Withersin’s Damned Interview with:

Trisha J. Wooldridge

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, but I’ve been a “professional” writer & editor (as in, that is my main source of income), for the past year and a half. My main focus is fiction, though I’m still working on selling that. I have two completed novels in various stages of rewriting/editing, and almost two dozen short stories in circulation. I make my money writing non-fiction, editing and tutoring, however. Non-fiction includes all sorts of topics from horse rescue to local ghost stories to artist interviews to writing to produce/deli packaging. I’ve edited two novels still being marketed, one business book, and even the dialogue text for Dungeons & Dragons Online. Between writing and editing, I’m an online tutor and I run several writing groups.

When not working with words, I dedicate a lot of time to the Bay State Equine Rescue. My duties range from public relations contact to pooper-scooper to horse-cuddler. I’m also a member of the House Rabbit Society and on certain TV nights and weekends, I remember I’m a wife with a wonderful husband.

List published works:

That’s a bit long for this since I’ve been averaging 2-4 articles a month. Places I’ve been published include: Funds for Writers, Produce Business, Deli Business, American Food & Ag Exporter, Massachusetts Horse, Horseman’s Yankee Pedlar, City Living, Naturally Living, a bunch of local newspapers and, of course, Withersin. J

List website: www.anovelfriend.com - http://novelfriend.livejournal.com

How can we contact you? trish@anovelfriend.com

In your own words, define Withersin.

J Now, I can pretend to show off with my weird logos-knowledge & analytical skills.

The word “withershins” describes counter-clockwise motion, and I’ve most often heard it utilized in spellcraft describing how to stir a cauldron. Counter-clockwise motion is to the left, which is “sinister” (Greek origin, I believe.)

So, in playing with the word Withersin, I’d interpret it as a sinister twist on sin or something twisted or turned into the direction of evil and darkness.

If you were a sideshow act, what would you be?

That famous woman with the world’s most beautiful voice.

What is your greatest non-literary influence?

That’s a toughie. Literary as in “canonical” doesn’t make it much easier, either, since I spent a lot of time arguing how many of my favorite genre work ought to be “literary,” like Neil Gaiman’s Sandman graphic novels. I’d also argue that some great movies could be considered “literary,” too… and I wrote a paper about how modern music is not that much different from literary canonical poetry. That, and many of my favorite musicians, like the Crüxshadows and Voltaire, have deep aspects of meaning that could be argued to be “literary.”

That leaves me with live people… but most of the people who have had a major influence on my life are fellow writers and colleagues. Even my husband, who is my lifeline and soul-mate, writes.

If I had to go completely non-literary in any form I could argue, it’d have to be my mom & dad… mainly my mom, who ran three businesses of her own (Avon, Tupperware, Fingerhut) but always had time to listen to me read my grammar-school vocabulary sentences.

Describe your most irrational fear.

I can rationalize just about anything; ask my husband. Least rational, though, would likely be if ANYTHING at all is covering my mouth and nose, even a dust mask. It causes panic attacks. I remember helping a friend take down a wall in her old Victorian house, which included lead paint and asbestos… but I refused to wear a dust mask because I felt I just couldn’t breathe; so I just breathed in all the poisonous, lung-destroying dust. Rationalizing, though… I’m sure it’s deep seeded in a fear of death by smothering.

How about your most guilty pleasure?

Doctor Who/David Tennant unwritten fan-fic.

Name the most disturbing nursery rhyme/fairy tale you can recall.

The original Little Mermaid, where she dies and turns to sea-foam at the end. That bothered me a lot as a child. And this, from Mother Goose:

As I walked upon the stair,

I saw a man who wasn’t there.

He wasn’t there again today.

I wish, I wish he’d go away.

Do you eat meat?

With pleasure and sometimes rare.

What were the skies like when you were young?

Not much different than now… awe-inspiring, especially during storms.

Name your favorite garden tool.

My own two hands.

Name your least favorite color, first job and worst job.

Least favorite color: Piss Yellow

First Job: Delivering Avon for Mom for tips.

Worst Job: Wal-Mart Cashier

Favorite:  Author, Movie, Music Group, Song, and Quote.

Varies on a daily, even hourly, basis per mood. At the moment I’m writing this:

Neil Gaiman, Voltaire, J.K. Rowling, A.C. Crispin

300

In the CD Player: Crüxshadows, Voltaire, Nightwish, Demons & Wizards, Doctor Who Soundtrack

See first comment… but I think I will always have a soft spot for Van Morrison’s “Moondance.”

“A little bit of nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.” - Willy Wonka

If you were a loaf of bread what kind would you be?

Chocolate Chip & strawberry.

Weirdest news you have read in your local newspaper:

I don’t read my local paper much. Though, not long ago, the Herald printed a story about China’s intent to make it to the moon… but the picture accompanying it was the Japanese flag planted on the moon. And in another Boston paper, there was a headline that read something like “Fifty per cent of American Students Below Average.” These things amuse me.

Why horror?

Why not?

Ok… umm… hard to imagine life without it? My nightmares were always horrific and graphic – and I looked forward to them. The world is so much more complicated and darker and horrific than people want to believe, but it is that complexity, darkness and horror that make it so wonderful and awesome – in the true sense of the word. Horror is part of reality and horror works like a metaphor for the taboo and terror-inspiring topics that most humans shrink from. Life is good and life is evil; it is not without one that we could exist and comprehend the other.

Here's a photo. (seen on Interview main page)

“INEDIBLE NOT INTENDED FOR HUMAN FOOD”

You have 112 words. Go.

I knew that Soylent Green fad wouldn’t last.

Is it inedible to non-human life forms, too? Or is it only inedible to literate human life forms?

The Department of Redundancy Department decides to take on warning labels.

No fries with that, then, I guess?

Damn, and I just ALWAYS want to taste what’s being carried in cross-country tanker trucks!

Destination: Area 51.

Destination: Torchwood U.S.A. – if a certain blue box doesn’t intercept it.

What about the driver? Is the driver edible? That would make him human food… unless he’s an alien?

Cue banjo music from Ravenous.

This is the most incoherent section in this interview. I need a snack…

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