      
      
      
An Interview
With
Marguerite Krause
ER!-Marguerite,
thank you so much for agreeing to do an eBooks Rock!
interview, you brave soul! Of your three
novels, Blind Vision, Moons'
Dancing, and Moons' Dreaming, do you have a particular
favorite, one that's
closest to your heart? If so, why and please tell us
about that book.
MK--Asking a writer to pick a
favorite book is like asking a parent to pick a
favorite child! I love each of my books equally
-- for each one's unique attributes and special place
in my life. Moons' Dreaming and Moons' Dancing are
really one story, an epic fantasy novel published in
two volumes. I love them because of my fond memories
of the process of writing them, because of their
characters, and because they were my first
professionally published books. Blind Vision,
however, is ALSO very close to my heart, again
because of my love for the lead characters, my
fondness for one of the underlying themes (the future
is what you make it), and the fact that it's my first
solo publication.
ER!-You
co-wrote Moons' Dancing and Moons' Dreaming from
Starlight Writer
Publications with author Susan Sizemore. Being a
control freak, I've always
wondered how writing partners pull it off:-) What's
the working process for
the two of you? Do you get together or work via
email? Take turns writing?
MK--Susan and I have been
friends for years, and we live in the same community,
only a couple of miles away from each other. We
brainstormed the story together, mostly in person and
sometimes on the phone -- the universe, the plot
elements, and the characters all evolved more or less
simultaneously, with lots of discussion and revision
as the various pieces fell into place. After those
initial planning sessions, we mostly went off and
wrote various sections on our own. We knew the whole
arc of the story, so we didn't sit down and write
from beginning to end -- I could work on a scene that
would eventually end up in chapter 31 while she was
writing something from chapter 17, and then we might
jump into chapter 47. At the time, I was working as a
courier driver, spending long hours on rural highways
and the Interstate, so I would dictate a chapter or
two into a tape recorder, then give the tape to
Susan. She would transcribe my words, editing and
revising and adding her own spin as she went alone.
Then I would read the chapter again, and make more
changes. Meanwhile, she would type up chapters of her
own, which I would then read, revise, and pass back
to her. We also did a number of scenes together, with
one of us sitting at the keyboard, and the other
standing behind her, talking. That's a great way to
write dialogue, by the way.
ER!-If you
have one, what's your favorite scene in Moons' Dreaming?
MK--When Vray goes deer
hunting with Jordy and his archery class. It's a
vivid scene -- lots of strong physical and emotional
details -- and a crucial turning point for Vray as a
person, and for the overall progress of the plot.
ER!-And in
Moons' Dancing?
MK--It's a whole sequence of
scenes, really...from Palle's encounter with
assassins, through Jordy's fight on the road near his
house, to Vray and Dael's departure from the castle.
In a movie, it would be a series of quick cuts, as
the moment of crisis descends on each of the major
characters. In the book, it takes about a chapter and
a half. So much happens so quickly, one emotional
impact on top of another, raising the stakes for the
characters (and the reader) each time!
ER!-Blind
Vision is also a fantasy novel, but it's available from
Speculation Press. Can you tell us a little more
about this story?
MK--Zuli, the heroine, has
been told for years that her life is supposed to go a
certain way, and even though things aren't working
out as expected, she has a hard time believing that
she, personally, can take charge of her own fate.
Phillippe, the hero, is a seer -- thanks to magic, he
can literally see the future -- so his problem isn't
seeing what needs to be done, it's convincing other
people to take the appropriate action. One of the
people he needs to convince is Zuli, and much of the
story deals with if, when, and how Zuli can possibly
learn to trust Phillippe and his visions.
ER!-Is
there a book out there that you're just dying to write
but for some
reason haven't?
MK--I have a ton of stories I
want to tell. It's just a matter of getting around to
them.
ER!-What
would you say has been your biggest writing challenge?
MK--Time! I never have
enough time. I'm a very S-L-O-W writer...it takes me
a while to get to know my characters, more time to
think my way through a scene, and then even more time
to find the right words with which to write things
down!
ER!-Is
there anything out there (in the non-writing world) that
you'd like
to do, but haven't yet been given the opportunity?
MK--I love all kinds of
travel, and I'm finding more opportunities for that
now that both of my children are grown. Our son is a
sophomore in college, and our daughter graduated last
spring and is now in the Peace Corps. They give us
great excuses for travel -- we have to take trips to
visit them!
ER!-Is
there a book that you've written, but we'll never see?
Why?
