An Interview with Debora Masterson

Debora Masterson is a writer, producer, musician and Francophone. A Los Angeles native, she currently resides in Chicago’s vibrant Far North. After a successful career in musical theater, she opened Working Artists Agency, representing post-production, and developed programs for film and television. Fluent in French, she has a master’s degree in French literature and continues to play bass and sing in various musical groups.

Masterson’s writing has appeared in the Off-Campus Writers Workshop About Write publication, and she is an editor for the Chicago Writers Association Windy City Review. Her second novel, Keeping Secrets – A Family Drama, is in development.

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Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

That’s a great question! I went through six different titles for this book, from Fate, Crazy Love, Before I Forget, Bum Monk, Michael and Grace, and one great title that I love so much, The Way Time Works, which is the title of a song written by my musician friend, Shannon Marie, here in Chicago. But deep down, I knew none of them were right. I wanted a reference to the music from the original band and searched the titles and lyrics, but nothing was working.

Then, my friend and fellow writer Caryn Green read my manuscript. She gave me some excellent notes. At the end of our phone conversation, she said, “And you know what your title is, don’t you?” “Obviously not,” I replied. “Freedom Quest!” Of course, the name of the band! It had been staring me in the face for months. I was seriously not seeing the forest for the trees. That’s what good beta readers can do for you.

My second book, Keeping Secrets, however, had a title from the first day I started writing it, and I don’t see that changing. It feels absolutely right.

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

It actually felt better than I expected it to. I was nervous about the front cover. I had chosen it very early in the process because I got the chance to pitch Freedom Quest last fall at the prestigious Printers Row Lit Fest in downtown Chicago. Designer Ronaldo Alves and his AP team did a fantastic job of getting a few different book covers to me in three short weeks and with their hard work, the event was a big success.

At the Printers Row LitFest, I put two of the potential book covers in a notebook and did a casual survey asking people which cover they liked best. Almost everyone stopped and engaged. I mean, who doesn’t want to check out potential book covers? It was a lot of fun getting to know so many people and of course, their first question was ‘What’s the book about?’ so I was able to practice my pitch and refine it and also gauge the interest for the book across diverse ages of the attendees.

A lot of time passed while I was working on the developmental editing, the book interior, and the whimsical illustrations by the talented Mary Quinlan. During that time, I decided on a few changes to the front cover, but it never happened and now, I’m glad it didn’t. The book is perfect.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

I’ve always written journals, letters to the editor of newspapers and magazines, which surprised me and would often get published. I’m a big-time reader, too, but I didn’t consider myself a writer until I started this book and realized I loved to write.

I first had the idea for Freedom Quest in 2011, but it wasn’t time yet, the story wasn’t ready. I started writing it in 2020 and sometimes I felt like it was controlling me. I was compelled to write this story.

I love to hear and tell stories, and my inspiration to write comes from wanting to relate a good story. I’m plot driven and love to find the irony with a bit of sarcasm bordering on cynicism. But always with a sense of humanity, recognizing ‘la condition humaine.’ We are all on this ride together on Mother Earth and don’t have a clue where we’re going. According to Sartre, humans recognize two things we are unable to change or escape: being in this world and death (leaving it). In these areas, at least, we are all equal.

Many types of art inspire me. A fine musician, athleticism, nature, a Vermeer painting, architecture. I’ve read that many great writers listen to music as they write. I wish I could do that, but I need quiet. I think it might be because I’m a musician and when music plays, my attention is drawn to it.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I left college after two years in a double major: French and dance. I moved to Paris for a year, worked as a jeune fille au pair and studied at L’Institut Catholique, and became fluent in French. When I came back to the States, I decided to focus on my professional career dancing and singing and performed in musical theater and dance troupes, taught tap and jazz dance, and sang in bands.

When I married and started a family, I retired from auditioning and traveling on the road. I started teaching aerobics and became certified as a personal fitness trainer. That was a great way to stay in shape and as an instructor, I was offered free childcare for my two little boys.

