Amy Sue Nathan {Interview}

One of my favorite aspects of the internet is discovering new writers with creative passions and dedication to their work. Amy Sue Nathan personifies this passion. She is the debut author of THE GLASS WIVES (St. Martins Press) and has created an inspiring website, Women’s Fiction Writers that focuses on the “authors, books and craft of women’s fiction” and champions the works of others. We are delighted to welcome Amy to Bookfinds.

Tell us the story behind the story. How did THE GLASS WIVES come to be? 

Well, it’s complicated.  I’d been writing most of my life, but took a creative hiatus to be a stay-at-home mom. Then, I divorced. A few years later my ex-husband passed away. And after the dust kind of settled, I started writing again. First blog posts and essays, then short stories. Finally I decided to tackle something longer. I knew that to do this I needed to have a big story to tell, one that would keep a reader turning the pages until The End.  I contemplated writing a memoir, but realized that I’d lived through some pretty awful times and did not want to relive them. So instead, I took a nugget of truth—a suburban divorced mom whose ex-husband passes away—and I wound it up tight and then let it spin out into a fictional tale of motherhood, friendship, betrayal and forgiveness.  And while all of those things have been part of my life, the way they’re written in The Glass Wives is purely fictional. Except for the fact that my protagonist Evie has a dog. I have two.

What was the most challenging aspect of writing THE GLASS WIVES?

Patience. Patience is the hardest part of writing and publishing. You wait for time to write, time to edit, time to get feedback from readers and critique partners. Then you wait for an agent and editor. And then you wait for reviews. And readers. And for time to write another book.  The solution? Keep busy! I have to remind myself of this quite often.

What is the message you want readers to take away from your book?

That there are many ways to be a family, and that normal is subjective. I think in today’s society, people say they believe families come in all shapes and sizes, but when presented with a different-looking family, some people just don’t know what to think or say or do. I don’t believe we need any labels other than “family.”

Describe your writing schedule. Do you outline? Any habits?

On a good day I write in the morning, starting at around 6 am. I stop to do the morning mom things, like make lunch and hang out with my daughter before she goes to school. My schedule will change in the summer, it always does. But I always start writing early, and if I’m lucky, I don’t stop.  I also tuck social media, blogging and all things book related into my day as well. Not to mention dogs and laundry.

I didn’t outline The Glass Wives except as I went along. When I’d write a chapter or even a scene, I’d write out what was going to happen next. But, I have outlined my next novel.  And I’ve started outlining my next two novels as well!

As for habits, my bad habit is checking the Internet too often. My good habit would be talking aloud to myself as I write sometimes.  I think it helps me to both see and hear what I’m trying to convey.

What books are on your nightstand? What are you currently reading?

I’m reading an advance copy of The Wednesday Daughters by Meg Waite Clayton and The Third Son by Julie Wu. On my nightstand? The Chalice by Nancy Bilyeau, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath and a pile of writing books and other books I’ve read recently that remind me what I’ve enjoyed.  I also love audio books and I’m listening to Gods In Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson.

Which authors inspire you?

That changes depending on the time in my life and career. Right now I admire authors who not only write and publish wonderful novels, but who are active on social media and engaged with not only their readers but also with aspiring authors and other published authors—you know, the ones who seem to be doing it all and doing it well! A few who come to mind are Meg Waite Clayton, Eleanor Brown, Therese Walsh, Caroline Leavitt, Kimberly Brock, Randy Susan Meyers…okay, that’s more than a few. And there are definitely more.

What have you learned from this experience?

Not to give up. Ever. I know that it’s not easy to get a debut novel published today. I don’t know that it was ever easy, though. Now, there’s a noisy book culture and it’s harder to be heard. I think the key is perseverance.

What is your advice for aspiring writers?

Ha! See above? Really there are two bits of advice. The first is to know what you want. Not what others want for you, not what you think you want or think you should want.  Figure out the best route for you and your book. Then, the second part is, don’t give up.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?

Undoubtedly the best advice was from author Therese Walsh and it was—to separate business from craft. I found myself trying to wrangle popular fiction elements into my work-in-progress because I knew those things were selling.  What I had to do was step away and just remember the bare bones of the story I wanted to write. And no, there was no place in there for magic or vampires.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on a novel about a blogger.  And no, it’s not about me, even though I’ve been blogging since 2006. What makes this main character different from me is that I’m at a point where everything I write online is almost TMTI (too much truthful information). I’ve learned that comes with the author-territory and I’ve come to embrace it. In my new novel, however, everything my protagonist blogs about—well most of what she blogs about—is a lie.  The novel explores what might make someone do that, and what might make someone finally tell the truth.

Can you tell us a little bit about your website Women’s Fiction Writers? What inspired you to start it? What has the site taught you about the women’s fiction genre?

I knew I wasn’t writing romance or chick-lit, and I had a hard time finding like-minded writers online. Everyone “women-centric” writing group seemed to have a heroes and a happily-ever-afters. And while I have no problem with either of those, it’s not what I write. After years of searching, and joining some groups that didn’t meet my needs, I figured that like my characters—and like a lot of women I know in real life—if I wanted something specific and special I was going to have to make it happen myself. So I did. WFW took on a life of it’s own pretty quickly. Now if I could only get it to do the dishes.

The best thing about WFW is knowing I’m not alone. Equally awesome are the in-real-life friendships I’ve developed other authors.

What is your definition of Women’s Fiction?

To me, women’s fiction is a story where the main character saves herself.

 

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Bookfinds Editor. Book Reviewer.

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