When and how did you
know you wanted to be a writer?
I never planned or wanted to become a writer.
I started to write to unload my overthinking and insomniac mind. Notes became a new narrative. Then, I wanted to share the parallel world in my life.
That’s when I became a writer. By a coup from my characters.
Did you have any influencing writers growing up?
Being French from the Caribbean, my influences came from those two cultures. The Columbia novelist, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, might have influenced me to start my novel in the middle of the story and come back to the beginning.
The casual, light yet complex family dynamic could be inspired by the French author, Alexandre Jardin. Finally, Boris Vian — also French— was my first literature guru. He’s the one I have in mind each time I wonder how I could next surprise the reader.
Are any of your characters based on people in real life?
Many of my close ones believe I am Maxime, the lead character.
My answer to that is that we share a past until I moved to Vancouver and since, we have quite different lives. She might be the character closest to my personality, but there’s a piece of me in each of them.
The Bothrops — the nickname to the “bad guy”, the real name of a deadly snake in Martinique where I grew up— is the darker part each of us my embody at some point in our lives.
Where do you draw your book inspirations from?
For New Beginning in Vancouver, my first novel, my inspiration came when I realized that I was free to decide how to handle the worries that kept me overthinking. The futuristic vision I was writing down to unwind became a fiction where in gave my lead character what I missed in life.
Then I missed that whole world so much after writing “The End” that I decided on a sequel.
If I feel the I’m going with the flow a little too long, I ask myself what could surprise the reader at this point, remaining true to my characters’ personalities and my own values.
Do you use have a basic outline when starting a new story or do you let the characters lead the way?
I start with an end in mind. But when I dive into their world, my characters take over. They got me to change the ending of the first novel.
It’s only when I get writer’s block that I step back, come back to the first idea and drill down to a potential root cause from where I am, using the 5 Whys method or just relaxing.
When you are picturing the characters in your book, do you have a cheater photo for inspiration?
I have an idea of their features but not a precise picture.
In fact, it’s almost the other way around: I happened to meet or see people on media and think “OMG, that’s Gabriel, or Sophia, or Jason”.
Many people read as a form of escape and relaxation. What is your favorite way to sit back and relax?
Mostly going for a walk and listening to music. And writing, of course.
Who are your favorite current authors to read?
I must admit I haven’t read a book for too long. When not working, coaching or volunteering, I write. I have a few authors from the Winter Games on my wish list, though.
What are your favorite books by others?
Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera
Bernard Werber’s Ants Trilogy
Texaco from Patrick Chamoiseau (from my childhood island)
Anything from Boris Vian
Stephen King’s The Regulators (yes, I know. Totally different)
Do the locations in the stories have any meaning to you?
Absolutely. Those thoughts that kept me awake and made me start writing where about moving to Vancouver, a city I had never visited and where I knew no one.
It was all about visualization and research about my new city of adoption.
Do you write in single or multiple POV?
Mostly from the lead character’s POV. But some scenes are better felt if narrated by someone else.
Most of the time, I bring it through Maxime as a “He said, she said.” This could change in the future.
What do you find to be your best research tool?
Voyeurism. Observing people in real life, genuinely listening, experts in my network when it comes to specific topics.
For example, Maxime owns a flower a tea shop; I reached out to women entrepreneur —one florist and one owner of an online tea shop— to set the stage for Maxime and her day to day.
… And Google.
Do you write under a pen name? Also, do you write under more than one name?
Nope, and maybe I should have.
I’m also Marielle de Vassoigne, Coach and my clientele for organizational coaching might not share the same profile than my readers.
What genre do you write and why is this your preference?
It ends up being romance fiction. I guess it’s because —like Maxime before she met Gabriel— romance is the weakest element in my life. So I create what I lack of, with real life ups and downs.
Tell me something about yourself outside of writing. Jobs, accomplishments, family, quirky trait...what led to you being you?
I am an Organizational Change Management Specialist, working on corporate projects as a consultant.
I’ve also just launched my organizational coaching practice to help people to find their own solution when chancing changes in personal or professional life.
I volunteer at Vancouver Black Library and I’m a board member for the French Chamber of Commerce of Vancouver.
All this, just like Maxime before New Beginning in Vancouver. And like her, I used to ride a Honda Shadow motorcycle.
I consider myself a “life explorer”. My core belief is that a rich life is filled with kindness, curiosity, and exploration.
What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?
Don’t try to be an author. Just write, genuinely.
And be prepared to reread, review, and change your first draft tens of times.
How do you deal and process negative book reviews?
I understand that my state of mind isn’t shared with all. So far, the ones I had, came from people with more traditional beliefs than mine when it comes to the BIPOC community and being a LGBTQ+ ally. Until people respect differences in POV like I do there’s no issue.
And if they can’t respect that, well, I’m not going to waste time on negative energy.
What is the most difficult part of your writing process?
Being an organic writer, I don’t have methods. So, researching about “how to write” as much as the content of my novels.
Also, managing interruptions in the process if I stop more than 2 days. Dive back in that world and create relevant content because more difficult.
What do you need in your writer’s space to keep you focused?
Music and tea.
What is your naughty indulgence as you are writing?
Fantasize the behind the scenes —and bedroom ones.
If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose? And why?
Douglas Kennedy. I’ve started his masterclass, but I couldn’t commit to going through it all. That’s on me, it was amazing.
What is your schedule like when you are writing? Do you have a favorite writing snack or drink?
I actually plan a book launch at my favourite café for writing. I go there on weekends early morning, grab a sencha tea and an earl grey muffin and spend a few hours there.
Otherwise, late afternoon or in the middle of the night if I get an idea.
Do you listen to music when you write – what kind of music is your favorite?
Absolutely, I do. In fact, I’ve created 5 playlists for each of my novel.
Music is a great source for focus and inspiration. Some scenes came to me from the lyrics of a song, where I could picture the characters in context.
You’ll notice in the playlists that my tastes are quite diverse. From chill lounge music to afro-house, 90’s pop music, Latin jazz, you name it.
Have pets ever gotten in the way of your writing?
I wish. I had to leave my cat behind in Montreal and here in Vancouver I can’t get one.
What is your kryptonite as a writer? What totally puts you off your game?
My agenda, first. Interruptions are a mood killer.
The other thing is when I catch myself lingering in la la land, or some redundancies. I must admit there were a few in my first novel. I believe my writing has improved in that sense for the second book.
Have you ever killed off a character that your readers loved?
I couldn’t even kill one that I know they dislike.
But I did something similar in the sequel. I can’t tell without revealing too much. Let’s just say that the prince turned into a snake.
And for the last book of this trilogy, more surprises to come.
How do you celebrate after typing THE END?
I grieve more than celebrate. It’s more an “OMG! what’s next?” feeling.
I hope you enjoyed this interview!
marielledvsgn@gmail.com
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