Later, my husband and I had a talent agency together in Los Angeles. Working Artists was the first boutique agency to represent post-production and expanded into developing film and television programs.

Later, I went back to college and finished what I had dreamed about since high school. I completed my BA in French and continued on to get a master’s in French. For three years, I taught high school and community college-level French. During the Covid pandemic, I began teaching French classes on Zoom and found it suited my style. I took a break last year to focus on getting Freedom Quest published.

As far as something my readers wouldn’t know about me, I think that is better left unsaid!

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

There’s a big part of publishing my book that is yet to come – the events, book signings, and release parties. I’m looking forward to meeting the readers and having some great discussions. Some of the people who are characters in the book will be participating. The multi-media book events will include looped video and the playlist from the original band.

So far, the most meaningful part was holding the book in my hands. It’s the culmination of six years of my life. Six very fast-moving, turbulent years. Mighty changes that were kicked off by the death of my loved one.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

This book actually does have a soundtrack. The band Freedom Quest existed and the one album they made is streaming on all the music platforms. So, the soundtrack is the Freedom Quest album mixed in with psychedelic rock from the late sixties and early seventies: Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, The Doors, Donovan, and the like.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

That true love does exist, and we might as well enjoy the time we have spinning around in this grand Universe. I guess that’s two things (haha).

The perfect reader would cry tears of sadness and joy at the end of this story.

What creative projects are you currently working on?

I have another novel based on a true story called Keeping Secrets in the works. I’m almost finished with the first draft (I think), but writing takes time and lots of it. And I’ve learned that it’s difficult to know when you’re finished. I think there are always going to be changes until the day it goes to print. It’s the nature of the beast. Does anyone ever re-read something they’ve written without wanting to revise it? Nevertheless, I think Keeping Secrets is almost to the point where I’m ready for feedback.

A second project that I’m really enjoying is I joined a rock n roll band in July last year playing electric bass and singing. We have three voices, guitar, bass, and drums and we get along really well. It’s been a challenge to sing and play bass at the same time, but the band members have been super encouraging. I’ve always been a singer but started playing bass late in life and I finally found my instrument. I love playing bass. The essence of the bass is a combination of rhythm and melody. It has taken the place of dancing for me which is pretty much impossible anymore.

How was working with Atmosphere Press? What would you tell other writers who want to publish?

Since this is my first time publishing, it has been an eye-opener. I thought I was pretty educated in all the steps. I had done a lot of research, read volumes of info, articles, etc. But the process is complicated and until you’ve gone through it, I think it’s pretty hard to understand all the intricate details. Alex Kale, Elana Sederstrom, and everyone at AP have been incredibly responsive to my questions and concerns. I’m very proud of the outcome.

I think the biggest misunderstanding I had was the length of time the entire process would take. And AP is one of the fastest without forfeiting quality. The entire process took nine months – just like a baby (haha)! Now that I have been through it once, I will be better able to handle the process.

There’s a big difference between being a writer and an author. Publishing your work means taking on additional responsibilities like marketing, public speaking, contracts, and negotiations. And the road to publishing is riddled with rejection and false starts. Then, there’s the matter of royalties, or lack thereof. With all this, it’s easy to lose track of writing – why we’re here in the first place.

That said, there are many reasons to publish, but unless you can get an agent or editor to get you in the door to the ‘big five’ publishers, you’ll have three options: self-publishing, hybrid publishing, or getting picked up by a small press.

I queried Freedom Quest to agents on and off for two years. I made the mistake of querying too early. I thought the book was ready, but it wasn’t. Later, I received some encouraging responses from two agents but never signed one. I always told myself not to take rejection seriously, but every time I started the query process, I couldn’t control it and would end up in a funk.

Thanks to my friends at the writers organization OCWW (Off Campus Writers Workshop) in Winnetka, Illinois, I went through beta reading sessions and workshops to hone the manuscript and the results were encouraging. I learned about hybrid press options and decided it was the right fit for me. The developmental editing with AP editor Megan Turner was also valuable. I ended up bringing the primary theme of the book into sharper focus.

I’m excited and proud to be a part of the AP family.

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