An Interview with Audrey Watkins-Szala
I am a twenty-seven-year-old aspiring writer living in Bellingham, Washington. I primarily write novels and novellas in various genres. I live with my lovely partner Whitney and our feisty tuxedo cat aptly named Cleopatra. Hobbies include reading, listening to audiobooks and coloring, adventures with friends, travel and cozying up at home with my partner and watching a gripping TV show.
What inspired you to start writing this book?
One day, it occurred to me that I although loved fantasy and horror, I had never seriously written either of those genres. I asked myself why this was, as I rifled through my drafts of modern “realistic” stories and historical fiction. I realized the reason I hadn’t touched upon either of those genres was because I didn’t believe I could do it. I thought fantasy and horror were reserved for the “perfect” writers, the Ursula Le Guins and George RR Martins, the Stephen Kings and H.P. Lovecrafts. But all of those people started somewhere and I realized I did have many stories of my own to tell. I don’t want the dreaded perfectionism to hold me back. Thus, I aspired to write a thrilling fantasy woven up in horror. Despite taking place in a fictional world, it does not neglect the issues facing our current society.
Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?
For me, a story isn’t fully formed before it has gone through a couple drafts. I usually leave the naming of a story until it is complete. “Ocean Madness” is the working title of my current novel but I am not sure if it will remain that way.
Describe your dream book cover.
A crimson sunset offset by a black and rippling sea. Two shadowed women are standing separately on the beach and we only see the shape of their bodies and their flowing hair as they stare out over the ocean.
If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?
Intense, menacing classical and head-ringing guitar solos.
What books are you reading (for research or comfort) as you continue the writing process?
Currently listening to the audiobooks of my favorite childhood series, Warrior Cats. It provides comfort while I color and clear my mind. It reminds me of one of the reasons I started writing in the first place. I also recently finished Tad Williams’ Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, which showed me how effectively horrifying scenes can be woven into an epic fantasy.
What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?
I currently work as a team lead at a high end laundromat/dry cleaners (I know, it sounds strange!). I love it because I get to meet people from all walks of life and get endless ideas of characters. I also wash and fold laundry for families and individuals which I think gives me a unique peek into people’s lives. I have a whole notebook just for the things I observe throughout my day.
Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?
I was born with the passion, hyper-fixated on stories since before I could read or write words. My mother and father are readers with big imaginations, who inspired and aided me in my writing journey. When I would tell stories, before I could write, my mother would scribe them for me. They were long adventure stories about the private lives of our family pets. Of course I must also give credit to all the incredible authors I have read in my life. From Charles Dickens (whom I was exposed to through Seattle Children’s Theatre) all the way to the aforementioned Warrior Cats.
Where is your favorite place to write?
In a crisp-lined notebook. I sit at my green-patterned kitchen table, where I can gaze out the window and daydream endlessly, forgetting to actually put the words on the page.
What advice would you give your past self at the start of your writing journey?
You must combine passion for the craft, constant curiosity about the world and endless perseverance. But never tie your self-worth to your writing. Approach it with an open mind, plan to fail and get back up again. As soon as writing becomes about ego, the faster and harder writer’s block will hit.
What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?
Do not neglect your human self for the sake of spirituality.
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