Written by Teralyn Mitchell
Colleen Oakes answered some questions from our contributor, Teralyn, about her recently released novel, The Black Coats, her life, and writing. Check out the interview below to learn more about her and books!
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Sure! I’m a Denver native, and proud to still call this amazing city my home. I am an avid reader, a lifelong writer and a proud adoptive Mom. When I’m not writing, you can find me travelling, swimming or geeking out about pop-culture.
When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?
I always loved writing, as early as 4th grade, and I have a B.A in English and Creative Writing from Concordia Bronxville in NY. It wasn’t until my late 20’s through that I realised that I needed to be writing full-time for so many different reasons. It was always meant to be.
What inspires you to write?
My own passion to create a story is sometimes enough. Other times, it can be outside forces: music, an image, a place, a person. I find inspiration everywhere, and though not all of it leads to a novel, all of it is inspiring.
Can you share something your readers wouldn’t know about you?
I have a faulty body-map. I am constantly bumping into walls, desks and counters; I often misjudge my own space. There is a class you can take in Boulder about body-mapping and I really need to get on that.
What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?
I am a “Pantser”, which means I don’t outline and I write by the seat of my pants. There aren’t a lot of true pantsers out there, and so it’s nice to know it’s something special. I do outline in my brain though, so I’m not if that cuts me out of that category. Does it have to be on paper? I have questions.
What, according to you, is the hardest thing about writing? What would you say is the easiest aspect of writing?
The easiest aspect of writing is creating the story, the world and the characters—I love the creation part of writing! Beginning a book is my favourite. The middle of a book is always the hardest part to get through. I always find the beginning and the ending really easy; the challenge is that midpoint. You have to find a way to keep it interesting for readers who may be feeling the exact same way.
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Read! Read all the time, all the things, all the genres. When you are reading, you are already preparing your brain to be a writer. Reading is your practice before you ever pick up a pen! Without realising it, you are learning about craft, plot, story, character, setting and all those other nuances of writing all while being immersed in a new and exciting world. It’s an incredible thing.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
That social media does not matter as much as writing matters. Be wary of where you put your time.
The Black Coats has such an intriguing premise! Can you tell us what inspired you to write this story?
There were several things: a black coat lying on the side of the road in Nebraska, the death of a good friend, an obsession with vigilante justice and Batman, and the statistics of violence against women. All of these dark issues swirled around inside me until it formed the basics for this story and this book.
What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
I hope they take away questions: questions about what it means to be a woman in this time, questions about justice and revenge, questions about who gets to choose what justice is. I also hope they walk away with a renewed strength in the power of female friendships.
Your story is set in Austin, TX. Why did you choose that as the setting for your book?
While I originally set the book in the deep South, but once I visited Austin, TX, I knew that it was the perfect setting for a book that was at once romantic and dark, but also a boot-stomper action-thriller.
What were the key challenges you faced when writing this book? What was the highlight of writing this book?
The key challenges I would say were the level of violence in the book, the rules of The Black Coats and making sure every member of Team Banner got their due. The highlights were definitely creating the house (Mademoiselle Corday) and falling in love with these girls and their friendships, and watching them work through their trauma.
Are you working on anything at the present you would like to share with us?
I have two finished books right now on submission, and am working on a fairytale retelling.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for us?
So many! Strange the Dreamer, the Red Rising Series, Scythe, Sawkill Girls, Watch Me Disappear, Dumplin, State of Wonder, Children of Blood and Bone…I could recommend books for days.
The Black Coats is available on Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.
