Can you describe what your book is about in one sentence? After the suspicious death of her aunt, Myrtle Coldron searches for a murderer and finds a magical misfit—herself.
What is the theme of In My Attic? Finding a place, a purpose in life, even if it is not what one expected.
How do you develop your plots and characters? First, I come up with a story idea—there’s a lot of inner Netflixing going on all the time. I always start with the characters, who they are, what they might want, and how the motivations of the different characters clash with each other. Next, I throw some setting and premises at my characters and watch them run away with the plot. Fret not—so far, I’ve caught up in time. Well, mostly.
What was your favorite part of writing In My Attic? Petty, the magical primula who wasn’t a part of the original cast. I had to watch her, she’s one of those sidekicks prone to taking over!
Give us some insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is special? What are his/her character flaws? At the beginning of the story, Myrtle is a bit of a lost soul. Yes, she’s found a vocation as a grammar school teacher like her father, but something’s missing. She’s had a tough time, her parents died violently when she was in her teens, and she got adopted by Aunt Eve, who’s not exactly the cozy homemaker. Myrtle craves stability and logic and, as a result, rejects a supremely irrational part of herself—the magic. Until she accepts that, she can never be whole. Unfortunately, her magic is flawed as well, so the struggle continues. But least it is her struggle now. It doesn’t help that she’s so critical of herself, doesn’t trust her instincts, because her teenage trauma has left her scarred. She’s wary of herself, of people around her. At the same time, she is inherently strong, has a good sense of humour, and that will definitely help her cope with what is at stake.
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