Ask the Author: Corrie Brundage
Answered Questions (5)
Corrie Brundage
I try to have vivid dreams every night. That seems to spark something for me.
Corrie Brundage
Editing! Such a drag. I'd much rather be sitting down at my computer and letting things flow with a new draft, but I gotta do what I gotta do.
Corrie Brundage
Living in pajamas but still feeling like I accomplished something most days. Can't beat that!
Corrie Brundage
I'm not sure I've ever had it! I certainly lack motivation at times, or just deal with brain fog. But no real "block" yet. However, if I did, I'd take up the methods that veteran writers usually prescribe for themselves like meditation.
Corrie Brundage
My first inkling of an idea for The Eaters came in a dream I had when I was 13 years old. I remember waking up from this intensely plot driven dream thinking, “Wow, that would make a good book!” I even attempted to write it down in a school notebook but soon abandoned it for more pressing teenage problems. Flash forward some 20 years, to December of 2013. I was bored, lacking motivation and feeling like I wasn’t contributing to my life or society. I recall being in the shower when I thought again, as I had occasionally over the years, that I should write a book. I didn’t major in writing or English in college, so I had no real world experience. I was good at long social media rants and gossipy emails to my friends, however.
While I was maniacally exfoliating my skin and deep conditioning my hair, I thought to myself that a heroine as neurotic as me might be fun to pen. The dream I’d had as a kid resurfaced, and needless to say that particular shower took even longer than the usual hour. I began to flesh things out within the plot, adding details, creating characters. I wanted to include themes that were relevant to me, and to the world, like climate change, animal welfare, relationships. I knew the plot would have to move quickly, so a dash of drama and danger had to be in there. I’m also pretty sure I was dieting at the time, because food plays a big role in the book. Within a few days’ time I had asked several people whether my idea seemed interesting enough to attempt to put to paper. The answer was yes. So I just sat down one snowy morning and started typing. No outline to work from; I didn’t even know what those were. Within about a month I had my first draft. Initially I had written a very long beginning to the novel which I drastically cut down. One of my dearest friends in the world, Tom Marshall, began reading what I had, and he immediately encouraged me to continue the process. A lot of editing and a WORLD of help later, here we are.
The Eaters was my first book to be completed that year, and I went on to write 4 more within about 12 months. Most of my ideas come as I’m doing something utterly banal, like folding laundry or yes, exfoliating. But now and then I’ll get one in a dream, like I did when I was a knobby-kneed, angst-y kid.
While I was maniacally exfoliating my skin and deep conditioning my hair, I thought to myself that a heroine as neurotic as me might be fun to pen. The dream I’d had as a kid resurfaced, and needless to say that particular shower took even longer than the usual hour. I began to flesh things out within the plot, adding details, creating characters. I wanted to include themes that were relevant to me, and to the world, like climate change, animal welfare, relationships. I knew the plot would have to move quickly, so a dash of drama and danger had to be in there. I’m also pretty sure I was dieting at the time, because food plays a big role in the book. Within a few days’ time I had asked several people whether my idea seemed interesting enough to attempt to put to paper. The answer was yes. So I just sat down one snowy morning and started typing. No outline to work from; I didn’t even know what those were. Within about a month I had my first draft. Initially I had written a very long beginning to the novel which I drastically cut down. One of my dearest friends in the world, Tom Marshall, began reading what I had, and he immediately encouraged me to continue the process. A lot of editing and a WORLD of help later, here we are.
The Eaters was my first book to be completed that year, and I went on to write 4 more within about 12 months. Most of my ideas come as I’m doing something utterly banal, like folding laundry or yes, exfoliating. But now and then I’ll get one in a dream, like I did when I was a knobby-kneed, angst-y kid.
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