PJ MCILVAINE

Q: Tell us about yourself. What got you into writing?
PM: I’ve been writing since I was a young kid. Short stories, poems, song lyrics, you name it. I just love to write, period. It’s in my blood.

Q: Tell us about the premise of BOOK TITLE.
PM: VIOLET YORKE, GILDED GIRL: GHOSTS IN THE CLOSET is about a poor little rich girl who sees ghosts in 1912 Manhattan and gets into all kinds of mischief and misadventure.

Q: What inspired you to write it?
PM: It’s a mash-up of all the things I loved as an avid reader as a child (and now, to be honest). History, mystery, murder, ghosts, secrets, haunted houses, a rebellious main character, and a cast of quirky supporting characters.

Q: Did you do any research for your book? If you did, what did it consist of?
PM: The research is the best part! I devoured books on the Gilded Age, Titanic, the people, culture, manners, and dress of that time period.

Q: Do you agree with the statement write what you know? Why or why not?
PM: Only to a certain extent. I’ve written about some pretty unsavory characters in my adult work; that’s where my imagination takes over. But have I done the awful, evil things that
some of my characters have done on the page? Nope!

Q: Do you think creative writing classes are beneficial? Why or why not?
PM: Anyone can write; stringing sentences together isn’t that difficult. But you need more; a certain spark, talent, passion, whatever, to stand out, to elevate yourself. Creative writing
classes can nurture the spark, but if you don’t have that talent and drive, to begin with, I don’t think any amount of classes will help.

Q: Do you enjoy editing?
PM: It’s a necessary evil. You need that awful first draft to get to the good stuff. I edit as I go along, so my first draft is probably equal to someone else’s fifth or sixth draft. And even then, I still go through it until my eyes are bleeding.

Q: How do you juggle your writing and life?
PM: Discipline. I write every day without fail even if it’s only a sentence or to jot down an idea.

Q: Do you write in other genres? Have you ever written in different mediums?
PM: Oh my, for many years I wrote nothing but screenplays. It’s a very different skill set from prose writing. In screenplays, dialogue is key. As much as I loved writing screenplays, it’s a tough racket, and in my heart, I knew one day I’d return to writing fiction.

Q: If you could invite a fictional character for lunch (from your own book(s) or another writer’s), who would you invite and why?
PM: That’s a tough question. From my Violet Yorke, I’d love to sit down with Hugo Hewitt. He’s got so much going on under the surface. He puts on a stiff upper lip, but he’s really a tragic figure.

Q: What advice would you give to an aspiring author?
PM: I’ve said this many times: writing is a marathon, not a sprint. There’s no such thing as an overnight success. Show me an overnight success and I’ll show you years of hard work and dedication.

Q: What are your future plans as an author? Are you working on another project?
PM: I’m always working on something. Currently, I’m juggling multiple projects in the MG, YA, and Adult world. I’ve learned to write to my passion and not to the marketplace.