As the author of two novels, a third in production and a fourth in conception, Stephanie Gertler's quite a busy writer. But she recently took the time to discuss the written word in the FictionAddiction.NET chat rooms. The following is a transcript of that chat session.
[MOD-CINDY] Novelist Stephanie Gertler made her writing debut with the popular Jimmy's Girl, a novel about what ifs…specifically, about what happens to lost love and can you, should you try to reclaim it? It was published by Dutton in 2001.
[MOD-CINDY] Her newest book, The Puzzle Bark Tree (June 2002), is an intricate and moving story about the memories we carry with us, and about surviving family secrets. Her writing is featured in a lifestyles column, “These Days,” in two different Connecticut newspapers.
[MOD-CINDY] * * * FictionAddiction.NET is pleased to welcome author Stephanie Gertler. Welcome! * * *
[SGertler] Thanks for having me - it's so nice to be here!
[MOD-CINDY] * * * * OPEN FLOOR FOR QUESTIONS * * * *
[Nessie] ?
[MOD-CINDY] Go Ahead, Nessie.
[Nessie] Did you have an agent when you sold your first book?
[MOD-CINDY] * * * If you have a question for Ms. Gertler, please type a question mark, such as ? When it's your turn to ask a question, you will be "called on" so please have your question ready. * * *
[TheWord] ?
[FictionFan] ?
[SGertler] I did have an agent when i sold my first book -- it's imperative!
[MOD-CINDY] Go ahead, TheWord.
[TheWord] Do you follow a particular process when writing a book?
[SGertler] Only in the sense that for books 2 and 3, I wrote synopses. For Jimmy's Girl, I just wrote dead ahead. But I have all kinds of idiosyncracies when I write!
[SGertler] I just have to say hello to my friend Alysyn!
[MOD-CINDY] You're next, Fiction Fan!
[FictionFan] How did you come up with the idea for puzzle bark?
[MOD-APRYL] Author Note: Stephanie Gertler has just completed her third novel.
[mallory] ?
[SGertler] It took me a long time, Fiction Fan. Strangely enough, it came to me while I was sleeping. I had the skeleton of the book but didn't know how I would present it - I wanted to write about truth and loss and memory -- and one morning I awakened from a dream (and I was in the Adirondacks at the time).
[MOD-CINDY] Go ahead, Mallory.
[mallory] What will your new novel be about?
[SGertler] My next novel, titled Drifting, is about the relationships between parents and children - more mothers and daughters. With a little mystery tossed into the mix.
[BAMAman] ?
[MOD-CINDY] Go ahead, Bamaman!
[BAMAman] Do you have any unpublished manuscripts you would like to see published now?
[SGertler] No, none. But I have a lot of books stored in my head!
