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An Interview with Deborah Trahan

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After nearly twenty years of teaching secondary English, I made good on a challenge I’d issued myself years ago: to write the book I most wanted to read! I’m blessed to live along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast and cannot write until I’ve walked my favorite stretch of beach and collected my daily quota of oyster shells.



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

I love this question! My book’s working title, The Phantom Wife, changed midway through revisions. Honestly, it was not an easy decision, though I knew it was necessary. The MC is Suzanne, and she IS an enchantress. While Addy is the phantom wife, her character, her voice, does not represent the story’s primary focus.

Then, there’s the additional issue of a book title reflecting its genre. By removing “phantom” from the title, the book’s identity morphed beyond its limitation as a paranormal novel to embrace the fantasy and historical genres too.

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

I was overwhelmed! Really, I may have teared up a bit. When you see your book cover for the first time, you immediately recognize that all the rewrites, sleepless nights trying to make a scene work, and endless copy edits have been worth it. It’s a reality check. There’s no going back now!

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

From a very young age, I imagined myself as a reporter. One of the first school-day memories I hold dear involves an interview with a reporter for The Courier-Journal. She asked what I most wanted to do with my life. My answer? “Well, I want to visit the moon, of course, so I can tell others about what it’s like up there.”

I was heavily influenced by my English teachers in both high school and college, particularly by Mr. Wolf, the sponsor of our high school paper, The Aeriel. Through his guidance, I honed my feature writing skills.

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

I’ve worked in public relations for a New Orleans hospital, reported for two newspapers in the New Orleans area, and taught secondary students AP and honors English. My favorite role as an English educator was working with Southeastern Louisiana University as a dual enrollment instructor so students could earn their English composition 101 and 102 credits while still in high school.

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

I’m a goal-setter, so accomplishing a demanding and unique goal proved to be the most meaningful aspect of publishing. Lots of folks say they’re writing “a book,” but the number of writers who see it through to professional publishing, well, they’re few and far between. I did not want to announce a significant plan and fail to see it through.

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

Funny you should ask this question! I’ve weaved several song titles through the novel to create a mood, warn of conflict, or reflect irony. For example, the chapters focusing on the 1940s mention several big band sounds of the time, the wartime favorites of the day, like “It Had to Be You” and “Bugle Call Rag.”

As for the current time, the MC, Suzanne, is a Stevie Nicks fan, so several Fleetwood Mac songs are highlighted, such as “The Chain.” On the other hand, Max likes Steve Tyler, so Arrowsmith’s “Dude Looks Like a Lady” comes into play. So, the novel’s playlist is a mix, even including Frank Sinatra’s “The Best is Yet to Come” during a pivotal scene near the book’s end.

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

In keeping with its fantasy/paranormal vibe, I hope readers will consider the afterlife—the concept of eternity—in a different light: while they may feel lonely and lost following the death of a beloved person, they are not alone, for spirits linger and often surround us for a lifetime.

I also hope that female readers, in particular, will feel inspired to chase their dreams against all odds—against the limitations placed in their path by family members, disguised as well-intentioned.

What new writing projects are you currently working on? Or, other projects that are not writing?

I’ve started writing the next novel, which focuses on a New Orleans madam who manages a Storyville brothel in the early 1900s (an area in the city where legalized prostitution was legit). There’s at least one ghostly element involved, probably more, to be honest. I love, love, love the early days of constructing a novel.

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

No other publishing engine resembles Atmosphere Press. Consider this: an author maintains artistic autonomy when working with this publishing house. There’s guidance, naturally, because Atmosphere is staffed by professionals at the top of their game. With Atmosphere, the integrity of your work is maintained. These folks aren’t interested in changing you or your book—they’re here to help you discover the best within you.


Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.

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Atmosphere Press is a selective hybrid publisher founded in 2015 on the principles of Honesty, Transparency, Professionalism, Kindness, and Making Your Book Awesome. Our books have won dozens of awards and sold tens of thousands of copies. If you’re interested in learning more, or seeking publication for your own work, please explore the links below.