Interview by Chris Cooper
Chris Cooper's blog consists of PhotoFeature Stories on artists of all genres, human interest stories, guest blog posts, book reviews, and book excerpts. CHRIS RICE COOPER is a newspaper writer, feature stories writer, poet, fiction writer, and non-fiction writer. She has a Bachelor's in Criminal Justice and is close to completing her Master's in Creative Writing. She, her husband Wayne, sons Nicholas and Caleb, cats Nation and Alaska reside in Mascoutah, Illinois (profile from website).
Chris Cooper's blog consists of PhotoFeature Stories on artists of all genres, human interest stories, guest blog posts, book reviews, and book excerpts. CHRIS RICE COOPER is a newspaper writer, feature stories writer, poet, fiction writer, and non-fiction writer. She has a Bachelor's in Criminal Justice and is close to completing her Master's in Creative Writing. She, her husband Wayne, sons Nicholas and Caleb, cats Nation and Alaska reside in Mascoutah, Illinois (profile from website).
Full Interview Below
Hello, Kristine
What is your first memory of reading Frankenstein by Mary Shelley? If you could go into as much detail as possible.
I had never read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in school. The only knowledge I had about the book came from Hollywood. It wasn’t until 2011 that (by serendipity) I picked up the book and read the synopsis printed on the back cover. My son had talked me into going into a used bookstore. We were getting ready to move; the last thing I needed was yet another book. Our bookshelves were overflowing as it was. But, as he browsed, I wandered to the Classics section.
For some reason, I picked up Frankenstein. I was about to put it back when I noticed the words: Not many people know the creature spoke. My insatiable curiosity had been aroused. I immediately wanted to know what such a being would have to say!
I turned to the first page and started reading. Needless to say, I bought the book. Since that day, I have purchased several copies—in both hardback and paperback. Not because I wanted to have several copies, but because each book had its own Forward. Some of the Forwards tried to explain Mary Shelley’s psychological reasons for writing the story; others talked about her life before and after the novel’s publication. Some analyzed the story. (The strangest theory was the whole thing took place in Victor Frankenstein’s head. There was no monster at all. He somehow snapped, killed his own loved ones and then created a ‘monster’ to keep from realizing his own horrible deeds!) Some of the theories I agreed with, others were not as clever or thought-provoking. Either way, I was hooked on perusing the Frankenstein books for new information.
Where were you when you read it for the first time?
I began reading it on a cross country trip. I devoured the book. I remember I’d get to a point in the story that would set my imagination alight. I’d read entire sections to my husband as he drove us to our new home. I probably drove him crazy, but when I get obsessed with something there is no stopping me.
What were your thoughts on the book?
My immediate thought while reading the book was how incredibly egocentric and cruel Dr. Frankenstein was—not just in regards to his creation, but to those who loved him the most. He was obsessed with creating life and pushed everyone aside to pursue his own interests. He caused great pain to his fiancée, his best friend, and his own father. Ironically, it is these same people who pay the price for his macabre obsession. They are the ones that “the creature” goes after to get revenge on Victor Frankenstein.
Did you immediately question the “missing chapter” when you read it for the first time?
Yes, I instantaneously thought the transformation between Chapters 15 and 16 was too abrupt. The creature went from benevolent to violent after the family he’d been spying on chases him away. The young man beats him with a large stick and breaks his spirit. I remember thinking--what would’ve happened if they would’ve welcomed him into their lives, given him shelter and provided him with the sense of belonging he so greatly craved? A silky web of a story began in my mind. I wondered what would’ve happened if the family had shown him love and acceptance only to abandon him for some reason later on. I thought maybe that exceptionally poignant rejection might send him into the tailspin which would put him on the course for murder and revenge. The idea was, in my mind, that he would need to know how it felt to be loved in order to so passionately lament being denied the thing he craved most.
What is your first memory of reading Frankenstein by Mary Shelley? If you could go into as much detail as possible.
I had never read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in school. The only knowledge I had about the book came from Hollywood. It wasn’t until 2011 that (by serendipity) I picked up the book and read the synopsis printed on the back cover. My son had talked me into going into a used bookstore. We were getting ready to move; the last thing I needed was yet another book. Our bookshelves were overflowing as it was. But, as he browsed, I wandered to the Classics section.
