Heather Trefethen

A little word from debut author

Heather Trefethen

When posed with the question, "What qualifies you to be a writer?", the answer that immediately comes to mind is: "I own a pencil." Of course an overactive imagination doesn't hurt either; but, to me, the pencil is key. That and a piece of paper can really take you places if you put your mind to it. Of course, everyone's approach to writing is a little different. However, in the end, the actual task of putting pencil to paper is what gets you there.

I get most of the inspiration for my stories while listening to music. It can be anything from an Aria to Zydeco. I'll see a scene come to life in my head or imagine a character in a situation and the rest evolves from there. For me, it's like watching a movie play out, background music swelling, credits rolling, the whole nine yards. If I'm not ready to dive into the project at that very moment, I'll write a few notes down on a slip of paper and put it to the side - along with the hundreds of other slips of paper I've got tucked away - until I'm ready to thrash it out completely. When the thrashing does begin and I really sit down to write, it's simply a matter of outlining, a little research, lots of perseverance, and several hundred gallons of green tea before the end result finally takes on a life of its own. It's not the most intriguing of methods, nor is it the most fundamentally sound. But, it works for me.

I hope you enjoy my debut novel, Love to the Women, as well as my second novel, For All My Days. I look forward to hearing your comments and critiques, both good and bad. They will all help me to become a better writer. I thank you for your interest and your readership.

(Author Photograph by Vicki Litwiler)