Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with Cheryl Pena

What inspired you to write “The House of Wynne Lift”?

Pena: The idea for The House of Wynne Lift came to me after I took a nap about twenty or so years ago. When I woke up, I had the title and the basic premise in my head. I had originally intended for it to be a short story, however. I had read "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell, and I liked the idea of a host with an ulterior motive as well as things not being quite what they seemed. I enjoy playing with the idea of perception versus reality in my work.

How did you come up with the names of your main characters?

Pena: I had a book with names and did some research to find last names that suited the first names I'd picked. As I started writing this book over twenty years ago, it's really difficult to remember. I never thought of publishing this book, and I was just writing for fun. But a friend encouraged me to try to get it published after she had read it.

Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process or your book?

Pena: This book was written over a period of nearly twenty years. I never thought I would do anything with it. Life got in the way many times, and I would put it away for a while. It wasn't ever planned that I would publish anything. I had it in my head that I wanted to be an artist (mainly a photographer), and I was pursuing that. I have an honors art degree in photography. However, I've always written stories. For as long as I can remember I was creating stories, even before I could read and write. I had a fascination with English grammar and loved diagramming sentences for fun. I would even do the grammar exercises out of my mother's college textbooks. I was at college level at ten years old, partly because my mother was an English major in college. I had lots of great books to read growing up and it definitely sparked an interest in literature. Writing, for me, is like being creative with language. It combines my two loves, art and language.

Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?

Pena: Read a lot. I can't say how important it is to read, and especially in the genre you want to write so that you will be aware of the conventions, tropes, and topics that are common. You can't do anything new if you don't know what the old conventions are. I also think questions about formatting rules can easily be answered by picking up a book.

What is your favorite genre, book, and/or author?

Pena: My usual genres are science fiction and also historical fiction. They may seem very different from each other, but I love the idea of worldbuilding and creating something that is so evocative that you are transported to that world. My favorite authors are John Scalzi, Martha Wells, Connie Willis, and Andy Weir (in no particular order). My favorite book is a play, however. I love Hamlet by William Shakespeare. It's the one book I've read the most times. I think I find something new in it every time I read it.

What are you working on next?

Pena: My next book is already under contract with my publisher. I'm just waiting for it go into editing, but it's a science fiction novel called Descent of the Vile about a photographer who encounters a deadly threat as he's leaving a job and he flees. He rescues an enigmatic woman on his way, and they embark on a journey as they try to decide the best way to end the threat: go back to the beginning or run for the rest of their lives.

Learn More About the Author and The House of Wynne Lift here:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/cherylpenawritesbooks

 Website/blog:  http://www.cherylpena.com

 Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/fr.lutece/

 Twitter:  https://twitter.com/platyjuju

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