For some reason, I picked up Frankenstein. I was about to put it back when I noticed the words: Not many people know the creature spoke. My insatiable curiosity had been aroused. I immediately wanted to know what such a being would have to say!
I turned to the first page and started reading. Needless to say, I bought the book. Since that day, I have purchased several copies—in both hardback and paperback. Not because I wanted to have several copies, but because each book had its own Forward. Some of the Forwards tried to explain Mary Shelley’s psychological reasons for writing the story; others talked about her life before and after the novel’s publication. Some analyzed the story. (The strangest theory was the whole thing took place in Victor Frankenstein’s head. There was no monster at all. He somehow snapped, killed his own loved ones and then created a ‘monster’ to keep from realizing his own horrible deeds!) Some of the theories I agreed with, others were not as clever or thought-provoking. Either way, I was hooked on perusing the Frankenstein books for new information.
Where were you when you read it for the first time?
I began reading it on a cross country trip. I devoured the book. I remember I’d get to a point in the story that would set my imagination alight. I’d read entire sections to my husband as he drove us to our new home. I probably drove him crazy, but when I get obsessed with something there is no stopping me.
What were your thoughts on the book?
My immediate thought while reading the book was how incredibly egocentric and cruel Dr. Frankenstein was—not just in regards to his creation, but to those who loved him the most. He was obsessed with creating life and pushed everyone aside to pursue his own interests. He caused great pain to his fiancée, his best friend, and his own father. Ironically, it is these same people who pay the price for his macabre obsession. They are the ones that “the creature” goes after to get revenge on Victor Frankenstein.
Did you immediately question the “missing chapter” when you read it for the first time?
Yes, I instantaneously thought the transformation between Chapters 15 and 16 was too abrupt. The creature went from benevolent to violent after the family he’d been spying on chases him away. The young man beats him with a large stick and breaks his spirit. I remember thinking--what would’ve happened if they would’ve welcomed him into their lives, given him shelter and provided him with the sense of belonging he so greatly craved? A silky web of a story began in my mind. I wondered what would’ve happened if the family had shown him love and acceptance only to abandon him for some reason later on. I thought maybe that exceptionally poignant rejection might send him into the tailspin which would put him on the course for murder and revenge. The idea was, in my mind, that he would need to know how it felt to be loved in order to so passionately lament being denied the thing he craved most.
When I finished reading the book the first time, I started highlighting paragraphs, putting comments in the margins. I eventually marked all over that book. I treasure that copy now. I can see my idea grow within the notes on the pages. And I distinctly remember writing copious notes between Chapters 15 and 16—right above the chapter title. My anger, sadness, and empathy came to the surface. This is where all my unanswered questions emerged with lightning speed. I ended up running out of space. However, I remember writing this sentence: My ‘bleeding heart’ tendencies and my preference for the “reject becomes misanthrope” (as a main character) makes me want to write a story. Right here. The words ‘right here’ are actually separated by the words Chapter Sixteen.
How long did it take you to read the entire book?
I’m a very quick reader. I think I read the book in two days. If I really love the book, I re-read it as soon as I finish so I can savor the words, immerse myself in the language, feel the mood and appreciate the style of the author.
How many times have you read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein?
I honestly don’t know. I’ve read it several times. I wanted to try and capture Mary Shelley’s “voice” as best as I could. Whenever I sensed my own voice starting to show through too much, I’d go back and read a chapter or two to get back into the right frame of mind.
What is your favorite excerpt from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and why?
I love Chapter 10 where the creature lures Victor Frankenstein to the ‘sea of ice’. This chapter is told in Victor’s perspective. The reader can see how frightened, angry and acrimonious he feels about his own creation. Victor calls him horrible names throughout this chapter—which is ironic because Victor never gave him a proper name. At some point when re-reading Shelley’s book, I started keeping track of how many times he calls him cruel names. In the book, Victor calls him: wretch-four times, demon-seven times, fiend-fifteen times, and monster-six times. He also calls him villain, hideous enemy, vile insect, abhorred devil and many others. The name-calling really got to me. I became increasingly angry with Victor.
