Hungry Business: A Short Story by Maria DeBlassie

1. What or who inspired you to start writing?

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, but it wasn’t until I was in high school that I decided it wanted to be a Serious Writer. Reading was always a huge part of my life, so I think I just fell in love with the idea of telling stories.  I wrote every morning before school for twenty minutes a day, and longer in the summer—a habit I             continue to this day!  I turned to blogging after finishing graduate school, and my first book, Everyday Enchantments, was born out of my daily musings on the things that made me happy from my blog.  Now, I’m excited to be moving into fiction, my first writing love, with Hungry Business, a Gothic short story about searching for soul in a world that’s forgotten the power of everyday magic.

2. How did you come up with ideas for your books?

I love everyday life, corny as it sounds.  The magic of a Monday, the quiet bliss of             an afternoon cup of tea, the illicit joy of reading late into the night…these are the               simple pleasures that make life wonderful.  Then there’s the ordinary gothic, the quiet uncanny moments and the strange experiences that guide us—if we listen.

It’s easy to overlook them, get swept up in our to-do lists, but when we pause and take in the beauty around us, we remember to be more than that to-do list. We glean wisdom in the whispering trees and the synchronous happenings that punctuate our day.  We remember to dream.  And that kind of ordinary joy is pure magic.

3. What expertise did you bring to your writing?

I’m an English professor by day, teaching everything from college and creative writing, to digital storytelling and studies in popular culture, to a variety of literature courses. I’ve immersed myself in the world of storytelling and the delights of the writing craft for as long as I can remember.  I’m also a practicing bruja, at home in a world that is always more than it seems and always eager to conjure a little everyday magic.  That’s at the heart of all my work: everyday magic.  It’s the ephemeral energy that swirls around us and guides us, if we open ourselves to it.  So it’s no surprise that my witchy side influences everything I do!

4. What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?

I always joke that sometimes I feel like a fiction character trapped in a writer’s body.  I like to think of myself as the heroine of my own story—corny, I know!  But it helps me be intentional about the kind of life I want to live.  And it helps me to feel bold.  Introverted writer Maria might not take a certain risk.  But a book heroine?  Damn straight, she would!  So take the risk and dare to allow to dream a little bigger.

5. As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?

my first book, Everyday Enchantments, was born out of my daily musings on the things that made me happy from my blog. Now, I’m excited to be moving into fiction, my first writing love, with Hungry Business, a Gothic short story about searching for soul in a world that’s forgotten the power of everyday magic.   Readers can enjoy more cozy Gothic stories in the coming year. 

6. Do you belong to a critique group? If so how does this help or hinder your writing?

I run a campus writing group at the community college I teach at, and let me tell you, the people in that group are awesome!  Many of us have worked together for years, so it’s really fun to share our work and get feedback from people who understand our writing journeys.  We also do a good job of helping a writer stick to their vision, so none of that “this is what you should be writing” or “how you should be writing” nonsense.  We support one another and celebrate the joys fo writing!

7. What is the best and worst advice you ever received? (regarding writing or publishing)

Wow!  I love this question!

Worst advice: Write for the market.

Best advice: Stick to your own vision—your stories will find who they’re meant to.

8. Do you outline your books or just start writing?

A little of both.  By the time I start drafting a book, I’ve usually been dreaming about it for a long time—never underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep or stolen moments put to good daydreaming!  So, but the time I start writing, I’ve got a pretty solid outline in place.  Then I write and look forward to the characters surprising me and taking the plot in new directions.

9. Do you have any hobbies and does the knowledge you’ve gained from these carry over into your characters or the plot of your books?

Tons!  I garden, cook, knit, and basically do everything a hardcore homebody enjoys.  Inevitably, most of characters take on one or more of those skills.  I’m the kind of person who loves to

10. Have you started your next project? If so, can you share a little bit about your book?

My second book, Practically Pagan ~ An Alternative Guide to Everyday Magic, which will be release September 24, 2021. The title says it all: it’s a practical guide to conjuring a more magical life! 

11. Can you tell us a little about the black moment in your book?

The bleakest parts of Hungry Businesswould be the horrible                                  dates!  Everyone’s had them—those dates that leave you feeling hopeless or                         uninspired or fearful that you’ll never find love. It’s an ugly, hard feeling, but one                         that was important to write about.  Sometimes the best thing we can is get real                  about what’s not working in our lives so we can make room for hope and growth.