Pieces of Me

Sometimes people ask me which character I wrote who is most like me, and I always answer "Desi", but the truth is, I see myself in all my female main characters. I've read other authors say they don't write themselves into their characters—and others who say the exact opposite. Personally, I think it's impossible for me to separate myself from my point of view (or main) character.

"Every aspect of a writer's soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind, is written large in his works." —Virginia Woolf

That's not to say they're ALL me—heck, no! Sometimes they're the me I wish I could be (like Minnie), or the me I'm afraid I was as a girl (Miri), or the me I was before I found redemption (Desi). Sometimes, they only hold pieces of me, but if you look closely enough, you can begin to put them all together.

I wonder if you did that, if you—or I—would then know the real me? Because there are so many parts to who I am that I'm not even sure I know them all.

My non-writing friends think I'm crazy when I talk about stuff like this, but I have a feeling my readers would understand. I think you come to my books because of their authenticity, because the emotions and character growth feel real. I work hard to achieve that, but a lot of it's accidental. Just another piece of me.

Still, if you're ever wondering who I am—read my books.