I was LIVID by the time I finished this chapter. Upon first sight of his creature, when they met on the mountain top, Victor says, “…hatred had at first deprived me of utterance, and I recovered only to overwhelm him with words expressive of furious detestation and contempt.” In spite of this, the creature begged him for help three separate times. He eloquently, and with heartfelt words, pleas for him to understand his plight. The creature says, “Everywhere I see bliss, from which I alone am irrevocably excluded…am I not alone, miserably alone?” Victor, unmoved by his creation’s pain, still rejects him. This chapter is full of emotions. The reader knows the creature is compassionate, but through Victor’s eyes we see a terrible abomination. The contrast tore at my heart.
What are some of the misconceptions people (especially those who have not read Mary Shelley’s book) have about Frankenstein?
Frankenstein’s creation was not a lumbering, simple-minded giant. Hollywood created that iconic monster. In Mary Shelley’s book, the creature is intelligent and agile. He is not mute, but articulate and eloquent. Also, she never explains what the ‘life source’ is. She never says Dr. Frankenstein used lightning to bring the creature to life. That was a Hollywood device to set the mood for the ‘mad scientist’ scene. The book never says the creature’s brain came from a criminal. One thing that people always associate with Dr. Frankenstein is the hunchback assistant. There was no such character in Shelley’s novel.
Can you give me the step by step process of writing The Missing Chapter” from the moment it was first birthed in your brain until final book form?
At first, I began by writing notes in the margins of the book. I continued writing on the blank pages in the back. Once I had an idea of who would give the monster love—and why she’d eventually take it away again, I opened a blank Word.doc and began writing from the point where the DeLacey family flees in fear after seeing the creature. The words flowed easily; I let the story develop organically. I never write from an outline. I’ve tried. I end up veering away from it early-on, so I simply let the ‘universe’ tell me a story. I write what I see taking place in my imagination. It’s almost like a movie playing in my head. I’m merely the conduit from which the story enters the world. Sometimes my fingers are struggling to keep up with what’s going on in the ‘movie’ in my head. I’ve been blessed with a powerful imagination.
Did you have to listen to a certain music?
I ALWAYS write with headphones on and music playing. Some people might find it distracting, but having background music forces me to focus. When I am not plugged into one of my iTunes playlists, my mind will start to wander away from the book.
I end up making a playlist of songs that have the right ‘mood’ for the scene I’m writing. Using movie soundtracks has proven very conducive to my writing. I use music from everywhere—classical, rock, soundtrack and even show tunes. It just depends on what I’m writing. Before my last laptop got the blue-screen-of-death, I had created playlists for individual characters; they were songs that corresponded to their personalities. Unfortunately, my playlists were wiped out. The good news is I still had most of my music, just in alphabetical order rather than organized by books, characters and mood.
I’ve started re-creating new playlists. My iTunes library is all over the map, but when a particular song seems to echo the mood of what I’m writing, I’ll put it into its own playlist. I’ll keep adding to it until I have a collection of music that is perfect for whatever I’m writing. Each of my novels has its own playlist.
Have a certain food or specific drink?
When I’m writing, I mean deep in the writing cave where the creation is happening faster than my fingers can type, I forget to eat. I lost twenty-pounds writing a book once. I survived on Diet Coke and candy. I would not recommend that unhealthy diet to anyone. That was an extreme case. My husband was gone for eight weeks, so I didn’t have any sort of schedule. Under normal circumstances, I am forced to stop writing, come out of my cave in order to go to meetings, make dinner, grocery shop and do chores. I’m a bit sluggish after a big meal and the writing goes slower if I’m full, so I keep my meal portions small. However, if I am deep in the creative process, I usually forget to eat and I lose weight.
I must, must, must have caffeine to jumpstart my brain. Don’t judge. It could be worse. It could be Jack Daniels. People envision a stereotypical writer hunched over a typewriter in a bathrobe with a half-drunk glass of whiskey on the desk and a cigarette hanging from his/her lips. I might be in a bathrobe, but I’d have a Diet Coke rather than Jack; instead of a cigarette, I’d be indulging in a big bag of Candy Corn. And of course, instead of hunching over a typewriter, I’d be at a laptop that is connected to a big monitor. I get the stereotype, though. I really, do.
How long did it take you to complete the novel?
