The year that D.L. Garfinkle sold her first book, Storky, turned out to be the worst of her life! Flood, near famine and a smashed car almost derailed a successful career writing young adult and children's books. But perseverance paid off and D.L.'s books have been published as far as Germany, Italy and Serbia. She shares her experience with us.
Anaheim Literature Examiner: Did you know that you wanted to be an author at a young age? Or did it sorta sneak up on you?
D.L.: I always loved to read and write. I still do. But I grew up poor, and wanted some financial security. So I majored in economics in college, went to law school, and practiced law for nine years. Once I stopped working to spend more time with my young children, I felt it was the right time to pursue my dream of writing a book. I started my first novel the day after I quit my job. I'm very fortunate that my husband is able to support the family on his income.
Examiner: How do you get into the minds of your characters?
D.L.: I think my acting experience in high school and college helps a lot. Actors have to be aware of character motivations and try on many different roles. I also tend to put a little or a lot of myself into every main character I write.
Examiner: What is your writing day like?
D.L.: I'm a morning person. I usually write early in the morning and when my children are in school. In the afternoons and evenings, I hang out with my husband and kids. Most of my first novel, Storky, was written when I had a five-year-old and two-year-old and was pregnant with my third child. I learned to write before the kids woke up and to work in short increments, such as during nap time or during a child's soccer practice.
Examiner: Tell us about the time you sold your first book.
D.L.: It was a real struggle to get my first novel, Storky, published. My agent had sent it to ten different publishers over a two-year period before Penguin bought it in August 2003. That year had begun as one of the worst of my life. My husband's employer had gone bankrupt. After revising my manuscript for an editor at Simon and Schuster who said it was the best thing she'd read in years, her boss turned it down. We'd had a flood that damaged our hose to the tune of 11,000 dollars. And I'd smashed my car.
When my agent gave me the good news, I asked her if it was okay to scream. She said it was, so I screamed with joy. After I got off the phone, my children and I danced around the house.
After being rejected by so many publishers, Storky got great reviews and ended up selling in hardcover, paperback, German, Serbian, Italian, as an ebook, and as an audiobook. That was very satisfying.
Examiner: What do you want your readers to take with them after they read your books?
D.L.: My main goal is to make reading a joyful experience for children and teens. I want them to laugh a lot. I sneak messages into every book, but that is a secondary goal. I haven't made a lot of money on my books, but I've gotten priceless emails and letters from teens and children. Several teens have said one of my books was the first book they ever read and finished for fun, and then they started reading a lot more books for fun. Many children have asked me to write sequels. Some ask me to make my books into movies-- if only it were that easy! So at least for some readers, I feel that I've met my main goal.
For more information: Please visit D.L. Garfinkle's website.
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