Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
A1. Hello! I’m Deborah Wilde, a former screenwriter who jumped ship to write funny, sexy urban fantasy books and never looked back. I’m a self-professed geek, pop culture lover, and I never say no to a good chocolate chip cookie.
Most of my books are set in my hometown of Vancouver, Canada and I take a lot of pride in the fact that I’ve convinced readers to check out my beautiful city. Only don’t come in the winter. A lot of rain.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Throwing Shade”?
A2. My biggest challenge wasn’t really with Throwing Shade, which was book one of the seven book series, Magic After Midlife. It was actually with the final book, Ace of Shades, because the big bad that Miriam had to take down was so formidable, it took me a bit to figure out how she could possibly emerge triumphant.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
A3. One of the books that had the biggest impact on me as an author, even though I read it as a kid, was The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Even back then, I loved books that would transport me to other worlds—but they didn’t tend to be funny. Then I saw a cover with “Don’t Panic” written on it, and my mind was blown by all the humour, while the characters were still having these amazing adventures in outer space.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
A4. Osoyoos, BC. It’s a pocket desert and that’s crazy to me that we have those here in Canada. It’s absolutely stunning there, totally different from the lush vegetation in Vancouver. Plus, the lake is warm and there are lots of wonderful wineries in the area.
Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Throwing Shade’?
A5. There was this one day, back when I was still teaching screenwriting, when a group of my film school students had an argument about whether a female character in her forties would still have any sexual desire or be seen sexually. Most were arguing that the male character would go for a younger woman.
Intellectually, I understood about the invisibility of middle-aged women—just look at the roles older actresses are offered versus those given to men of a similar age. But I remember sitting there thinking “you’re kidding me, right? Am I supposed to just be some sexless crone now?”
I’d been so happy to turn forty because I’d gotten rid of a lot of negative thinking, especially around my body image, and worrying about how other people saw me, and yet I kept feeling like even though I’d broken out of this box, there were a lot of others trying to keep me inside it.
That got me thinking about invisibility as a strength, and the idea that if you’re invisible, no one sees you coming, which led me to Miriam’s powers.
Ultimately, it’s a story of empowerment.
Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Throwing Shade’?
A6. I spent about a month figuring out the magic system and what Miriam’s journey was going to be. Probably another 3 months writing it and 3 months through the extensive editing process I do.
Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?
A7. The best place to buy my books is direct from me at deborahwildebooks.com. I sell ebooks, paperbacks, and audiobooks. We’ve made it really easy to download ebooks to a Kindle or Kobo or most popular ereaders. But my books are also available online at all the major retailers, so readers can pick their favourite store.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Throwing Shade’?
A8. One of the things I love to do across different series, is have my designer come up with a symbol to brand it. We knew that we were going to feature different accessories as the main object on each cover in the series and that for Throwing Shade it would be this high heel. Once he added the sparkly gold skull that was the series symbol, it gave the book a dash of cheeky fun.
I don’t remember when I came up with the title. I feel like it was pretty early on in the idea generation stage. Throwing Shade was perfect because it worked on two levels: one, society’s tendency to dismiss older women, and two, Miriam’s shadow magic. From there, it was a matter of roping my husband, kid, and friends into helping me find all the fun plays on the phrases with “shade” for the rest of the books.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself.
A9. That’s a great question. It comes down to refilling my creative well, so dinners with friends, traveling when I can, taking in a cool exhibit, or losing myself in a book or television series. Plus, the more I engage with the world and other people, the more snippets of conversations or something I’ve seen translates into an idea for my own story.
Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?
A10. Finish your first draft. ☺
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