Christy Esmahan has been a member of the Writers’ League since November and is attending the 2015 Agents & Editors Conference. She lives in Houston.
Scribe: In what genre(s) do you write?
Christy Esmahan: My novels so far are in the genres of literary fiction and contemporary fiction. However, with NaNoWriMo this month, I began writing a science fiction novel and I am thoroughly enjoying the experience. I have also written one children’s book.
Scribe: What authors would you like to have coffee or a beer with and which beverage?
CE: I’d have several pints of beer with Jasper Fforde, who is one of the most entertaining authors I’ve ever read. I admire all of his books, love his sense of humor and I am completely fascinated by the way he thinks. I feel certain that I could learn so much from him. Ah, if only…
I would have several cups of milky rooibos tea with Alexander McCall-Smith in the living room of his house in Scotland. I’ve read nearly every book he’s published, and I love his calm and endearing manner and the way he embraces human nature.
If they were still alive, I’d have:
-A beer with Mark Twain, though I’d probably soon have to switch to water as I imagine I would be laughing so hard, or trying to argue with him so much, that the beer would not do me good.
-A beer with Charles Dickens, or should I say, a pint of ale at the local pub. This man was a genius writer and I’m pretty sure our conversation would turn into a series of lessons about the writing craft.
-A cup of Earl Grey Tea with Jane Austen while she sat daintily by the fire and regaled me with juicy tidbits of gossip about all of the people in her life.
Scribe: If you were stranded on a deserted island, what book would you want to have with you to keep you sane?
CE: The very premise, just one book, would be disheartening, but if pressed, I would take The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, in one large volume—or perhaps on a kindle with an endless battery supply so as not to tire my hands from holding up the big, thick book. I am a huge fan of this master who created such a complex and complete world and escaping into the Shire or Rivendell, climbing the trees with Galadriel or even sweating it out in the dead marshes with Sam and Frodo, surrounded by the neekerbreekers, would surely help me to withstand my deserted island plight.
Scribe: What have you learned from your association with the Writers’ League?
CE: I’ve only joined recently, but I am looking forward to meeting other writers and partaking in this thriving Texas literary community. It took me six years to write my first three books, and I did so without ever joining a writing group or attending a conference. This past month I had a conversation with a writing coach whom I greatly respect and she encouraged me to come out of my shell and join WLT. I look forward to learning and growing by closer association with my peers and a variety of professionals of the writing craft.
Scribe: Where do you see your writing taking you (or you taking it) in the future?
CE: My goal is to write a book good enough to qualify for a Pulitzer Prize. I’ve not accomplished that yet, but I am writing thoughtful novels that bring meaning to my life.
Scribe: Is there anything else about you that you would like to share with the world? An opportunity for blatant self-promotion!
CE: I turned 50 this year, and reading has been my passion for many decades. I have an unquenchable thirst for conversations about good books and will often be reading several different ones at once. I’ve published three novels so far, Bueno, Sinco and Brujas, a series written in English and set in Spain, a country where I lived and worked for about 12 years. Next year I plan to publish a science fiction novel (I have a Ph.D. in molecular biology, so the subject matter is right up my alley). I am very much looking forward to the WLT conference in June, 2015.