The Missing Chapter is by far the shortest novel I’ve written. It took about two months to write the first draft and about eight months to get it into the form I felt was best. Obviously, for my longest book (over 450 pages) the process takes longer.
How much research did you do? And what were some surprises, if any, that you found along the way?
The research I did for this book was mostly about Mary Shelley. She lived a fascinating life. I loved learning about her and how the novel came to be. I read everything I could find on the internet. I also watched movies about Lord Byron and his cohorts so I could get an idea of how they lived—what the world was like for Mary, her husband, poet Percy Shelley and their literary and artistic friends. I read several analyses on the novel as well.
What was the first entry you wrote in the book?
The first sentence you read in The Missing Chapter is the first thing I wrote on that blank Word.doc so many years ago. It’s very rare that the first sentence stays in an author’s book. It’s extremely unusual. Many people struggle with that first line. For The Missing Chapter, I wrote the opening sentence and kept it the way I’d originally written it.
Did you model your characters (especially Angela) after anyone you knew?
All my characters are products of my overactive imagination. That said, certain traits, expressions, or reactions do come from people around me. If I find a person interesting, I try to find out why that person fascinates me. I might put my findings—the characteristic or the thing that triggered my imagination—in my ‘Writing Ideas’ book. I can always go back and pick and choose things when I need to. But, for the most part, I am the kind of writer who lets the character develop naturally. I let them tell me who they are. Other writers will understand, I hope. Each of my characters also has a Meyers-Briggs personality profile that I keep on hand to determine how that type of personality might react in any given circumstance. I write ‘character files’ which have background stories that never make it into the book, but are important for character development. I love creating character profiles!
What happens to Angela, Byron, and Antonio?
They escaped to Spain where everyone assumed Byron was fathered by Antonio. Their skin coloring was pretty close. Angela’s husband gave up trying to find her and knows she’ll never come back and embarrass him with the progeny of her lover.
Angela and Antonio found kindred spirits in each other. There are things about Antonio that are not in the book, but since I always have backstories, I’ll let you know that Antonio had his own demons to conquer—his own journey to get to the little cabin in the woods where he finds Angela and Byron. They balance each other very well. They reside on one of the Alverado estates where he becomes somewhat of a gentleman farmer. They stay away from society due to the risk of someone recognizing Angela. Who knows? I might write their story someday. Right now my mind is coming up with an idea for a continuation of The Missing Chapter about Angela and Antonio. Uh oh…
Where exactly does the story take place? I’m assuming an English village? Or is it near Frankenstein’s castle in a German village?
Mary Shelley sets her book (when the creature is living in the hovel and spying on the family) in the German countryside. Dr. Frankenstein himself is not German though—a common mistake. Dr. Frankenstein is from Genève. He’s Austrian. The confusion comes from the fact he attends medical school in Ingolstadt, Germany. That is where he begins to experiment in trying to reanimate dead things. However, in Shelley’s novel the monster learns to speak, read and write French since the DeLacey family emigrated from France to Germany.
As you were writing the novel did any of the characters take you by surprise? And if so, which character and how?
As always, the characters took me for an exciting ride. I’ve always believed I’m just the conduit through which they tell their stories. Originally, in my head Antonio was going to be a bad guy. He was going to try to take her back to her husband. But, no matter how much I tried to make him a bad man, the writing didn’t flow. Whenever this happens, I’m aware that I’m not letting the character develop organically. He surprised me. I did NOT expect Angela and Antonio to fall in love. But, once they did, things made sense. Shepherd had a birds-eye view of how love develops, deepens and becomes something ethereal. The resulting storyline was better than the way I’d originally imagined it. I have never regretted letting the ‘universe’ dictate who characters are. It’s when I ignore the signals and try to force something that the writing goes awry. I’m very aware of this phenomenon when I am writing new characters.
How much did you have to delete/cut? And would you be willing to share those deleted portions?
Mostly, after deleting Antonio’s mean streak, there is very little I had to cut out. There was (for a fraction of a second) a scene where the creature accidently kills the baby—mirroring how he accidentally kills Dr. Frankenstein’s little brother in the original story. Thank God I didn’t do that. I couldn’t have lived with myself.
