Amy Engel questioned

Amy Engel wrote my favorite book ,The famililliar dark, of 202o so far.We got to ask her some questions.

*Would you like to introduce yourself to the readers in  keywords?

Writer, mother, reader, introvert, 

 

*How did you come up with the idea for the book?

A few years ago in the United States, two thirteen-year-old girls were killed while out on a hike. Their killer has never be caught. The case haunted me when I heard first heard about it and for a long time afterward. It has no direct relation to the plot of THE FAMILIAR DARK, other than my inability to get those girls out of my head leading to the opening scene in the book. Once I had that scene down, the rest of the book flowed from there. 

 

*How did you delve into the world of white trash? You describe the characters so sharply?

I try not to think of them as white trash, even when that’s how Eve might describe herself. But I have spent a lot of time in the Ozarks and when I was a criminal defense attorney I spent a lot of time around people who grew up in poverty. I tend to listen more than I talk (like most introverts) and try to pay attention to how people speak and move around their world. I tried to draw on those experiences while writing. I don’t think rural poverty is addressed all that often in crime fiction, and I really wanted to shine a light on it in this book. 

*Can you imagine having to grow up in such a world? Can you ever escape your upbringing? -Nature and nurture?

This is the eternal question. I do, actually, think it’s possible escape your upbringing. You can’t erase it or ignore it, but I do think some people are able to transcend it. But for others that simply isn’t possible.

 

*The emotions: the sadness, the self reproach, you put down so crudely that I was so sympathetic to Eve. How do you manage that?

When you started writing, did you already have the story all in your head or did it appear during writing?

 

The story generally appears while I’m writing. I don’t outline and I tend to know more about the characters than I know about the story itself. I’m glad you were sympathetic to Eve. I really enjoyed writing her character. I think that’s probably the trick to writing a character who readers connect with, even when the characters do bad or questionable things. I love Eve, and feel great compassion for her and her choices, and I tried to put that across in the writing. 

*Where did you write the book? In a special room in silence or in the middle of the living room?

Generally I write in the living room. I started writing when my children were younger and hiding away upstairs wasn’t an option. It was pure chaos, but it got me used to writing in any environment. I don’t need a lot of silence or special rituals in order to write. I have a big comfy chair in the corner of my living room and most of the time that’s where I write.

*Do you have a ritual before you start?

Not really. I don’t have a lot of rituals. Often I’ll listen to music, but it's not a requirement. I do try and get any small tasks that have been bugging me done, like answering emails or putting in laundry, before I begin writing.

 

*If your book would be filmed, who do you see playing the role of brother and sister?

That’s a hard question! I can see them so clearly in my mind that it’s hard to replace that with the face of an actual person. Maybe Jennifer Lawrence or Brie Larson for Eve? I’m not sure about Cal, though. 

 

*What did you want to become in the past? You were a criminal lawyer for a long time: what did you like most about your profession then?

Do you ever miss your work?

I always wanted to be a writer, even when I was very young, but I didn’t know if it would ever happen. When I was a criminal lawyer, I liked the feeling of helping people and ensuring that the justice system was treating them as fairly as possible. I do sometimes miss the excitement of the courtroom, but for the most part I’m happy to have left that part of my life behind.

 

*I understood that you wrote a young adult series. What is the biggest difference between writing for this target group and the adults who read The Familiar dark?

I think when I was writing YA I felt a little more constrained in what I could write about and how dark I could go. I felt a little more of a responsibility to my readers in terms of maybe tempering my darker impulses. 

 

*Do you like to read? What is your favorite book of all time?

I love to read and am always in the middle of at least a few books. My favorite book of all time is probably East of Eden by John Steinbeck. The Stand by Stephen King and Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison are also favorites. 

*What is the ultimate feeling of happiness for you?

Knowing that my family is safe and happy. And sitting at an outdoor cafe in Paris drinking a glass of wine and eating escargot. 

 

Photo is C Trish McBrown Photography