Q & A with author Amy Wallen and San Diego Writers Festival
SDWF: Can you tell us a bit about what to expect at your SDWF workshop, “How to Write a Novel in 20 Pies: The Sweet and Savory Secrets to Writing”? Will there be pie?
AW: First, YES there will be pie! The workshop will be focused on the book, with the same title, which my agent sent out to editors recently. We will talk about persevering through the process of writing a novel, memoir, essays, or any body of work. I’ll share the story of how I survived the process of writing, editing and getting my first novel, MoonPies and Movie Stars. There are many philosophies of how to get a novel written, and my philosophy involves pie. I will share that story, invite questions about the process—from sitting your butt in the chair, to finding an agent, to throwing your publishing party—with pie, of course. We will discuss and hopefully help everyone that attends to find their own way to persevere through to The End. Pie will first come, first served, so come early. Dessert should always be eaten first.
SDWF: What books are on your nightstand or stacked next to your bed?
AW: On my nightstand are books that are more remembrances than my to-read pile. I have:
Who’s Dog Are You? by my brother Martin Wallen – we are both dog lovers
Welcome to Lagos by Chibundu Onuzo – my family lived in Nigeria when I was a kid. I love Nigerian novels. My sister gave it to me.
What Your Childhood Memories Say About You by Kevin Leman – a reader of my memoir, When We Were Ghouls, A Memoir of Ghost Stories, gave it to me.
Warlight by Michael Ondaatje. I’m a fan of Michael’s work. This is a to-read.
Braids, Buns and Twists by Christina Butcher. I’m always wanting to try something new with my hair. I never do, but this book reminds me that I could if I really worked at it.
I listen to audiobooks to fall asleep though, so those would probably be on my nightstand if I fell asleep to reading a book. My audiobook library is right now filled with Raymond Chandler and Agatha Christie because I’m working on a novel titled “The Mystery of the Missing Life,” a menopausal Nancy Drew. I’ve never written a mystery or crime novel before, so I’m obsessively taking them in to see if vicariously I can plot out the story of Nancy’s 48 year old life when she returns to River Heights as a cranky, destitute, middle-aged woman.
SDWF: What’s the last great book/play/poem you read?
AW: I just confessed about my Agatha Christie obsession, so I’ll answer that the last great book is And Then There Were None. Soooo intriguing. But in my literary reading I just finished the memoir Smacked by Eileen Zimmerman which just came out. It’s about the white collar opoid addiction. And, before that I read an advanced copy of Diane Zinna’s debut novel that is about to come out soon, The All-Night Sun—a beautiful read. Sorry, long answer but I never read one thing at a time.
SDWF: If you could give a piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?
AW: Every one of us has a completely different journey, so don’t compare.
SDWF: What was the first piece of writing you shared with someone else?
AW: I filled a spiral notebook full of short stories when I was twelve and gave it to my brother for Christmas.
SDWF: Is there a line or brief excerpt from one of your books that you would like to share? (Something that gives the flavor of the book?)
AW: I worked hard on telling the truth in my memoir and researched memory and its role in our psyche. That’s what the title of my memoir is really referring too—the ghosts of our memories, an illusion that we can see but can’t touch. Here’s a snippet of a section where I talk about reconciling my memories as I tell my story. “Memories are not stored in filing cabinets or hard drives in our brain. Memory is a bridge over a chasm…. the act of remembering, is an act of creation. It’s an act of imagination….a revised perspective.”
SDWF: Where can readers/festival-goers find your blog/website or other online links (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn)? AW: amywallen.com (blogs, recipes for pies I post on Instagram and book events) all other social media I’m at @amylizwrites
SDWF: Thanks, Amy!
