At a young age, Deborah’s rampant imagination kept her up, lending great detail to all the terrible things lurking in the night. In desperation, her mother suggested she invent her own stories to distract her brain. She has been doing that since, channelling her ideas into mainly sword and sorcery-style fantasy novels and shorts. In her other life, Deborah is a veterinarian. She lives in Sooke with her husband of 12+ years, their two sons, and three demanding felines.
Which are you: Plotter, Pantser, or Plantser? Why?
Pantser all the way! My brain loves to get away from the day job, which is very logical and scientific. Playing and random musing are a must. I absolutely adore the high of writing something and finally seeing how it all comes together in a way I didn’t anticipate. Maybe it was there all along in my subconscious! Planning all the twists and turns takes the fun out of discovering it alongside the characters.
Favorite book and author? Why?
I’m still enamored with Patrick Rothfuss’ “Name of the Wind”. It took the idea of the hero and made them mortal, prone to errors, and very relatable. Plus it looked at how a legend forms around otherwise normal happenings. I have been fascinated with the idea of learning the true story behind the legend since, which inspired a lot of my writing.
I’m still enamored with Patrick Rothfuss’ “Name of the Wind”. It took the idea of the hero and made them mortal, prone to errors, and very relatable.
As a reader, do you have a pet peeve? Certain words, too much description, “alabaster skin,” or too many arms and legs in a fight/sex scene?
The ‘mirror trick’ just kills me; when the character pauses by a reflective surface and assesses their appearance to tell the reader what they look like. It often shows up right at the beginning, so it can toss me right out of a book early. I find horribly contrived! Who looks at their reflection and suddenly decides to comment about their short, boyish haircut and high cheekbones??
What kind of music do you listen to, if any? Why? Share a link if you have one (Spotify, YouTube, etc.).
Music is a HUGE part of my writing, as inspiration, motivation, and comfort. I go through phases but have lately been leaning towards epic music. I’ve purchased most of Tommee Profitt’s music so far! A good place to start is the Volume 1. Cinematic Songs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDCNEs8ij9g&list=PLDcAKor7_HojFbFSm3T2qyb2jQC_6ZQ6r
You’ll feel like you can move mountains after listening!
Share your favorite character from your stories. What made them your favorite to write?
I love Shimmer Weaver. I had to write a side story just so I could hang out more with her! She’s sexy and smooth, yet devoted and intelligent! While I like my powerhouse women, Shimmer is a nice balance of strength and vulnerability. I have so much fun getting her in over her head and seeing how she figures it out! No one else can make Kitable panic quite like she does.
I used to want publication as a final acknowledgement of my skill, but in the end it’s really the people who say they enjoyed my book that denote success in my eye.
Hardest scene you have ever written: What made it difficult? How did you get through it?
This seems petty now (I’ve killed so many characters now…) but when I first wrote Celebrant, I wrote my first death of a character. He was a fairly minor character, and he died without great battle or epic sacrifice. He just died, because people die in war. And he left a younger brother behind, which broke my heart. I grieved after losing him and still feel guilty for doing it. I often wonder what would have happened if he’d lived. I got through it by writing the brother’s grief. I was there, grieving with him. And through the story, he slowly moves on, so I could too.
What does “writing success” mean to you? How do you define your success?
Writing a story someone enjoyed. I used to want publication as a final acknowledgement of my skill, but in the end it’s really the people who say they enjoyed my book that denote success in my eye. Writing a book is hard, but if you put enough words on the page, you’ll get there eventually. Writing a good book is much, much harder.
How did you learn what you know about writing (formal education, self-taught, etc.)?
When I was young, my brother managed to delete my spell checker on the computer. I loved stories and wanted to write, so I wrote with a thesaurus on one side of the screen and a dictionary on the other. After that, it was feedback groups. While I’ve not done courses since university English, I learned a lot from conferences and presentations by other authors and editors. I love to pick up new things and improve. But more than anything, it’s the act of doing it that has gotten me to where I am.
When I was young, my brother managed to delete my spell checker on the computer. I loved stories and wanted to write, so I wrote with a thesaurus on one side of the screen and a dictionary on the other.
Why’d you get that tattoo?
I was living in Scotland, but was home briefly to, of all things, get married. I told my fiancé I was getting a tattoo of the Canadian maple leaf on my arm to honor my homeland when abroad, but I didn’t tell anyone else in my close-knit family. There was quite a shock when, three weeks after getting married, I was sporting a tattoo!
Tea or Coffee or Wine: Defend!
Tea. I’m already high strung so caffeine is a terrible idea! I’ve yet to find a wine that I enjoy more than a hot cup of herbal tea. And wine doesn’t warm your hands as you sit with a book by the fire!
