It’s time to take a look at another new release! Come on, those who know my Jung kick, love of mythological archetypes, and such should know that I’d be all over this book. I also have a special love for Persephone, poetry, and creative nonfiction in general, so as soon as I saw the title, I was all in.
We’re talking to author Corinne Desjardins today, but first, let’s take a look at her book Persephone & Me.
Title: Persephone & Me
Author: Corinne Desjardins
Published: December 10th, 2013
Genre: Women’s Poetry
Recommended Age: 16+
Synopsis:
A poetry collection following my youthful fascination with Persephone and how she came to haunt me. I saw her constellation of characters within my own family and my own life. Ultimately, describing what I learned from the goddess.
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SJ: Every writer has some sort of process. Give us a glimpse into yours. Do you meticulously outline? Do you write depending on what calls are out there?
CD: I write poetry as a means of reflecting and processing, so I happened to have a bunch of poems that just seemed to fall naturally into the structure. I have outlined two other projects, started them both, and then deviated from said outlines.
SJ: Bonus question – Do you put on a cape and do a chant before hunkering down to work? Sacrifice anything? Along with your process, what’s your quirkiest writing habit?
CD: I wish I had a cape! That would be so cool. Mine would be a warm red, like Little Red Riding Hood!
I did stop watching an entertaining TV series a few years ago, and I haven’t looked back.
SJ: Are you a meticulous planner or do you believe in the muse? Where do your ideas come from? Do they filter in through your dreams? Do they show up at inopportune times and whap you upside the head? Do they result in a shady deal with a dark power?
CD: I am not a planner at heart, I’ve only learnt to do some amount of planning for basic time management. I often get random ideas from some quirk of television or some other thing. I suppose I do have some shady deal with my personal Hades, since I tasted the pomegranate seeds of marriage. But I have come to understand Hades as not evil, just misunderstood (and socially challenged due to his lack of interaction with people of life.)
SJ: If you could only write one genre ever again upon pain of being sacrificed to Cthulhu, what would it be and why?
CD: ChickLit, because ultimately I don’t want to be depressed. And ChickLit is always funny. It’s important to celebrate the humor in life.
SJ: What’s your biggest frustration as a writer? What do you consider the downside, or is there one? Is there any cliché that makes you want to wring people’s necks?
CD: Time. There just doesn’t ever seem to be enough time, or the writing/editing process just takes so much longer than anticipated. Writing a novel in 30 days, a compellingly good novel, just isn’t feasible. Don’t get me wrong, I applaud NaNoWriMo, but I have never actually completed a novel during November, because, Life Happens. I have had much more success with Camp NaNoWriMo in other months, choosing my own genre and word count goal.
SJ: If you had to be stuck in one of your own books/stories for the rest of your life, what would it be and why? If you had to stick a loved one in one of your own books, what would it be and why? An enemy?
CD: I am already kind of stuck in this book, being that it’s the creative non-fiction version of my life! I wouldn’t want to be stuck in the Black section, however, that would be depressing. I might put an enemy in there, though. It does kind of feel like a dungeon. Maybe they can learn from their time there.
SJ: Do you think it’s possible to develop a sure-fire recipe/formula for success as a writer? Would you want to, or does that compromise the art or the fun of it?
CD: I think the best stories are ones with a character arc of personal development and growth. There are different ways of highlighting this arc: hero’s journey, literary alchemy, the Pyramid, it’s all good.
SJ: Everyone has words of wisdom for young writers, so I’m not going to ask you about that. With a few unknown writers becoming success stories, a lot of people seem to think it’s an easy career choice. What would your words of wisdom be to these people?
CD: It’s not easy. Mostly I write because I have to. I’m not doing it for the money. And I do hope that my story resonates with other women, and maybe they may become inspired to write their own stories, too.
SJ: It seems like everyone likes to gang up on certain genres as being inferior, less meaningful, or cheap entertainment (especially if it’s speculative in nature). Make a case for the genre you write.
CD: Creative Non-Fiction allows for therapeutic reflection and invites a new perspective or framework of understanding. It’s healing. Poetry evokes the soul, of both the writer and the reader. It’s a mystical connection which we all crave.
SJ: What do you want people to instantly think of when they hear your name or your work mentioned?
CD: “That’s the book that made me consider my own life story, and made me realize that I could write my own book!”
SJ: Please tell us about your latest/favorite work or a little bit about what you’re working on right now. It’s plug time, so go for it!
CD: I’m working on a novel called The Persephone Connection- it will be indirectly related to Persephone & Me in that the archetypes interact. It is the second in this non-linear trilogy. This is taking a long time, it may be out sometime next year.
About the Author:
I am a writer. I love stories. I love to read. I love to write. Also love coffee, chocolate, and Merlot.
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Thank you so much for this interview! I loved your questions!