Andrea’s blog, A Cat of Impossible Colour, has been one of the “staples” on my feed reader for years. She has a unique sense of style and fun with her wardrobe, crafts wonderfully writtenposts, is an expert thrifter, has traveled and lived in many different spots around the globe, has a great sense of humor, and is about to celebrate the debut of her first novel in a few short weeks. I’m always in utter awe of how much she manages to get done and her passion for writing and way with words, not to mention envying her wardrobe! Andrea is also one of the few people I know who has been very honest about the tedious and sometime discouraging process that writing, editing and seeking to have a book published can be, which she has written about at length on her blog. I am utterly delighted that I was able to interview her and chat a bit about writing (and fashion)–right in time for the February 10 launch of The Cry of the Go-Away Bird (also available from Amazon Canada), which is inspired by her experiences growing up in Zimbabwe. Thank you again, Andrea!
Could you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
Well, I’m 25, and I was born in England, grew up in Zimbabwe, moved to New Zealand when I was 17 and lived there until this year, when I moved to Austin, Texas with my husband and black cat, Mink! I have quite a strange accent, as you can imagine. I also have dreadful eyesight which I make worse by reading under the bedclothes, and my cat is plotting to take over the world (I think).
What was it like living in Africa? What do you miss most about it?
It was vivid, colourful, dark, terrifying and wonderful, all at the same time. I love Zimbabwe and it will always be the landscape of my heart. The things I miss most change daily. Today I miss avocadoes fresh from our tree, the sound of cane rats running through the long grass in our garden, and the smell of the citronella-infused cream we wore in the evenings to keep mosquitoes away. Writing The Cry of the Go-Away Bird was therefore both joyful and heart-wrenching, often simultaneously.
You recently moved from New Zealand to Texas; how are you liking your new home in Austin? I hope you’re all settled now! You have seen a lot of different parts of the world; what have been some of your favorite spots and dream trips?
I love Austin! It is such a fun, free sort of city, filled with interesting people. And I love the heat, after eight freezing New Zealand winters. I am a bit of a useless travel agent, though, as I love absolutely everywhere I have been and lived and couldn’t possibly choose a favourite. The UK, Zimbabwe and New Zealand are, of course, very special to me – and Paris holds a particular place in my heart, since I have been there often and my husband proposed to me there. I would love to go to Mexico and I have always wanted to visit the Antarctic – I even applied for a job on Scott Base once!
What inspired you to be a writer? Is this something you’ve been passionate about all your life? What are your earliest literary-memories?
I have wanted to be a writer since I knew what a story was, and have vivid recollections of writing long, rambling stories in clumsy pencil when I was six! I ‘published’ them, too, designing covers and writing ‘Unicorn Press’ or ‘Black Cat Publishing’ (couldn’t decide) laboriously on the back of each one.
Your experiences as a child in Zimbabwe have really influenced your first book; do you find that is the case with a lot of your writing: that events in your life (or observations of others) tend to contribute to or influence your writing?
I think of myself as a sort of compost heap (bear with me; this starts making sense soon): all the detritus of my life experiences is shovelled into a pile, where it sits and ferments for a while. And eventually it turns into something useful and nutritious. For me, this is where my stories come from. I think many writers have the same experience.
Do you have any tips for those reading this who are looking to pursue a career as a writer? I know the idea of finding a publisher and the endless stream of initial rejections and revisions for a manuscript can be daunting! How did you keep your eyes on the prize and keep moving forward without getting discouraged?
It can be very discouraging! The best advice I can give is to make your book the best it can possibly be, however arduous and heartbreaking the process and then to be very, very (very) persistent … however arduous and heartbreaking the process. And be bloody-minded. You will hear an awful lot of ‘no’, but it only takes one ‘yes.’
Blogging has played a big part in your life–do you think it’s really helped with your writing career as well?
Yes! Blogging provided a community of likeminded, talented and supportive people (like you, Casey!) whom I would never have met otherwise. Writing is a lonely activity. Without these online friends to chat to during the good days and bad, I don’t know how my journey would have been. A lot harder, I know that. Blogging also gave me the opportunity to follow the stories of other women who were pursuing their dreams, creative or otherwise, and I found (find) that very inspiring.
You also have a keen sense of style and work a lot of thrifted items into your wardrobe. Have you always been interested in fashion?
You know, I really haven’t. I did enjoy dressing up my Barbie dolls when I was younger (and still do enjoy playing with dolls, if I’m honest), but I never had much interest in dressing myself. I wore whatever my mother bought for me, basically, and was a raging tomboy until the age of sixteen. If you could ride a horse and climb a tree in it comfortably, I wore it. I only started to see the possibilities of self-expression through clothing in my late teens, when I became the kid-who-dressed-weirdly. I always liked to experiment, successfully or not, and I started thrift-shopping – fairly indiscriminately, at first! There was the year of many ponchos; the year of corsets and leather gloves; and the year of tie-dyed bell-bottoms. It is only in the last three years that I have become comfortable with my style and discovered a love of vintage clothing.
Any tips for would-be (or even seasoned!) thrifters? How do you manage to find some many amazing pieces?
I don’t have any magical powers or close-guarded secrets to share, but I do think that you need to be persistent and patient. Go often and rummage thoroughly – that’s the best way to uncover treasures. I did write a series of detailed posts on thrifting, as well, which you can find here:
I’m sure you get this question a lot, but how do you think that writing (seen as more cerebral) and fashion (often perceived as artistic) influence each other? Or is there even a connection for you?
I am a very visual person, and a very visual writer – imagery is important to me. No matter how vivid your writing, however, at some level it will always be black words on a white page. Vintage fashion gives me an outlet through which I can express my love of colour, pattern and form, just as painting or designing would for someone who possesses greater artistic skills than mine! (Which are pretty meagre, despite my high school dreams of Fine Arts school). Wearing something creative makes me feel and be more creative.
Take us through a typical day for you: what keeps you motivated and going?
Coffee! That’s the short answer. I drink three cups in the morning to get going. Otherwise, I have learned that the best source of motivation is simply sitting down and working for a set period of time, no matter what your mood or energy level. I am also a passionate advocate of naps – I have a nap in all of my lunch breaks, and it keeps me sane and refreshed for the afternoon’s work.
Finally: do you have anything special planned to commemorate your first book launch?
Well, my husband and I are flying over to the UK in February, so I will be participating in a few events surrounding the launch of the book – I’ll be announcing details on my blog as each is confirmed. Apart from that, though, I anticipate a celebratory dinner involving a great deal of sparkling wine, and a thrifting trip! I have a tradition of buying a new-to-me vintage dress to commemorate every important event in my life. For a while I was buying a lot of ‘rejection-from-agent/publisher’ dresses. It will be a thrill to buy a ‘book-launch’ dress.
Inspiring Interviews is an occasional feature in which I chat with creative individuals about their particular niche and what inspires them. Be sure to check out the others individuals featured in the past!
January 26, 2011 ·
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