Ask the Author: Cay Gould
Answered Questions (9)
Cay Gould
I usually read a bit less in the sumer, except for my beach week. Its so nice out and inviting, I'd rather be outdoors mostly. But I can spend a day easily sitting on a beach and reading. I am currently engrossed in the Tana French Dublin Murder Squad mysteries, so that will take me part way through the summer. I also hope to read at least one of my nightstand books, sitting in wait. I was given a copy of Wanderlust - about the history of walking. Since I love to wander a new place by walking (or strolling, often), I am looking forward to that.
Cay Gould
My life has essentially been that of an ordinary woman growing up and maturing in middle-class America. I have had my share of joys and tragedies, but little mystery. So, the greatest mystery that pops to mind is how one of a pair of socks routinely gets lost in the dryer. I have a difficult time thinking of my life as the subject of any mystery novel plot! One very brief episode however was when my 20-something son received a series of anonymous and threatening phone calls on his cell phone. The caller was warning him, by name, to stay away from his fiancé and outlining varied dire consequences. While my son has a somewhat uncommon name (so we knew the call was not just a miss-dial) and also has his charms, we never did figure out who this person was or how he got my son’s cell phone number or why he thought my son was seducing his fiancé for that matter. I have had that in mind as the seed for a mystery plot ever since.
Cay Gould
The very first thing that popped to mind was Holmes and Watson. They are not what would traditionally be considered a couple, I suppose, but one of the things I love about them is that they bring out the best in each other. You really see Holmes character through Watson's eyes and vice versa. To me, its an ingenious way to connect with the charcters more deeply.
Cay Gould
The idea for Neanderthal Man came from reading a newspaper article about one of the infamous serial killers (I am not sure I remember which one) and being astounded that it took 20 or more years for him to be caught. I wondered how that happens. Surely someone among all the people he interacted with over the years must have noticed something disturbing, yet no one stepped up and said something to any authority. So, this led to a story, drawn a bit from one of my own college experiences, about a serial killer who has not yet killed his first victim. He moves in with a group of other students and his psychosis begins to fully blossom. Gradually, his housemates recognize he is dangerous, but fail to act on their suspicions.
Cay Gould
I am always inspired to write but not always motivated to do the work. Giving myself goals and deadlines is how I deal with that inertia. Since childhood I have been the student with the most ideas written down on little scraps of paper, only some of which find their way to an actual product!
Cay Gould
I have a new novel in the works. My novels each revolve around a question that intrigues me. So, each one is very different. This one is about the relationship of contemporary men and women to their land; what is the attachment all about and why is it so powerful? I have a professional career as a land use/community planner and have met so many different property owners with so many different aspirations for their land. Too, every parcel is part of a larger jig saw puzzle of development. The complexity of this is fascinating. So, my protangonist is a town planner in a small New England community dealing with a local founding family with 4 siblings who inherited land from the matriarch and the personal and broader community conflicts that arise from that.
Cay Gould
I am an aspiring writer!! My advice is to just keep at it and keep thinking of how to do it better every time you sit down to write. Read the writers you most admire and learn from them.
Cay Gould
That's a tough one. Its very personal - because writing is both very solitary and very collaborative. In the end, we share much of ourselves with our readers which can be both great and awful. For me though it is about feeding my urge to create something and communicate something. The best thing is that writing scratches that itch. There is a real adrenaline thrill for me of putting my thoughts down and exposing them and the discovery that happens as I figure out where a story is going.
Cay Gould
I have a couple of approaches to this. Writer's block for me comes from some ambivalence about the plot or other element of the work. I try to figure out what that ambivalence is all about and resolve that with self-conversation before coming back to the manuscript. Sometimes, too, it helps to sleep on it - literally. I think through the plot and characters as I am falling asleep and just put the work down for a day - committing to pick it back up by a specific date. When I take a fresh look, I see things in a new way. Finally - sometimes, I just keep writing. I committ to 2 pages and ignore whether it is 'good enough' or not. I can always go back and edit - I try to keep that in mind - just getting something on paper can jiggle things loose.
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