The moment Shepherd held that little baby, he was in love. As anyone who’s held a brand new baby can attest, there is a strong, inexplicable bond to the heavens in that newborn and you can feel the divine presence in your hands.
I felt the main theme of THE MISSING CHAPTER was not necessarily love but what does it mean to be human. In your opinion, what does it mean to be human? Shepherd is the name Angela gives the creature. Is Shepherd human?
The love story between Shepherd and Angela and then Angela and Antonio plays into the theme of ‘what is human?” Love is part of being a human. You are correct, though, the main theme is what defines a man (human)? The fact that Shepherd has the ability to love is the very thing that makes him human in my mind. His physiology is not that of a normal man. Nevertheless, in my opinion, our bodies are merely the carriage which move us about in this life. The essence of a human is not found in the bones, the blood or the brain of a person. The ability to empathize and identify with fellow beings is uniquely human. Animals may have a lesser ability and lots of natural instinct, but it’s different with humans. We (as a race) are capable of great evil and incredible goodness. What we choose to do is what propels us toward light or away from it. That is why Shepherd questions whether he has a soul. He innately knows the soul is the lifeline that tethers us to God.
A part of me felt that Shepherd believed in God, but then a part of me felt that his god was Victor his creator.
Shepherd absolutely believed in God. He said he studied both Milton and heard/read stories from the Bible. He ravenously reads Angela’s Bible; he craves the knowledge held within its covers. His greatest fear is that he is soulless.
Once he can distinguish between the two, he sees Victor as more of a ‘father figure’ than a god figure. At the end of the story he feels abandoned by both God and his creator. He moves away from the light and eventually turns his back on it. At the beginning, Shepherd displayed the greatest aspects of human behavior—benevolence, love, unselfishness and gratefulness. He put Angela’s needs in front of his own; he gave her his greatest possession—the cigar ring chain. No doubt he would’ve given his life to protect her. However, at the end of the book he moves from the noble side of humanness to the worst of human comportment. He sets his heart on revenge. He’s decided to commit multiple murders in order to make another man suffer. He has demonstrated the ability to choose—a uniquely human opportunity.
When a part of me was curious why Shepherd never directly talked to the Trinity God especially showing interest in the book Psalms?
That’s a good question. I am sure he spoke to the Trinity in his prayers. The fact he never brings it up to Angela doesn’t mean he didn’t believe in the Trinity. Shepherd was extremely intelligent—both emotionally and intellectually. I believe he’d ruminate over the concept of the Trinity, eventually understanding it to the best of his ability. He had both a childlike faith and a well-developed, mature conviction in his beliefs.
Then a part of me thought maybe he didn’t know how to articulate his belief or lack of belief in the Trinity God because his views of God were so complex with his views of Victor who was his creator. Perhaps he was talking to God via his poetry? What are your thoughts on this?
You are absolutely correct. I think his poetry questioned things; it was a way he could express his confusion, his sadness, and above all, his isolation from other humans. His poetry was a way for him to work things out in his own mind. Whether he came to the correct conclusions or not, he needed to explore his own emotional state. I am positive he “talked” to God in his prayers, too. And most importantly, I believe he thought his greatest prayer had been answered when Angela and Byron came into his life. He didn’t understand why God took them away at the end. He becomes angry at both God and Victor Frankenstein—feeling abandoned by both. One of whom he will emotionally and physically destroy. In doing so, he effectively is rejecting the other.
Anything you would like to say or add?
How long did it take you to read the entire book?
I’m a very quick reader. I think I read the book in two days. If I really love the book, I re-read it as soon as I finish so I can savor the words, immerse myself in the language, feel the mood and appreciate the style of the author.
How many times have you read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein?
I honestly don’t know. I’ve read it several times. I wanted to try and capture Mary Shelley’s “voice” as best as I could. Whenever I sensed my own voice starting to show through too much, I’d go back and read a chapter or two to get back into the right frame of mind.
What is your favorite excerpt from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and why?
I love Chapter 10 where the creature lures Victor Frankenstein to the ‘sea of ice’. This chapter is told in Victor’s perspective. The reader can see how frightened, angry and acrimonious he feels about his own creation. Victor calls him horrible names throughout this chapter—which is ironic because Victor never gave him a proper name. At some point when re-reading Shelley’s book, I started keeping track of how many times he calls him cruel names. In the book, Victor calls him: wretch-four times, demon-seven times, fiend-fifteen times, and monster-six times. He also calls him villain, hideous enemy, vile insect, abhorred devil and many others. The name-calling really got to me. I became increasingly angry with Victor.
