31 Days of Monsters - INTERVIEW
GRRRRRRRRRR! ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!
MONSTER DAY FOURTEEN
Today we have a special treat - the inaugural interview segment with one of the contributing authors to Thoroughly Modern Monsters. And first up in the interview chair is Wendy Worthington, who contributed two stories, Morrigan Mine and Provender, to the anthology. Wendy is an actor as well as a seasoned writer of fiction - and is the only reason why this interviewer has ever watched an episode of “Glee”.
Story Spring: When did you start writing stories? Do you remember the first one you wrote?
Wendy Worthington: I’ve been writing my whole life--all different kinds of things. I started writing short stories in earnest a few years ago when I began working on murder mysteries. I tried writing a whole series of short stories with different narrators as an exercise in creating distinct voices, and I discovered how interesting it is to build a whole world in a limited space. Out of that, I started a series of stories set during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the days of the studio system and contract players, the period before I got to come to LA and play. I continue to be fascinated by the possibilities of the short story format.
STORY SPRING: Do you have more writing projects in the works? What can you tell us about it/them?
WENDY: I’m working on two novels that are very different: one is a murder mystery, one is science fiction. But both of them are about acting as a career. The murder mystery is the third in a series set in the entertainment industry as I know it today, and it has a lot to do with discovering unexpected things about people close to you (and even about yourself). The science fiction book is about where the business could go a very long time in the future (though of course it also has a lot to do with where things are headed right now). The murder mystery is about two thirds of the way through the first draft, the sci-fi novel is in its early stages, and I’m enjoying the process of discovering each story.
STORY SPRING: I was intrigued by your title character, The Morrigan. Is this a legend you’ve grown up with, or entirely your creation? Can you tell us any more about it?
WENDY: When I was considering my contribution to this collection, I looked for a monster I had never heard of, and the Morrigan popped up on a couple of lists. I researched her, and found the whole story fascinating. I apologize to anyone reading if I got any details wrong; I took a lot of liberties with the various forms she could take, but I figured that a creature with supernatural powers could transform herself into anything she liked.
STORY SPRING: Morrigan Mine is one of several stories in the book where my viewpoint toward the ‘monster’ changed as the story progressed. How you made that happen, and why?
WENDY: I wrote this story the way I write all my pieces: I began with an idea and an opening moment, and then I followed it to see where it would lead. I did not begin this knowing how it would turn out. The ending surprised me when I discovered where it was going, so I blame it all on the Morrigan. She took me on a journey I could never have predicted, so I’m glad we were able to bring you along on that ride, as well!
STORY SPRING: Can I just say how much I enjoyed the ‘thoroughly modern-ness’ of your monster? Facebooking! Texting!
WENDY: Thank you! We live in a modern world. I can’t imagine monsters not being able to adapt to it at least as well as most of us do. In my case, monsters are probably better at it than I will ever be. I’m still trying to figure out what that dinging sound is on my computer when I have a lot of windows open…. Morrigan? Is that you? Can you help me post stuff, please?
STORY SPRING: Why did you choose the genre you did?
WENDY: I am sometimes surprised by the seriousness of some of my writing. In Morrigan Mine, the story kind of chose me, and in Provender, I was just looking for a way to contrast the first story.
STORY SPRING: Can you give some advice to new writers?
WENDY: I have a sign on the wall over my desk that says, “Just. Write.” Write every day. It helps you get past the little voice in your head that says whatever you’re writing isn’t good enough. You can edit it tomorrow. Get some words down today.
~~~xx~~~
STORY SPRING: Wendy, thank you so much for helping us kick off this segment, and for sharing your wisdom and insights with your readers. This represents only about half of our interview with Wendy. The complete interview will be posted on www.storyspringpublishing.com, later this week. You can keep up with Wendy (or possibly the Morrigan) on www.facebook.com/wendy.worthington.37.
~~~xx~~~
Wendy Worthington is that rarity in Hollywood: a working actor. She has acted in more than fifty TV shows, from her first guest appearance on “Murphy Brown” to recurring roles on “Suddenly Susan,” “Ally McBeal,” “So Little Time,” “Ghost Whisperer,” “Desperate Housewives,” and “Bones,” and in numerous sketches on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” Under Joss Whedon’s direction, she sang on “Glee,” and has her own trading card as the villainous lunch lady from an episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” pictured here. In films, she has worked with Steven Spielberg (“Catch Me If You Can”), Robert Zemeckis (“Cast Away”), and Clint Eastwood (“Changeling”). She has also appeared on a few cutting room floors, including opposite Tom Hanks in Jonathan Demme’s “Philadelphia.” On stage, she appeared in the world premiere of Charles Busch’s “Die! Mommy! Die!” and in Jason Alexander's production of "Man of La Mancha," pictured below.
She is repped by Eleanor Wood at Spectrum Literary Agency, with murder mystery novels set in the film industry (starting with Die Laughing and The Hollywood Finger), and her first murder mystery short story, “Snow in Winter,” was published in the anthology Death on a Cold Night by Elm Books. Her short play, Company Business, was a finalist in the Actors Theatre of Louisville’s Ten-Minute Play Contest in 2008.
