Established in 2018, TBR [to be read] is a semi-regular, invitation-only interview series with authors of newly released/forthcoming, interesting books.
Give us your elevator pitch: what’s your book about in 2-3 sentences?
Duet for
One is a lush and rewarding love story that follows the journey
from grief to love within the world of classical music.
Which character did you most enjoy creating? Why? And
which character gave you the most trouble, and why?
I most enjoyed creating three members of the supporting
cast. The first is Thaddeus, a cellist who looks and sounds more like a
lumberjack. Thaddeus is a person who calls it like it is. He’s an important
counterweight to Adam Pearl, as Adam pushes through/and avoids grief following
his mother’s death.
I also loved fleshing out Yvette, a professor of Caribbean
studies at Penn who is humorous and grounded, in contrast to Dara’s tendencies toward
seriousness and self-absorption. The same is true for Dara’s old friend Lydia, a
fierce pianist whose cynicism masks a compassionate person whose life is filled
with struggle.
I have worked hard to bring Adam Pearl to the page. Over
time, as he’s moved to center stage, it’s been a challenge to render him with
nuance. He’s a gifted violinist, who needs to know himself a lot better. He can
be angsty but also kind and generous. He’s conflicted, like all of us.
Tell us a bit about the highs and lows of your book’s
road to publication.
This book took twenty years to get born. There were a lot of
lows. Too many rejections to count, including an agent in the distant past.
Highs include my yearly revision of Duet for One, a book that is close
to my heart and that has grown and thickened with time. Another high has been
trying to render music on the page, which will always be a failing proposition,
but brings me great joy!
What’s your favorite piece of writing advice?
Get your tush in the chair and ignore all writing advice.
My favorite writing advice is “write until something
surprises you.” What surprised you in the writing of this book?
I don’t know if it counts as a surprise, but if you would
have told me in 2004 that this book was going to be published in twenty years,
I would have been surprised on all fronts—that it was getting published and
that it would take so long!
How do you approach revision?
For me, revision is the heart of writing. Everything happens
there. I revise a lot as I am in process. I do multiple entire-book revisions
where I review character arcs, nuance, interior life, plot, dialogue, and
structure structure structure. My last revision is the one where I put every
word under a microscope to ensure it has a purpose. Otherwise, that word has to
go!
Inquiring foodies and hungry book clubs want to know: Any
food/s associated with your book?
I wouldn’t say there are foods associated with this book
(other than coffee, there is a lot of caffeine!), but I love to cook and bake
and so I commend you on this question!
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READ MORE ABOUT THIS AUTHOR: www.marthaannetoll.com
ORDER THIS BOOK FOR YOUR OWN TBR STACK: https://politics-prose.com/book/9781646036004
