My fiction carries an emotional subtext. I let my characters live on the page and keep my writer-self out of the way.
The writing tells no lessons and pushes no messages. It tries for goodness and lands in the vicinity of hope.
I came to writing fiction with training in poetry. Critical to craft is voice. The sound in my prose, more rhythmic than lyrical, drives the narrative.
I go toward difficult subjects; it takes courage. I’m hopelessly drawn to flawed characters, and crank conflict by throwing barriers in front of what they want.
This way, I find out what is true for them, and the story as a whole, even if that truth is different than logical truth.
—Mary