MONSTER DAY FOURTEEN
Today we have a special treat - the inaugural interview segment with one of the contributing authors to Thoroughly Modern Monsters. And first up in the interview chair is Wendy Worthington, who contributed two stories, Morrigan Mine and Provender, to the anthology. Wendy is an actor as well as a seasoned writer of fiction - and is the only reason why this interviewer has ever watched an episode of “Glee”.
Story Spring: When did you start writing stories? Do you remember the first one you wrote?
Wendy Worthington: I’ve been writing my whole life--all different kinds of things. I started writing short stories in earnest a few years ago when I began working on murder mysteries. I tried writing a whole series of short stories with different narrators as an exercise in creating distinct voices, and I discovered how interesting it is to build a whole world in a limited space. Out of that, I started a series of stories set during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the days of the studio system and contract players, the period before I got to come to LA and play. I continue to be fascinated by the possibilities of the short story format.
STORY SPRING: Do you have more writing projects in the works? What can you tell us about it/them?
WENDY: I’m working on two novels that are very different: one is a murder mystery, one is science fiction. But both of them are about acting as a career. The murder mystery is the third in a series set in the entertainment industry as I know it today, and it has a lot to do with discovering unexpected things about people close to you (and even about yourself). The science fiction book is about where the business could go a very long time in the future (though of course it also has a lot to do with where things are headed right now). The murder mystery is about two thirds of the way through the first draft, the sci-fi novel is in its early stages, and I’m enjoying the process of discovering each story.
STORY SPRING: I was intrigued by your title character, The Morrigan. Is this a legend you’ve grown up with, or entirely your creation? Can you tell us any more about it?
WENDY: When I was considering my contribution to this collection, I looked for a monster I had never heard of, and the Morrigan popped up on a couple of lists. I researched her, and found the whole story fascinating. I apologize to anyone reading if I got any details wrong; I took a lot of liberties with the various forms she could take, but I figured that a creature with supernatural powers could transform herself into anything she liked.
STORY SPRING: Morrigan Mine is one of several stories in the book where my viewpoint toward the ‘monster’ changed as the story progressed. How you made that happen, and why?
WENDY: I wrote this story the way I write all my pieces: I began with an idea and an opening moment, and then I followed it to see where it would lead. I did not begin this knowing how it would turn out. The ending surprised me when I discovered where it was going, so I blame it all on the Morrigan. She took me on a journey I could never have predicted, so I’m glad we were able to bring you along on that ride, as well!
STORY SPRING: Can I just say how much I enjoyed the ‘thoroughly modern-ness’ of your monster? Facebooking! Texting!
WENDY: Thank you! We live in a modern world. I can’t imagine monsters not being able to adapt to it at least as well as most of us do. In my case, monsters are probably better at it than I will ever be. I’m still trying to figure out what that dinging sound is on my computer when I have a lot of windows open…. Morrigan? Is that you? Can you help me post stuff, please?
STORY SPRING: Why did you choose the genre you did?
WENDY: I am sometimes surprised by the seriousness of some of my writing. In Morrigan Mine, the story kind of chose me, and in Provender, I was just looking for a way to contrast the first story.
STORY SPRING: Can you give some advice to new writers?
WENDY: I have a sign on the wall over my desk that says, “Just. Write.” Write every day. It helps you get past the little voice in your head that says whatever you’re writing isn’t good enough. You can edit it tomorrow. Get some words down today.
~~~xx~~~
STORY SPRING: Wendy, thank you so much for helping us kick off this segment, and for sharing your wisdom and insights with your readers. This represents only about half of our interview with Wendy. The complete interview will be posted on www.storyspringpublishing.com, later this week. You can keep up with Wendy (or possibly the Morrigan) on www.facebook.com/wendy.worthington.37.
~~~xx~~~
Wendy Worthington is that rarity in Hollywood: a working actor. She has acted in more than fifty TV shows, from her first guest appearance on “Murphy Brown” to recurring roles on “Suddenly Susan,” “Ally McBeal,” “So Little Time,” “Ghost Whisperer,” “Desperate Housewives,” and “Bones,” and in numerous sketches on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” Under Joss Whedon’s direction, she sang on “Glee,” and has her own trading card as the villainous lunch lady from an episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” pictured here. In films, she has worked with Steven Spielberg (“Catch Me If You Can”), Robert Zemeckis (“Cast Away”), and Clint Eastwood (“Changeling”). She has also appeared on a few cutting room floors, including opposite Tom Hanks in Jonathan Demme’s “Philadelphia.” On stage, she appeared in the world premiere of Charles Busch’s “Die! Mommy! Die!” and in Jason Alexander's production of "Man of La Mancha," pictured below.
She is repped by Eleanor Wood at Spectrum Literary Agency, with murder mystery novels set in the film industry (starting with Die Laughing and The Hollywood Finger), and her first murder mystery short story, “Snow in Winter,” was published in the anthology Death on a Cold Night by Elm Books. Her short play, Company Business, was a finalist in the Actors Theatre of Louisville’s Ten-Minute Play Contest in 2008.