ABOUT
In my stories, I attempt to strike a resonant chord of emotion in the reader. My goal is for the reader to not only understand the characters’ emotions, but to also experience those emotions in their reaction to the tales’ action and narrative. Where are the most intense emotions found? In uncertainty versus hope, in conflict and then resolution, and in beginnings and endings. These are the underlying themes in many of my stories.
Currently, I’m working on revising my debut novel, a contemporary story about a woman realizing her own worth — with a murder mystery as the backdrop. I’m also working on a second novel, a speculative tale about a woman who vocalizes a wish to be able to ask her deceased mother questions, and then worries about her sanity when her wish is granted. As you may surmise from those two projects, my interests are fluid from the perspective of genre. What remains consistent across genres, in addition to emotion, are strong protagonists who may struggle, but overcome, who make mistakes but learn and grow, who are frightened but never retreat.
They say that the best lies have an aspect of truth, and my fiction has a similar foundation. I find inspiration in everyday interactions – some small detail will spark imagination, and, from that kernel of reality, fiction is born. Similarly, my main characters are usually composites of people I know and people I’d like to know (i.e., a blend of made up people and real traits borrowed from people in my life).
All of this, I hope, results in enjoyable and memorable stories.
Maggie Claypool 