Author Interview - Daria Buczynski

Let's welcome Daria Buczynski, author of Soul Witness.  

1)      What were your favorite books growing up?

a.       My favorite books growing up were mostly mysteries. But the book that had the biggest impact was Tom Sawyer. Aside from the antics and Tom's wit, I loved Becky Thatcher. She was such a strong female character. I was so impressed by her, I named my daughter after her. And the first thesis I wrote was on Mark Twain. I love all his works.

2)      Now that you have, let’s say—some life experience, what would you tell your younger self?

a.       Now that I have some life experience, I would tell my younger self not to worry, not to be so critical of yourself and for God sakes, stop being Princess Perfect in the land of Good Enough. Just have fun!

3)      Describe your typical day.

a.       Typical Day????? The only thing typical is my morning. I have seven cats to feed and they don't let you get away with it. I keep a Prayer Journal that I write in 5 days out of 7. I believe in Angels. They keep me on the straight and narrow. After that, I "take care of things." My mother is in 5th stage Parkinson's disease, I have granddaughters to babysit, and I have a house to clean. I teach a class in Crisis Intervention. I do a lot of thinking on a subconscious level, which I am eventually privy to. I have always been a daydreamer. Those thoughts make it into my stories.

4)      Who is your favorite character in your books?

a.       My favorite character in Soul Witness is Sybil. I think she is most like me. I have a mouth. In my next book, Jar and the Wooden Leg, my favorite character is Jarred. He is based on my best friend who lost her leg and her life to cancer. She was a daredevil and afraid of nothing. She taught me how to shuffle cards and I think of her every time I do it. I miss her.

5)      What do you do when writer’s block shows up, settles in, and makes itself comfortable?

a.       Writer's block- I ask the angel Gabriel to help me. She is the angel of creative writing. I usually just lie down and let my mind wander. That's when all the stuff in my subconscious starts to bubble up.  It's a real high!

6)      Do you find yourself pulling details from “real life” or does your imagination rule the roost?

a.       I definitely pull from real life. Irish and Sybil are my sisters and me. Jarred and Sam are my friend, Theresa, and me with real stories based on my business partner's life growing up in the Pinelands of New Jersey. Even the father in Soul Witness is based on my experiences caring for my own grandmother, my father-in-law, and my dad. It is amazing how real life and imagination walk hand in hand.

7)      What was the first manuscript you wrote (even if it never saw the light of day)?

a.       My first book was actually a children's book, Rebecca's Field. It was first told to my daughter, Rebecca, after she announced she was "bored." It is the story of a young girl who loses her beloved field where she always played to a housing development. She discovers she can still play in it via her imagination. Rebecca was so delighted by it, I wrote it down. It needs a great illustrator. I am very proud of it.

8)      Have you ever pursued traditional publishing? Or did you go straight for indie publishing?

a.       I pursued traditional publishing but after 75 rejections, my husband, Frank, and I looked into self-publishing. We did it out of necessity. My mother outlived the money she had saved and her level of care is high. Necessity is truly the mother of not only invention but motivation and survival.

9)      What Works In Progress are brewing?  Any target dates for publication?

a.       As I said before, my next book is Jar and the Wooden Leg. It still needs Faith's loving care. I hope to have it published sometime in the fall. At the Gate will come out next year. It combines spirituality with science. According to Einstein, it is the only way we could get to the truth. A huge endeavor, it sometimes intimidates me and I have to tell that younger self still inside me to knock it off and just do it!

10)   How can fans reach you?  

a.       Fans can, and I hope you will, contact me on Facebook via my website.