Interview with author Michelle Park Lazette

Hi everyone! Lots of exciting things happening behind the scenes lately especially with the launch of Sunshine Ladies Unraveling Tales podcast. I’m so excited I was still able to bring you guys this interview from Michelle Park Lazette. Below you’ll find links to her social media and website.

instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/authormichelleparklazette?igsh=MXV2OXdsaDJ3cmQwcQ==

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/share/16YvFMzigL/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Website:

https://flyingsnakepress.com/books/?utm_source=QA&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=carriedoesbooks

Enjoy the interview!

❤️Carrie

What inspired the setting of The Descended in an underground shelter, and how did that concept evolve during your writing process?

I had a nightmare in early 2020 wherein aircraft plummeted to a rural state route in my native Ohio, and I found myself before a bloodred door. It was the kind of dream you try to stay awake to avoid resuming it. Not a fan. After early readers said they desired a richer world-building, I walked the actual forest I name in the novel and took tons of notes about what I saw, heard, and otherwise experienced. They are details you can read in The Descended. Most interestingly, perhaps, I worried that I wouldn’t accurately depict how it felt to live life indoors, unable to go outside. Then COVID spread to the States. Sure, we could go outside, but it was uncertain. I used that inspiration immensely in this book.

How did your background in journalism influence your approach to writing fiction, particularly in crafting the narrative of The Descended?

Journalistic work ideally lets the facts do the talking and seeks granular specificity to immerse readers in a person’s coverage, and I definitely leaned on these while crafting The Descended. It goes back to the adage: show, don’t tell. After years of journalistic coverage, I know how to do that. You lean not on adjectives and adverbs but real descriptions. She trembled or bit her nails, not she was afraid. His muscles strained, not he looked strong. Things like that.

The novel has been described as a blend between The Walking Dead and Spark. How did you balance elements of horror and hope in your storytelling?

I learned during my writing journey that readers desire a rollercoaster: They need to feel dread, and then a release, and then maybe some more tension, and then some character development. One big mistake I’m glad I caught early on was thinking that having a plot, a story, meant I could write a novel. With inspiration namely from the podcast and books by K.M. Weiland, I realized no one reads a novel that’s action-packed without character arcs, character change. We don’t stay for stories that lack heart and emotion. So I definitely dove deep into what my POVs’ wounds and misconceptions were at the start and how the things that happened to them—the plot and the story—grew them.

What challenges did you face in transitioning from journalism to fiction writing, and how did you overcome them?

Journalistic tendencies led me to not develop as much as I should have the interiority—the thoughts and innate behaviors of characters—and I had to dig deep during revisions to rectify that. I’m thankful for (and recommend) early readers’ and authors’ critiques. It was a ton of work, and at times I worried I wasn’t up to the task. It was also a lot of fun. I’m not used to writing people’s innermost thoughts, and I’m not used to making shit up. I got to do both in the pages of The Descended.

Can you discuss the themes of survival and community in The Descended, and what you hope readers take away from them?

I think my major theme is all people are deserving of forgiveness, if they seek it. My characters are imperfect, and that’s intentional. You might decide you dislike one or more of them, and that’s okay. But they all, like us, grow.

How did your personal experiences and interests shape the characters and plot of The Descended?

A lot of the reporter stories my main POV, Audrey, reflects upon are true. I dug up SEC filings. I reported on children who recovered from scary illnesses. The most vulnerable real detail I include about Audrey is her grappling with her father’s abandonment. I've been estranged from my father for most of my life, and I hope anyone who has experienced that kind of circumstance feels well depicted in how it affects her. I don’t share that for sympathy; the reality is a lot of authors build into their characters the things they know, and their books are better for it and feel realer because of it.

What was your process for world-building in an apocalyptic setting, and how did you ensure it felt authentic and engaging?

I suppose I’m a bit of a dark enthusiast, so I’ve read Emily St. John Mandel and Margaret Atwood, and I’ve watched most any apocalyptic movie you could name: I Am Legend. 10 Cloverfield Lane. 28 Weeks Later. A Quiet Place and its sequel. I distinctly remember realizing in the theater watching one of the Quiet Place films that I wanted my climax to be two thread lines that come together, just like it achieved. I hope readers will feel the tension I worked to create.

As a debut novelist, what have you learned about the publishing process, and what advice would you give to aspiring authors?

 

Honestly, my biggest learning was from the Novel Marketing Podcast, where the host explained that most traditionally published books sell a dozen copies. YOU READ THAT RIGHT. A dozen. This reality has reiterated to me that sometimes trad publishing isn’t the right choice for authors, and maybe that’s not a bad thing. I queried my butt off for The Descended, and I’m not at all sorry that I stopped doing that and decided to go it alone. If I’m going to be responsible for the marketing of this book (which is true for most trad published authors), I welcome earning more off of every book sold. For a long time, I thought indie publishing was reserved for only those who suck, if I’m honest. That is very not the case. My advice to aspiring authors is work HARD on your book and your craft. If you want readers, your book needs to be well plotted, well written, and well marketed.

Are there any particular authors or books that influenced your writing style or the development of The Descended?

I feel like I’m inspired by everything I consume: My husband knows well to hit the pause button when I start writing a note that comes to me when we’re watching a documentary or a movie or a TV show. Lately, I’m not reading as much as I would like because I’m writing and revising The Descended.

Also, truly, life itself inspires me, too. When the birth of our third child proved scary (and I commiserate with anyone who feels one with that sentiment), I found it cathartic to insert a line about such a birth. If writing a novel takes you a long time, and it often does, lean into what life teaches you while it takes the time it does. That can sometimes make the words you write more resonant. I hope that’s true for my own work.

What can readers expect next from you? Are you planning a sequel to The Descended or exploring new genres?

Thank you so much for asking. I’m not currently writing the sequel to The Descended, but I am writing an entirely new book, 34 Overbrook. It, like The Descended, is a mashup of dreams I had. I don’t want to give too much away, but here is the gist of these puzzling dreams: In one, I’m in the middle of Cleveland, a city center, when a scary explosion happens and a green air spreads. In another, I’m a servant at an opulent house where very wealthy people are arriving for a party by limo, luxury vehicle, and even horse-drawn carriage. If you’re curious what I do with the dreams and how I make them a cohesive story, subscribe for news of 34 Overbrook here: https://flyingsnakepress.com/books/?utm_source=QA&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=carriedoesbooks

Thanks for reading!