Author Interview: Marny Copal

About the Author:

Books, school, and farm animals kept me busy as a kid in Central Oregon. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Oregon, I worked in archaeology and freelance writing. I live in Eugene with my husband. No farm animals in our residential neighborhood, but plenty of deer, raccoons, possums, and cats keep me company as I work on my latest writing project. Freeblood is my first novel.

Interview:

What made you want to become a writer? 

I loved reading as a kid. Still do. It makes me laugh, cry, and think. I was always very moved by what I read, and I wanted the ability to move others.

Where do you get your inspirations from? 

I find inspiration everywhere: newspapers, friends, nature, and folklore, to name a few sources.

Other than writing books, what else do you do in your free time? 

I enjoy the outdoors, so one of my favorite things to do is visit parks, especially national parks. I also do a lot of walking. Indoors, I like to read, check out websites, and faithfully serve my feline overlords.

If you could work with another author, who would it be? 

I would want to work with Alexandre Dumas, who wrote The Three Musketeers. I fell in love with the book as a kid. Dumas had a good feel for action/adventure as well as intrigue.

What are major themes of your work? 

Coping with loss is a big theme in Freeblood. It’s also about courage, hope, friendship, choices, and determination.

What do you think people look for in a book? 

Different people look for different things. Some want to be transported to a different time and place or to an imaginary world. Others want to learn about something unfamiliar, like art or architecture, while still others prefer mysteries or puzzles. Some people want insight into what makes people tick. Personally, I look for well-drawn characters, fascinating settings, and a plot with plenty of twists.

Are there any recent works that you admire? 

Stieg Larsson developed an interesting character in Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I admire the complexity of the character.
 
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