The Book Resort is thrilled to celebrate the 13 days of Halloween w/ the incredibly charming Rosemary Clement-Moore.
Ready? Let's go!
Me: What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)
RCM: I am working on a follow up to my September release (The Splendor Falls). It's not a sequel, but they're related by their antecedents. I was always a big fan of Mary Stewart's gothic mystery novels, and also Phyllis A. Whitney, Barbara Michaels--these are older writers, but you can certainly find them in the library, and probably in the bookstore as well. Both my next books are descended from those, but updated and given my particular spin: modern, zippy and droll like my Girl vs Evil series, but also quite romantic and spooky.
Me: Spiderman or Superman:
RCM: Superman all the way. I've always been a fan of the Man of Steel.
Me: Wonder Woman or Batgirl:
RCM: A bit of a toss up. I love them both. But red-heads have to stick together, so... Batgirl.
Me: Chunky or Smooth:
RCM: Smooth. Chunks are an abomination.
Me: Favorite flavor ice cream:
RCM: Mint chocolate chip. (Chocolate chips are the exception to the no-chunk rule.)
Me: Favorite ice cream topping:
RCM: None. I’m a purist.
Me: Subway or Taxi:
RCM: My preference says taxi (I have issues with being underground), but my budget says subway.
Me: Broadway Show or Movie Theater:
RCM: Broadway Show. (I’m a theatre geek from way back. Just look at the pretentious way I spell “theatre.”)
Me: TiVo or DVR:
RCM: I have both! And I fill them up frequently, because I tend to save up shows while I’m writing, then watch them all at once.
Me: Favorite vacation place:
RCM: Someplace with lots of history and things to see and do. Also, someplace Not Hot.
Me: Next vacation destination:
RCM: Not a clue! My head, I suppose, as I'm escaping into my next book.
Me: Favorite NYC hotspot:
RCM: The Museum of Natural History. Does that count?
Me: Guilty Pleasure:
RCM: Reality TV.
Me: Good luck charm:
RCM: No charms, but I do have some fairly superstitious rituals.
Me: When you were a little girl, you thought you would grow up to be a….
RCM: Writer!
Me: Last thing bought at the mall:
RCM: New pair of jeans.
Me: Item on your grocery list:
RCM: Coffee filters, dog biscuits
Me: French fries or Onion Rings:
RCM: Mmmmm... Onion Rings
Me: Pizza: New York or Chicago?
RCM: New York
Me: Midnight snack:
RCM: Cheese and crackers
Me: Bookmark or dog ear?
RCM: Bookmark! Why is that even a question?
Me: Read with dustjacket or remove it?
RCM: Tucking the side of the dustjacket into the pages makes a great bookmark, actually.
Me: Ocean, Lake, Desert, Mountain:
RCM: Mountain, then lake, then ocean… I live in Texas, so desert holds zero appeal. I’m always wanting to get away from the heat.
RCM: My preference says taxi (I have issues with being underground), but my budget says subway.
Me: Broadway Show or Movie Theater:
RCM: Broadway Show. (I’m a theatre geek from way back. Just look at the pretentious way I spell “theatre.”)
Me: TiVo or DVR:
RCM: I have both! And I fill them up frequently, because I tend to save up shows while I’m writing, then watch them all at once.
Me: Favorite vacation place:
RCM: Someplace with lots of history and things to see and do. Also, someplace Not Hot.
Me: Next vacation destination:
RCM: Not a clue! My head, I suppose, as I'm escaping into my next book.
Me: Favorite NYC hotspot:
RCM: The Museum of Natural History. Does that count?
Me: Guilty Pleasure:
RCM: Reality TV.
Me: Good luck charm:
RCM: No charms, but I do have some fairly superstitious rituals.
Me: When you were a little girl, you thought you would grow up to be a….
RCM: Writer!
Me: Last thing bought at the mall:
RCM: New pair of jeans.
Me: Item on your grocery list:
RCM: Coffee filters, dog biscuits
Me: French fries or Onion Rings:
RCM: Mmmmm... Onion Rings
Me: Pizza: New York or Chicago?
RCM: New York
Me: Midnight snack:
RCM: Cheese and crackers
Me: Bookmark or dog ear?
RCM: Bookmark! Why is that even a question?
Me: Read with dustjacket or remove it?
RCM: Tucking the side of the dustjacket into the pages makes a great bookmark, actually.
Me: Ocean, Lake, Desert, Mountain:
RCM: Mountain, then lake, then ocean… I live in Texas, so desert holds zero appeal. I’m always wanting to get away from the heat.
Me: Favorite book:
RCM: How could I possibly choose just one!
Me: Item you can't live without:
RCM: My computer.
Me: Who is your favorite writer that most people have never heard of?
RCM: These are off the top of my head: Jennifer Echols. She's not unheard of, but she should be more famous. (Her YA romances aren't just great YA, but some of my favorite short romances period.) Also, A. Lee Martinez writes funny, irreverent SF novels that never fail to make me laugh. What about Jasper Fforde? Is he too famous? I think he may be too well known for this question, but I love his Thursday Next series so much. Good, weird stuff.
