Hi, my name is Sandy, and I’m a writer.
(Hi, Sandy!)
It’s been roughly ten years since I’ve been on this writing wagon, rickety old thing that it is. My debut novel came out in February, 2009 from Random House: PRECIOUS. You may have heard of it! It was a Booklist Top Ten Debut of the year, but it was not made into a movie, is not about Precious Jones, and is in no way connected to Oprah Winfrey. (Dammit!)
My novel is set during the 70s and deals with the disappearance of a young girl from a working class neighborhood in Pennsylvania. That incident serves as a backdrop for another family, the Kisches, who are in crisis: Mother Natalia has run off with another man, leaving her two daughters, Eva (17) and Sissy (9) to fend for themselves during a summer when peril seems to lie at every corner. There are a bunch of subplots thrown in there, but that’s the gist. It turned out okay, I guess, which is to say, I’m glad it’s in the world and still circulating about.
What are my thematic interests, you ask? Mostly I’m inspired by families and by how our histories are held together, our ties sometimes tested. The novel itself was inspired by my sister, Carole, who ran away from home when I was seven. It’s been over thirty years now, and I’ve never seen her again. I guess you can say I am one of those writers who tends to draw some inspiration from my own life, though really it’s mostly fiction. Really! Just ask my mom. Everyone else does.
Right now I have another book coming out this September from the same press. It’s a collection of stories titled EVERYONE BUT YOU. I’m biting my nails over this, writer friends, because the stories were written during my MFA program, mostly, so the collection features work from 2001-2003. I keeping thinking, Boy, that’s really old stuff. And the thing with old stuff is that sometimes the more you go back and try and mess with it, the worse it seems to become. Oh, yes. It does. I’m one of those writers who is always most excited about what I’m working on now. Older work makes me cringe a little.
Okay. Cringe a lot. (Be afraid, Sandy. Be very, very afraid.)
Still at the same time, a writer has to STAND BY HER PRODUCT, which translates to: Hey, check out my new book, due out September 13th! (Insert terse smiley face.) It’s a collection about…Hm. Well, there’s a lot of sex in it. And fires. And cows. I must have been on a nympho-pyro-dairy farm kick during the years 2001-2003. (Oh yeah. Sex and fires and cows! You know you want to read it, Baby!)
All this is to say: Thank God for the fact that I’m working on something new, to get my mind off release and the absolute panic that causes in many writers, myself included. In addition to cruising Facebook for what seems like a pitiless amount of hours, and in addition to Goozoogling myself each morning, along with checking sales stats and looking up pics of Himalayan kittens, just for fun, I’m working on, wait, drum roll…Non-fiction! Yep. It was a shock to me, as well. We’ll see how it goes. Writers. Always plunking away at the next adventure. And it is always that, isn’t it? Quite the little adventure.
I think that’s it. Oh, and you can read a sample story from my collection here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/57487337/Fireflies-by-Sandra-Novack. STAND BY YOUR PRODUCT, SANDY! (My publicist will be so pleased.)
Sandra Novack’s novel PRECIOUS has been called "lyrical and haunting", "graceful", and "accomplished, showing a new writer already in full command of her gifts". The writing has drawn comparisons to Anne Tyler, John Updike, and Joyce Carol Oates. Novack’s collection, EVERYONE BUT YOU, is forthcoming from Random House, September 13, 2011.
I didn't really have a choice. I remember as a somewhat young child, narrating my life as if I were writing a book. I wrote my first book (I even illustrated it) at seven years old. After showing my father and stating "I am going to be a writer," he answered, "no you're not." Oh, I thought, I guess not. But I would go through stages of thinking about writing, fantasizing about it, and every few years I would write a novel, screenplay, or detailed outline. I dabbled in poetry for a couple of years, had a few articles published and a couple of poems, and then wrote speeches and press releases for one of our County Executives. In 2001 I realized it was now or never, and wrote the first draft for my "Naked in the Rain" in three weeks. "Sarah and Caleb" came quickly after, but I got stuck on "Karmic Wind" when my last divorce sucked the life (and creativity) out of me. But I was determined to finish it, and I did, only to be told by two agents, they loved my writing by my main character had to go. One agent loved my pitch for my fourth book, so I will write that before I kill off (or at least give some serious personality surgery to Angela from "Karmic Wind"). Up to about page 72 in "Damanged, but not Broken." Yeah, I'm hooked.
ReplyDeleteHi Sandy! Nice to have you around here.
ReplyDeleteHi, Sandy, and welcome! You totally sold me with the "nympho-pyro-dairy farm" description -- cannot wait to read it :). Glad to have you here.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your previous novel and best of wishes to you on your new non-fiction work. Best of luck to you on all your future endeavors. I know the feeling of wandering on the internet. Where does the time go? :-)
ReplyDeletewelcome Sandy! what a traumatic event you had kick-starting your writing career...no surprise that would come up over and over. Looking forward to the new stories!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the group, Sandy! I know what you mean about being happy to have another book to work on while awaiting a new release. I've got one coming out next week, and I'm feeling amazingly calm, probably because I'm keeping so busy. Good luck with EVERYONE BUT YOU. The cover is great!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susan. And good luck with your release! I look forward to reading your work.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lucy! I'm happy to be here. It's a great blog.
ReplyDeleteLenasledgeblog.com, I know! I am hugely good at surfing the net, a little too good at it, lately! :)
ReplyDeleteMarilyn and Sara: Thanks for the welcome!! Happy to be here.
ReplyDeleteDebra, wonderful that you began so early! I used to copy poetry, word for word, when I was little, but I never thought about actually writing my own poems. I think a lot of my writing progress had to do with my finding a voice, one that really came from a place of silence. Now I can't think of anything else to do, but write. It is inspiring to hear how writers evolve, and come into themselves. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI loved Precious, Sandy (Your Precious!)and I know your upcoming release will be a hit. You're a fabulous writer, person and friend. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, and good luck with the non-fiction, too!
Ah, Mary. Thank you! I hope your own fabulous writing is going well!!
ReplyDeleteHi sandy, your collection of boos are amazing. Your work is incredible and i love how you take people as writers friend. I will wait your collection more naturally written books.
ReplyDeleteThere is no need to bite your nails over the new novel because the creative minds do not have anything to do with win or loss. All they demand is the creativity in their work and biomedical science personal statement help is also there to help them out in order to learn the new ways of expressing their ideas and share their thoughts with the world.
ReplyDeleteYour work is incredible and i love how you take people as writers friend. I will wait your collection more naturally written books.Thanks keep it up
ReplyDeleteHey Sandy!! You are best in writing and also can motivate students fr writing. Also you have ability to urge students by forcing them to take interest in writing and reading.
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