#383 Inside the Emotion of Fiction THE FAMILIAR by D.N. Biehl
What is the date you began writing this piece of fiction and the date when you finished the piece of fiction? I’m unsure on the exact date, but I believe I started writing my first book, The Familiar, in March of 2018 and finished it in September of that same year.
Where did you do most of your writing for this fiction work? And please describe in detail. During the time I started writing this book, I had become a stay-at-home mother. Often, I wrote while my son napped, which was usually on our living room couch while he was asleep on my lap. That was back when he was taking two-hour naps, so I was able to put a good amount of time in it. There were moments where I felt stuck on something with the story. What would help me clear my head was going for a run in my neighborhood while listening to music, then revisit where I left off with a fresh mind and new ideas.
What were your writing habits while writing this work- did you drink something as you wrote, listen to music, write in pen and paper, directly on laptop; specific time of day? Music has always been beneficial for me when it comes to writing. I had a certain pair of headphones that I used so I wouldn’t disturb my son while he napped on my lap. The artist that I would listen to depended on where I was at with the story and the mood I wanted to convey. If the moment was eerie or suspenseful, I was listening to Marilyn Manson or Evanescence. When I needed a sense of female empowerment, for example, when I was creating Mara’s perspective, I was listening to artists from the 80s like Debbie Gibson or Madonna. When I was just simply writing and needed that feeling of a smooth flow, I would listen to artists like Amy Winehouse or Dean Martin.
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https://debbiegibsonofficial.com/
Initially, I began with pen and paper, but then after the first chapter, I gained enough confidence to move straight to typing. I did utilize a whiteboard for my timeline and notes, to help me keep track of the storyline.
Please include just one excerpt and include page numbers as reference. This one excerpt can be as short or as long as you prefer.
Why is this excerpt so emotional for you as a writer to write? And can you describe your own emotional experience of writing this specific excerpt? This emotional moment must not be from the character’s emotion but from your emotion as a writer. During the time I was writing this book, I was struggling with being a stay at home parent, and I felt stuck. My husband would often travel for work, being gone two or three nights a week. Emotionally, I needed him.
On page 257, Dominic is telling Emily (Diana) about their honeymoon, and on a dare, she jumps off a cliff and into a lake. She ends up, breaking her sacrum. The sense of being a laughing moment between them because she realizes it’s her butt that she broke. It was that part of the story that I felt the most connected with, because it was my memory. It didn’t happen on my honeymoon, but with a group of friends in my early 20s, before I got married and started a new life as a wife and mother. Writing that part of the story was on a personal level, because, well, I missed my husband. I wished he was home so we could share stories and laugh, much like what Dominic was doing with Emily. I also chose that memory because it was the last time I went out of my element. I broke the rules and for a moment I felt free. Of course, there were consequences, I did break my sacrum (and boy did it hurt).
Anything you would like to add I absolutely loved writing The Familiar, along with Among Demons, and A Book Of Creepy Tales: For The Sinister And Sweet. Psychological thrillers, hauntings, and dark stories full of twists have always been my favorite and where I felt the most comfortable and creative. The purpose of my stories are not only to entertain readers, but to give them an escape from reality.
Contact info: dnhagel.1985@yahoo.com