Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Author Interview: Danielle Peterson

I would like to welcome Danielle Peterson, author of novella series The Duck and the Doe. Volume 2, My Wholly Heartbreaking Heretic , is out now. (Reviewed here.) I recommend starting with Our Blissful Bayou Beginnings . (Reviewed here.)

About My Wholly Heartbreaking Heretic
This follow-up novella to the critically acclaimed Our Blissful Bayou Beginnings is set in the American West in the 1970s against a backdrop of a counterculture spiritual movement. Rémi is attempting to live quietly as a tradesman in Arizona, but his peaceful respite is soon ended when Bichette forces her way back into his life. Against his better judgment he accepts a quest from her and soon he finds himself searching not just for a man foolish enough to cross his temperamental immortal beloved, but searching through Bichette’s own past and secrets as well.


Describe your ideal writing space. How does it compare to reality?

I am easily distracted, but I've learned to master it, and my ideal is now the reality because I find it's how I work best. So, it's sitting cross legged on the sofa with either the TV or NPR on, drinking coffee or tea or beer or wine or Cuba Libres, depending on the time of day. I've got my laptop open and am both screwing around on the Internet and actually doing research for my writing (God bless whoever took the time to scan and upload mid-19th century medical textbooks). Perhaps my dog is snuggling with me, or perhaps she is upstairs sleeping in bed. The mailman comes, pushes junk mail through the slot, and I am momentarily distracted.

What is the first story you remember writing and what was it about?
I vaguely recall writing about a woman who was undercover as a man as a spy during the American Civil War in the fifth grade, but I believe that may have been a continuation of something we read in school so I don't know if that counts. Around the same time I wrote a post-apocalyptic short story (my mother is quite keen on post-apocalyptic fiction, hence my deep love for Fallout) but I am hazy on the details. I do remember that I wrote it with Lotus Office Suite though.

Name a memorable book from your childhood. Why is it memorable?

Little House series! I loved them so much, and I think it inspired in me a life-long appreciation of history. Just everything about their lives was so old-fashioned, it really helped to put your own life into perspective. Laura would be super excited to have an inflated pig-bladder to play with, so I should appreciate my Sega Genesis extra hard. I want Laura Ingalls Wilder to be the Virgil to my Dante.

If you could ask any writer (living or dead) a question, who would it be and what would you ask?
I would ask Margaret Mitchell as to what, if anything, she had planned for a follow-up to Gone With The Wind.

If you could pick any of the worlds or characters you have created, which would you want to visit or spend a day with?
I'd probably pick Chris from an as-of-yet unpublished full length novel of mine. He likes top shelf scotch and video games so we'd probably have fun doing that, if nothing else. Also, he's an aeronautical engineer, which is what I would like to have done if I had a head for numbers.

What is one thing you like to do when you are not reading or writing?

Visit museums. I live in The Netherlands and they have museums everywhere. My favorite type is a tie between archaeological museums and science museums. I love cuneiform and things preserved in jars of formaldehyde.



What are you currently working on?
The Duck and the Doe, Part III. It taking place during the Civil War and is Rémi a doctor in the conflict, but against his will somewhat.


Danielle Peterson's Bio:
As stated above, my name is Danielle Peterson. Not an awfully original name, but there you go. I was born in Spokane, Washington (no, it doesn't rain all the time like Seattle, thank you for asking) and I currently live in The Netherlands, aka Holland, aka DrugHookerGoodTimesLand. I tend to write about relationships because I was very displeased with the way that they tend to be portrayed in popular media. You know, either really horribly or really rose-tinted. Why can't it be both?
I've been writing since I was fifteen or so, but it's only been recently that my writing has been anything other than just embarrassing so I've decided to give this Kindle thing a shot. I live with my husband-boyfriend (one person, it's just that there's no term to describe 'dude I've been shacking up with for five years'; boyfriend doesn't really cut it anymore) and our lovely little dog. I attend school full time to study International Public Management.
About me? I enjoy the finer things in life; video games, top shelf Scotch, thrift stores, thunder, and the excitement that you get when you get a package in the mail. I've recently bleached my hair blonde and it was rather off-putting at first but I've gotten used to it. I like candles but I am very paranoid about them as well, afraid to leave the room lest I burn the house down. I don't care for lattes or cappuccinos or anything like that, I think they are too sweet. I'm a bit jealous that our dog loves my boyfriend-husband more than she loves me. I love onions and I pretty much put them in everything I cook, so if you come over to eat at my house and don't like onions, let me know. I tend to talk loudly, which is something I'm working on.
Relevant information? What? I'm sorry, you're breaking up!



Where to find the author:


Where to get the book:


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