Fragments Book Tour – Interview & Giveaway

I’m thrilled to be taking part in the Fragments Book Tour, hosted by The Children’s Book Review. Check out my interview with Maura below and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Interview

Maura Pierlot

Fragments Interview Questions

What led you to become an author and playwright?

The simple answer is frustration with my work circumstances at the time and a desire to reconnect with my creative self. But the reality is far more complex. I was always a writer of sorts. At a young age I read voraciously and wrote mini-missives with abandon. Although my mother was a visual artist, and I painted by her side at an early age, I was always more drawn to text. Writing has always been my way of making sense of the world and particularly its emotional landscape. My mother was Italian-American and my father, Irish-American so I grew up with both drama and theatricality in everyday life and a limited emotional-psychological vocabulary. In those days, people just got on with life, no matter what hardships (or trauma) they endured. Writing helped me to process and understand some troubling events and experiences. In a sense, it helped me to survive. I’ve been writing all my working life but usually for other people – books, magazine articles, medical videos, policy/legislation, academic essays. Interesting stuff but not the creative work that I had always wanted to produce. Early in my marriage I set this work aside to immerse myself in our business, a licensed real estate agency in Canberra’s thriving new home market, followed by a finance/lending business and now a residential development company. I fell into a troubleshooting role, doing all the jobs that no one (including me) wanted to – bookkeeping, advertising, recruiting, office management, business administration etc. In many ways, I was the ‘bad cop’ – probably typecast from my Bronx upbringing 😉 We’ve been fortunate to do well in our business pursuits, and somehow managed to raise three great kids, so I can hardly complain. But each trip around the sun seemed to bring me farther away from my creative self. About seven years ago I decided to write again, this time what I wanted to write. It took a few years for me to step back from our businesses though it’s never possible to truly do so. Not a week goes by that I’m not drawn back in for some reason or another. I think every writer suffers, to some degree, from imposter syndrome. But a few opportunities and early ‘wins’ in the form of awards for my short stories and young adult manuscript buoyed my spirits and helped me to stay the course. My first published work was a picture book titled, The Trouble in Tune Town. In this fun adventure, a frustrated young musician struggles to learn a new song and blames the ‘uncooperative’ music notes, who fly off the music sheet, leaving Tune Town without any tunes on the day of the big concert. The book was inspired by our kids who loved music but did everything humanly possible to avoid practicing their instruments. My playwrighting was a natural by-product of distance-induced family angst. My mother became quite unwell with a mystery illness while travelling overseas, which soon exposed some underlying mental health challenges along with cognitive impairments. I channelled my emotions, fears and frustrations onto the page and, a few days later, ended up with my first play, which was selected as part of a playwriting competition, enjoying a brief run in Melbourne the following year.

What inspired you to write Fragments?

When my kids were in high school, I kept hearing story after story of young people trying to fit in, to find their place in the world, many struggling with complex issues at home and at school but wearing a mask as though everything was fine. My mind drifted back to my high school days and childhood, to events and experiences that I had brushed under the carpet long ago. Meanwhile, menopause was knocking me around a fair bit, morphing over time into an existential malaise that I’m arguably wired for. I couldn’t reconcile feelings of emptiness with circumstances that would seem enviable to many and tried to channel my lack of energy and motivation into staying busy. When I read about a local opportunity for a small arts grant, I applied with a sense of compulsion and new-found energy. I knew I had to write about these issues and, as odd as it may sound, I somehow knew that funding would come through. When it did, I spoke to many more young people, and their families, about the issues they were struggling with at the time. As I was writing the work, a series of unfortunate events hit: my husband was suddenly gravely ill, taking nearly two years to recover, while I had some unexpected health issues. I was an expat living overseas for thirty years, feeling disconnected from family and their lives overseas, hit hard when people close to me passed away. I was torn between two countries, feeling at times like I belonged in neither. so counterintuitively, I was high functioning, despite a growing sense of anxiety and depression, channelling my thoughts and emotions into Fragments. In many ways, I think the high achievers – the people who wear the most convincing masks – are often the hardest to reach. No one, themselves included, wants to believe they can’t solve their own problems.

