Mar-Queso Feature: AC MOYER

Hello Readers, Fellow Writers, Friends and Visitors!

Today is a special treat. I have had the privilege to interview a very talented author, AC Moyer. Her current book “All Sleep” is a psychological thriller broken up into four short stories. She is currently attending New York University, Tisch School of the Arts in pursuit of a BFA in Dramatic Writing. She has released her play, Grave, which premiered at the Goldberg Play Festival in 2016.

MQ: First off, tell me about your new book, All Sleep. I have to say that the main character, Alexandra is very distinguished. Was she inspired from someone in particular?

AC: All of the characters in All Sleep have a psychological tendency that could be considered ‘abnormal’ or ‘disturbing’. Though, I feel that Alexandra Abrams is the best at hiding the crazy underneath a veneer of perfection. Alexandra is finely manicured, poised, and well-spoken, despite having been suspected of murdering her young child. In fact, she gets through the entirety of her first therapy session without revealing the death of her child until the end.

When imaging characters, I ask myself ‘what motivates them psychologically'. Psychology informs how a character dresses, what she wants, and how she behaves. Alexandra is motivated by perfection. So we find out that her father was a successful surgeon who pressured her to be even more successful than himself. We find out that the child, whom she may or may not have murdered, halted Alexandra’s medical career. We see Alexandra keep a pristine appearance and manicured visage. But underneath, she’s crumbling.

Admittedly, the Casey Anthony case partially inspired the concept for the first story of All Sleep. The 2008 social media trial of the century brought up many questions. What kind of woman would kill her two-year-old with chloroform so she could have a night out alone? How could the jury find Casey Anthony innocent? Was Casey a pathological liar? A sociopath? That line of questioning can bring out some ugly but intriguing ideas.

MQ: Wow, that gets really heavy. To be honest, I felt that sort of intimidation from the psychiatrist taking on Alexandra as a new patient. Even he has issues, how won’t admit that he is borderline OCD, if not completely. 

Going from what inspired you to write this, about how long did it take you to finish this novel from start to finish? And with that, do you have a routine that you normally go by, for instance, a favorite spot to write? Certain pens, notebooks? Do you have preferences to your materials or do you become like water and just go with what you have?

AC: I write in a traditional office space – desk, laptop, whiteboard – for about five hours a day. Some days I churn out 4,000 words, other days I’m lucky to reach 250. The important task is to show up at the computer every day. I don’t believe in ‘inspiration’ or ‘writing when the muse hits’.

I only write on my Macbook, and I carry it everywhere with me. Even my notes and journals are jotted down on Mac’s ‘Notes’ application instead of on pen and paper. The laptop feels more an extension of my body at this point, whereas a pen feels like a foreign object.

Each short story in All Sleep took its own time to fully form. A Doll’s Grave took a year, whereas Floaties only had a gestation period of two weeks including outline and final edits. I wrote most of the stories for All Sleep while completing the first draft of a novel about the modeling industry. The process of writing a novel is grueling. Edit after edit, after complete rewrite. So it was a welcomed relief to throw some short stories into the schedule.

MQ: I read a quote once from John Steinbeck who said something along the lines of, “To write about an experience you have not experienced yourself, is criminal.” And then you have other authors who have different views on this. When it comes to writing, what are your thoughts and opinions?

AC: To a large extent, I agree that it is best to write something you’ve experienced yourself. A former senator could write about the process of drafting bills more easily than a layman could. A fashion model could write about the runway experience with more specificity than a mere fashion-lover could. However, a writer’s greatest tool is research. Anyone can research an emergency room, spend time with a doctor, or interview patients to write a medical drama. If it can be researched, it can be written.

The most important thing, for me, when I consider writing an experience foreign to me, is whether or not I can empathize or imagine the emotions of that experience. If I can relate to the character, I can write her. That premise only becomes tricky when you’re writing a serial killer.

MQ: I guess with the serial killer, you could go off of their motive and drive. I remember reading about Bram Stoker who was a family man and was full of life and energy. However, when he was writing Dracula, he became an introvert and would almost transform into the very character he was writing about. 

If I may just ask one more question, you mentioned earlier as well as through some direct messages about your upcoming novel of the modeling industry. I’d like to talk about that. What is to be expected from this piece? Will it be told fictionally sort of like how Tyra Banks wrote Modelland, or is this from a documentary perspective? Would it be pro-industry or revealing it’s dark secrets?

AC: The novel is tentatively titled, Size Zero. Having spent time in the modeling industry, I couldn’t write anything but a sordid look at the underworld of high fashion. A glitzy, glamorous narrative world would have been a lie that I couldn’t dare write. Size Zero, is a murder mystery set in the world of high fashion. Through a traditional crime plot, I attempt to unearth some of the casualties within modeling – anorexia and sex trafficking, to name a few. For anyone interested in receiving updates on Size Zero can check out my website: www.acmoyer.com

MQ: Thank you so much AC Moyer for your insight and time.

AC: Thank you for the interview, Marquez.