South DeKalb Pulse interviewed south DeKalb resident and author, Violette L. Meier. She recently released her newest and 14th book, With All My Being. Full disclosure: the publisher of South Dekalb Pulse loves the interviewee very much and is married to her.
Who is Violette L. Meier?
I am a resident of south Dekalb and the author of thirteen books. I am an Atlanta native who earned my BA in English from Clark Atlanta University, my MDiv from Interdenominational Theological Center, and a Digital Marketing Certification from Emory University. I’m a speculative fiction author (mainly urban fantasy, paranormal, and science fantasy). Poetry and inspirational quotes are also my things.
What book made you want to write?
When I read The Elf Stones of Shannara by Terry Brooks when I was in high school, I fell in love with the fantasy genre. Not only did it make me want to read more, but it also made me want to write. After reading that book, I knew that unleashing my imagination through the written word is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
Does writing energize or exhaust you?
It does both. Creating can make me feel alive just as it can suck the life out of me as I push past my desire for rest when I’m in the writing zone.
What are common traps for aspiring writers?
Thinking that writing books will make them rich quickly. You have to love to write whether your coffer is full or empty.
Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want? Originality is of the utmost importance to me. I have a unique voice, a perspective only that I can have. Why should I copy what’s on-trend? Readers who are interested in how I create worlds and have a desire for unique material gravitate to my work. That’s what they want. They want a writer who is unapologetically themselves.
Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
Both. I have some books that stand on their own like my short story collections (Hags, Haints, & Hoodoo and Tales of a Numinous Nature) and my novels Ruah the Immortal and Out of Night. I also have books that connect like my Angel Crush saga, which consists of three novels: Angel Crush, Son of the Rock, and Archfiend.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Take your time and do things right the first time so you won’t have to repeat the process. To also take life more seriously.
What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?
I learned that language had power at a young age. For some strange reason, when I articulate ideas, people really listen to me. When I write certain things, people resonate with what I’m trying to convey. I figured out that manipulation of the written and spoken word can breathe life and death into some people. If inspired, they will follow you to the ends of the earth. If used the wrong way, it can make people ostracize you quickly,
How do you balance making demands on the reader with taking care of the reader?
I try to make the reader contemplate different scenarios without insulting their intelligence. My purpose as a writer is to evoke emotion, entertain, and inspire in some way. So, I make demands on the reader to think outside the box while being sensitive to universal viewpoints.
Do you base your characters on real people?
No, but I used the names of real people that I know. Every now and then I may base certain characteristics of characters on people that I know.
How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
Too many! LOL, my laptop is full of incomplete books. I promise to finish them one day. I write on whatever is flowing at the moment, so it’s not uncommon for me to start stories simultaneously and abandon a few of them when one takes over.
What does literary success look like to you?
Success is when I find my demographic. When I find a core audience of hardcore fans that love what I write, and I dedicate my life to writing for them. Don’t get me wrong, I would LOVE to sell 150 million books, but that would only make me successful if I can still be true to myself.
What’s the best way to market your books?
Word of mouth, social media, and book events.
What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
It’s according to the book. When I was writing the book Ruah the Immortal, I had to do a lot of research on first-century Israel and the Roman empire so that the story will seem more authentic. I wanted to bring the reader into the world of the ancient Israelites so that with their imaginations, they could see the land and people, taste the food, smell the air, and understand the world in which they lived. In other books like Out of Night, I did not do any research because I created the world and the creatures that lived in it.
Do you view writing as a kind of spiritual practice?
Absolutely. Writing can become so intense and the stories so overwhelming, that it seems that my spirit is transported into the images in my mind. It is like an astral projection, spiritually becoming one with the world I’m creating with my mind. Imagination is a gift from God. There is no greater spirit than that.
What’s the most challenging thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
It is trying to ensure that it’s authentic. I base men’s characters on most of the different men I know. That way, I know what I’m writing has some truth in it.
What are the ethics of writing about historical figures?
To ensure that the essential parts of the historical figure’s lives are true. You can’t write Martin Luther King as a white man or Jesus as a woman. It’s simply not true. The only way a writer can get away with that is to be clear that they are writing an alternative history story like Abraham Lincoln’s Vampire Hunter. Otherwise, the story is misleading and unethical.
How do you select the names of your characters?
Mainly from people I know. Others are just random names.
Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
Of course, I do. I appreciate the opinion of others, whether it’s good or bad. I’m grateful they decided to read my book.
Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find? Absolutely! LOL
Do you Google yourself?
Every now and then. I like to see what comes up.
What are your favorite childhood books?
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sandek and Oh the Place You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss. The first book celebrates the imagination, and the second book talks about rolling with the punches in life. It tells kids that they must keep on no matter what. That lesson is invaluable.
What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
Writer’s block!!!! I hate when I feel like I have nothing to give. When my mind is blank, my computer sitting in the corner tucked under a stack of half-read books, my collection of ink pens unmoved and I am binge-watching Netflix and being unproductive, I hate it!
Does your family support your career as a writer?
Yes! They are my biggest fans. They come to most of my events and introduce my books to others. I am so blessed that they believe in me so much.
How long, on average, does it take you to write a book?
I have no idea. I’ve finished a book in less than a month, and I have written a book on and off for five years. It really depends on what’s going on in my life and how my imagination is flowing at that moment.
Where can we find you?
You can find me on social media (Facebook: Violette L. Meier, Instagram: violettel.meier, Twitter: @violettemeier), my website is VioletteMeier.com, and on Amazon.com.