“Turning Tragedy into Art: Angie Vancise’s Path to Becoming an Award-Winning Author” – We recently had the pleasure of interviewing Angie Vancise, a talented artist and award-winning author whose writing has captured the hearts of readers everywhere. With her personal tragedies and small-town roots serving as inspiration, Angie’s writing is honest, heartfelt, and engaging. Her latest release, Hidden in the Shadows, won the Gold award for January from Literary Titan, showcasing her skill as a writer. With two more books in the works, including Memoir from a Killer and the sequel to Hidden in the Shadows, Angie is a writer to watch. Read our exclusive interview to learn more about her fascinating journey and creative process.
1.If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
Happy, fun, giving.
2. An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great language. Can you tell how your pets helped with your writing?
The love they give to me each day keeps me grounded and going when the writing gets tough. They remind me to be in the present moment and not sweat the small stuff. And as in Hidden In The Shadows, some of their antics end up being written in.
3. Losing loved ones makes us realize our originality and the essence of living; you also lost your brother. How has this incident shaped you as a writer?
It is the single most reason that I am a writer. On earth, he pushed me to live outside of my comfort zone, and after his death, he made me realize that life is too short not to be living your dream. I’d wanted to write a book the moment I held one but kept it hidden, even from him. So, when he died, I knew that I needed to honor him and live my truest life. His energy is with me with every letter typed.
4. How have your writing courses helped you with your writing? Do you think anyone can become a writer without being involved in courses?
The writing courses helped me a great deal. I think for me, they made me feel more confident as a writer, but that might not be the case for everyone. I learned how to structure and piece together a novel, but having said that, my first draft of Cry of an Osprey still went through eight more drafts. My editor taught me more than the courses, but the courses provided the confidence to write. Do I think anyone can become a writer without being involved in a course? I would say it depends on the person and their background knowledge. And if they feel insecure or unsure of where to begin, then I’d say take courses. I feel reading is the most important. I don’t think anyone could be a decent writer without reading and reading some more.
5. Your book-writing interests are related to mysteries and thrillers. Is there any other area in which you want to work further?
I’d say no, at least not right at this moment. Mysteries and thrillers are where my passion lies. Although, I am always wanting to improve my knowledge and writing within that genre. I don’t think we ever stop growing in our craft. Maybe one day I might write a memoir, but Cry of an Osprey was a sort of memoir, so who knows? Haha.
6. You have so many roles to play as a mother, pet caretaker, writer, and manager of a household on your shoulders. Do these roles not conflict with each other, or do you find it difficult to cope with all of them?
I love being a mother to both my daughter and my fur babies. I find that after I’ve fed them all, they don’t demand too much of my time. My daughter just moved out of the house to start her life, so the empty nest thing has kicked in however, my animals still manage to keep me occupied. So I don’t find a conflict there at all. Peace and harmony most days.
7. The mother-daughter relationship is more vocal, and sometimes this leads to conflicting ideas. How does your daughter inspire you to write despite generational stigmas?
Ha! My daughter is definitely vocal, haha. We have conflicting ideas surrounding my latest book, but we mutually respect each other and always work through our differences. She’s my reason for living, and she inspires me to write, even though she’s not read either book, just by being her. I want to show her that no matter what, go after your dreams and make them happen. She owns her own forest school, so I must have done something right. Lol.
8. You love to spend your time enjoying biking, volleyball, but these things helped us grow more physically healthy. Do you have any practises to do for your mental health wellness?
Absolutely. I see an energy healer monthly, and I meditate regularly. I also get acupuncture and reflexology. My mental health is very important to me. Music and reading are regulars in my home as well for mental health. I can’t function without music in the background while I write or read. I’m a fan of all types of music apart from rap and grunge.
9. You also got separated from your husband and tried to nourish your roots alone. What is your strength behind taking such difficult decisions?
My mom. She had the strength of ten men but also my daughter. I wanted her to know that you don’t have to stay in an unhealthy relationship to keep everyone else happy. And having said all of that, I finally respected myself enough to know what was best for me. I wasn’t happy for a very long time, but I stayed to try to keep the family unit together. It wasn’t an easy decision and took years to make, but worth it in the end.
10. You also loved to go organic in terms of growing your vegetables and all. How do you enjoy it? Isn’t it difficult work?
Oh yes, it’s very labor-intensive, but that’s the best part. When you stand back and look at what you’ve grown and then taste the difference, the work is more than worth it. What’s that saying? Nothing good comes easy? But also, my mom had a garden when I was a kid, and so did my grandparents, that lived on a farm, so it is a natural thing for me. I grew up knowing nothing else. When I do buy from the grocery store, I buy organic, it still doesn’t hold the same taste, but living in Canada, I can’t grow a garden all year long. I pickle/can some things, but not all can be canned.