I was LIVID by the time I finished this chapter. Upon first sight of his creature, when they met on the mountain top, Victor says, “…hatred had at first deprived me of utterance, and I recovered only to overwhelm him with words expressive of furious detestation and contempt.” In spite of this, the creature begged him for help three separate times. He eloquently, and with heartfelt words, pleas for him to understand his plight. The creature says, “Everywhere I see bliss, from which I alone am irrevocably excluded…am I not alone, miserably alone?” Victor, unmoved by his creation’s pain, still rejects him. This chapter is full of emotions. The reader knows the creature is compassionate, but through Victor’s eyes we see a terrible abomination. The contrast tore at my heart.
What are some of the misconceptions people (especially those who have not read Mary Shelley’s book) have about Frankenstein?
Frankenstein’s creation was not a lumbering, simple-minded giant. Hollywood created that iconic monster. In Mary Shelley’s book, the creature is intelligent and agile. He is not mute, but articulate and eloquent. Also, she never explains what the ‘life source’ is. She never says Dr. Frankenstein used lightning to bring the creature to life. That was a Hollywood device to set the mood for the ‘mad scientist’ scene. The book never says the creature’s brain came from a criminal. One thing that people always associate with Dr. Frankenstein is the hunchback assistant. There was no such character in Shelley’s novel.
Can you give me the step by step process of writing The Missing Chapter” from the moment it was first birthed in your brain until final book form?
At first, I began by writing notes in the margins of the book. I continued writing on the blank pages in the back. Once I had an idea of who would give the monster love—and why she’d eventually take it away again, I opened a blank Word.doc and began writing from the point where the DeLacey family flees in fear after seeing the creature. The words flowed easily; I let the story develop organically. I never write from an outline. I’ve tried. I end up veering away from it early-on, so I simply let the ‘universe’ tell me a story. I write what I see taking place in my imagination. It’s almost like a movie playing in my head. I’m merely the conduit from which the story enters the world. Sometimes my fingers are struggling to keep up with what’s going on in the ‘movie’ in my head. I’ve been blessed with a powerful imagination.
Did you have to listen to a certain music?
I ALWAYS write with headphones on and music playing. Some people might find it distracting, but having background music forces me to focus. When I am not plugged into one of my iTunes playlists, my mind will start to wander away from the book.
I end up making a playlist of songs that have the right ‘mood’ for the scene I’m writing. Using movie soundtracks has proven very conducive to my writing. I use music from everywhere—classical, rock, soundtrack and even show tunes. It just depends on what I’m writing. Before my last laptop got the blue-screen-of-death, I had created playlists for individual characters; they were songs that corresponded to their personalities. Unfortunately, my playlists were wiped out. The good news is I still had most of my music, just in alphabetical order rather than organized by books, characters and mood.
I’ve started re-creating new playlists. My iTunes library is all over the map, but when a particular song seems to echo the mood of what I’m writing, I’ll put it into its own playlist. I’ll keep adding to it until I have a collection of music that is perfect for whatever I’m writing. Each of my novels has its own playlist.
Have a certain food or specific drink?
When I’m writing, I mean deep in the writing cave where the creation is happening faster than my fingers can type, I forget to eat. I lost twenty-pounds writing a book once. I survived on Diet Coke and candy. I would not recommend that unhealthy diet to anyone. That was an extreme case. My husband was gone for eight weeks, so I didn’t have any sort of schedule. Under normal circumstances, I am forced to stop writing, come out of my cave in order to go to meetings, make dinner, grocery shop and do chores. I’m a bit sluggish after a big meal and the writing goes slower if I’m full, so I keep my meal portions small. However, if I am deep in the creative process, I usually forget to eat and I lose weight.