Which character from Fragments do you relate to the most and why?

I relate mostly to Freya and Lexy. In my day, people like me were called ‘type A personalities.’ It wasn’t even meant pejoratively; it was better to be on the go than too laid- back (read: lazy). But I now see I’ve been in fight or flight mode from a very young age, partly genetics, partly environmental. When the planes crashed into the World Trade Centre, there was a seismic shift in my psyche and anxiety morphed into a sense of dread and despair. I didn’t want to every fly again. I was convinced something terrible would happen to me, or my kids. There was a pervasive audio track in my head, one at odds with my outward demeanour, just like Freya. I also identify strongly with Lexy. I grew up in a lovely home with great parents and had many opportunities so consider myself fortunate. But there was another reality behind closed doors – a grittier tale of psychological warfare, dysfunctional family dynamics and more. There were many times when I longed to be anywhere else. The publication includes a comprehensive Study Guide.

Can you provide a little insight into why you chose to include this guide?

My aim in writing Fragments was to encourage frank conversations about mental health issues between young people on a peer level, between teens and their families and with educators, pastoral care and psychology and medical professionals. It was always my hope that Fragments would be used in schools, whether as an English or Drama text, for theatre production, as a workshop tool for students (and families). The stage director for Fragments, Shelly Higgs, played a key role in developing a range of activities for Drama students as did Kellie Nissen, a former teacher, for curricula in other learning areas. I’m a firm believer that the arts can play a vital role in bringing complex issues to the fore – often the nitty gritty issues that no one wants to talk about – while offering a creative, therapeutic outlet for people to process the complicated world we’re living in today.

What has been some of the best feedback you’ve received from readers of Fragments?

After seeing the show, many people contacted me to say that they, or someone in their family, were prompted to seek professional help for issues they had been struggling with in silence for years. Several families that saw the show told me the work sparked candid conversations about issues with their children. As I write this, an adaptation of Fragments for the digital space is underway. Everyone who has auditioned for, or been part of, the work in its many manifestations has said they identify strongly with the work in some way, anxiety and depression being the most widespread issues. I’m thrilled that the work is continuing to resonate with people of all ages, and particularly heartened by the fact that people today are speaking much more openly about their struggles than they were when I started writing Fragments nearly four years ago. However, it’s important not to become complacent. The pandemic, and the new normal of social distancing and lockdown isolation, continues to challenge many in our community. Fragments doesn’t offer any easy answers. But it highlights the importance of staying connected. Some days, I wish I could go back in time – before the internet and social media before mobile phones – when families talked more about issues that matter. When life wasn’t as full-on as it is today, and people could still linger at the kitchen table for meals and conversation. When hanging out with friends meant in person not via text or Snapchat. When people checked on their elderly neighbours. For me, life is all about connecting on a meaningful and genuine level.

What is your all-time favourite genre or book to read?

I read a lot of young adult fiction but also enjoy contemporary adult fiction. Fantasy doesn’t usually resonate with me, perhaps because I think the real world is far more unsettling than any made up one. I’ve always been partial to literary fiction, which I think gets a bad rap, with many viewing it as highbrow and esoteric. I love the rhythm, flow and musicality of words, the subtleties and complexities of language, how the turn of a phrase can unlock our senses. I like characters that leap off the page, that are so well rounded I feel like I’ve known them for years. That said, I’ll read any genre and like to mix it up: classics and contemporary, short story collections and memoir, occasionally crime, horror or mystery. I’m always open to being surprised. I’ve only recently jumped onto Goodreads – still trying to get my head around groups, and to find time to add hundreds of books I’ve read – and invite readers to get in touch there. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that I have an issue with genres. In my view, they are artificial constructs for commercial purposes. Although the categories are designed to target and direct books to appropriate audiences, so much of the work can get lost in translation or never even hit the shelves. I experienced this first-hand when trying to find a publisher for my young adult fiction manuscript, True North. It seems to sit in the space between literary and commercial fiction (unfortunately, the market views these categories as mutually exclusive). It has broad appeal for both young people and adults (particularly mothers of teenagers), yet crossover fiction hasn’t taken off yet in Australia. But I haven’t given up!

