Interview with Wendy Delsol

http://www.wendydelsol.com/

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

In 5th and 6th grade, I won creative writing awards for two of the silliest (and shockingly boy-crazy) stories possibly ever put to paper. Though inane, they were funny. I still remember the laughs they got when read aloud to the class.

Post-college, I pursued a career in the travel industry (travel: another passion of mine). My favorite part of the desk-side of this job was writing. I became known for the creative embellishments I’d give to itinerary descriptions.

I stayed at home with my boys when they were young, but was hatching plans for act two of my working life. Finally, a medical scare prompted me to dream big and just write a novel already.

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

My road to publishing was typical—uphill all the way. Once I’d made that decision to write novels, I put my butt in the chair and wrote one. It was awful. Truly horrible. But the important thing was I loved the process. We were living in L.A. at the time, so I was lucky to have access to the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program. I learned craft, met other aspiring writers, and gained confidence. During this year, I wrote my second novel. Still not good enough, but better. My husband’s job then moved us to Des Moines, where I attended the University of Iowa’s Summer Writing Festival, joined a critique group, and wrote my third novel in the women’s fiction genre.

All along, I’d been querying agents, even after that first monstrosity. Ugh. While my third book was making the months-long (query to partial to full) dance with agents, I tried my hand at young adult, because, inevitably, my adult fiction had a teen character who was—well—a page hog.

I wrote a first draft for STORK in five months. I queried my agent, Jamie Brenner, on a Tuesday. She asked for a full the same day and signed me on Friday. Jamie was so enthusiastic that I knew she was the right partner for me and my book. She sold the manuscript to Candlewick three months later.

Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release.

STORK is the story of Katla Leblanc—the youngest ever to be summoned as a Stork, a kind of white witch who bears the responsibility of pairing undecided souls with the right mother.

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?

A paranormal story borrowing from Norse mythology that is funny. OK, so technically that’s three things.

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

I am a sucker for a good ghost story or angel sighting. I have always been intrigued by accounts of the supernatural. And I believe them all: UFOs, reincarnation, psychic abilities, the abominable snowman, and even his American cousin, Big Foot.

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

I’m married with two teen sons. My husband is a creative director for an ad agency, so a creative type himself. And, yes, he’s proud of me, as are my sons (though they’re at that don’t-get-too-excited-about-anything age).

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

Cheese is the perfect food, isn’t it? Like your mood, it can be sharp or mellow. And like black, it goes with everything.

What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?

One: On my way downstairs, give my deep-sleeping teen sons a first call. Two: Get coffee. Three: Give boys slightly more emphatic wake-up call. Four: Read front page of newspaper. Five: Yell final “GET UP,” waking my boys and possibly even the dead. Six: Jot notes for story in which mother of teens does indeed inadvertently wake something evil. (And, yes, that was more than three.)

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

How about drawers? To which the answer would be a surprising lack of cosmetics, hair product, etc. I’m fairly low maintenance (which is code for cheap).

Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?

Funny you should ask, because I’m fairly sure that I’m the physical embodiment of green. Nothing too flashy like the hot shades: red, orange, or yellow. But not too numbing, either, like the icy blue and cool purple tones. And green is, ironically, the color of most trees.

Who is your favorite cartoon character?

When young, I had a little bit of a crush on Winnie the Pooh. My maiden name was Wendy Peck, so maybe it was just a sounds-like thing. But the guy was pretty lovable and cuddly. Luckily, it was a phase I grew out of. Wendy Pooh, or even Wendy Peck-Pooh—I’d have needed a pen name.

Which cartoon character is most like you?

Rex from Toy Story. Neither one of us can take rejection.

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?

I am a serious, card-carrying Jane Austen fan. Drop me at her feet. I’d love to spend a rainy English afternoon sipping tea and gossiping with Miss Austen. And wouldn’t it be wonderful if Mr. Darcy were based on a real-life person?

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

I am not hugely into music. I write best at home in a silent environment. I can’t concentrate with the distractions of coffee shops, TV, or even music. If and when I do listen to music, it’s probably oldies. Van Morrison’s Moon Dance is my favorite song. I also love Neil Young’s Helpless. And Train’s Drops of Jupiter is beautiful and poetic.

Do you have any favorite T.V. shows?

It probably says a lot about me that my two favorite TV shows are Survivor and Masterpiece Theatre (any and all).

Movies you watch over and over again?

I’ve watched the BBC version and the Keira Knightley version of Pride and Prejudice way too many times. I also think Shakespeare in Love is one of the best written scripts, ever.

What was the last movie you saw at the theater?

Inception, which was my kids’ choice, but fascinating nonetheless.

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

Be curious. Dare to ask questions. Ask for directions—and direction.

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

STORK is designed as a trilogy. FROST, its sequel, is written and due out in September 2011. I will write book three this winter, and, if all goes well, it will come out in the fall of 2012.

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