Ask the Author: Maxime Trencavel
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Maxime Trencavel
I am a thinker, ponder, and traveler. These predilections reflect in my writing which is intricate, complex, and plot driven—a narrative taking the reader around the globe and through time—both forwards and backwards.
Often my inspirations come from my hikes. Either in nature or through cities and countries I visit. I visit cities, towns, and villages around the globe soaking in the culture, the religion, the ethos, and of course, the food. All of these are stimuli for thinking and pondering. I could be hiking while listening to an audio recording of authors talking about the craft of writing which will stimulate thoughts on how I can rewrite a passage or chapter.
So I start with being a plotter. Yes, I have this huge spreadsheet that mapped out The Matriarch Matrix, which reviewers either liked for its complex, intricate plot, or really disliked it. But once I’m in front of a keyboard, I’m a panser and all sorts of things come out of my fingers within the framework of that chapter. I might do research on interesting ideas that come up spontaneously during the pansing process and there we go to somewhere else. I might have to rewrite another chapter based on the spontaneous ideas that come out which affect the plot and characters.
Good thing for my alpha and beta readers and a great editor who reel some of this back in. But the “within chapter pansing” is where the sheer inner creativity and genius shines through. I listened to a podcast with a well-published author who said he didn’t worry about what he was writing on the first draft. Just let it out. Then fix it or re-craft it on the edits. And so I found the editing process was six times longer than the creation process. But the creativity was not stifled in making that first draft happen.
Often my inspirations come from my hikes. Either in nature or through cities and countries I visit. I visit cities, towns, and villages around the globe soaking in the culture, the religion, the ethos, and of course, the food. All of these are stimuli for thinking and pondering. I could be hiking while listening to an audio recording of authors talking about the craft of writing which will stimulate thoughts on how I can rewrite a passage or chapter.
So I start with being a plotter. Yes, I have this huge spreadsheet that mapped out The Matriarch Matrix, which reviewers either liked for its complex, intricate plot, or really disliked it. But once I’m in front of a keyboard, I’m a panser and all sorts of things come out of my fingers within the framework of that chapter. I might do research on interesting ideas that come up spontaneously during the pansing process and there we go to somewhere else. I might have to rewrite another chapter based on the spontaneous ideas that come out which affect the plot and characters.
Good thing for my alpha and beta readers and a great editor who reel some of this back in. But the “within chapter pansing” is where the sheer inner creativity and genius shines through. I listened to a podcast with a well-published author who said he didn’t worry about what he was writing on the first draft. Just let it out. Then fix it or re-craft it on the edits. And so I found the editing process was six times longer than the creation process. But the creativity was not stifled in making that first draft happen.
Maxime Trencavel
A couple of years ago, I read a news story about an archaeological site in Southern Turkey. Perhaps the oldest sanctuary in the world. Perhaps the first site of organized religion. The site is Gobekli Tepe, created around 9600 BCE, long before the Giza Pyramids. These ideas caught my attention as the basis for a book. But a I continued to read archaeological thrillers, I thought everything that could be written has already been written. But then as what happens in life, a "sea change" came upon my world and I found the time to write a book about a patriarchy that started in 9600 BCE at Gobekli Tepe and whose influence extended through modern times through their descendants. And as I mapped out the plot, a trusted associate challenged me to change the idea to a matriarchy. As what happens in the writing process, the story evolved into something unlike anything I had ever read before. In the first of three rounds of beta readers deployed to help shape the book over 9 months of editing, this one reader's comment inspired me that there was something to the story. The inspiration to bring this book into reality, into the market. I am looking forward to see if other readers outside of my alpha and beta reader groups find the same in this book.
Q: Is the story unique and interesting?
A: Yes, I found the story both very unique and interesting. I’ve never read anything like it before.
Q. Does the story deliver on its premise?
A. If the premise you’re going for is to follow your destiny and do what is right, I would say you nailed it.
Q. As a reader, did you enjoy the story?
A. Yes, I did enjoy the story. I loved the dynamic of the affliction in both modern times and when it originated. Very unique and cool how you did that.
Q: Is the story unique and interesting?
A: Yes, I found the story both very unique and interesting. I’ve never read anything like it before.
Q. Does the story deliver on its premise?
A. If the premise you’re going for is to follow your destiny and do what is right, I would say you nailed it.
Q. As a reader, did you enjoy the story?
A. Yes, I did enjoy the story. I loved the dynamic of the affliction in both modern times and when it originated. Very unique and cool how you did that.
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