13. In contemporary times, being rational is a necessity, but instead of it, intuition worked for a few people. What are your hidden intuitions that have helped you become a writer?
I do listen very loudly to my intuition, especially when writing. If something that comes to me doesn’t feel right, I change it, but on the flip side, I listen when it does. I also work with a medium out of California, Dawna Weiss; she is on whom the Azlinn character in Hidden In The Shadows is based. We work together to gather information needed for content.
14. You have experienced so many achievements and losses, but have you ever felt alienated from yourself ?
Constantly. Yes. Especially when a loved one dies and takes a huge part of you with them. It’s like pieces of me chipped away, and I had to dig deep to find new spaces to fill the holes with. I’m a constant work in progress, but I think with each day, each meditation, each energy session, I’m coming back home to me.
15. You are a pet caretaker, which makes you understand the language of love that animals use. Do your pets ever help you in your writing by becoming characters or giving insights into your stories?
Yes. I had a cat years ago named Wilbur. He was named after Wilbur, the pig in one of my favorite stories, Charlotte’s Web. He was written into Hidden In The Shadows on the advice of Dawna (Azlinn) to help with the plot. I think every book I write from now on will include one of my fur babies.
16. What do you want your audience out there to learn from your writings? Are there any specific answers you want to give them to help them understand life more?
This is a huge question. And the simple answer is yes. In Cry of an Osprey, I wanted the reader to understand the struggles that gay men go through both externally and internally, I also wanted someone to not feel alone in the loss of a loved one. To know that even though there are a lot of bad moments, there are also good ones. In Hidden In The Shadows, I wanted to give a voice to the victims of satanic rituals and child trafficking. To let them know that someone heard them. In fact, some of the killer scenes are actual testimonials from survivors. I also wanted to expose the evil that exists in our world.
17. Your book, titled “Cry of An Osprey is an emotional roller coaster where readers not only cannot relate but also feel the pain. How do you manage to write such intense work?
First of all, thank you, as a writer, that is a huge compliment. When I write, I see the scene evolve in my mind like a movie. But in Cry of an Osprey, that movie was perpetuated by Ben, my brother’s true love. He’d write about their experiences and send me the snippets to base it on as I didn’t know my brother was gay when they dated, so I never knew how they even met. I would take what he wrote, read it, and put it into a scene, then expand on the emotions, scenery, etc. The hospital scenes I went through. This was what happened to my brother, so it was just a recall that vomited out all over the page. It was cathartic, really. That’s why I believe that book came first. I couldn’t write anything but my pain.
18. Guilt, unforgiveness, and regret are the signs that you critically analyse in your book, Cry of an Osprey. Why have you focused on these domains? What is the hidden message behind it?
There wasn’t really a hidden message truly, other than the one mentioned above. I think it was just the emotions that I was feeling during the process of writing that book. My inner demons spilled out onto the page.
19. The most revolutionary thing about Cry of an Osprey is that you have not just talked about the gay and LGBTQ community’s rights but the societal and personal pressures they go through. Do you have any message for your audience with regard to this?
Yes, I do. Please don’t let society dictate whom you love or what you love to do. Don’t waste a single second on that negativity. So much time wasted. My brother and his partner never got their happily ever after because of this, so please, go after what you love and don’t ever look back. Don’t walk; run straight into your fear and never look back!
20. Pain is inevitable, but revisiting your memories is sometimes hard. How do you see your memories as being friendly or disturbing?
It depends on the day. Some days I find comfort in listening to 80’s music and being catapulted straight back into my teenage years when my family was still with me, and some days I just can’t get there. I couldn’t even look at a picture of my brother for about four years after he passed; it was just too painful. I still struggle with it some days. The thing about grief is that it never ever goes away. It follows us around like a very large monster that startles us when we least expect it.
21. Do you have other writers in the family?
Yes, my uncle Joe (Lynn), my mom’s brother, is an amazing writer, although he never pursued it in terms of writing a book. He wrote articles for a local newspaper and has written some pretty epic eulogies. His dad, my papa, and the one that had the photo that is featured in Hidden In The Shadows, was also a great writer. His wife, my nana, was a schoolteacher and would correct our grammar whenever she could. Haha. I have a cousin who is also a great writer but has never written a book either.
22. Your book, Hidden in the Shadows, rightly starts with the thought-provoking lines, “I hear the children’s cries when I close my eyes. They’re out there all alone, with no safe place to call home. Born in the shadows No one to hear their sorrows, The promise of light, Their only sight.” Would you like to share what the promise of light is according to you ?
Absolutely. There are underground tunnels that these evil coyotes keep the kids in. Some never see the light of day. One of the manipulations that these sick individuals use is to promise they will let the kids see the outside world if they do what is asked of them. A false promise, of course, but it keeps the child in line, thinking that one day they will see the outside.
