GREETINGS, BOOKWORMS! I’m Aisha Kandisha, Head Librarian at Kandisha Press. Join me in the dusty stacks of the library I will never leave again as I chat with some of my favorite Women in Horror. Today we feature author Debra K. Every!
Coming October 8th, 2024, Debra K. Every’s Deena Undone: Anger, jealousy, and crippling guilt open the door to a malevolent entity whose stock in trade is the destruction of a person through their five senses. In this debut novel, actor Deena Bartlett questions not only her senses but her sanity as she falls victim to the monstrous bargain her aunt has made with the Sensu.
Order Deena Undone here: https://www.amazon.com/Deena-Undone-Debra-K-Every/dp/196045613X
Visit Debra K. Every’s website here: https://debrakevery.com/
You’ve lived an absolutely fantastic life, living many different lives during your history. You’ve had a long career in the Opera, opened an Award-winning specialty food cafe, and now you’re an award-winning author. Can you tell us a little bit about your different career paths, and how you came to debut at the Royal Opera in Stockholm, as well as your Opera career?
Oh my gosh. Such a long story.
First let me say that, like all writers, I’ve written forever. It’s just how I’ve processed the comings and goings of life. I suppose it was so much a part of my every day that a career in writing never occurred to me. Music was what I focused on. But making a living from opera in those early years wasn’t happening, so I interviewed at a brokerage firm, told them a tale about how fascinating I found the business, and got an entry level job.
That job allowed me to move to New York (from Philadelphia) where a world of auditioning was waiting. Along the way, I progressed at my “day job” and ended up heading a bond department at a big Investment Advisory Firm. Crazy, right? I suppose if I’d really wanted that as a career it never would have happened.
ANYWAY, I made headway as a singer with a debut at the Royal Opera in Stockholm as well as a Carnegie Recital Hall debut. And yes, you can still hear some of my recordings on SoundCloud. Heady days.
I sang for about ten years until my kids were born, at which time I retired. But life without music was dull…which led me to open a restaurant in upstate New York. I got lucky. We received great press, notably a New York Times review in the travel section and a feature story on WCBS news. My café ultimately led to a SOFI award, the Oscars of the specialty food business. Again…crazy.
Deena Undone was one of the most emotional and powerful books I’ve read in the last several years. The characters were so raw and real, especially the dynamic between Deena and Aunt Agatha. Can you tell us a little more about how Aunt Agatha was created?
First of all, THANK YOU. I’m thrilled that my characters landed.
If they do, indeed, come across as real it’s in no small part because they’re based on my relationship with my own aunt. She was my mentor. She exposed me to all that New York had to offer. But after years of being extremely close, we somehow made a wrong turn and our relationship became extremely difficult. Sound familiar? If Deena Undone comes across as raw, it’s because I was raw when I wrote it. Those last years with my aunt were devastating. Writing it down saved my sanity.
There is so much in the book that was taken directly from actual conversations and incidents throughout the years. But at a certain point in the writing process, Agatha—the character, that is—took over. She became her own person. I’ve heard authors share similar stories but never believed it was possible. I believe it’s possible now because it happened to me.
My understanding is that parts of Deena Undone were inspired by events of your own life. Can you let us know a little bit about your writing process, and how you were inspired to write the story?
My writing process! Oh boy.
I had no writing process before starting Deena Undone. It was catharsis, pure and simple. I became attached to my computer between visits to my aunt in the hospital. And when the day was done, I’d email the book to myself so that I could read that day’s work in bed on my phone. I’d take screen shots of what needed to be fixed and when I woke the next morning, I’d return to my computer, scroll through my pictures, and begin again.
And yes, whole chunks of Deena Undone actually happened. But a real-life incident at the hospital was the catalyst for starting the book. At the time, I was stretched to breaking. No sleep. Enormous pressure. My aunt was in a terrible place as well. We weren’t getting along. And being Armenian, I could never have lashed out. It simply isn’t done.
And then, after a particularly difficult night, I found myself nodding off next to my aunt’s hospital bed. I dreamt that my mother (who was, at that time, dead) was standing next to her bed while I sat watching. Then, both my aunt and I woke up. The first thing my aunt said to me was, “What would your mother say?” I don’t mind telling you that it shook me to my core. That was the day I started writing Deena Undone.
You only started writing in 2019. How is it that you’ve managed an award-winning debut novel and published short stories in such a short period of time? Do you have an agent? Did you submit directly to a publisher?
I have no agent…yet. And I didn’t submit directly to my publisher, at least not technically.
I’ve been extraordinarily lucky, but not at first. I’d spent six months furiously writing Deena Undone. When I reread it, I discovered that I was the proud creator of a truly, truly terrible book. I had no choice but to put it aside.
But writing was now what I did. I signed up for a writing workshop. A year and half later I’d finished a speculative thriller, The GeneSync Protocol. Querying got me nowhere, but I was now an obsessive writer. While I waited for the offers to come rolling in (hah!), I tried my hand at short stories. So much fun! The whole world is laid at your feet as a short story writer. I love trying on different voices and different genres. Short stories were my first successes. There’s nothing like getting published to boost your confidence.
But querying my thriller was another story. It got me nowhere. I did notice, however, that agents were interested in horror. I brought Deena Undone back out, deleted most of it while still keeping the premise. Plus, this time, I had an 83K word novel under my belt.
When it was finished, a friend of mine told me about the When Words Count Retreat and Competition. I entered and won(!) which led to a traditional publishing contract with Woodhall Press.
This is not the usual path to publishing. I count myself very, very lucky.
As for the awards, it was my publisher who counselled me to enter several competitions. It’s been quite a ride.
What advice would you give to women who feel they have something to say but feel that, because they’ve never written, are reluctant to try?
We’ve heard it before but I’ll say it again. Everyone has a story to tell. Nothing should stop a person from writing what they feel. If it gets published, great. If it doesn’t, who cares. There is nothing more freeing than writing what’s in your heart.
As for women—and men—who feel they’ve reached a point in their lives where nothing new is in store, I respectfully say, stop it. You never know what’s waiting around the corner. Surround yourself with things you love. Volunteer for groups that mean something to you. If you love to write, offer yourself as a reader for aspiring writers. Sign up for a writing group on Meetup. Join a Facebook group. There are so many ways to jump start a new chapter in your life.
What’s next for you in your writing journey and your life?
I am wildly excited about my new novel, an alternate biography told under the umbrella of supernatural horror. I’m 20K words in and dying to finish!
KANDISHA PRESS 
Great interview! Such interesting experiences… opera?!? Awesome.
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She sounds as fascinating as her book!
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