My wish list:

Young adult fiction that assumes an intelligent reader; crossover fiction that recognises the reality that most readers of YA are adults; books that cross between literary and commercial; publishers taking more risks, especially in bringing books to the market about issues that matter; and more work from own voices and underrepresented voices.

Do you get writers’ block, and if so, what do you do to overcome it?

I’m a moody writer. But even though I tend to write about complex and challenging issues, I write with a hopeful heart. There are many, many days that I can’t produce anything worthwhile, usually because I’m not feeling it, sometimes because I’m trying too hard. My head and heart must be in balance for the words to flow. Much of what I write is an attempt to make sense of the crazy, chaotic, challenging but joyful thing we call life. Although I write primarily for clarity (in other words, for me), I always hope my work will resonate with others. Rather than stare at a blank screen, I’ll go for a walk, play with our dogs, maybe listen to music. Looking through memorabilia, chatting with a friend, watching a funny movie can help, too. Lately, I’m learning not to push myself too hard – it’s all about balance. The world isn’t going to stop if something I’ve written isn’t completed or published. My life won’t change fundamentally if I miss a submission deadline for a competition or other opportunity. I’m constantly trying to keep things in perspective and not lose sight of why I’m writing. For me, writing has always been more about process than outcome, the journey rather than the destination, especially in a publishing industry dominated by commercial rather than literary considerations. One of the many reasons I’ve embraced self-publishing.

What do you have in mind for your next project?

The global arts community has taken such a hit because of COVID-19 so I’m looking at creative ways to bring this work to new audiences. Right now, I’m working on the digital adaptation of Fragments which, along with the launch of the book and author visits to schools (Covid-permitting), will keep me busy through the end of the year. I’ve been toying with creative nonfiction (memoir) but there are inherent complications and challenges writing about certain aspects of my life and I am still striving to find the best way to do so. I’ve been reconnecting with visual arts, sketching and occasionally painting. I’ve also been extending my creative practice, developing a range of community initiatives (all designed around the themes of mental health and wellbeing), which I had planned to launch later this year if only the pandemic could be brought under control. (As I write this, Canberra is in lockdown as is Sydney and most of New South Wales.) I have a few ideas for adult novels but, to be honest, I’m so disillusioned with the publishing industry that I’m not sure that I’m ready to dive in. I’m also working on a full-length play that’s very close to my heart.

Meet The Author

Maura Pierlot is an award-winning author and playwright who hails from New York but has called Canberra, Australia home since the early 1990s. Her writing delves into complex issues including memory, identity, self, and, more recently, mental health. Following its sellout 2019 season in Canberra, Maura’s debut professional theatre production, Fragments is being adapted for the digital space, supported by arts ACT. The work is published online by Australian Plays Transforms and in print by Big Ideas Press.

Maura is a past winner of the SOLO Monologue Competition, Hothouse Theatre for her play, Tapping Out. Her plays have been performed in Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, and Hollywood. A former medical news reporter and editor of Australian Medicine, Maura also writes for children and young adults. In 2017 she was named winner of the CBCA Aspiring Writers Mentorship Program, and recipient of the Charlotte Waring Barton Award, for her young adult manuscript, Freefalling(now True North).

Maura’s debut picture book, The Trouble in Tune Town won the 2018 ACT Writing and Publishing Award (Children’s category) along with international accolades. Maura’s poetry, short stories, microfiction, and essays appear in various literary journals and anthologies. Maura has a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and doctorate, each in philosophy, specializing in ethics.

When she’s not busy writing, Maura visits schools and libraries as a guest reader and speaker, serves as a Role Model for Books in Homes, and contributes reviews for the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s online magazine, Reading Time. For further information on Maura and her work, Fragments please visit:

https://maurapierlot.com and

https://fragmentstheplay.com.

Enter for a chance to win a copy of Fragments and a $50 Amazon gift card!

One (1️⃣) grand prize winner receives:

A copy of Fragments & A $50 Amazon gift card

The giveaway begins September 6, 2021, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends October 6, 2021, at 11:59 P.M. MT.

Huge thanks to my partners The Children’s Book Review and Big Ideas Press for my gifted copy. All opinions are my own.