Why I Wrote DEAD SPACES

We write books for lots of reasons. Usually, there isn’t one “this is why I wrote this book.” Which is why I have, and like, this feature. I’m curious why authors write the books they write. And believe it or not, I’m curious why I wrote a particular book. (You’d think I’d know, wouldn’t you?)

I tend to commit random acts of writing, even within the framework of a series. I never know what I’m going to write. Sometimes I don’t even know who is going to be in the series. With my Baker’s Dozen/Big Uneasy series, I know a Baker will be in there, but which one? Yeah, that’s a mystery to me, too. But there was a…more primary reason I wrote Dead Spaces.

The first reason I wrote Dead Spaces was to fulfill a promise to the readers who bought Relatively Risky and possibly purchased “Family Treed” (the short story that came after). I know the plot was tangled and that no ends were neatly tied up. Obviously, I needed to do something about that.

I’d always planned to make the series connected stories with a different sibling featured in each book. And if the novels didn’t solve everything, then I’d write short stories and novellas to fill in. “Family Treed” followed Relatively Risky fairly quickly.

And then Life Happened. It happens a lot on this blog and in my life. So I left my readers hanging for a long time. I felt bad and worried about it, but couldn’t do anything while Life was Happening. But…in hindsight, the Muse is wise. I think the story needed the time to percolate in the back of my brain. Because when I sat down to figure the story out…

Something Happened.

Hannah Baker, the quiet, somewhat geeky oldest of the daughters, appeared in my head and told me this story should be hers and not any of the other characters under consideration. What was even more interesting to me, she “appeared” to me almost fully formed. All I had to do was sit down and get to know her.

I love it when that happens.

She had some strong opinions on how I should tell her story and who would be her love interest. And some special challenges to overcome as the oldest of the daughters, but who also has SEVEN big brothers. So her love interest had to be able to stand his ground. Like, really really stand his ground.

So reason two for why I wrote this book? Hannah Baker made me do it.

So, yeah, there are probably other underlying motives mixed in there. I know I love writing about New Orleans, but the main reasons were for my readers and Hannah made me. So that’s why I wrote Dead Spaces.

Do you like knowing why authors make the choices they do? Is there anything else you’d like to know about authors?

Perilously yours,

Pauline