bestseller list constantly (how do writers like Danielle Steel still exist?), and I make very little money, which is the reason all my clothes are black!

What is the most exciting experience you've had as a result of writing?

Research is exciting, especially when I'm travelling to new places, but I think the best and most heart-warming experience was when I was presenting a new book at an antiques show in Washington, D.C. and people literally ran through the door to my table to buy the book.  Nothing compares.

What do you like doing when you aren't writing?

I'd travel constantly, if I could.  New cultures amaze me.  I've swum with elephants in Thailand, fed wild monkeys at the base of the Himalayas in Pakistan, seen a full moon rise as a sunset simultaneously blazed across the Grand Canyon, and stood in the same room as Mary Queen of Scots in Edinburgh Castle.  I've seen the Pope give a service in the Vatican, watched Vanessa Redgrave rehearse in The Globe Theatre, held my breath while a whale gave birth while I watched from a beach in Hawaii.  And wherever I've gone, I've met with creative people who have become my favourite friends.

Do you watch TV? If so, what programmes?

Yes, I do, and I try to find intelligent programs.  Sometimes that's difficult, and the reality shows lure me in with their brainless visions into lives I wouldn't want to lead.

I love 'Luther,' 'River,' 'House of Cards,' any of the Sherlock shows, and anything historical (i.e., Downtown Abbey, The Borgias, Camelot).

Your favourite films?

All time favourites:  Casablanca, The English Patient, Out of Africa, Shakespeare in Love.

What's your favourite season and why?

Spring.  My garden is ready to be planted, and everything has started anew.  Fresh.  New beginnings.

Last question: what advice can you give to other writers?

So much advice to give. Write your heart out during the first draft, then put it away and start something new.  While you're writing, read the best authors and note what they do well. Try to put some of their skills into your new work.  Let other writers you trust read your work. Cultivate those friendships and encourage them to be hard on you.  Look at their work and force yourself to be constructive with them. Know your grammar.  And never send your work out without thoroughly and completely editing it. Finally, be patient and don't expect to get rich.

Thank you, Dawn. It was a pleasure to speak to you again.

To connect with Dawn you can find her on facebook, twitter and on her website below:

www.facebook.com/dawnrenolangley

@proflangley

www.dawnrenolangley.com