Alexandra Everist

I am very pleased to have been able to interview Alexandra Everist, author of several books. Her latest is A Katrina Moment which deals with New Orleans in their catastrophe following Hurricane Katrina. I want to discuss this book first, Alexandra.

Mike> Did you live in New Orleans and hence the concept for the book?

AE> I am not from New Orleans, but have volunteered for various agencies in New Orleans, most recently with Hands On New Orleans in conjunction with Americorps. My novel is fictionalized account based on information I received from other volunteers and survivors.

Mike> Interesting. Can you tell us a bit about the story?

AE> "A Katrina Moment" is a tale of prejudice and how it destroys lives, both for the victim and the people who believe in it. The title is symbolic of a moment in time when people need each other and the evil of prejudiice disappears.

Mike> That was a time of both heros and villains, to be sure. How long did it take you to write Katrina?

AE> It took about a year and a half to write. In one way, it was easier to write (than first book) since I did not need to make sure events were 100% factual. In another, since there was no need to complete it in a specific timeframe, it was harder to keep on track. I made sure to allot at least some time each day to either research or writing.

Mike> Now tell us about your first book.

AE> "No Place to Call Home" tells the story of my father's experiences during WWII, from the time he was captured by the Soviets and placed in the Soviet gulag to the end of the war when his homeland was given away and he had no place to go home. It shows how people need to work together in order to survive.

Mike> That sounds like a big job. How long did that one take to write?

AE> "No Place to Call Home" took me six years to write. It was critical to make sure any information in the book was absolutely correct. So I had to do intensive research. I was determined to make sure it would be released in my father's lifetime. That determination kept me focussed upon its completion.

Mike> Did your Father collaborate with you in the research or writing?

AE> My father and I wrote the book together. Initially, it was a story told by him. But after numerous rejections, I realized it needed to be a story about him. I could say so much more when it was in my words. I ended up getting two offers from publishing companies after I revised it.

Mike> Excellent. When writing, do you begin with the premise or begin with a lesson or moral issue to write around?

AE> Since each of my books present a moral dilemna, I begin with a situation that exposes a problem. Then I look for the symbolic value of each event in the story to blend into the message I am attempting to convey.

Mike> Wonderful. Thank you for these two stories. I appeciate your taking the time for this interview, and good luck with your books. By the way, folks can visit Alexandra's own web page at www.alexandraeverist.com

E. W. Richardson

MR> Allow me to introduce E.W.Richardson, poet and author. His latest book of poems is Conjunctions of Invisible Breath. Let's begin by asking what the E. W. stand for.

EW> E.W. is for Ernest Wayne. I chose to use my initials for all
published venues as it fits better in print.

MR> You are a poet but you have also written, in your own words, 'everything from humor to erotica'. Where do see a 'best fit' for your future writing?

EW> Determining a “best fit” for my writing is not easy. I tend to
write on a wide range of subjects, both in poetry and fiction. Poetry
is what gives me my biggest rush, as far as writing, although I do
love spinning a good short story. In both venues, poetry and fiction,
the possibilities are endless, as far as self-expression by an
author. If there is a best fit, it would have to be theme…all of my
writing, whether poetry or fiction, from the humorous to the erotic
is about the relationship of things…that mysterious, sometimes
happy, sometimes sad, sometimes beautiful sometimes ugly interplay of
experience. It is these things, big and small, good and bad that form
the foundations of our existence.

MR> Do you use a particular technique for writing longer work, such as outlines?

EW> I have specific ways of writing, depending on whether it is
fiction or poetry. Fiction is always done with an outline, to insure
that characters are fully developed and time lines are proper. With
poetry, it depends on the type or style of verse. Free verse I just
let flow, a stream of consciousness thing. Form verse takes bit more
work and are more challenging, do the parameters of a specific form.
Whether free verse or form, nearly all of my verse is written with
music playing, specifically, blues and jazz…and when I am working
in a romantic/erotic theme, it is always blues and jazz.

MR> Are you working on something right now that you would like to tell us about?

EW> I have several irons in the fire so to speak. There is a
collection of my romantic/erotic verse that is being looked at by a
publisher at this writing. I have two other poetry collections,
collaborations, which are in the mill. Most exciting to me, is a
collection of short stories, that I hope to have complete and to a
publisher this fall. It is a sampler of the types of fiction I write
and will be titled, aptly, Mulligan Stew.

MR> With poems, do you begin with an overall idea, or work a line at a time?

EW> When writing poetry, for me, it always begins with an idea, a
moment of inspiration. Once that occurs, then I decide on how to
present it. Sometimes the moment dictates the form, other times, I
choose to present it within a specific form both as a challenge and
for its effect.

MR> Which of your writings is your personal favorite, that you are most happy with?

EW> I have written really good fiction, but it is still the poetry
that is my favorite. I feel it allows me to touch a reader on a more
personal level. I do not have a favorite, individual piece of verse
though. There a pieces that I have been and still am proud of for
various reasons, but each piece is so unique, it cannot be compared
to another. However, of all my poetry, if asked which I especially
like, it would have to be those written in the tanka form.

I have had the opportunity to talk to many poets over the years, of
all levels of experience. There is one bit of advice I often give,
especially to those just beginning to find their own voice in
verse…read as much as you write and never let yourself be hindered
by popular belief. Free verse is good but so is form verse. To truly
understand where your verse is going, take time to find out where it
has been.

MR> Erny, thanks for visiting with me. I know your work can be enjoyed on authorsden.com and can be purchased on amazon.com, lulu.com, and Barnes & Noble.