Author Interview~Cecilia Samartin

Cecilia Samartin was born in revolutionary Cuba and left Cuba with her family when she was still an infant. She has lived in Los Angeles all of her life and has worked as a psychotherapist with immigrants from South America and Mexico for over twenty years. This work has been the primary inspiration for her two novels, BROKEN PARADISE and TARNISHED BEAUTY. She currently lives with her husband in San Gabriel California where she continues to see clients as she works on her next novel.

Time to crow: What new book or project do you have coming out?

My latest novel, TARNISHED BEAUTY was just published by Atria, a division of Simon and Schuster on March 18th. BROKEN PARADISE, was released in hardback February of 07, and just recently released in paperback as well. I’m very pleased to have two books out on the bookshelves at the moment.

How did you come up with this story? Was there a specific 'what if' moment?

This is the story of a young woman who is born in Mexico with a disfiguring birth mark. She crosses the border to find medical salvation and meets an old man who tells her the story of his pilgrimage in Spain. Because I’ve worked as psychotherapist with immigrants from Mexico and South America for many years, the story evolved over many years. I walk several miles daily for exercise and inspiration, so it’s not a surprise to me or anyone who knows me that I’ve written a book inwhich the characters are also walking, mile after mile, day after day to find themselves.

Every novelist has a journey. How long was your road to publication? How did you find out and what went through your mind?

Approximately five years passed from the time I began writing my first novel to the time I was first published. And it was somewhat of an unorthodox journey in that my first publishing contract wasn’t with an American publisher, but a publisher in the UK. In fact, my first novel was published in several countries abroad before it was ever accepted for publication here. When m agent called me at my office to inform me that an offer had been made, I was in a state of delighted shock for several days. It’s hard to describe how wonderful it was to have finally reached my goal. It is a sense of wonder and accomplishment that I’m deeply grateful for.

Do you ever bang your head against the wall from the dreaded writer's block? If so, how do you overcome it?

So far I haven’t experienced writers block in the typical sense, probably because I force myself to write through stagnant phases even if it means writing badly. The worst thing I can is to allow paralysis to take hold. Eventually I trust that I’ll find my way and often I make delightful discoveries, as long as I just keep plugging along.

Novelists sometimes dig themselves into a hole over implausible plots, flat characters or a host of other problems. What's the most difficult part of writing for you (or was when you first started on your novel journey)?

It’s important to have early readers who you trust and who understand your uniqueness and are able to read your early drafts and give you much needed feedback and advice. I’m very fortunate to have a few such readers. I begin my novels with a clear sense of what I want to say, but a more or less hazy notion regarding exactly how I’m going to say it – the finer details regarding tone, characterization and plot work themselves out as I’m writing and in this way I’m able to stay engaged in the process. Characterization comes more easily for me than plot development – creating that right balance between the two is something I constantly struggle with.

How did (or do) you climb out (overcome it)?

I’m going to rephrase this question as, How do I get out of my own way? I meditate and pray, I take long walks, I focus on the lives of my clients, refresh my mind and soul, forgetting about myself by helping somebody else. This more than anything inspires me with ideas that are fresh and real, and not just a stale regurgitation of the same old characters, messages and voices in my head.

Where do you write: In a cave, a coffeehouse, or a cozy attic nook?

I write in my living room in my favorite chair surrounded by windows, with my dog Tobi at my feet, and cat Julian nearby. They are my writing buddies!

What does a typical day look like for you?

I get up very early, about 5:30 a.m. and I go for a long walk. I’m a morning writer, so depending on my client schedule I will write in the morning until about noon, and then put on my psychotherapist hat for the afternoon hours. This is a good balance for me.

Some authors report writing 5-10 thousand words a day. Do scenes flow freely from your veins or do you have to tweeze each word out?

It really depends on the story, the scene, and what kind of day I’m having. There are days when the words flow freely, but sometimes it can be arduous. Even when I’m not at the computer, I’m thinking about my characters, and some of my best “writing” happens when I’m not at the keyboard. My morning walks help me to work out the scenes in my head so that I’m usually ready once I confront the page.

Briefly take us through your process of writing a novel—from conception to revision.

It’s important for me to begin with a working title, even if it changes later, because it helps me stay focused, and guides me towards creating a cohesive story. My early drafts are more free flowing and expansive in nature. I’m putting all my thoughts and ideas related to the core of my message out there and not worrying too much about which ones will stick. In order for this to work , I have to forget about editing or writing well. The important thing is to write honestly, about something that is real for me. If I don’t have this base early on, no amount of polish and revision later will salvage the work. Once I have this basic structure down, I edit and rewrite. When I think I’m done, I put it away for awhile, and when I look at it with fresh eyes, there’s always more rewriting and editing to be done.

What are a few of your favorite books (not written by you) and why are they favorites?

Jane Eyre,
A Death in the Family
To Kill a Mocking Bird
A Prayer for Owen Meany
Madam Bovary
The Scarlet Letter

What’s the best writing advice you’ve heard?

You have to let yourself write badly in order to write well. In other words, if you’re constantly editing yourself, you’re going to get very little done and drive yourself nuts in the process, and lose the joy of the creative process. First drafts need to be just that, first drafts meant for your eyes or for trusted first readers only. The time for editing will come later.

What do you wish you’d known early in your career that might have saved you some time and/or frustration in writing? In publishing?

Don’t rush, trust the process and enjoy the journey.

How much marketing do you do? What have you found that particularly works well for you?

I haven’t had a lot of time to market myself, and I know little about it, but I’m very fortunate to have friends who’ve been helping me. One of my goals is to learn more about this aspect of the business because I know it can make all the difference.

Do you have any parting words of advice?

Believe in your dreams, and don’t allow the discouragement you will undoubtedly encounter along the way silence them. Dreams are born of the soul and they need to be protected and nurtured because without them there is no inspiration, no creative yearning and ultimately no novel or story that’s worth a dime.