23. In your latest book, Hidden in the Shadows, you have beautifully portrayed the characters. What was the reason to make a 23-year-old girl the centre of attention in the story ?
Thank you, that is another wonderful compliment for a writer to hear. It’s a simple reason, actually. I was nine when I first saw the photo, so I made Evie the same age.
24. Photographs are largely seen as happiness therapy, but you challenged it and made photographs as a quest for truth and hidden meanings. Why did you choose a photograph as the main element of your story?
The real photograph haunted me for years. And truthfully, when I finished Cry of an Osprey and the writing box had been opened, I didn’t want to stop writing, but I was at a crossroads as to what I wanted to write about. I called a local medium (before I’d met Dawna) to see what I should write about, and she said, “There is a small town and a Sherriff or head of something.” I knew right away that it was about that photo. I had no idea what had happened. It was my grandfather’s first case, and he died with the real story. Best that way, really, it was left to his granddaughter’s mystery-writing imagination.
25. Hidden in the shadows have also correctly highlighted how the trusted people are the ones who break it primarily. Do you think threats have no boundaries and can come from strangers or even our loved ones?
Yes, most definitely, yes.
26. The tremendous character in your book Hidden in the Shadows is Wilbur, the cat, who has actively contributed to the story. What inspires you to have his presence?
I think I kind of answered this one above, so forgive me if I’m repeating, but he was my cat years ago, and he just had to be a part of the book.
27. Your latest book makes it more appealing to look for truth in darkness and to resist the urge to quit. What are the reasons that inspired you to write such a mysterious story?
You know? I’m really not sure how I got set on the path of child trafficking. It just kind of leaped into my lap, but when I listened to the survivors and saw the negative comments about how they were delusional and that these horrific things never happened to them, my heart broke. I knew then that I had to give them all a voice. Even those that unfortunately perished needed to be heard. So, I would say the survivors inspired me to write it.
28. Sacrifice has always been an important element of your books. How do you understand sacrifice in your day-to-day lives?
A writer sacrifices time more than anything. Hours and hours spent sitting in front of the computer typing takes them away from family and friends. So, to sacrifice that much time, one must absolutely love what one does. And I absolutely love writing. But sometimes, it’s the writing that gets sacrificed by life, and therein lies the irony, I suppose.
29. Would you like to share something about your upcoming work and what is the driving force behind the coming works ?
I’d love to. I am currently working on two novels. Behind The Shadows, which is the second of this four-book series. Each book will stand alone, but they tie into each other. And the other one is called Memoirs from a Killer. Dawna is channeling a killer, and he is giving us quite the story. This, too, will tie into the four books. It’s a sort of prequel to them all. The driving force is still the kids and survivors, it will never stop being about them.
30. What advice would you give to a writer working on their first book? What are common traps for new authors?
First and foremost, they must call themselves a writer. I find this the hardest to accomplish, but it’s important. Second, read, read, read. And read in the genre that you want to write in. It will help a lot. Take notes on sentences that blew you away and ones that didn’t, and try to figure out why that was. Don’t get caught up in over-describing something; leave some to the reader they want to imagine in their own mind, and make sure that descriptions aren’t in action. For instance, describe a door when someone notices it, not while reaching to grab it. It stops the action and the tension. Someone once said to me, “you want to take the reader on a journey,” and that stuck somehow. Finally, last but not least, don’t worry about the publishing aspect; just write. The first draft will always be shit, but you can work with shit; you can’t work with an empty page.
31. What is the most surprising thing you discovered while writing your book(s)?
The editing process, by far, surprised me the most. I had no idea what went into writing a book. But oddly, I like the editing process, I like watching the story get better and better with each edit. The moving around, the deleting and adding of information. The willingness to be open to everything because an editor knows what works and they are there to help you. I think this is where a lot of writers give up because it is difficult to hear a part of your work sucks, but be open-minded to hearing it, and if it’s something that is important to you, then mention that, and an editor will help to restructure it to make it work, if possible.
Angie Vancise is a multi-talented artist whose award-winning writing and beautiful artwork have captivated readers worldwide. Her semi-autobiographical novel, Cry of an Osprey, is a heartfelt and honest story that showcases her writing and artistic skills. Her latest book, Hidden in the Shadows, won the Gold award for January from Literary Titan and promises to be just as engaging as her previous works. In addition to her fiction writing, Angie is currently working on two new books: Memoir from a Killer, a thrilling story where she channels a killer’s story, and the sequel to Hidden in the Shadows. With her talent and creativity, Angie Vancise is a writer to watch. Be sure to check out her books on Amazon today!
Looking for an unforgettable reading experience? Look no further than Angie Vancise’s award-winning books, including Hidden in the Shadows and Cry of an Osprey. These captivating and heartfelt stories will keep you hooked until the very end. Don’t miss out on the chance to experience the talents of this talented author – order now on Amazon!