I must, must, must have caffeine to jumpstart my brain. Don’t judge. It could be worse. It could be Jack Daniels. People envision a stereotypical writer hunched over a typewriter in a bathrobe with a half-drunk glass of whiskey on the desk and a cigarette hanging from his/her lips. I might be in a bathrobe, but I’d have a Diet Coke rather than Jack; instead of a cigarette, I’d be indulging in a big bag of Candy Corn. And of course, instead of hunching over a typewriter, I’d be at a laptop that is connected to a big monitor. I get the stereotype, though. I really, do.
How long did it take you to complete the novel?
The Missing Chapter is by far the shortest novel I’ve written. It took about two months to write the first draft and about eight months to get it into the form I felt was best. Obviously, for my longest book (over 450 pages) the process takes longer.
How much research did you do? And what were some surprises, if any, that you found along the way?
The research I did for this book was mostly about Mary Shelley. She lived a fascinating life. I loved learning about her and how the novel came to be. I read everything I could find on the internet. I also watched movies about Lord Byron and his cohorts so I could get an idea of how they lived—what the world was like for Mary, her husband, poet Percy Shelley and their literary and artistic friends. I read several analyses on the novel as well.
What was the first entry you wrote in the book?
The first sentence you read in The Missing Chapter is the first thing I wrote on that blank Word.doc so many years ago. It’s very rare that the first sentence stays in an author’s book. It’s extremely unusual. Many people struggle with that first line. For The Missing Chapter, I wrote the opening sentence and kept it the way I’d originally written it.
Did you model your characters (especially Angela) after anyone you knew?
All my characters are products of my overactive imagination. That said, certain traits, expressions, or reactions do come from people around me. If I find a person interesting, I try to find out why that person fascinates me. I might put my findings—the characteristic or the thing that triggered my imagination—in my ‘Writing Ideas’ book. I can always go back and pick and choose things when I need to. But, for the most part, I am the kind of writer who lets the character develop naturally. I let them tell me who they are. Other writers will understand, I hope. Each of my characters also has a Meyers-Briggs personality profile that I keep on hand to determine how that type of personality might react in any given circumstance. I write ‘character files’ which have background stories that never make it into the book, but are important for character development. I love creating character profiles!
What happens to Angela, Byron, and Antonio?
They escaped to Spain where everyone assumed Byron was fathered by Antonio. Their skin coloring was pretty close. Angela’s husband gave up trying to find her and knows she’ll never come back and embarrass him with the progeny of her lover.
Angela and Antonio found kindred spirits in each other. There are things about Antonio that are not in the book, but since I always have backstories, I’ll let you know that Antonio had his own demons to conquer—his own journey to get to the little cabin in the woods where he finds Angela and Byron. They balance each other very well. They reside on one of the Alverado estates where he becomes somewhat of a gentleman farmer. They stay away from society due to the risk of someone recognizing Angela. Who knows? I might write their story someday. Right now my mind is coming up with an idea for a continuation of The Missing Chapter about Angela and Antonio. Uh oh…
Where exactly does the story take place? I’m assuming an English village? Or is it near Frankenstein’s castle in a German village?
Mary Shelley sets her book (when the creature is living in the hovel and spying on the family) in the German countryside. Dr. Frankenstein himself is not German though—a common mistake. Dr. Frankenstein is from Genève. He’s Austrian. The confusion comes from the fact he attends medical school in Ingolstadt, Germany. That is where he begins to experiment in trying to reanimate dead things. However, in Shelley’s novel the monster learns to speak, read and write French since the DeLacey family emigrated from France to Germany.
As you were writing the novel did any of the characters take you by surprise? And if so, which character and how?
As always, the characters took me for an exciting ride. I’ve always believed I’m just the conduit through which they tell their stories. Originally, in my head Antonio was going to be a bad guy. He was going to try to take her back to her husband. But, no matter how much I tried to make him a bad man, the writing didn’t flow. Whenever this happens, I’m aware that I’m not letting the character develop organically. He surprised me. I did NOT expect Angela and Antonio to fall in love. But, once they did, things made sense. Shepherd had a birds-eye view of how love develops, deepens and becomes something ethereal. The resulting storyline was better than the way I’d originally imagined it. I have never regretted letting the ‘universe’ dictate who characters are. It’s when I ignore the signals and try to force something that the writing goes awry. I’m very aware of this phenomenon when I am writing new characters.
How much did you have to delete/cut? And would you be willing to share those deleted portions?
