In February of 2018, the authors of Somerset Ink writer’s group published their first collective work, First Thursdays, a wonderful collection of short stories, which takes its readers on a fascinating journey of Enchantment, Murder, Abandonment, Hope and Awakenings.
The only thing more interesting than the book are its authors.
Let’s meet Marie Catalfamo author of Anniversaries.
You have written and published a wonderful story…
Tell us… how did it all start? Where did your idea for this special story come from?
Anniversaries came from my love of reading mysteries and challenging myself to come up with a unique method of murder and a killer that wouldn’t be revealed until the very end. I believe I’ve succeeded in providing a Hitchcock flair with Agatha’s Christie’s writing style.
We are nothing without our characters. They are the ones who tell our story and connect with the readers for us. At some point in the writing process, they become real to us and we as authors become invested in what happens to them as the plot evolves.
Tell us about the relationship you developed with your characters.
As Anniversaries is a short murder mystery story, I didn’t want to draw from well-known murders or stereo-type characters. So I removed myself from the characters, acting more as a detective fleshing out their sketchy backgrounds and motives.
If you were a new character introduced in this story who would you be?
I would definitely be an innocent bystander who’s accidentally the one who solves the case.
Themes and Plots are always a hot button topic at writer’s conferences and workshops. While it’s the theme’s job to tell the “what” of the story and remains a constant throughout, it’s the job of the plot to tell the “how” and it, is ever evolving.
How did your plot progress throughout your writing process? Did it ever surprise you?
As Anniversaries was the telling of a copycat murder of a cold case, the theme was concrete. How it was to happen using a new slant, was the hardest, and involved many false starts.
A great many of us begin a story and work on it, and work on it, and work on it…
At what point in your writing journey did you feel truly committed to finishing this story?
I was given the great opportunity to have Anniversaries looked at by an editor to a well-known author. Her questions as to the why and/or necessity of certain sections put a fire under me to stop throwing everything into the pot, clean it up and trust my writing.
Listen in on writer’s group meetings around the world and you will hear more about the things that sabotage the writing process than things that move it forward.
How did you escape those traps?
I don’t believe you can escape the writer’s block, procrastination ogre or avoid the many excuses we can create. I try to acknowledge them, put my work aside for a designated period of time and move forward, even if only by one paragraph, one sentence. I finally realized Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Many people in the industry say that writing the story is the easy part…publishing and marketing- that’s the hard part.
Now that you are in the publishing/marketing process would you agree?
Writing is easy in that the only one who rejects it is yourself. You can always change what is on the page. Publishing and/or marketing is exposing your creativity to the opinion of others. Once it’s out there, you’re naked. For unknown authors it becomes more of how to get the word out there than the real reason you’re publishing—to share your talent with others.
Self-publishing can be an overwhelming prospect for many authors.
What did you learn from the process?
I now have a small insight into what hard cover publishing companies go through to put a book on the shelf. While It may seem that you have more control with self-publishing, for me the opposite is true. You are not only providing a finished copy (editing, formatting,), you are also responsible for marketing, advertising and you make most decisions on format, advertising, self-marketing, etc.
Sooo… tell us is there a sequel in the making?
For Anniversaries, not at this time. As to another First Thursdays collection, that will be the decision of the Somerset Ink Writer’s Group members.
How does being part of a writer’s group help you with your writing?
I would become lazy without the members of Somerset Ink. From each story review, I not only learn about my writing style, but get new tips from the style of the members. We all have particular genres from which I have learned that, no matter the genre, the character(s) must be real for the content to be believable.
Is there a favorite writer who has inspired your writing?
I admire the old time authors—Margaret Mitchell, Agatha Christie, Steinbeck, Harper Lee, Dickens—where the stories are driven by strong, 3-D characters.
What other writing projects can we look forward to enjoying from you?
My experience with Anniversaries and self-publishing has spurred me to finish my first novel, Time to Come Home. Based on actual events, it tells the story of an Italian immigrant who’s forced to leave home for America in the early 20th century.
Describe the top secret writing sanctuary you will build when you become an award winning, millionaire author.
As I require background noise and ample space to act out book scenes, the sound of the ocean, sitting on a lanai in Hawaii would be lovely.
We look forward to reading Time to Come Home, when its completed, and all further works from Marie.
If you have any questions or comments for Marie please feel free to contact her here at Writer’s Block or visit her and the other authors of First Thursdays on their Facebook page at Facebook.com/SomersetInk or at somersetinkwritersgroup@gmail.com
First Thursdays can be purchased world wide wherever eBooks are sold.
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