Interview + Giveaway: Primal by D.A. Serra

About the Book

Publisher: Perry Street Pictures, Inc., May 13, 2012

Category: Crime Thriller, Suspense/Thriller

Tour Dates: January & February, 2013

Available in Print and ebook: 191 Pages

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

PRIMAL by D.A. Serra (screenplay originally purchased by James Cameron)

The most dangerous place on Earth is between a mother and her child…

With everything at stake – what are you capable of?  What if the worst happens and you’re not a policeman, a soldier, or a spy with weapons training and an iron heart?  What if you’re a schoolteacher – a mom?  In this gritty crime thriller a family vacation takes a vicious turn when a fishing camp is invaded by four armed men.  With nothing except her brains, her will, and the element of surprise on her side, Alison must learn to kill or watch her family die.

And then, things get worse.

Interview

1. How do you handle bad reviews? 
It depends on what is being criticized in the work.  Some complaints roll off of me, but others send me to bury my head in the sofa.  If a reviewer comments negatively on a plot point, or a grammatical construction, or even a pacing issue, it doesn't bother me deep down; however, if a reviewer makes derogatory comments about the lyricism of the language, the imagery, or the use of metaphor, that feels crippling.  The more erudite the reviewer, naturally, the more it hurts.  Typically, I feel badly for the rest of the day, resolve to never write again, have Tequila for dinner, get up the next morning, and go back to work.

2. What book do you recommend everyone should read and why?
I would recommend A Tale of Two Cities.  Not only does Dickens write some of the most heart-wrenching, inspired prose ever written, but while he is accomplishing that, he also imagines the history of the conflict from both perspectives while simultaneously developing one of the most fascinating characters in all of literature:  Sydney Carton.  Sydney is a narcissist with a bagful of unredeemable character flaws, but who is self-reflective and so recognizes that, and the ending…oh, the end.

3. Where is your favorite place to write? 
Facing the wall – seriously – I have a really pretty little office with sliding glass doors that look out over a wooded area, but my desk faces the blank wall -- for the obvious reason. Also,  I do like writing in cafes.  I’m a big fan of strong coffee and the anonymity of a crowded space.

4. When you write, do you write for a long period of time or do you write in short burst? 
I have a fairly strict routine.  Immediately upon waking, I grab my coffee and begin to write; sometimes without even leaving the bed.  When I take my first break I will wash and dress.  Then, I go back to work until about one or two o’clock.  I got into this routine because I have children and I wanted to be done when they got home from school.  My husband always helped with the morning before he left for work around 7:30 a.m., and so I had a good clear five or six uninterrupted hours.  Even though my kids are now in college, I keep this schedule (mostly).

5. Who is your favorite author and why?  I will share a couple of authors I love:
History:  Thomas Cahill – His Hinges of History series is entertaining, interesting, and written with a kind of irreverence that I truly enjoy.
Essays:  David Foster Wallace – A rare glimpse at us, and at society, from the outside, mixed with wit and boundless erudition (bring a dictionary).
Fiction:  Ann Patchett, Barbara Kingsolver for their books Bel Canto and A Prodigal Summer, respectively

6. What words of advice would you give to aspiring authors
Sit!  Sounds easy – it’s not.  Just sit there.  Set some hours and no matter what do not get up from the chair.  You will be amazed, right after you think you’re going to lose your mind -- it begins.

7. What is your favorite character in your book and why?
In Primal, I really like Kent.  I know he is a minor character, but he tries so hard to be smart, to be recognized and respected by his older brother, and is so terribly far off the mark – I just like him.

8. What is your favorite scene from the book and why?
Primal is a series of juxtapositions that work on both a character and location level.  My favorite couplet is the two birthday scenes juxtaposed in the beginning.  Read it and what else do you need to know about these two families?

9. What is your favorite time of year?
I love autumn.  Now that I live in Southern California I miss the fall of the leaves, the burnt colors, and the edges of the evening that have that blue-ish glow.

10. Where is your favorite place to read? 
I read everywhere: in bed, on the sofa, in a café, sitting in the car.  At any one time I have a book on my kindle, an audio book on my iPhone, a magazine in my car, and a paperback or hardcover in my hand.

11. What is the most inspiring quote you have ever heard?
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world.  Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”  Margaret Mead

“There is no greater urge than the desire to change someone else’s draft.”  H.G. Wells

“This girl doesn't  it seems to me, have a special perception that would raise this book above the curiosity level .”  Rejection slip for The Diary of Anne Frank

About the Author

Deborah Serra was a screenwriter for twenty years and recognized by the Writer’s Guild for her long term continuous employment. She has written ten TV movies, four feature films, and numerous TV episodes including two years as a staff writer for NBC.  She worked for top producers, directors, and actors.  She has taught writing at the University of California, San Diego, Wofford College and at writers’ conferences nationwide.  Serra has now turned her attention to novels, and she was honored as a recent recipient of the prestigious Hawthornden Literary Fellowship, and as a semi-finalist for the William Faulkner-William Wisdom Creative Writing Award given by the Faulkner Society in New Orleans, LA. Deborah's website.

Giveaway

Deborah Serra is giving away a PDF copy of her book, Primal. All you have to do is leave a comment on what you think of Primal or the interview and voila!

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