Why She Left Us by David Dennis

Today we have awesome David D' Aguaano  sharing his work. David tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am a retired English teacher who did most of my writing during the 1980s while on summer vacations. Upon the urging of various friends and relatives, I’ve recently reworked some of my earlier writings and am now making them available to a wider audience. I’ve also written a series of comedy-mysteries featuring a character by the name of Brett Cornell ("Brett Gets Hammered" & others), which interested readers can find on various sites (such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.) as well.

How did you decide to enter the world of writing?

I’ve been writing stories of one sort or another since I was in the fifth grade. My interest in writing probably reached its peak when, as an adolescent, I was completely overwhelmed by the adventures of Aladdin, Sinbad, & others in “The Arabian Nights.” After that, it was “The Three Musketeers” which prompted me to write serious and dramatic tales of adventure, at least when I was younger.

What does your family think of your writing?

Oddly enough, many of my family members, while well-educated, are not readers. That is, they’ll read newspapers and magazine articles,  but will rarely pick up a book and read it from start to finish. So, what I’m saying here is that they aren’t really all that familiar with my writing, except in excerpted form.

  

Where do you get your ideas?

Usually I get my ideas from talking to friends and hearing about funny or strange incidents in their lives. Aside from that, as a former avid reader, I’ll recall striking ideas from various novels I read in the past and will try to rework them in my own writing.

Can you tell us a little about your book?

 

“Why She Left Us” is quite unique, insofar as all my other novels are comical and written in a tongue-in-cheek style (such as my series of Brett Cornell comedy-mysteries). Although there are some passages in this book that could be described as serio-comical, the basic tone here is one of heightened emotion, whether it be the emotion of love, grief, anger, revenge, you-name-it. The novel alternates scenes expressing bitterness with those of a more flowery, romantic nature, with an emphasis on tenderness rather than unbridled passion.

What is your writing process?

It usually takes weeks before I actually begin writing. First I need to come up with a basic idea, gimmick, plot device, what-have-you, and think it through as thoroughly as I can, often jotting down characters’ names and personality traits as I go along. Then the actual writing seems to go fairly smoothly – that is, until I re-read some of it and often find that it needs to be re-worked, or it doesn’t convey the emotional strength I’d originally wanted it to convey.

What was the hardest part for you when working on your book?

This particular book is written from the point of view of five different characters, four of whom are women. So, not only did I need to meet the challenge of putting myself in the heads of five different people and attempt to differentiate between the five of them in terms of style (for example), but I also had to think like a woman: Not an easy thing for a guy to do, believe me!

What influenced or inspired you to write?

I think it’s primarily the drama or the emotional impact of a piece that stirs me the most, whether it be after watching or reading a play, a novel, or even an opera which, as many people are aware, can be jam-packed with emotion and dramatic tension. This is probably why I’m more apt to write fiction than non-fiction. I guess I’m more keyed into a fantasy world than I am to the so-called real world.

 

Was there a scene that you didn’t add or you removed in your finished work?

Yes, as a matter of fact, there was one scene (as seen through the eyes of a secondary character) that was sexually graphic, and I decided to remove it, since I felt it spoiled the overall tone of the work. There is occasional “rough language” but only for dramatic effect and in remaining true to the personalities of the characters involved.

Do you have a favorite character (from your book)? Why?

My favorite character (aside from the main character of Betsy) would have to be Wayne, basically because I’ve deliberately kept his dialogue to a minimum, and also because, when he is first introduced in the story, he’s depicted as a shady type of individual. By the end of the novel, however, I hope that the reader is able to feel all of the sincere emotions that Wayne feels throughout the story, and most importantly, that his character should elicit a great deal of sympathy on the part of the reader.

Do you already know what to write next? Can you tell us?

I’ll probably be writing another comedy-mystery in my Brett Cornell series, mainly because Brett (as of Book 9 in the series) still has some unresolved issues with his girlfriend Ginger as well as a score to settle with his arch-enemy Gil Bailey

Where can we find more information about you and your books?

I have a blog that’s devoted almost exclusively to the Brett Cornell series, which can be found at http://brettcornell.blogspot.com

There’s a facebook page for “Why She Left Us” at www.facebook.com/WhySheLeftUs

Do you have any last words?

If “Why She Left Us” were to move any of my readers to tears, I would know that I've succeeded in writing something beautiful and memorable. David I want to thank you for visiting and sharing your work.  Please visit again. 

Fun Questions  

I hate? Shallow, narrow-minded people. Oh, and spiders, too!

My dream is to? My dream is to see one of my novels filmed!

My favorite book is? Just about anything by British author Anthony Trollope would be at the top of my list.