Interview With Yvonne deSousa

1. When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?       

     I loved to read as a kid and devoured books by Judy Blume, S.E. Hinton, and Lois Duncan. I wanted to be just like them. I quickly realized that those stories don’t come easily, and I struggled to develop compelling tales. As an adult, I was diagnosed with MS and found life with a chronic illness so frustrating I had to make fun of it. I wrote down these thoughts, and suddenly, I was a writer. I still enjoy reading most of all, but I try to balance my time so I can enjoy both.

2. How do you schedule your life when you’re writing? 

     I’m not much of a morning person and often sleep late.  And I just HAVE to start my day with a large cup of tea. I find that I am the most creative after a shower. So, after tea, I will think up an idea or project, take a shower, ponder that idea, and then write for a couple of hours. I use the rest of the day to complete those chores life insists we must do and whatever else I need or want to accomplish. This usually works for me.

3.  What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

    Ok, if you really want to know and are at the risk of sharing too much information, it is the same thing stated above. I really do my best creative thinking in the shower. I once wrote a whole mini children’s play in the shower, got out, wrapped a towel around me, soaked wet, and typed up the whole thing. I went into the shower, stressed about what our Sunday school program would do for a Christmas pageant, and came out with a whole holiday play. That little play has been performed all over the world!  

4.  How did you get your book published?

     I self-published my first book, but for my second, I really wanted a publisher behind me. I wasted a lot of time unsuccessfully seeking agents for my first book, and I didn’t want to do that again. I didn’t need a major publisher, just one that would work with me. I went to Writer’s Market and found six small presses that accepted no-agent-hold memoir submissions. Black Rose Writing was the second to respond and offered me a contract. It was appropriate as I think “black rose” is a great concept for my story. A rose with a bit of darkness- perfect!

5.  Where did you get your information or idea for your book?

    Shelter of the Monument is the true story of my first love and how he positively influenced me despite the addiction that overtook our happiness. One afternoon, I was working on a submission for a Chicken Soup for the Soul book. A memory came to me that was definitely not appropriate for Chicken Soup. I wrote it anyway and brought it to my writer’s group, as I didn’t have anything else to share that day. They encouraged me to write more, and when I started to, the words and emotions just came pouring out.

6.  What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

    I still love to read; that is a big part of my preferred downtime. I am fortunate to live near several beaches; beach walks are another favorite thing. Listening to music and spending time with those dear to me are also on the list, especially if we are exploring new small towns. I love to see what other communities’ main streets look like.

7.  What is one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your book?

    It’s more like what I learned anew.  I had always treasured this relationship in my life, but writing it out in such graphic and emotional detail reminded me of how important it was, how much it influenced me, and how fortunate I am because of it. One thing I did come to realize in this telling is how much my first love and my hometown had in common. Both were beautiful, influential, and flawed, and both the person and the town were things that I loved, and that made me, but despite that, they also were things I had to leave.

8.  Is there anything you would like to confess about as an author?

    Despite my BA in English, magna cum laude no less, I am lousy at editing. And I have no patience for it. I wrote this book pretty quickly as the story and emotions were ready to be told, but it took years, two editors, and over three rounds with my publisher to help me through the editing process. Maybe it is because I am so far removed from college studies and the graded writing of my teens and early twenties, but grammar and I do not communicate well at all.

9.  As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

    It depended on the day. First, an author, though I couldn’t think of anything to write about. Then a veterinarian though I didn’t like science, blood, guts or injuries, especially in animals. A waitress thought I was terribly clumsy. (I did try this, and the clumsiness sealed that fate- waitressing was not for me for sure.) As a teacher, though I didn’t like homework, grading homework is just as bad as homework. Then, fortunately, back to the author.

10.  How do you process and deal with negative reviews?

    Swear. Cry. Vent to my mom. Vent to my friends. Analyze. Beat myself up. Move on.  What is more interesting is what I do with a good review. I have been known to dance around in my pjs to a cheesy song before I share the review with everybody!!

Author Bio:      

        Yvonne deSousa graduated from the University of Massachusetts in 1991. After working with crime victims outside Boston, she decided to return to the Cape, work as an office assistant, and begin writing in her spare time.

         She is the author of MS Madness! A “Giggle More, Cry Less” Story of Multiple Sclerosis and her work has appeared in two editions of Chicken Soup for the Soul. Yvonne is available for readings, book signings and presentations of her work and of how she uses humor to thrive in the face of difficult circumstances.