Interview Q&A with Gabriella Balcom
We present our first exclusive Q&A Interview with Gabriella Balcom whose literary works have graced our Spillwords pages and earned her the title of December 2024 Author of the Month.
- What does it mean to be selected as Author of The Month?
It tells me others appreciate my stories, and that touches me deeply. But there’s more to it, at least for me. This is a big boost to my morale in other ways, too. Let me explain. Everyone feels discouraged at times, and might even wonder whether to keep trying. Some lack money, time to pursue what matters to them, supportive family, or other things, and I’m no exception. I work full-time, often more, and my family and I have dealt with various crises through the years; most had an unpleasant impact on my wallet, per se. I’ve felt stressed at times, worried about everything, less confident, or I’ve had trouble focusing. However, I’ve also been truly fortunate and blessed. Creative ideas have continued coming to me, and I’ve had a good number of pieces accepted for publication. When I learned I was selected as Author of the Month, it lifted my spirits so much and brought me renewed hope and strength. I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who’s been supportive of me and voted for me. Your kindness means a great deal and I truly appreciate you.
- How have your friends and/or family influenced your writing?
Given my upbringing, my parents gave me a lot to write about, and I can say quite truthfully that I have a wellspring of pain and darkness to draw upon. I use real people’s traits for characters now and then and some individuals have served as inspiration for monsters.
Beyond that, I’m a very private person and often keep intimate things to myself. It was only a few years ago that I told some of my children I write. They were supportive and continue to be.
- What inspires and motivates you to write?
Many things inspire me. A beautiful sunset, the smell of flowers and the earth, woods and walking through them, mountains, music, children’s laughter, shooting stars, kind people, memories both happy and sad, good news, or alternately, unpleasant news, and more. Everything, really.
- Can you tell us about the catalyst that sparked your writing journey?
I can’t identify one single catalyst but several things contributed. My mother began teaching me to read and write when I was one year old, and books surrounded me my entire life. My parents worked full-time, didn’t socialize, and I was an only child; I spent the majority of my time alone. A cat was my first friend but books became dear to me and were also my friends. My father was abusive emotionally and physically, but never laid a hand on my mother. She never protected or defended me, although she could have chosen to. Growing up was a living hell and I badly needed an escape, something to cling to and give me hope. Stories provided me that, giving me glimpses of happy families, magic and mystical worlds, the inexplicable, ways to survive and thrive, and other things.
I loved reading and writing and they went hand-in-hand for me. Ideas for poems, songs, and stories flowed through my mind all the time, and writing them down was only natural. I stopped writing for a while after I graduated from high school, because I was super busy with college, jobs, life, marriage, and having children. Later, I was even busier with divorce, being a single parent, and working my proverbial behind off. Ideas were still popping into my mind then, but I kept ignoring them. However, in 2012, I couldn’t ignore them anymore. It was like floodgates opened and everything poured out, and I began writing again. I had the idea to try and earn money through writing in 2017, joined my first writers’ group on Facebook, saw my first call for submissions, and I wrote two stories for it. I hired my first editor, submitted my creations, and one was accepted. A friend suggested I join a second, specific group; when I did, I discovered multiple opportunities for publication there. I began sending in more pieces, several were accepted, and I’ve continued ever since. Currently, I’ve had 554 pieces accepted for publication.
- Please share a glimpse into your writing process.
I’m a pantser, meaning I don’t plan out my stories beforehand. Rather, ideas for them, scenes, and characters pop into my mind. Sometimes I automatically “know” the people I write about and their lives, but other times not, and I learn about them over time. Occasionally, I write on my front porch or in my vehicle, but I do most of my writing in my room, sitting on my bed. I type on my laptop versus jotting things down by hand because I can go faster that way. I often have music playing softly in the background to drown out external distractions, or I might use movies the same way. To keep from forgetting ideas, I write them down and keep the notes beside me. I routinely go through free pictures, choose ones that relate to my stories, and I keep some up where I can see them. When I write, I have snacks beside me, things like berries, nuts, crackers and cheese, or popcorn, along with a drink (water, Powerade, or fruit juice).
I schedule writing time before and after work, but never have as much as I’d like. When I’m off, I write much more, of course.
- What do you find most fulfilling about the act of writing?
I love the feeling of accomplishment as I’m creating a story, of having come up with something stirring or amazing, especially when it’s a story or piece that touches me deeply. Sometimes, words just flow out of me and that’s an amazing feeling. With my favorite works, I go back and reread them now and then, and find myself moved to the point of crying and being stirred. I love that feeling, and knowing it came from something I created. Even more, I enjoy the thought of readers having those same sensations as they read my stories.
- How does the use of imagery contribute to conveying your story?
I believe imagery adds reality and depth to stories, making them more interesting, compelling, and real. I write in several genres, and my stories often differ as far as the techniques I use.
- What is your favorite reading genre?
I don’t have one favorite genre. I love several, including fantasy, sci-fi, horror, romance, mystery, thriller/drama, literary fiction, some western and non-fiction, and more. I also enjoy some children’s stories.
- What human being has inspired you the most?
I can’t say one specific person inspired me the most, but several had an impact on me. Some helped me determine I wanted to be absolutely nothing like them. Others treated me with kindness and fairness. My maternal grandmother lived in a different state, wrote to me regularly from the time I was little, and showed through her actions that I mattered to her. I needed that, given the absence of real love in my home. When I started school (my first elementary class), the work was easy. Boring, in fact. I began fooling around with assignments and went from making 100s to 0s. My teacher told me she knew I was very intelligent and she believed in me. She explained why good grades were important and said I could do anything I wanted in life. I needed to hear that. Neither my grandmother nor my first teacher knew anything about the hell I endured at home, but both touched me in important ways. Through the years, other people did, too.
- What message would you have for the Spillwords Press community that voted for you?
I’m so happy you chose to read my stories and hope you’ll continue doing so. Thank you so very much for voting for me, too. I can’t stop smiling, feel like I’m floating on air, and I appreciate your kindness and support more than you’ll ever know.
- What would you like your legacy as a writer to be?
I want to touch hearts, leave lasting memories, highlight the resiliency of the human soul and psyche, and be a source of encouragement and inspiration to others. I love it when people enjoy my stories, want to read more of them, and buy copies of books that include my works. And I’m amazed to hear from readers, saying how I’ve inspired, astounded, or alternately, horrified them (my horror stories).
- Is there anything else you would like to add?
It’s normal to have dreams and goals, both large and small. Achieving them will take effort, of course, but you and I can do it. I encourage you to work toward the things that mean the most to you. We just began a new year and this is the perfect time. I wish you the very best in your efforts and hope you succeed, and I hope you’ll wish me the best, too.
Thank you again for voting for me. And thank you so much for interviewing me, Spillwords.
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