Me: What kid or teen books made a difference in your world growing up?
RCM: Madeleine L'Engle... all of her books, but especially the Time Quartet. Also, Susan Cooper's Dark is Rising series.
Me: Where do you like to write your books (bed ~ coffee shop ~ an office)?
RCM: I do most of my writing on the couch in my office. The desk is for editing, e-mail, blogging, and the couch is reserved for creation of New Stuff. Sometimes when I’m stuck, a new location helps, and I go to the coffee shop. But they closed “my” shop, and the energy isn’t quite right at the Starbucks down the road. I haven’t figured out what to do about this yet.
Me: Describe your ideal place to write:
RCM: My office is a bit den-like. Pleasantly cluttered (but not TOO messy), lined with bookshelves and my toys… er, I mean, knick knacks. Sort of dark when I have the blinds closed and the world shut out. This is my favorite place to buckled down and lose myself in a story.
But sometimes, when I get stuck, and I need a breath of figurative air, I go somewhere with my paper journal, someplace bright and open, like a park, or full of new discoveries, like a museum, or full of people, like my favorite coffee shop. Here I scribble thoughts and inspiration, random musings and the occasional snatch of, ahem, genius. Then, refreshed, I take these things back to my den and the work at hand.
RCM: How could I possibly choose just one!
Me: Item you can't live without:
RCM: My computer.
Me: Who is your favorite writer that most people have never heard of?
RCM: These are off the top of my head: Jennifer Echols. She's not unheard of, but she should be more famous. (Her YA romances aren't just great YA, but some of my favorite short romances period.) Also, A. Lee Martinez writes funny, irreverent SF novels that never fail to make me laugh. What about Jasper Fforde? Is he too famous? I think he may be too well known for this question, but I love his Thursday Next series so much. Good, weird stuff.
Me: What kid or teen books made a difference in your world growing up?
RCM: Madeleine L'Engle... all of her books, but especially the Time Quartet. Also, Susan Cooper's Dark is Rising series.
Me: Where do you like to write your books (bed ~ coffee shop ~ an office)?
RCM: I do most of my writing on the couch in my office. The desk is for editing, e-mail, blogging, and the couch is reserved for creation of New Stuff. Sometimes when I’m stuck, a new location helps, and I go to the coffee shop. But they closed “my” shop, and the energy isn’t quite right at the Starbucks down the road. I haven’t figured out what to do about this yet.
Me: Describe your ideal place to write:
RCM: My office is a bit den-like. Pleasantly cluttered (but not TOO messy), lined with bookshelves and my toys… er, I mean, knick knacks. Sort of dark when I have the blinds closed and the world shut out. This is my favorite place to buckled down and lose myself in a story.
But sometimes, when I get stuck, and I need a breath of figurative air, I go somewhere with my paper journal, someplace bright and open, like a park, or full of new discoveries, like a museum, or full of people, like my favorite coffee shop. Here I scribble thoughts and inspiration, random musings and the occasional snatch of, ahem, genius. Then, refreshed, I take these things back to my den and the work at hand.
Me: What are you reading @ the moment?
RCM: I just finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It was so incredibly good. I don’t know if it appealed to me so strongly because it touched so close to my family history (my grandparents were in territory occupied by the Nazis in WWII, much like the Isle of Guernsey), but the characters were delightfully drawn, and the style of storytelling entertaining and very readable.
Me: Where do you usually read?
RCM: Everywhere! I have books stashed in every end table, nightstand, glovebox, purse, tote, bathroom shelf… But I do love to curl up on the couch in my den with the dog and a cup of tea.
Me: Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time?
RCM: Yes, several, usually of different genres and styles, so I can read what suits my mood at the moment.
Me: Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?
RCM: If it’s a memoir or narrative type, the only difference is I will sometimes stick a Post-It note on a page I might want to reference later. If it’s more of a research book, I usually read piecemeal, looking for more specific information. Or sometimes I’ll just randomly flip around and see what catches my eye or sparks my imagination. But nonfiction books tend to stay by the couch, where I can read them in longer stretches, rather than in the car or in line at the bank or wherever.
Check out:
RCM: I just finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It was so incredibly good. I don’t know if it appealed to me so strongly because it touched so close to my family history (my grandparents were in territory occupied by the Nazis in WWII, much like the Isle of Guernsey), but the characters were delightfully drawn, and the style of storytelling entertaining and very readable.
Me: Where do you usually read?
RCM: Everywhere! I have books stashed in every end table, nightstand, glovebox, purse, tote, bathroom shelf… But I do love to curl up on the couch in my den with the dog and a cup of tea.
Me: Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time?
RCM: Yes, several, usually of different genres and styles, so I can read what suits my mood at the moment.
Me: Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?
RCM: If it’s a memoir or narrative type, the only difference is I will sometimes stick a Post-It note on a page I might want to reference later. If it’s more of a research book, I usually read piecemeal, looking for more specific information. Or sometimes I’ll just randomly flip around and see what catches my eye or sparks my imagination. But nonfiction books tend to stay by the couch, where I can read them in longer stretches, rather than in the car or in line at the bank or wherever.
Check out:
