Colette Freedman is an internationally
renowned playwright who also co-authored the edgy thriller novel “The Thirteen
Hallows” with bestselling author Michael Scott. She also co-authored the
humorous novella “Tennis Dates,” the tale of a woman’s adventures in Internet
dating. Colette’s plays have earned her the distinction of being named “One of
50 to Watch” by the Dramatist’s Guild. “Sister Cities,” a black comedy
surrounding four sisters who have reunited following the alleged death (I love
the “alleged” part) of their mother, received international acclaim and
resulted in the film rights being purchased. Movie buffs should keep an eye out
for this one.
In spite of her success and growing fan
base as a playwright, Colette couldn’t deny her passion to write novels as
well. Currently, she is in the process of novelizing “Sister Cities.” But her
love of writing drove her to pen “The Affair,” released Jan 29th.
“The Affair” is an outstanding story
about three people caught in the events of a disintegrating marriage. Told in
three segments, from the viewpoints/perspectives of the wife, husband, and
mistress, the reader learns and understands the motivations, hopes, and
misguided beliefs that send these people on a journey to find their version of
happiness. Interestingly, there is no “bad guy,” just three people we all could
know or be, who eventually find themselves confronting each other in a turn of
events that causes them to examine not just who they are, but who they aspire
to be as individuals and as partners.
In “The Affair,” Colette’s skills as a
storyteller and writer truly shine. The writing is impeccable, the characters
believable, the plot intriguing, and the ending…. Well, you’ll just have to
find that part out for yourself. Trust me, it isn’t what you expect.
Q)
I guess my obvious question should be (I apologize for not knowing); is “The
Affair” the book version of your play Affari
di Cuore (Affairs of the Heart, if I’ve translated that correctly), and if
so, what alterations did you have to make to bring this fascinating story to
print? If not, did the play serve to inspire this book and how?
A)
The two projects are sisters as it were. They explore the same landscape but
the two formats – novel and play – allow me to address the material in different
ways. I actually wrote the play before I wrote the novel. Plays come easily to
me. I was an actress for many years and developed my skills as a playwright
long before I could genuinely call myself a novelist. I got to know the
characters three dimensionally, workshopping the play several times in front of
audiences, before committing them to the page. The play and the novel are very
similar with the biggest difference being the setting. In the play, I went for
a style ala Brian Friel’s Molly Sweeney. Each character spends most of the play
in their stylized section of the stage delivering monologues to the audience.
Occasionally, they cross into each other’s playing areas to create a scene and,
during the big denouement, all three are together. What the play does not have
is a sense of place. Affairs are universal and, even in the early stages, we
knew that this play would work across the world. In the novel however, Boston
plays a big role in the story. I set the novel in my favorite city, so I had fun
personifying the cold, the energy, the rich history of this city as the
backdrop to the story. The city becomes the “stage” against which the
characters move and act.
Q)
There’s a huge difference between writing a play and writing a novel. How do
you make the mental shift from creating living characters to print characters a
reader must see with their mind and not their eyes?
A)
For me, it begins with the characters. If I can “see” them, I can write about
them. One of the reasons I love writing plays is because I love actors. I love
what they bring to their characters, sometimes above and beyond what I, as the
writer, have imagined for them. During the rehearsal process of a play it is a
give and take as I work with an actor to create the most authentic and engaging
character possible. In a novel, it’s just me. I try to leave enough for the
reader to fill in, using their imaginations to fill in the blanks the way
actors do in the theatre. But I see everything as a play, so even in writing
the novel of The Affair, Stephanie, Robert and Kathy were lifelike characters
for me. I knew how tall they were, what they weighed, what they ate for
breakfast, what their quirks were, so I just did my best to put that on the
page.
Q)
You’re working on the book version of “Sister Cities.” Do you have plans to
share your other plays with readers?
A)
I do. I think most stories work in all mediums and when you find a story you
love, why not explore all of its incarnations? With Sister Cities, I’ve written
the play and the film, now I’m working on the book. With The Affair, I’ve
written the book and the play, now I’m working on the film. One of my more
successful short plays Ellipses... I am turning into a web series. My short
plays Bridesmaid #3 and First to the Egg were both made into a short films. I
think the possibilities for stories are endless and if there is room to explore
them in different mediums, I want to do that, because each medium enhances,
alters or challenges the material.
Q)
You learned “release day” isn’t always flowing champagne, tuxedoes and gowns,
in a room filled with excitement that so many of us imagine the life of authors
to be. You celebrated at home with two hard boiled eggs and coffee, and then
went to work writing. So, I’m curious, considering your success as a
playwright. Was the release of your novel as personally fulfilling as you
expected?
A)
Unlike the theatre, where you get flowers opening night and are showered with
adulations and well wishes, novel releases are less about instant gratification
than being in it for the long haul. While the release day itself was fairly
underwhelming, the days after it have been quite wonderful. A day doesn’t go by
when I don’t get an email, text, Facebook post or tweet that someone has read
and loved the book. It’s quite wonderful because everyone reads the book on a
different schedule, so it’s kind of like a never ending stream of well wishes.
I sincerely hope it continues as people pick up and discover my book.
Q)
“The Affair” will leave readers wanting more from you. Yes, the book is that
good. What’s on the horizon?
A)
On the immediate horizon is the sequel to The Affair which takes place ten
minutes after The Affair ends. We become deeper embroiled in the lives of the
three characters and there are a few surprises which, hopefully, you won’t see
coming.
Q)
Any parting comments for fans and potential readers?
A)
I think I have two comments. Readers become writers. I was a reader long before
I decided I was going to try it for myself. Perseverance, hard work and not
listening to the nay-sayers have paid off. But here’s the thing: it will take
me a year to write a book. It take a reader a few hours or days to finish it. Readers
are always looking for more books to read. And someone had to write them. And
that could be you.
If
you read and enjoy the book, spread the word. I’m discovering more and more
that the success of a book, especially one written by someone whose name isn’t
Stephen King, J.K. Rowling or Danielle Steel, is about word of mouth. For all
potential readers, I encourage you to spread the word, not only about The
Affair, but about any book you like. Readers are a really wonderful community
and always ravenous for a good read.
DA Kentner is an
award-winning author www.kevad.net
