----------Interview by Renee Roberson
WOW: Congratulations on your win, Dawn, and we are excited to learn more about your work and writing process. “Fifty Ways” uses a Paul Simon song as a hook for your short story about a woman trapped in an abusive marriage. Have there ever been any other songs that inspired your creative work?
Dawn: I generally like quiet when I'm writing, but in the car I frequently catch a snatch of a song that resonates with me, and I have a notebook and pen in the car to record those moments of inspiration. Such a note might wait for days or years before being used, but one song I remember being inspired by is "Dancing with a Stranger" by Sam Smith, and my most recent note says "Many wait a lifetime for a moment like this..." No idea what the song is but that line speaks to the romantic in me.
WOW: I think that may be "A Moment Like This" by Kelly Clarkson. Great song! You write in variety of genres, from short stories to books for children and romance novels. How do you decide which project to focus on at any given time?
Dawn: I'm tempted to reply "Focus? What's that?" LOL! I currently have three unfinished novels waiting patiently in the wings while I give my attention to whatever nips hardest at my heels, usually those projects with deadlines. I'm definitely deadline driven. But sometimes - usually in the middle of the night - a new line or title or plot will present itself and demand to be written. Thankfully I've learned to compromise by drafting notes for the new story and filing them until time allows.
WOW: I love the part of your bio where you said you began dipping into your mother’s book club selections from a young age. What were some of the titles that influenced your desire to become a writer?
Dawn: That was a lo-ong time ago, but one title stays with me even now, "This Rough Magic" by Mary Stewart. I even remember how my heart raced when the two main characters... dare I say it?... kissed! I'm not sure if it influenced me to be a writer, but it certainly made a reader out of me. I've read everything Mary Stewart ever wrote, and I think her Crystal Cave series introduced me to fantasy. But the writer who really set me on the writer's road was Stephen King, not only his novels (which I love) but also his "On Writing" which taught me much about the craft.
WOW: So many of us writers have pets that keep us company, and if we’re to be honest, distract us every chance they get! Do you have any funny stories about your own cat, Honey?
Dawn: I think every writer who is owned by a cat has this story - I turned my back for two seconds and came back to find a paragraph of hyyyyyyyyyyyyyygtfffffffffffffffff... Honey is enthusiastic but has a limited vocabulary. Her favourite is, when I'm on a Zoom call she will walk across my keyboard and block the camera. My group members are used to seeing an orange furry blur where my face should be. But what can I say - I love her passionately.
WOW: Ha ha, I love that!! She sounds like quite the writing partner. You’ve placed several different times in the WOW! Flash Fiction contests. What do you think makes for an award-winning story?
Dawn: That's a difficult one - there are so many answers and so much advice on how to write the winning story. In the end winning is very subjective and I believe writers have little control over what appeals to the judge. Back in the day I would read up on the judge until I thought I knew what they were looking for. Now, I let my work speak for me and trust the process. I do believe in putting my best work out there, so I spend time editing and having betas read my work before I submit. Once it's submitted, I let it go and move to the next project. But the best piece of advice I ever got, from one of my writer's small group members, was to forget the word count and just write the story. That works for me.
WOW: All great tips. Thanks again for being here today, Dawn, and we look forward to reading more from you!
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