Interview with Jaclyn Dolamore

http://jaclyndolamore.com

When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?

I really have been writing all my life. In fact, I almost hate this question just because I'm afraid I'm going to discourage someone who is just getting started. But, I've pretty much kept all my childhood writing so I know I was writing at least since I was five. I have little stories and a few diary entries from back then.

Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?

I've wanted to be a published writer since I was a teenager. I think I was 12 the first time I checked the Writers Market out of the library. But, I didn't seriously pursue it until I was 23, and I quickly found out that I had a lot to learn, but I also sort of realized it was actually possible. For three years, I treated writing like a full-time unpaid job. I worked in retail part-time, had crazy budgeting skills, and wrote and submitted and rewrote and submitted again. MAGIC UNDER GLASS was completely written from the ground up three different times. But when it finally happened, it happened fast. It was about three weeks from accepting my agent's offer to represent me to accepting a publishing deal from Bloomsbury.

Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?

Well, my next book, BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY, is a love story between a mermaid and a winged guy. And do I really need to say more? Such a setup for romantic agony. If you enjoy a little romantic agony, you may enjoy this. (Although it is not just agony. It can also be quite funny in places. At least, that is the intention!)

What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?

It's hard to name one thing. But I was a huge anime fan as a teenager. And even before that, a huge fan of Final Fantasy games. Japanese storytelling had a big influence on me. They have a whole category of stories for girls with fantasy and romance and relationship stories all tangled up, and we don't have anything quite like that here.

Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!

My family is awesome. I have a sister 2 1/2 years younger than me who was a collaborator in all my pretend games and story worlds when I was a kid and teenager. I could not have asked for a better sister. And my mom is kind of a hippie and she homeschooled us. We were really free and had tons of time to be creative. My dad was at work a lot but some of my earliest memories are of him reading THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA and LITTLE HOUSE to us. So I really couldn't have asked for a more supportive environment. And yeah, they are all really proud of me and it's really cute. =)

Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?

German and Polish food. Goulash and red cabbage with apples and things like that. Although if I have a physical illness, I crave big kale salads.

If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me the most?

Well, I have a disintegrating wedding veil from the 1920s in a box. You might wonder why I have that. It came from a sort-of relative and it's too awesome to get rid of, but also fairly useless.

Who is your favorite cartoon character?

That's hard. I don't think I should include anime because that is so vast. Well, I've always had a thing for Scrooge McDuck since I was five or six and Duck Tales was on. Yes. I know. I was a little girl idolizing a stingy duck. Don't ask what that was about. I have a Scrooge McDuck toy in front of my computer monitor now.

If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history, where and when would it be—and why?

It would be pretty sweet to be in the audience of David Bowie's performance on the Midnight Special from 1973. I'd like to take the place of the girl who grabs his bracelet off his arm...

So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you’re writing?

David Bowie and Roxy Music. For sure. But I like a lot of weird music. World music and old music. Kind of like my writing. If I'm browsing CDs somewhere and I see like, "folk songs of Norway" or "1920s railroad music" I'm like OOH WHAT IS THAT?

Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie you saw at the theater?

Favorite TV: Lost (if it ends badly, I retract this). Tim and Eric Awesome Show. The Venture Brothers. Avatar: The Last Airbender. Family Guy. King of the Hill. Look Around You. I think my TV tastes might belong to a boy, actually; a nerdy boy who likes Adult Swim programming. (It doesn't hurt that I never turn on the TV. My boyfriend does and I get sucked in.) Movies I am very picky about. I hardly see anything in the theater. I probably watch 20 movies a year. But when I do love one, I love it passionately. My Fair Lady, Auntie Mame, Lost in Translation, Ghost World, Marie Antoinette, the Lord of the Rings movies, Metropolis, pretty much anything Studio Ghibli.

You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?

Don't let anyone make you feel guilty for doing what you're passionate about. Don't let anyone tell you art is a waste of time. Sometimes I think people believe they are on the planet to make money, not to be joyful or to bring others joy or to do what makes them uniquely themselves. Sometimes if you follow your heart, people will scoff at you. Try, try not to listen.

One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?

Well, there is the mermaid and winged guy book, BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY. Then, the further adventures of Nimira and Erris in MAGIC UNDER STONE. And I certainly have other projects in various stages of completion, but I won't tease you with them until I have a better idea whether they will be published or not!

Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!