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Published on: 1/8/2002
Last Visited: 1/6/2003
Debra Dixon
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Email Debra Dixon at DebraDixon@Aol.com or write her at:
P.O.Box 30921Memphis, TN 38130(SASE appreciated)
Debra's Booklist:
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In addition, Debra developed and continues to teach novel writing courses at the University of Memphis.
This true Southern Belle was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, where she continues to reside with her husband Wayne and two cats.They have a nineteen-year-old son away at school.
Her life is a whirlwind of activity."I refuse to give up the things I enjoy, simply because I have responsibilities.So I squeeze everything in…somehow," Debra admits."I've never needed a lot of sleep, so I probably have a couple of extra hours in the day that most folks don't have."
Aside from her fiction and non-fiction writing and lecturing on the craft of writing, Debra is self-employed as a business consultant with over 20 years experience under her belt.Despite her promises, she never quite manages to actually retire completely."I keep meaning to," she says."But interesting projects continue to come along."
As well as her popular "How-to" book, Debra has eight fiction books (romances of course) and three anthologies/collective novels to her credit.Still under contract with Bantam, she hasn't actually produced anything for them as of late.Her next non-fiction book to be published by Gryphon Books will be entitled, WHEN YOU'RE THE ONLY COP IN TOWN: A WRITER'S GUIDE TO SMALL TOWN LAW ENFORCEMENT (date TBA).
When not consulting, lecturing or writing, Debra enjoys quilting, needlework and voraciously reads.Her reading choices run the gambit from romance, suspense, science fiction, fantasy, literary to non-fiction.Some of her favourite authors include Tami Hoag, Deb Smith, Stephen Hunter, Anne Bishop, George R.R.Martin and Alice Willis Walker to name but a few."I tend to enjoy writers.By that I mean writers who have a true command of the language as well as the ability to tell a story."I asked Debra what advice she had for aspiring authors.Here is what she had to say: "Put your butt in the chair because you want to produce something.If you're only writing because you want to be a glamorous published author, talk to a few published authors.This is a very hard business filled with rejection.It's like playing the lottery.Timing is everything.Not everyone can be a New York Times Best Selling author or rake in the really high-dollar contracts.Darned few in fact, so you'd better be certain you want to WRITE because the writing is the only thing you can control in this business.
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"Writers sometimes want to make characters do things because "we" think it'd be fun, dangerous, sexy or whatever," Debra says."That's normally when a character balks and says, "Just how stupid do you think I am?""
She will be presenting her workshop in Calgary, Alberta in October and I for one look forward to it.I have her book and judging by all the highlighted areas and notes, I have used it a lot with my own writing.I've heard nothing but the best reviews and comments on her presentation.For more information on her best selling book GOAL, MOTIVATION & CONFLICT: THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF GOOD FICTION go to GryphonBooksForWriters.com.You can order direct from the site.In the book she recommends viewing a few movies ahead of time, in preparation for her workshop.These movies include The Wizard of Oz, LadyHawke, The Fugitive and Casablanca.Be great to view them before or even while reading her book.
Please enjoy the rest of my interview with the incomparable Debra Dixon.
Janice Wagner: How do your family and friends feel about your writing career? Debra Dixon: They have always been incredibly supportive.In fact, I'm usually in serious trouble because I don't write enough to suit them.Even when I was writing only as a hobby, with no serious thought of publication, THEY were always convinced I'd succeed at whatever level I chose and believed I deserved time to write.
Janice: How has September 11th affected your writing? Debra: Like everyone else, I was gripped by inertia for several days just trying to make sense of the tragedy and absorb the event.But my writing has never taken its content or context from this type of world event.The first thing I wrote after September 11th was a short story for the second book in the Mossy Creek series, which is set in a small Georgia town.The story was already scheduled and outlined.But while writing, we suddenly began receiving fan letters from people who'd been shaken by September 11th.People expressed heartfelt appreciation for the book's small town culture, values and kindness, for a place they they could escape to and feel safe for the little bit of time they could devote to reading.They wanted the laughter and emotion of a familiar America.Needless to say, these fan letters made all of us very aware of our audience and their expectations.
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Debra: I read constantly.Everything from romance to suspense to science fiction to fantasy to literary.I read non-fiction as well.My favorite find lately is Anne Bishop, a fantasy author.I adore her work.It's true fantasy but any romance reader will love her characters and the relationships she builds.She's a fairly dark writer.But I also enjoy Regency romps and dark Regency--Julia Quinn or Jo Beverley.
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Debra: A son in private college has me consulting more than I normally do, and that takes a great deal of my time.Aside from the non-fiction book that Gryphon Ink wants to put out just as soon as I get it finished, I also have stories coming out in the Mossy Creek collective novel series.As well as a few other things I should be doing, but don't have time to do.I can only do what I can do.Like I said, I refuse to give anything up, so I've always got more to do than I can do!Yikes!Sounds terrible when I say it like that. Sounds better if you say, "I'm very blessed with the opportunity."
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Debra: Where DON'T I get ideas!
Janice: What inspires the novels that you write? Debra: I assume you mean the spark?What pushes me to do a particular book?Generally, I look for something I can spin in a unique way.Something I haven't done.It's just a feeling inside me that says, "This is for you.This is your voice.You have something to say."
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Debra: Constantly.Books are organic.I believe they are created from the fertile soil in a writer's life.The experiences I draw on don't have to be MY personal experience, but rather ANY personal experience.If I KNOW about something, I can turn it into fodder for a book, a scene, a character.
Janice: Do you derive a book based on a character or based on an idea for a plot?
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Debra: Character first.What do they want?What do they need?Why?Why can't they have it, get it?Usually I'll have a character and know the scene that starts the book and pushes the character forward.That may or may not be the first scene in the eventual book, but I have to have an active character before I can commit myself to a commercial novel.
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Debra: Depends on the project.When I was actively doing commercial novels, I had no choice but to work a fairly regular schedule on a daily basis just to stay in the flow of the work and really get my head into the story.I'm a slow writer.But you can't fight your creative cycle.I tend to germinate ideas and solve scene problems during the day.The serious writing is usually done when the world is quiet--close to and after midnight.I'm very much a night owl.
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Debra: Depends.For me, five pages a day is a good day's work.And I mean a full DAY of writing, no plotting, no other work.Just 8 or 10 at the keyboard.I'm a slow writer.But those five pages are usable pages.When I'm done for the day I know I have those "in the can."
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Debra: Putting your butt in the chair.I'm fortunate to have so many things I love doing that no matter what I'm doing, I have to choose to do one thing over the other.Since writing and the book industry is a "job" for me and has been for years, it requires discipline.
Janice: Writing really wonderful love scenes is something you do very well.How difficult is writing the sex/love scenes in your books, and do you have a favorite scene?Where do the ideas for these scenes come from?
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Debra: You know, I get asked this question a LOT.I never considered my love scenes as a component of my author voice, but apparently they are.Don't spread this secret around, but I would rather take a beating than write a love scene.I'm not prudish, but I feel the love scenes have to have consequences, there has to be a change in the relationship.A love scene should work as hard as any other scene in the book.If you take a love scene out and replace it with some other love scene, the book should fall apart.Every love scene HAS to carry its weight.
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Debra: I wrote a sequel to GONE WITH THE WIND when I was about 12 because it didn't end right.I've written all my life.I wrote one book before writing the book that sold.And I knew at the time I wrote the first book that it wouldn't sell.I'd already learned enough to see its flaws but finishing it was an important part of craft.There are priceless lesson
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