Interviewed by Charlee Compo for The Royal Scribe
Name:
Dicksie Dudeney (and yes, it is my real name.)
Genre in which you prefer to write
Dark Fantasy or Horror
Your publishing credits: (Title, ISBN, Publisher, Release Date)
Blood Rose, ISBN 1-58124-590-4, will be available from The Fiction Works.
Also, The Lonely Snowman, ISBN 1-58338-363-8, is now available from Crossroads Publishing.
The prologue of my current work in progress, Feast of the Inimical Spirits,
was published as a short story by "Fantasy, Folklore and Fairytales"
on November 1, 1999. The title is "The Naiad and the Chaste Warrior."
I was also a contributor to the cookbook, Conjuring Dark Delicacies,
which just sold out. The cookbook was a benefit project for the NEVA Foundation,
a small non-profit group that rescues lost, abused or abandoned dogs and tries
to place them in loving homes. The recipes came from the Who’s Who of the Horror
Community, including Stephen King, Clive Barker, Tim Curry (the actor) and of
course, yours truly.
What's Coming up next:
A short story titled "Death's Head." It is set
to appear in the Anthology, Extremes: Darkest Africa, which will be published in 2001
by Lone Wolf Publications. Also, A horror novel titled Feast of the Inimical Spirits.
Your favorite authors:
Mark Twain, John Sandford, Jeffery Deaver, J.K. Rowling, Dave Barry, and for
sheer elegance, Peter Straub (although I often don’t care for his stories.)
1. At what moment did you decide
you wanted to craft words as your main focus in life?
When I wrote my first "book." I was 6, and in the first grade.
2. What prompted you to write
in the genre you do?
As a very small child, my favorite fairy tale was Beauty and the Beast. I dearly
loved the tale, but after learning how Madame de Beaumont ended her story, I
mentally rewrote it, having the monster be spared, but still remaining a monster.
After all, I’d fallen in love with him that way and I didn’t want him to be
changed back. Then I discovered "monster" movies which I watched
religiously on the Saturday night Creature Features on TV. But I was always
saddened because the monster never won the fight or the girl. I suppose I set
out to change that.
3. What obstacles did you have
to overcome to begin creating your work?
Procrastination was a big one. So was learning to "write tight."
4. Who influenced you the most
in deciding to become a writer?
I was never really influenced. It was just something I did – or rather – had to do.
5. Who has been the hardest to
convince you are serious about your craft?
Other than the publishing world, you mean? Actually, I was one of the lucky ones.
Growing up, I don’t think my parents thought I would stay with it, but they
never discouraged me. And later, my husband and children believed in me and
encouraged me all the way.
6. What, if anything, is the
one thing that has caused you the most heartache in accomplishing your dream?
Not heartache, but sadness.
Once I was unhappily married and I dreamed of a paladin who would bring
happiness and laughter into my world. I fantasized about this imaginary man, and
like most writers, transformed him into a character in the book that was to
become Blood Rose. He was tall and dark and handsome, but more importantly,
he was honest and kind and capable of great selflessness. And for no reason I
could explain, when he became the hero of my book, it was imperative that he be
15 years older than the heroine.
Time passed and I chose to leave my marriage. It was a difficult period but a
new person came into my life and he became my best friend. He wasn’t tall or
dark, and although I liked his face very much, he wasn’t what you would call
classically handsome. But he was honest and kind and capable of great
selflessness. And he was fifteen years older than I.
That man was my dearest friend, and the one who always believed in me, even when
I doubted. He became my husband, and although he wasn’t the biological parent
of my children, he became their father. He was my soulmate and the love of my
life. But in 1995, I lost him to cancer. My great disappointment is that he
wasn’t able to see me reach the dream he helped build, or to recognize himself
as Miguel/Ramon in Blood Rose.
7. What has brought you the
greatest joy in seeing your dream of publishing fullfilled?
Publication itself. For me, it’s a validation.
