There are similarities writing my current project, Rainy Day, and my previous novel, New Breed. The storyline comes to me in a rather easy manner. I don’t use an outline. I will write a “treatment”, an overall idea. The stories lead me. They tell me where to go. I tend to write slowly, with purpose so I don’t have to rewrite or restructure much when I get to subsequent drafts.
One difference is that I’m using actual people as models for many of the characters in Rainy Day. Writing this story is very personal because I see these children in their actual age nearly everyday. Imagining them older and in a harrowing situation is challenging. I’m writing as a parent, so I’m taking care of them from a metaphorical standpoint.
I feel like a seamstress and the dress pieces are cut to perfection. My skill allows me to bring all the pieces together and present a tale that will entertain young and old alike. Writing is therapy for me. It brings a satisfaction knowing that storytelling is giving me a feeling of contentment.
Monique Hall, a.k.a. M. A. Marrissette, Author 