Interview with Elyce Wakerman

Author of Father Loss: Daughters Discuss Life, Love, and Why Losing a Dad Means So Much

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

I was born, bred, and educated in New York City. In my early twenties,  I spent two years in San Francisco, and then moved to Los Angeles where I still reside.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

Even as a young child growing up in New York City, I thought of California as a golden place where I would someday love to live. When I met a guy and fell in love with him and it turned out he was moving to California, I knew this was meant to be. Apparently it was, because we have been married for 47 years.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

My first book was Air Powered: The Art of the Airbrush. A community of artists was putting together a coffee table-size book and was looking for a non-professional visual artist to write the text so that it would be accessible to the lay reader. They hired me to write the book.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

First and foremost, I try to create a good read. A book that a reader wants to curl up with and get into.
My two books since Air Powered – Father Loss, and A Tale of Two Citizens – are quite different from each other, yet have a common thread. The first is a non-fiction look at the effects of father absence on girls. The second is a novel about the trials of an illegal Polish Jewish immigrant in the 1930s. The immigrant in question is based on my father’s life. So I guess you could say that my writing has been inspired by my father, who died when I was 3.

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

Readers who like good stories that are deepened by insights into the struggles and relationships inherent in the human experience. The novel, A Tale of Two Citizens, is historical fiction, so it appeals to people who are interested in that period. I would think that Father Loss would be interesting and enlightening to daughters and fathers alike, but especially to women whose fathers were absent during their formative years – owing to death, divorce, or abandonment. Some women whose fathers were physically present have told me they related to the book because their fathers weren’t really there for them.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

Writing is a private endeavor in which you are enmeshed with the people and characters you are writing about. With publication, you become more involved with getting your work out to the public. I had thought I would be pleased as punch just to find someone who wanted to publish my work, but I found that things like cover art, font, publicity plans, etc. took on a great deal of importance. With each step, I became more protective of the book. Writing is like parenting in that way: from the first blank page to the first book store appearance and beyond, you care very deeply about what you are doing.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

Enjoy the writing itself. Those hours, days, months, years of doing the work are precious. Enjoy your characters and the stories you are weaving – that’s really the fun part. If you’re working on non-fiction or fiction that requires research, get into the rewards of learning while you write and knowing that, if you’re lucky enough to be published, you will be sharing what you learn with others. Whether fiction or non-fiction, you want your work to be true.

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

A million gazillion.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

Once you hold the book in your hands, you are eager to share it with readers, to reach as many readers as possible. Getting the word out, persuading the publisher to put as much time and energy into publicizing the book as you would like, can be a bear – especially because it is the nature of writers to be alone in a room creating. Switching gears from artist alone in a room to someone seeking publicity is awkward.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

a) I truly enjoy the writing process. The people I am writing about, whether real or imagined, become very good company.
b) I have been lucky to find really kind and effective literary agents and editors. They really are the bridge from the private world of writing to the public sphere. Finding people who believe in your work is a real boon.
c) Personal appearances like book stores, book clubs, TV, are wonderful. I really enjoy talking to people about my work.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

a) Getting started and sticking to a routine. Writers are notoriously adept at finding reasons to put off work: groceries, gardening, seeing friends: these all become temptations away from getting into that room and to the keyboard. We know we’ll love it once we’re at it, but it does take discipline to get yourself in there.
b) Wishing that the publisher would do more to get the book out there.
c) Finding confidence with online marketing.

When do you think you will write your next book?

I am currently working on a screenplay. My next book will come after that.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

Father Loss was originally published by Doubleday. The new and updated edition, as well as A TALE OF TWO CITIZENS, was published by Yucca Publishing, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing.