Why I write: Deborah Klee

Why I write

Write what you know. Advice we have all heard. I reword that to: Write what you feel. Write what you are passionate about. It is this that gives us a unique voice. For me, it is the power of friendship and community. The emotional courage everyday people find in responding to life’s challenges. I have been privileged to work for decades in health and social care, listening to and giving voice to people who have experienced hardship and often feel excluded from society. It is perhaps unsurprising that social justice also creeps into my stories. 

It is usually a place that first inspires me. In The Borrowed Boy, Just Bea, and The Forever Cruise, the locations were as important as the characters. A shanty town in Essex that was once a popular seaside resort; The Regents Canal; a luxury department store; a cruise ship, and Madagascar. Each of these locations has played an important part in one of my books. I am currently writing a story about one of the sunken villages of Yorkshire. 

So, first it is the place and then the situation. The what if? My inspiration for The Forever Cruise was: What if a person were to spend their retirement on a cruise ship? Could a life of luxury become monotonous? Do we need a sense of purpose, and being valued, to truly enjoy life? 

When I was plotting The Forever Cruise, I knew the outline – what would happen, when and how it would end but it took me some time to discover my characters. I had several false starts with entirely different characters. It was only when I found pensioner Alice, cabin maid Olivia, and captain Marianne Moore, that the story took off. 

I guess I’m somewhere between a plotter and a pantser. I always have the outline – the key plot points and the story beats – mapped out. A few sentences on postcards, or a table in Word, provide my road map. But then the journey begins. It is when I write that the magic happens. The characters and places come to life, and as I lose myself in their world, I hope I am creating the same excitement for the reader. 

The process is different for each book. Every time I write a new story, I doubt my ability. That is because when the magic happens, it is always a surprise. I am learning to have faith and trust the process. 

I have just started writing the Yorkshire story. This first stage is like being in love. All I want to do is write. The story consumes me. The characters my constant companions. I love every stage of the writing process. For me, writing is a joy. 

My third novel The Forever Cruise was published on 1st December and the wonderful feedback from readers has overwhelmed me. I think it takes a few books to establish yourself as an author. To have a dialogue with readers and to know that your stories are providing an escape and pleasure is one of the best feelings in the world. 

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Deborah Klée is an award-winning author of page-turning, uplifting stories about friendship, community, and emotional courage. After a career in health and social care: an occupational therapist, health service manager, freelance journalist, and management consultant, she now enjoys writing happy endings for her protagonists.

Deborah lives on the Essex coast, where she loves to walk by the sea or the surrounding countryside filling her pockets with shells, and acorns, and her head with stories.

Website: www.abrakdeborah.wordpress.com 

Twitter: @DeborahKlee

Instagram: deborahkleeauthor

Facebook: Deborah Klée Author

THE FOREVER CRUISE

Lose yourself in a voyage to exotic lands in this feel good story about second chances and new beginnings.

When Halcyon Seas, a luxury alternative to retirement living, sets sail on her maiden voyage, three women on board dream of a better future.
Will Captain Marianne Moore prove herself capable in her new role? Her career depends on it.
Will Cabin maid Olivia Rose be able to keep her secret and her job? Her impoverished family relies on her wages.
And will pensioner Alice Wagstaff finally find the courage to live the life she wants?
When the cruise ship veers off course, the future is uncertain and dangerous.
Can the three women embrace this new direction, or will the journey of a lifetime turn into a living nightmare?

BUY HERE

 

 

 

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: On Writing