Author Debra Spark on writing
Spark, who teaches writing at Colby, has released a new book of essays on fiction. Just don t ask her to reread her own early works.
By Joan Silverman
Maine novelist and Colby professor Debra Sparks Photo by Michael Harris
By now, you’d think Debra Spark might be a household name. Author, journalist and professor, Spark has penned four novels, two books about writing and countless essays on everything from humor to home design. She’s won awards and fellowships, and served as a judge for numerous writing competitions. Her latest book, “And Then Something Happened: Essays on Fiction Writing,” derives from a series of lectures that she gave at the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College in North Carolina. In these essays, she combines memoir, problem solving and lessons on the writer’s craft. Vivid, warm and entertaining, the book includes references to a wide range of modern literature.