Nancy Kilpatrick Writer: Get to Know Fiction and Non-Fiction Writer...
ELAI...: Get to Know Fiction and Non-Fiction Writer... ELAINE PASCALE Elaine Pascale NK - When did you write your first fictional story, wh...
Thursday, July 11, 2019
Get to Know Fiction and Non-Fiction Writer...
ELAINE PASCALE
ELAINE PASCALE
Elaine Pascale
NK - When did you write your first fictional
story, what was it about, and was it soft and sweet or dark as hell?
EP – I have been writing since before I could
write. I can remember begging my parents to teach me to write words so I could
write down the stories in my head. The first story that I can remember the plot,
though, was a short story I wrote in elementary school—maybe fifth grade—and it
was definitely dark and creepy. Something about demonic children. Fortunately,
my parents were always very supportive and encouraged me to keep writing (even
if the work produced was a little disturbing). They also took me to the library
and allowed me to check out any books I wanted (which were usually horror). My
mom is a big yard sale/consignment store fanatic and she would bring home any
horror books she found. It wasn’t until I went to college and was in a Creative
Writing program that I was first told that I should write something other than
horror. One professor even said he was going to 'save' me from horror as I was
a better writer than that (whatever that means).
NK - You have a full-to-bursting academic
background in English lit but that doesn't always lead to good fiction writing.
How did you make the transition from studying literature to a Ph.D. level, and
teaching and tutoring and writing non-fiction all the way to the other side and
turn into an outstanding creative writer and not just a conduit for others?
EP – I believe that writing and reading go hand
and hand. I consider myself a 'word nerd'. I love good writing. I have seen
student papers where I stop and think, “My God, that’s a beautiful sentence.”
There is an artistry there that I really admire. Working with other people’s
writing, as a literature teacher or tutor, has helped me to deeply analyze what
makes writing interesting.
In terms of being a conduit for others, I am
learning how profoundly satisfying that can be. Every February, I try to do
some activity for Women in Horror Month. This past year was the 10th
anniversary and I published short stories by women writers on my blog. I worked
very hard to acquire much-deserved attention for the women involved and the joy
I felt during this project is hard to describe. Granted, this is different from
teaching literature where many of the writers are already lauded; but there is
a great deal of pleasure in turning readers on to new (or new to them) writers.
NK - You've got a wonderful novella, The Blood Lights, and a fabulously inventive
short story collection, If Nothing Else,
Eve, We've Enjoyed the Fruit. What
propelled you to write these two works? And how did you come up with the title
for the collection?
EP – The Blood Lights was was inspired
by a true event where my cousin, my husband, and I were sitting on the beach at
night and this unexplainable light hovered for the longest time. We
could not figure out what it was, so I set out to explain it. I had also
recently vacationed in Bimini with my family and that was a place that really
stole my heart. I had a need to put it into a story, so it wound up in that
novella.
If Nothing Else, Eve, We’ve Enjoyed the Fruit is a
collection of stories of mine that I enjoyed compiling. It’s funny in that the
stories that I feel the most disassociated from, or question the quality of the
most, are the ones that sell the quickest and receive the best feedback. If I
had the time, I would examine the disparity between what I want to write and
what people want to read! The title came from the first story of the collection
that acts as a preface (actually a bookend with the prologue) to the
collection. I guess I have always felt that the snake and Eve got a bad rep for
their collaboration in the garden of Eden.
NK - What's up next for you in the way of
fiction writing?
EP – I shy away from talking about writing
because, like sex, those who talk about it the most do it the least. I have not
been prolific lately, due to many changes in my life, but I have been
participating in a picture prompt/flash fiction activity sponsored by Ladies of
Horror that appears on spreadingthewritersword.com and this keeps me sharp. I
wrote and sold two short stories in 2019 so far and I have been working on a
novel for a while now. It is probably the most commercial piece of writing I
have ever committed to, but I am fighting above my weight class in terms of
remaining motivated with it. I think I may have to buckle down and join Nanowrimo
or some other group that forces me to finally finish it.
Books
Friday, July 05, 2019
Nancy Kilpatrick Writer: HORROR ADDICTS' Naching T. Kassa interviews me on ...
Nancy Kilpatrick Writer: HORRORADDICTS.NET' Naching T. Kassa interviews me on ...: HORROR ADDICTS' Naching T. Kassa interviews me on Chilling Chat: Nancy Kilpatrick Interview
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