What's New? with Kristi DeMeester

Welcome to a new feature, What's New?, where I interview authors about their latest projects. We kick off with the fantastic Kristi DeMeester, author of the novel Beneath and the story collection Everything That's Underneath, discussing her new novel...

1) So, what’s new from you?

I’m currently working on edits for my next novel. Hopefully, it will go out on submission soon!

2) How did it come about?

I read about Jazzland, the abandoned Six Flags amusement park in New Orleans, and couldn’t get it out of my head. This novel came out of that.

3) Tell us about the process of how you created it.

Bit by bit. Draft by draft. Slowly and all in a rush. Revision and revision and revision. Lots of pondering and creating rules. I can’t say much more than that.

4) What was your favourite part of the process?

Finding the first true thread of the story and seeing how it could unravel.

5) What was the toughest part of it?

Revising when I felt I’d picked the novel into so many pieces there was no way it would fit together again.

6) Is there a theme running through it?

The chain around your neck is usually bought with imposed silence.

7) If you had to sum this book up in three words, what would they be?

Beasts. Jazzland. Daughters.

8) Where can we to get hold of it?

That remains to be seen, but I hope soon! In the meantime, you can find all of my other work at www.kristidemeester.com