Mostly, after deleting Antonio’s mean streak, there is very little I had to cut out. There was (for a fraction of a second) a scene where the creature accidently kills the baby—mirroring how he accidentally kills Dr. Frankenstein’s little brother in the original story. Thank God I didn’t do that. I couldn’t have lived with myself.
The moment Shepherd held that little baby, he was in love. As anyone who’s held a brand new baby can attest, there is a strong, inexplicable bond to the heavens in that newborn and you can feel the divine presence in your hands.
I felt the main theme of THE MISSING CHAPTER was not necessarily love but what does it mean to be human. In your opinion, what does it mean to be human? Shepherd is the name Angela gives the creature. Is Shepherd human?
The love story between Shepherd and Angela and then Angela and Antonio plays into the theme of ‘what is human?” Love is part of being a human. You are correct, though, the main theme is what defines a man (human)? The fact that Shepherd has the ability to love is the very thing that makes him human in my mind. His physiology is not that of a normal man. Nevertheless, in my opinion, our bodies are merely the carriage which move us about in this life. The essence of a human is not found in the bones, the blood or the brain of a person. The ability to empathize and identify with fellow beings is uniquely human. Animals may have a lesser ability and lots of natural instinct, but it’s different with humans. We (as a race) are capable of great evil and incredible goodness. What we choose to do is what propels us toward light or away from it. That is why Shepherd questions whether he has a soul. He innately knows the soul is the lifeline that tethers us to God.
A part of me felt that Shepherd believed in God, but then a part of me felt that his god was Victor his creator.
Shepherd absolutely believed in God. He said he studied both Milton and heard/read stories from the Bible. He ravenously reads Angela’s Bible; he craves the knowledge held within its covers. His greatest fear is that he is soulless.
Once he can distinguish between the two, he sees Victor as more of a ‘father figure’ than a god figure. At the end of the story he feels abandoned by both God and his creator. He moves away from the light and eventually turns his back on it. At the beginning, Shepherd displayed the greatest aspects of human behavior—benevolence, love, unselfishness and gratefulness. He put Angela’s needs in front of his own; he gave her his greatest possession—the cigar ring chain. No doubt he would’ve given his life to protect her. However, at the end of the book he moves from the noble side of humanness to the worst of human comportment. He sets his heart on revenge. He’s decided to commit multiple murders in order to make another man suffer. He has demonstrated the ability to choose—a uniquely human opportunity.
When a part of me was curious why Shepherd never directly talked to the Trinity God especially showing interest in the book Psalms?
That’s a good question. I am sure he spoke to the Trinity in his prayers. The fact he never brings it up to Angela doesn’t mean he didn’t believe in the Trinity. Shepherd was extremely intelligent—both emotionally and intellectually. I believe he’d ruminate over the concept of the Trinity, eventually understanding it to the best of his ability. He had both a childlike faith and a well-developed, mature conviction in his beliefs.
Then a part of me thought maybe he didn’t know how to articulate his belief or lack of belief in the Trinity God because his views of God were so complex with his views of Victor who was his creator. Perhaps he was talking to God via his poetry? What are your thoughts on this?
You are absolutely correct. I think his poetry questioned things; it was a way he could express his confusion, his sadness, and above all, his isolation from other humans. His poetry was a way for him to work things out in his own mind. Whether he came to the correct conclusions or not, he needed to explore his own emotional state. I am positive he “talked” to God in his prayers, too. And most importantly, I believe he thought his greatest prayer had been answered when Angela and Byron came into his life. He didn’t understand why God took them away at the end. He becomes angry at both God and Victor Frankenstein—feeling abandoned by both. One of whom he will emotionally and physically destroy. In doing so, he effectively is rejecting the other.
Anything you would like to say or add?
I love to hear what readers think of my work. I don’t write for any other reason than to know that someone has read, understood and enjoyed my work. I believe everyone on this earth has a purpose. I believe wholeheartedly that right now my purpose is to be an entertainer. I want to entertain my readers. I want to make them think, question things and most of all imagine (in vivid detail) the world I’ve created for them. If I can successfully engage them for hundreds of pages, I have done my job—using a God-given gift. For that, I am eternally grateful to the one who created me.