Ordinary Girlz Book Review interviews this weeks feature author, Indie Author S. Conde, author of The Red Speck.
Tell us a little about your book, what it’s about?
S. Conde: “The Red Speck” is
about transformation, abandonment, betrayal, and forgiveness. Sophia, the main
character, awakens to find herself on an empty stretch of beach with no memory
of how she arrived, nor any idea how to find her way home. She embarks on an
esoteric journey into herself in order to heal old wounds and create the life
she so desires. It’s sort of an allegorical adventure, set in Miami on the
shores of the Atlantic, with undertones of Cuba and the
South.
What genre is this current book, do you write in any other genres?
S. Conde: Maybe you can tell me. Honestly, I’ve had a difficult time figuring out that question. Metaphysical Allegorical Fiction? I just made that up, pretty sure you knew that. I have no idea. I also write some poetry on my blog, www. idolsofthetribe.com
.…haven’t tried to define it either. I think I’ll leave genre categorization to smarter people than me.
When did you first decide you wanted to be a writer, at what age?
S. Conde: Young. Maybe seven
or eight. My first story was called “Doris and the Dinosaur”. I don’t remember
what it was about, apart from my mother and a dinosaur. The title is an ode to
my love of alliteration.
Do you have a day job or do you write exclusively?
S.Conde: I have a day job.
When did you start writing your first book?
S. Conde: I started writing the first chapter of “The Red Speck” twenty years ago. I wrote and re-wrote it yearly, but could never move forward from the first chapter in a way that was genuine to me.
How long does it take you to write a book?
S. Conde: Ha! Well, in the aforementioned case, quite some time. Beginning the last time I sat down to write the book until I finished it was about five months. Happily though once I got “The Red Speck” out of my system, it freed me up considerably. I’ve been writing non stop since.
Do you have an outline when you write or Do you just write and see
where it goes?
S. Conde: I don’t exactly
have an outline, but I do have a general idea as to the path I want it to take.
Like a sculptors armature I can build the story
around.
What is your writing process like, do you have any weird quirks when writing?
S. Conde: I’m a freak about silence. Noise bothers me tremendously. Not random noise, I mean, the buzz of a lawn mower is fine. Maybe it would be more correct to say that spoken words bother me when I’m writing. Music with lyrics, the television, or the
sound of people talking, distracts me terribly.
What kind of research went into this book? Tell me a little bit about that Process.
S. Conde: The book is steeped in esoteric thought. Religion, metaphysical studies, the Chakra system, meditation, as well as occult and dream symbolism have been lifelong interests of mine. In many ways I’ve been researching the book since I was 18. The journey of Sophia is mirrored in the journey one takes opening the Chakras from the base of the spine upward.
What is the most interesting thing you learned about while writing your
books?
S. Conde: That people have actually been moved by words I wrote.
What motivated you to tell this story?
S. Conde: An epiphany. One day I realized that Sophia had been wandering those woods for twenty years. Psychologically, I was ready to give this child a home
How have you marketed this book?
S. Conde: I’ve been building my platform through social media predominantly. Now that the book is available in paperback I will begin to approach more traditional routes.
Do you have any other work out?
S. Conde: I do have, primarily in the form of essays, short stories and poems, all of which are available on my blog.
What projects are you working on now?
S. Conde: I’m working on my
next novel, an article about the ADD / dyslexic mind as the mind of the future,
keeping my blog updated and the never ending task of marketing my
book.
What has been your toughest criticism? What has been your best
compliment as an author?
S. Conde: I haven’t had any tough criticism yet, unless you count my own, oft brutal, criticism. I’m sure others will chime in eventually. There have been two compliments that pleased me to no end. One compared my writing style to that of Ru mi, and one reader said that “The Red Speck” was to her forties, what “Siddhartha” was to her college years. To be completely honest, I had to look up Ru mi, so I understood the compliment after the fact. The “Siddhartha” comment, however, hit me immediately. It was the book that changed the way I viewed the world, and in fact, set me on the path of self-discovery I began at 18 and continue to walk today.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
S. Conde: I work, cook, help raise three amazing children, and clean…boring, but true. In my free time, I like to do yoga, I enjoy books that read like stereo manuals, and spend quite a bit of time in a garage watching my husband paint.
What do your friends and family think of your writing, have they been supportive?
S. Conde: Friends and family
members, (those with whom I maintain a close relationship), have been
wonderfully supportive.
Do you hear from your reader much, what has the feed back been like?
S. Conde: I do, though not as much as I’d like. The feedback thus far has been overwhelmingly positive.
What was your favorite book growing up?
S. Conde: “Siddhartha” by Herman Hesse.
Tea, coffee or hot chocolate
S. Conde: All of the above.
Cat or dog?
S. Conde: Both.
Print book or e-reader which medium do you prefer?
S.Conde:Print.
Worst fear
S. Conde: Let’s just say I have a fear of self fulfilling prophecies.
Greatest wish
S. Conde: Ahhh, to make a living as a writer. Just to be allowed to write, and not have to work at something else for money.
If your book was made into a movie what actors would you choose to play the parts?
S. Conde: I would not care as much about their physical likeness to the characters in my book, as I would care about their ability to really act.
Glass half empty or half full?
S. Conde: Half full
Favorite color
S. Conde: Blue.
Favorite place
S. Conde: Home.
Light or Dark
S. Conde: Light.
Most embarrassing moment
S. Conde: While in London on a book tour with a famous designer, (she put me on the cover of her book, (I worked with her and was 19 at the time) I was asked where I’d like to visit first. My response, “Wall Street.” Genius.
If you want to connect with S. Conde you can find her on facebook and twitter or her blog by clicking on the following links
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/S.Condewrites
Twitter: @SConde3
Blog: http://www.idolsofthetribe.com/
If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the Red Speck you can click on the amazon link.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Red-Speck-ebook/dp/B008GUX8QE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351611168&sr=8-1&keywords=the+red+speck
We want to thank S. Conde for taking the time out of her schedule to come by and answer a few questions for us and letting us get to know her better. We wish you many successes in your writing career.