8. In what direction would you
like to see your work take you? (print, movies, audio, etc.)
Definitely all of the above. But since I’m visually oriented, movies would be
a real thrill.
9. If you could 'cast' your
book(s), whom would you like to see in the lead roles?
That’s a difficult question. I haven’t been to the theater in years, but I do
watch old movies on TV. In Blood Rose, I think Miguel/Ramon would look
great deal like Ricardo Montalban when he was young — but much, much taller.
Perhaps a bigger, beefier, darker Ricky Martin could fill the bill today. And
Carmen/Ann would look a lot like Linda Darnell — only much shorter. From today’s
leading ladies, Jane Seymour is a possibility, if you could imagine her with
raven hair and dark, flashing eyes.
In the book I’m working on now, Feast of the Inimical Spirits, I can’t
imagine anyone but Robert Mitchum as the lead. In fact, he’s so set in my mind,
I named the hero after him — Mitch Lovejoy.
10. If you were asked to pick a
musical score, type of music, or song that would speak for your work, what
would you choose?
The theme from Man of La Mancha — Impossible Dream.
11. Do you have an inspirational
picture, photo or saying that you look to when you are depressed or have a
terminal case of "writer's block"? Will you share it with us?
It’s from Guillaume Apollinaire.
"Come to the edge," he said.
They said, "We are afraid."
"Come to the edge," he said.
They came. He pushed them…
And they flew.
12. What is your philosophy of
writing? (dogged determination until the wee hours; take a break and have a
cookie then get back to it; write when the mood hits)
In the early days, my philosophy as well as my lifestyle was definitely dogged
determination until the wee hours. As time progressed, I realized that a duel
to the death wasn’t always the most efficient way to get the words down. Now,
when the going gets tough, I take a small break. Timewise, it always proves more
efficient, and the fresh perspective it creates often leads to unexpected
improvements. As for mood or inspiration, that’s not a commodity any serious
writer depends on.
13. What gets your creative
juices flowing?
It can be almost anything. A sunrise, a smell, a picture, the rain, a flower,
the way a tree grows, the way one person looks at another, a snip of conversation
accidentally overheard.
14. What will stop your creative muse the quickest?
Bad news.
15. If you could be anything
other than a human, what would you be and why?
I’d probably be a manatee. They’re not terribly attractive, but they’re gentle
and loving and they harm nothing.
16. If you could be anything
other than a writer, what would your second choice be?
A chef.
17. If you were to wake one
morning unable to write ever again, describe how you think you would react.
What might you do with all the creative instincts you could no longer loose?
There is no question, I would become a chef. Cooking is what I do when I’m
anxious or stuck or bored. When I’m unable to write, either because I don’t
know what happens next or I’m conflicted about something in my life or work, I
create new dishes. And when I’m angry, there’s nothing quite like the therapy
of kneading a good stiff bread dough.
18. Imagine your fairy godmother
were to wave her magic wand and bestow a million dollars upon your bank account.
What would you do with the money and why?
Assuming that’s a million after taxes, I expect I’d invest it. That way I could
live comfortably for the rest of my life and keep on writing.
19. Who would you love most to
meet 'in person' and why?
Mark Twain. His irascible nature, keen intelligence and acidic wit delight me
to no end. But even more, his deft writing style quite literally makes me pea
green with envy. For a better explanation I recommend "A Glimpse at Eve’s
Diary." In a single line at the end of the slyly humorous piece, he
transforms what appears to be a sexist and derogatory diatribe on the failings
of women into a tender and loving essay that manages to convey his true feelings.
If I could but write like that…
20. Finally, name the one thing
in life you do not at this moment possess, but wish to have with all your heart.
How would you go about making your wish come true?
There are no “things” I desire. My true wants are mostly intangibles. But a
writing career that could support me in the style to which I’d like to become
accustomed ranks high on my list. As for making it happen, the recipe is writing.
And remembering that it’s not the destination that matters — it’s the journey.
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