An interview with author
Octavia D. Mason
Why do you write?
My love for writing and storytelling came in high school when I was “forced” to take a creative writing class. It was in that creative writing class with a somewhat timid yet passionate teacher, I discovered the hidden beauty in poetry, novel writing, and short stories.
I had always loved books (at the time, Gone with the Wind was my favorite) and poetry was a mixture of both elegance and complexity I grew to cherish. But as I sat in that class, something ignited in me.
I realized I not only want to be a reader of novels, but I also wanted to be a creator of them. In doing so, I could invite someone else into the wondrous world of words.
What inspired your debut novel The Group?
The Group came to me in a dream, and when I woke, I knew there was a story to tell. What was at first a story of a group of people who came together on a journey of time travel, developed into a story of self-discovery, the re-building of trust, finding unexpected family, and acceptance of love.
As I wrote this story, I fell in love with the characters and the truths they had to tell, because I realized the story I was telling was my own. That’s the beauty of The Group, readers can see themselves in the characters and even find hope in them.
What authors or books have influenced you?
The first book that truly captured my attention was Gone with the Wind. I was a kid in 8th grade reading this literary classic thinking, "Wow, Scarlett O'Hara is a wonderful character." Once I was older—though Scarlett was a strong woman—I realized she was not the story's hero. The character, Melanie, was the true hero.
I guess you can say this was when I realized every character in a book matters and the character that is underestimated can indeed be the most powerful one.
The second book I fell in love with is Michael Grant's Gone series. I was amazed at how he brought several perspectives together and created this wondrous and somewhat frightening world of children who possessed impossible powers.
Grant showed me it doesn't matter how many perspectives your book has. What matters is how you use those perspectives to create a book readers can’t put down.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books, what books would you bring?
Of course, Jane Eyre for literary entertainment.
The Bible for my spiritual sanity.
My first fictional publication, The Group, for a reminder of what I'm capable of.
And I'm going to take a creative.
What advice do you have for new authors?
Writing is fun, but it’s also challenging. Find the joy in both.
Inquiries
FOR INTERVIEW REQUESTS + INQUIRIES INVOLVING BOOK OR FILM/TV RIGHTS, PLEASE CONTACT:
octavia@octaviadmason.com