MK--Of course. My very first
story! I'm not even sure the manuscript still exists.
I typed it on an old manual typewriter (with a faded
purple ribbon) and I've never made a copy. If I ever
find it, I'll just hide it again...it's a really
awful beginner's creation, with a horrible
combination of characters, ideas, and styles lifted
from my early teen influences: Andre Norton, J. R. R.
Tolkein, and television's Voyage to the Bottom of the
Sea, if you can imagine such a mix. <shudder>
ER!-If you
weren't a writer, what would you be doing?
MK--Playing more French Horn
(I have bachelor's and master's degrees in music), or
maybe working as some kind of theatre tech.
ER!-Of all
the character's you've written about, who would you say
is most
like you? And why?
MK--I can't possibly pick
just one, because I put aspects of myself into many
of my characters. For instance, in Moons' Dreaming
and Moons' Dancing, the carter Jordy, his wife Cyril,
and their son Tob are all distinctly different
people... but they also all reflect my personality,
just DIFFERENT sides of it.
ER!-What's
the non-writing world like for you? Is there a husband, a
boyfriend, slaves hidden in the basement? Children?
MK--I've already mentioned my
son and daughter, and my husband and I are heading
into our 27th year of marriage (we were high school
sweethearts.) We also have two cats, both loving and
affectionate with us but completely intolerant of
each other.
ER!-Many
readers wonder what's going on in an author's head, and
here's the
part where we find out<g>.
Describe yourself in one line:
MK--Intense, loving, clumsy
but well-meaning daydreamer.
ER!-(Finish
this sentence) On a Saturday night you'll find me...
MK--...in front of a computer
ER!-If I
were a cartoon character I'd be...
MK--...the Tazmanian Devil
ER!-If I
could have one wish, I would wish...
MK--....for more tolerance in
the world.
ER!-What
kind of car do you drive?
MK--....'93 Ford Taurus
station wagon
ER!-What
kind of car do you *want* to drive?
MK--....anything reliable
ER!-Answer
the following questions as quickly as possible, but feel
free to
expand on any of your answers (Hey, it's not a test).:
What's your favorite movie?
MK--....I love dozens! To
pick just one....Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
ER!-Favorite
song?
MK--....Closer to Believing
ER!-Favorite
snack?
MK--....M&Ms
ER!-Favorite
book?
MK--.....Impossible to
choose! Okay, favorite SERIES of books: Anne
McCaffrey's entire Dragonriders of Pern universe...or
Barbara Hambly's Ingold Inglorian books...
ER!-Typewriter
or computer?
MK--....computer
ER!-Soup or
salad?
MK--....soup
ER!-Pre-planner
or blind leap?
MK--.....pre-planner
ER!-Turkey
burger or steak?
MK--.....veggie burger
ER!-Slacks
or jeans?
MK--....jeans
ER!-Boxers
or briefs?
MK--....briefs
ER!-Are
blondes really more fun?
MK--....nope
ER!-Have
you ever held anyone hostage?
MK--.... no
ER!-If no,
would you?
MK--.....no, because I always
want people to be in my company because they CHOOSE
to be with me, not out of any kind of coercion
ER!-Do you
believe in love at first sight?
MK--.....absolutely!
ER!-Are
aliens real?
MK--.....Somewhere in the
universe, absolutely yes
ER!-If you
could vote members off of Gilligan's Island, who would
get the
boot first?
MK--.....Ginger
ER!-If
Godzilla and Superman got into a street fight (no weapons
allowed),
who would win?
MK--....Superman, no question
ER!-What is
one thing about you that very few know?
MK--....I had a genius uncle
who worked in the defense industry in the 50s
ER!-What is
your greatest fear?
MK--....Alzheimer's disease
ER!-If you
could be anyone (dead or alive) who would you be? And
why?
MK--.....Me. Despite all the
mistakes I've made, I'm quite fond of the life I
have, and I want to keep working on it. Let other
people keep their own achievements, and problems.
ER!-And
finally (and you can take your time on this one:-)),
what's next for
you? Your next book? Writing venture? Goal?
MK--I have another fantasy
novel in the works, as yet untitled. That's my
creative focus for the next few months. Farther
ahead, we're hoping to travel to visit our daughter
during her term of service in the Peace Corps. She's
in Samoa (that's in the middle of the South Pacific,
a bit north and east of Fiji) so that will be quite
an adventure! As for personal ambitions... to be a
better friend, kinder, less foolish, more
considerate, thinking before I speak or act rather
than after... those goals are always out there. I
never have any excuse to be bored!
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