Jagged Edge Reviews: Interview: Britt Holewinski

So, what have you written?

I have written a young-adult, dystopian novel entitled Schism, which I began working on more than 20 years ago after reading Lord of the Flies. My novel depicts what might happen if all of the adults in the world were suddenly killed following the accidental release of a virus, and the surviving children were left on their own.

What are you working on at the minute?

I’m feverishly working on the second novel in the Schism series, which I’ve entitled Ravin. It’s taking shape very nicely, and I promise it will not require 20 years to finish!

How much research do you do?

I am very meticulous about doing research for my writing. In addition to online research, I like to visit places I write about. I once investigated a manhole cover in Times Square just to make sure it was the proper size and location for my story. I have traveled to Bermuda to research the places I wrote about in the beginning of Schism, and I even visited the Channel Islands off the coast of France because I considered including this location in my second novel. It turns out that I won’t be using that location, but it was still an amazing place to visit!

Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages per day?

I try to write between 500 and 1,000 words a day, or 5,000 words a week. Sometimes I succeed and surpass this goal, other times I fail. Writing is a creative process, and at times these numbers don’t always get met. That said, I believe in maintaining daily and weekly goals to keep myself on track.

Do you write on a typewriter, computer, dictate or longhand?

I write primarily on my laptop, but I often carry a notebook in my purse (with a functioning pen!) in case ideas come to me at the most inconvenient moments, i.e. while standing in the frozen food aisle in the grocery store. Also, I love writing in cursive. It’s a lost art, and sometimes handwriting my chapter outlines becomes a welcome break from the keyboard.

What is the hardest thing about writing?

Ignoring the inner voices that make you doubt your skill and devalue your efforts.

What is the easiest thing about writing?

I get to create my own world! It’s so satisfying. Whether that’s easy, I don’t know, but it sure is fun!

What is your favorite book and why?

Persuasion by Jane Austen has to be my favorite. I read it at a time in my life when I could identify with the main character, Anne Elliot, on such a personal level. Jane Austen is clearly a favorite of many people, and what I love about her writing is her mastery of words and the English language. She had the ability to convey so much meaning and emotion with just one sentence. Persuasion was Austen’s last completed work before she died, and though I love her other books, I think her words—and her own personality—truly came to life with this one.

Tell us about the cover/s and how it/they came about.

Schism is about children being left behind to run the world and their struggle to survive. I wanted the cover to contain symbols of a lost childhood (the worn teddy bear and ballet slippers), of physical urban decay (the cracking wall), and of the threat of violence (the gun).

Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book?

I love this question because I’ve been picturing this novel in my head since 1995, so you can imagine the actresses who have shuffled through my brain over the years. Right now, I picture Elle Fanning as a possible actress to portray Andy, my heroine. She’s the right age, and if she could tomboy herself up a tad, she would be perfect. I also feel she has the potential to dig deep and reflect the hardships Andy endures in Schism and in the next two books.

What is your favorite quote?

“Tomorrow is promised to no one.”