Featured Author: Alyssa Velazquez

[Tawdra Kandle]

Tell us about your latest book.

Men and Manolos is my unedited, honest, and open memoir of being a romantic with all the right shoes and all the wrong relationships in a frequently hopeless twenty-first century dating pool.

 Where did the idea for the book come from?

In my second year of college at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland I became a writer for its collegiate newspaper. My column: Sex and The Chester explored various facets of love and relationships. After I graduated in 2012 I found myself qualified but unemployed in a job market that was less than favorable to social scientists.

When I was a little girl I thought I wanted to be a writer and my adolescent bucket list, along with making it on Broadway, and walking the entire Great Wall Of Chain had, “write a book.” Re-reading my past ambitions I thought, “why not? This is as good a time as any.” 

From my time as a columnist I knew what I liked to write about and with no obligations other than a day job my anthropological fascination with love and relationships had time to develop itself into a manuscript.

As for the shoes, I’ve always had an Achilles heel for designer shoes. One day after a recent breakup I opened up my closet and saw nothing but my Exs. Our past stays with us not only in our memories but also in the mementos that capture a slice of time. I wanted to be able to share various relationship experiences in a vehicle that all women can relate to: shoes.

 

Who and what inspire you to write?

That is a very long list.

Music.

Theater.

People.

Anything that is strongly sensory, both physically and emotionally.

 Each author has his or her own inspiring journey. How did you begin writing?

 I started writing in middle school. My mother was an avid reader growing up and she instilled that same passion for literature in my brother and myself. Our summers were spent at the library in organized activities and writing clubs. Teen Talk was the first publication I ever wrote for. It was run by the librarians-all saints- who every week developed different lessons plans on writing styles, subject matters, and creative assignments. During High School my focused changed from writing to acting and it wasn’t until I was working as a columnist in college that I started writing recreationally again. 

 

What has been the most pleasant surprise about writing? How about an unexpected down side?

The most pleasant surprise would have to be re-reading old material. As a writer you work so hard on the perfect combination of words and vowels hoping to produce a sentence, a paragraph, with meaning and purpose. You proof read and proof read and you become disconnected. After a span of time disassociated with the project you return; whether the reaction is “I wrote that?” or “that’s horrible, I can’t believe I wrote that” or “what on earth am I trying to say?” you have a visceral reaction to reading your own voice for what seems like the first time.

You don’t get to be reintroduced to portions of yourself very often.

On the flip side I found that sometimes I become too self-consciously attached to a story or subject matter and over work the project.

 

Do you have any writing rituals?

 

There has to be music and caffeine. Location can vary, as well as time of day, but coffee or tea must be present. 

 

Do you write your books in order?

 

While writing the various vignettes for Men and Manolos I didn’t write chronological. It was more, which character was on my mind more at that particular time. My mind doesn’t work like as a systematic filing cabinet more like of a bowl of spaghetti.

 What is on your writing playlist for this book?

Say Something by A Great Big World

Brave by Sarah Bareilles

Brutal Hearts by Bedouin Soundclash

Betray by Son Lux

Turning Page by Sleeping at Last

Black Flies by Ben Howard

Hero by Regina Spektor

Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Ray

Skin by Zola Jesus

What’s The Matter by Milo Greene

Strawbear by Keaton Henson

Call Your Girlfriend by Lucy Wainwright Roche

 Any favorite writing snacks?

Twizzlers. (Snack of champions)

 What advice would you give writers who aspire to be published?

 Don’t back down. The only person you’ll be disappointing or letting down will be yourself.

Are you working on anything new right now?

Unfortunately no, my writing is currently being sequestered to personal essay writing for graduate school applications.

Who is your favorite character in your current book? 

I would have to say Will. Writing that story from beginning to end was a cathartic experience. It moved things into place in the book but also my perspective on my reasons for starting the book and what the point of it all was. I believe he is also the only character that the reader is permitted to experience from the relationship’s beginning, middle, and end in its entirety.

What is your favorite book of all time?

That’s terribly difficult to answer.

For now I will say, The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald.

Tell us in one sentence why we should read your book. 

To remember that you have to love, hopelessly even, in order to live. 

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Follow Alyssa here: 
[e-mail]
Twitter: @AlyssaManolo
Website: http://www.alyssavelazquez.net.tf