When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I wanted to be a writer ever since I was in kindergarten and I saw my mother at the typewriter. She was writing a book about being in the U.S. Army during World War II. This was a very powerful image for me. I used to imagine bringing a copy of the book with a red leather cover to my teacher. Although it was never published, my mother inspired me to write my own stories from a very young age. In third grade, I wrote a poem about Teachers’ Recognition Day that was published in the school newspaper. I was a reporter on my high school newspaper. And I’ve been writing ever since.

Who were the authors that influenced you as a youth, and in what ways?

I loved Louisa May Alcott. In fact, I have the girls in my novel reading Little Women and playacting scenes from the book with their dolls. As a child, that’s what I used to do with my friends. I was influenced and inspired by Alcott’s characters. Each of the sisters was real and believable to me. I was happy when things worked out for Jo and I cried uncontrollably when Beth died.  I remember wanting more and my mother also gave me Little Men to read. A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, also had a great impact on me. That was probably the first work of historical fiction I read in junior high and again, I was totally swept up in the time, place, and emotions of the characters. That made me cry also.
 

How did it feel when you got to hold your very first advanced copy of your book?

It was an amazing feeling. Although I already had two non-fiction books published, for years I thought that writing a novel was something I couldn’t do. Holding it in my hands felt like the fulfillment of a dream. It also gave me a great sense of empowerment that if you put your mind to something, there’s a world of possibility out there.
 

What was the inspiration behind your book(s)?

The Diary of Anne Frank, which I read as a sixth grade student, was an enormous influence in my life and set off a life-long obsession with the Holocaust and its impact. I have been studying and researching it ever since. It all finally culminated in my writing The Takeaway Men, which follows survivors after World War II. In addition to my reading and research, we had a close family friend, who was a survivor. In addition, a number of my friends are children of survivors. I’ve spoken to them for endless hours and learned that theirs is a very complicated, layered story that needed to be told. Although there are many Holocaust novels, there are few that tell this story of intergenerational trauma.

What was your publishing journey like?

My publishing journey was completely different with The Takeaway Men than it was with my two non-fiction books, The Living Memories Project: Legacies That Last and its companion workbook, My Living Memories Project Journal. I worked with two different agents over a two-year period. After many unfulfilled promises and “almosts,” we found a small independent publisher in Ohio. Once The Takeaway Men was ready for submission, I researched agents as well as other options open to me. I spoke to a couple of authors who had books published by SparkPress, which is a hybrid publisher, an imprint of SheWrites Press. They reported that they had a positive experience. I made the decision that I didn’t want to invest two years in finding an agent and rising and falling on each communication from her. I decided to try SparkPress and they accepted my submission. It was a great decision for me. The experience has been very positive and they not only do a great job with producing the book, but also provide extensive support and educational opportunities. Not only do I have a published novel, but I’ve learned a tremendous amount about book publishing.

What advice do you have for aspiring young novelists?

Believe in yourself and your work. Stay with it. Try to write at least 500 words, five days a week. Be open to constructive criticism. My book has been edited numerous times and I know it’s now a better book because of it. But don’t let negative or jealous critics get to you. Ignore them. If more than one person makes a suggestion, think about it. You don’t have to follow all of the suggestions, only the ones with which you are comfortable. And understand, that there is no such thing as an overnight success. I’ve been writing forever and this is my first novel and I’m a grandmother!

If you could have any superpower, which would you choose?

I would want to cure the world of pain, suffering and hunger.

Where is your favorite travel destination?

With the pandemic, I don’t have any travel plans now. We usually like to go to San Francisco several times a year to see our son and his family.

When you’re not writing, what are your favorite hobbies?

I used to say writing was my hobby. Actually, my primary career for many years was as a career educator. I taught history and also worked as a school administrator. So my knee jerk reaction to this question was writing, but I guess now as a novelist, writing is no longer just a hobby. I enjoy reading, walking, and spending time with my children and grandchildren.
 

Where can people find you online?

 
Website: Website: merylain.com/
Facebook: facebook.com/MerylAinAuthor/
Twitter: @DrMerylAin
Instagram: @meryl_ain

Thank you for joining me for Writer Wednesdays!

If you are a writer/author of any genre and would like to pitch yourself for an interview, please email me at info@alexismariechute.com

Catch you next week!

Happy writing,

   –   Alexis Marie Chute