There are a lot of new subscribers to this newsletter, so I wanted to introduce (or reintroduce if you’ve been here awhile) myself. I’m a novelist who has published seven books. I’ve been writing most of my life, and publishing for twenty years. People often ask “what kind of books do you write” and the answer to that is: My books transport you to a place you haven’t been before. I tell stories that are fast-paced, imaginative, and often involve elements of mythology and history. Thrillers, mysteries, literary fiction, gothic fiction, suspense– these are the categories my novels have fallen under, but I like to think that I’m creating a category of my own.
If you found this message through a friend, and haven’t read my books, you can find them here.
The past three months have been a busy time for me. My novel The Puzzle Master came out in June, and I’ve sequestered myself in my office through July and August writing the first draft of my forthcoming novel The Puzzle Box (which will be out next fall).
Writing a first draft is an exhilarating, messy, wildly imaginative time for me. While I often hear writers say that the first draft is torture, for me, it is utterly freeing and so, so fun. Maybe that is because I write my first drafts by hand, and allow myself to doodle in the margins, play with ideas on the page, and generally just write from a place of pure experimentation. This is what my first draft looks like:
The second draft, however, can be a bit more painful. I type in my handwritten pages, print them out and then go in for deep editing. This is what second draft pages look like:
By the time a novel gets to you, it has been through lots of drafts. My writers group has read it, my editor and agent have read it, and all these people give feedback. Think of it like an oil painting. Before it could exist, there were sketches, studies, a bunch of false starts, areas of a canvas that have been painted over. Sometimes I wish I could be you and pick up one of my finished novels without seeing the many, many layers of work underneath it.
#TruReaders
One of the best parts of being a writer has been getting to know my readers. When someone reads my work, they invest hours of their lives in my characters and the world I’ve created. It’s only fair that I should spend some time coming to understand you! In order to do that, I’ve created a hashtag on social media, #TruReaders, to highlight the Trussoni reading experience, meet my readers, and share inside information about my writing with you.
One of the most special #TruReaders I’ve met is Patty Darrow. She has been a long-time reader of my work, and has stayed in touch with me over the years, giving feedback, letting me know about her favorite characters, and generally being there to cheer me on when a book is published. I’m so grateful to have her in my life!
Please say hello to Patricia Darrow.
Here is some more fun info about Patty! Patty is from Binghamton, New York. YES, THE Twilight Zone!! (Home of Rod Serling ) United States. She is Graphic Artist/Decorator for Wegmans, a NY State based company and has worked for them the past 32 years. She has two adult children, son Austin is 25, daughter Fallon is 23.
Q) What are your favorite kinds of books to read?
A) I've been an avid reader since the age of four; there is not one particular genre of reading that I gravitate to, but many. I have such an eclectic range of literary interests, thanks to my beloved grandmother who would take me to the library several times a week, from a very young age. She introduced me to such a variety of authors, from James Joyce to Judy Blume, Louise Hay, and Jane Austen to name a few of the strong female authors that I still admire, to this day.
Q) What are some of your hobbies and passions?
A) Other than my passion of reading, I've had a lifelong obsession with Ancient Egypt. Over the years I've taken such pride in collecting numerous artifacts from Egypt, that are displayed throughout my home; and I also have an extensive collection of books on Egypt/ Egyptology.
Also, I've always had a fascination with Genealogy/Ancestry...I love researching & finding out where & who we came from... our ancestors being a pivotal part of who we are today!
INTERESTING FACT: I was blown away when I discovered I was a descendant of author Edith Wharton, who I absolutely love! Even more interesting, we share the same birthday and we had the same breed of dogs!
Q) Why do you love to read?
A) Not having the traditional/ideal upbringing, reading provided me an escape and especially nurtured my thirst for knowledge. I love getting lost in a good story and learning new things! I'm one of those people who are usually reading 2 to 3 books at a time!
Q) Why do you love being a #TruReader?
A) The first book I read of hers was Falling through the Earth. It really resonated with me...myself being a daughter of a Vietnam Vet, A Sniper for the US Marines. My second was Angelology, which is one of my top five favorite books! Danielle is such a gifted storyteller and has had such a fascinating life! I've loved her memoirs and how she has lived her life fiercely and fearless at the same time! As far as her novels are concerned, she is an amazing writer with unforgettable stories and the amount of research that goes into each one is mind blowing! She is definitely a force to be reckoned with in the literary world!!❤
If you would like to be featured in my newsletter, please send an email to dtrussoniassistant@gmail.com
Q&A
Fianlly, I opened the floor to my friends on social media again this month to take any questions about my new books or the writing/reading/publishing world at large.
Q) Many of your books have different publishers. Was it challenging to work with a new time each time you published a title?
I think that having different publishers is a by-product of having a long and varied publishing career. I have published four novels and three works of nonfiction, and these books were often best served by editors from different publishing houses. But there is also the simple fact that editors move around, publishing teams change, and authors have to go where their work is wanted. For example, my two novels Angelology and Angelopolis were published by Viking Press. They were purchased by an editor who left after Angelology was published. When she left, it changed the nature of my relationship with Viking, and I was given to a different editor. There was going to be a third novel in that series, but Viking no longer was the best place for it, and that book was never published*** (see below about this)
I was thrilled when I came to Random House last year when Executive Editor Andrea Walker bought The Puzzle Master. The entire team is excellent, and I hope to be able to publish many novels at Random House.
*** I’m often asked if I will write the third book, and the answer is: I am planning to write and self-publish a story in the Angelology world soon! Stay tuned here or on social media to hear more about it.
Thank you for spending your time with me. For updates, join me on my website, and across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Yours,
Danielle
I love seeing pix of your wonderfully messy first drafts--here and on Insta. I, too, love that wild freedom of the first draft. So many writers I know disagree with that! Thanks for this glimpse into your world--and the interview with Patty!