Ask the Author: Sara Pascoe
Answered Questions (9)
Sara Pascoe
The dead dog nailed to the wall "watched" with vacant eyes as Estella waded through the mess this monster had made, their raspy breath wheezing rhythmically from the closet. Her heart pounded so loudly it could have been outside her chest as she clenched the largest kitchen knife she had in her trembling hand, held her breath, ripped the door open, and found the monster -- her mother.
Sara Pascoe
This is a mystery in my grandfather's life that poked it's head above the surface after his death, and I ended up going through his paperwork. It seems my grandfather was involved in some sort of court case and 'deal' that involved a lot of money and another woman, but it seemed to be more than the usual extra-marital affair or child out of wedlock. From the scant details available, I wondered if it was some sort of business payoff or bribe. I had never heard of anything about this situation from any relatives, and now anyone who might know is also gone.
In addition, I also wonder if there was an extra-marital affair (in addition to the flings he was infamous for--like bonking a nurse in a closet of the hospital when he'd gone in to visit his wife/my grandmother.) And I don't know that it is at all connected to the above mystery. But after his funeral, I had some need to return to the cemetery and asked the grounds keeper where my grandfather's grave was, as this place is acres and acres in size and it suddenly all looked the same. The man said no problem, as he had just shown another woman the grave the day before, 'the mother of one of his children'. I said he must be mixed up, because my grandmother had been dead for 10 years. But the man was resolute, that the woman the day before was definitely there to visit 'Lester Goldsmith' with the same date of death.
In addition, I also wonder if there was an extra-marital affair (in addition to the flings he was infamous for--like bonking a nurse in a closet of the hospital when he'd gone in to visit his wife/my grandmother.) And I don't know that it is at all connected to the above mystery. But after his funeral, I had some need to return to the cemetery and asked the grounds keeper where my grandfather's grave was, as this place is acres and acres in size and it suddenly all looked the same. The man said no problem, as he had just shown another woman the grave the day before, 'the mother of one of his children'. I said he must be mixed up, because my grandmother had been dead for 10 years. But the man was resolute, that the woman the day before was definitely there to visit 'Lester Goldsmith' with the same date of death.
Sara Pascoe
Jake Sully and Neytiri in the movie 'Avatar'. I loved the back and forth between them, and how her strength was attractive to Jake.
Sara Pascoe
Don't shy away from the craft of writing.
There's an old joke:
A successful novelist went to the surgeon about an operation on her knee, after a lifetime of tennis. The surgeon, an admirer of the author's said, "You know, when I retire, I'm going to write a novel!" She looked at the at the writer expecting kudos and encouragement.
But, the novelist said, "Isn't that funny. When I retire, I thought I'd do a little surgery."
If you haven't already, immerse yourself in what is known about writing, and the specific type of writing you are interested in. Take courses, read about how-to books, writing magazines, and on the internet. Join a writers group where you give each other feedback. Get your work beta-read, and then pay for a professional editor. There's no substitute for having a pro look at your work.
There's an old joke:
A successful novelist went to the surgeon about an operation on her knee, after a lifetime of tennis. The surgeon, an admirer of the author's said, "You know, when I retire, I'm going to write a novel!" She looked at the at the writer expecting kudos and encouragement.
But, the novelist said, "Isn't that funny. When I retire, I thought I'd do a little surgery."
If you haven't already, immerse yourself in what is known about writing, and the specific type of writing you are interested in. Take courses, read about how-to books, writing magazines, and on the internet. Join a writers group where you give each other feedback. Get your work beta-read, and then pay for a professional editor. There's no substitute for having a pro look at your work.
Sara Pascoe
Here are the three best things for me, in no particular order:
1. The writing. I love getting caught up in the reverie, when it feels like I'm merely transcribing the story as it plays out in my imagination.
2. Working with editors. I adore the back and forth with an editor, and find the work is always better for it. I think editors should be given more credit.
3. Connecting with Readers. The Society of Authors in London did a study and found that 'connecting with others' was the most popular reason people wrote, and that made a lot of sense to me.
1. The writing. I love getting caught up in the reverie, when it feels like I'm merely transcribing the story as it plays out in my imagination.
2. Working with editors. I adore the back and forth with an editor, and find the work is always better for it. I think editors should be given more credit.
3. Connecting with Readers. The Society of Authors in London did a study and found that 'connecting with others' was the most popular reason people wrote, and that made a lot of sense to me.
Sara Pascoe
If I'm in the middle of a project, I will go back and edit the last part I wrote. That is often enough to give me traction to then move forward.
If I'm stuck at the start, I find it's often because I'm not sure where I'm going. Writers vary on this, but I'm a big outliner. I like using large art pad to make charts and diagrams of characters, their arcs, the overall plot and how these intersect, with lots of arrows and colours. I find getting away from the keyboard and making marks on paper manually helpful. I love a good mechanical pencil.
And deadlines, even if self-imposed can be really helpful. You just have to convince yourself to take your deadlines seriously. This is also good practice for when you'll face deadlines involving other people.
If I'm stuck at the start, I find it's often because I'm not sure where I'm going. Writers vary on this, but I'm a big outliner. I like using large art pad to make charts and diagrams of characters, their arcs, the overall plot and how these intersect, with lots of arrows and colours. I find getting away from the keyboard and making marks on paper manually helpful. I love a good mechanical pencil.
And deadlines, even if self-imposed can be really helpful. You just have to convince yourself to take your deadlines seriously. This is also good practice for when you'll face deadlines involving other people.
Sara Pascoe
I'm currently working on 'Oswald, the Almost Famous Opossum'. This is a middle-grade novel, with gorgeous illustrations by Varya Kolesnikova, that we are readying for a Spring 2016 release.
'Oswald' is a story about an egotistical, but loveable opossum and his best friend the shy ten-year-old boy, Joey, who finds people leave too often to bother making any more human friends. Through helping Oswald fulfil his dreams of stardom, things go from complicated to worse, when eventually, Oswald forgets about himself and tries to fix the mess he created. Working with Joey, and a cast of mostly animal characters, they might just be able to remedy the problem. And along the way boy and possum become better versions of themselves; they start to find their feet—whether on two or four.
'Oswald' is a story about an egotistical, but loveable opossum and his best friend the shy ten-year-old boy, Joey, who finds people leave too often to bother making any more human friends. Through helping Oswald fulfil his dreams of stardom, things go from complicated to worse, when eventually, Oswald forgets about himself and tries to fix the mess he created. Working with Joey, and a cast of mostly animal characters, they might just be able to remedy the problem. And along the way boy and possum become better versions of themselves; they start to find their feet—whether on two or four.
Sara Pascoe
Being old! OK, old and silly. To me, stories unfold around us all the time, it's a matter chosing which ones to chase and craft into something worth sharing.
For me, story ideas are a little like arts and craft supplies--easy to collect and a lot more work to use properly.
For me, story ideas are a little like arts and craft supplies--easy to collect and a lot more work to use properly.
Sara Pascoe
It all started when a large, scarred, skinny stray cat claimed us as his own when we were living in a cottage at the edge of a village called South Nutfield, in Surrey, England. With absolutely no explanation for his appearance, my husband came up with the idea that he'd fallen off a witch's broom. Meet Oscar, the smart aleck, telepathic cat in 'Ratchet, the Reluctant Witch'.
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