Ask the Author: Ariella Cohen
Answered Questions (7)
Ariella Cohen
Thanks for reaching out, Phoebe! Good luck on the Giveaway! And thanks for wanting to read (and 'visit' Amberley)! The novel's available in a lot of libraries so you should be able to get your hands on a copy.
All the best,
Ariella
All the best,
Ariella
Ariella Cohen
I'm revising my debut YA novel for a U.S. publisher and writing a follow-up book to Sweet Breath of Memory. I'm also working on the first in an historical series set in Yorkist England (I'm a member of the UK's Richard III Society).
Ariella Cohen
Inspiration has never been a problem; I always wanted to be a writer. My mom was a single parent (and a writer) and she worked around the clock. From the time my sister and I could reach the sink, we did the dishes. Reach the stove, we cooked. You get the picture. On my 16th birthday I went down to the town hall for my work permit and worked at different jobs every hour legally permitted from then on. Don't misunderstand me - no boohoo here. I just did my part, but I pushed thoughts of art to the back of my mind, convinced I had to train for a 'real' job so I wouldn't be in my mom's position. So I went to Columbia Univ. and then on to law school, all the while writing bit and pieces, but never a novel. I shared my writing from time to time and the wonderful Elie Wiesel offered encouragement. As much as I kept his note close, it took years for my first novels to make it to the page. SO inspiration wasn't the problem, I just took a very long road to actually getting the thing done!
Ariella Cohen
I wanted to explore how sisters-in-arms (those who mother, marry & mourn warriors) are the silent casualties of war. So often we women don't tell our stores - don't think they are worth telling. BUT THEY ARE. The novel's tag line, Life is in the telling, sums this up. I think we all need to tell our stories - to our sisters and friends, the men in our lives, and to society. This isn't self-obsession; women's stories are a vital part of human history (herstory).
Ariella Cohen
Petting cats does wonders. Gardening or anything physically challenging. Watching a good movie or listening to music. Reading, but not novels. But cats top the list. And cannolis. And coffee, of course.
Ariella Cohen
Working in PJs at two in the morning.
Okay, seriously now, i'ts creating something from nothing. That's the hardest thing AND the best. It's so scary to stare at a blank screen while your characters pester you to tell their stories. And as much as you might think speaking in the voice of fictional characters is sort of a screen writers can hide behind, it actually strips you to the bone. I've had many careers - in finance, as a lawyer - but this is the only one that's taken me so far from my comfort zone. Maybe it's perverse, but that's what I like.
Okay, seriously now, i'ts creating something from nothing. That's the hardest thing AND the best. It's so scary to stare at a blank screen while your characters pester you to tell their stories. And as much as you might think speaking in the voice of fictional characters is sort of a screen writers can hide behind, it actually strips you to the bone. I've had many careers - in finance, as a lawyer - but this is the only one that's taken me so far from my comfort zone. Maybe it's perverse, but that's what I like.
Ariella Cohen
I know everyone says this, but it's true: KEEP AT IT. Listen to your characters & trust yourself (as Emerson says!). After receiving rejection emails, spending a few moments with good friends Ben & Jerry is okay - so long as you write while you eat! Remember that no one can tell the stories that fill your heart but you. Give those characters a voice and set them free. You can do it! A final word about agents; as much as they can be wonderful, I sold my debut without an agent. It's harder to do this, but not impossible.
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