What
is the first book that made you cry?
The
first book that made me cry was “Where the Red Fern Grows,” as a child. It was
my first “big” novel as a youngster, and I was tortured by the storyline of two
precious hunter dogs, and the tale of a young farmer boy growing up with them,
watching them live and die, and the many adventures in between. I thought that
the story had some depth for a young reader’s book, it wasn’t just a
romanticized drama about a pet that dies, there was a lot of focus on the pair
of hunting dogs’ growth in sync with the boys, and living in such a rural area
while the growth of all, happened.
Does
a big ego help or hurt writers?
I
imagine it would be a little bit of both. A writer needs to be ego-driven to
tackle the craft professionally, because it’s an ego-driven craft. To decide
that whatever it is you have to say, is important enough for the entire world
to hear—to sustain you as a human, and to call a “career,” these are all things
that feed the ego. However, when I say feed the ego, I don’t necessarily attach
a negative annotation to that. What I mean, is more in the Freudian sense, the
“ego” & ID. The ID, or our impulsive nature needs and actions are filtered
through the ego, and then translated to the world. Writers utilize that feeding
of the ego, to tell a story to the world, but like all artists, are
narcissistic to an extent. All humans, really.
I
think that when one has allowed the ego—in the cultural sense=vanity—to
dominate their every breathing moment, and word, it can become dangerous. You
can take writing seriously but NEVER take yourself TOO seriously. Life is odd,
and bizarre, and unpredictable, and even silly. So satire is necessary. Laugh a
little at things, no matter how horrendous.
What
is your writing Kryptonite?
A
good book. And, no that’s not a generic answer. Nothing—not drugs, not
caffeine, not even an art museum—has given me the high that great writing/art writing
has.
Do
you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of
work with connections between each book?
I
want each book to have its own identity, that could be said. However, because
all of the books have been built through psychological observation of my own
doing, and through the need for an understanding of human nature, I think it
could be said that they exist as a sort of long concept novel too.
What
authors did you dislike at first but grew into?
Henry
Miller. I mean what 20-something girl isn’t going to find him a bit chauvinistic,
and therefore be annoyed at first? I really grew into Henry when my idol (writing-wise)
Anais Nin clarified his intentions through her diaries, for me. Henry wanted to
attempt something brilliant in writing and so these experiences were, what he
believed he needed, to do that. Same goes for Bukowski. Plus, wіth Bukowski
there’s that video floating around of him pummeling his girlfriend, which makes
you realize he probably was a misogynist! But…then he says things like; “she’s
mad but she’s magic, there’s no lie in her fire.” And, I’m like “he’s a writing
God.” (Laughing.)
If
you didn’t write, what would you do for work?
The
things I still do! Ha-ha. Seriously though, I studied photography and digital
media, and have always turned to that for simpler work when I needed money, and
a lot of time, to write. I also blog, which is a very simple form of writing. I
did a lot of art modeling when I was younger, and of course I still do ghost-writing.
Another form of simplistic writing!
I
think that for any writer, extra jobs are essential, as writing is an up-and-down
world, where one moment you can be producing something brilliant and another
you can slide into a void of all artistic ability. So, I’ve always had back-up
plans, jobs, and work. But make no mistake=writing is my life.
Do
you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
Of course, all authors and writers do. The idea of
writing is to put your vision out there to the world. Who would take the time,
and then not take a peek at the response from that world?
What I don’t do is fret over bad reviews. They are
necessary for improvement. Nobody is perfect, least of all a writer probably,
truthfully. I don’t just mean with writing, either. Writers have editors,
because of that LACK of perfection. But in the other regard, as a human, the
writer is far from perfect. Flawed, insecure, restless, selfish, self-centered.
But writers have a lot of good qualities too, and that evens things out. But,
the reviews help you to better understand the world too, the view point of the reader,
of the many vast and different types of readers you will attract. Not everybody
is going to like you. The most you can ask for is that rare sensitive soul who just
may “get it.”
Do
you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
Yes, my fiancé and I share many secrets, that are
throughout the book. J
Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do
that is so special?Personally, I believe the character was
important to anyone going through that type of experience, because she really
dug deep to understand the addictive behaviors she had. Not just with heroin
but with love, and pain, and pretty much everything that provided any type of
emotions, evoked some type of excitism in any capacity. Her approach to healing
was unconventional, especially her relationship with her “Angel,” which was
looked at as wrong and inappropriate. Yet, she learned that the FEELING of
love, of being loved unconditionally, was essential to the character’s growth
and healing. It didn’t matter what the definition of their love was to the rest
of the world, whether it was toxic or healthy, damaging or positive, what
mattered was that she FELT loved completely. His own intent was not even
particularly important, it was what she translated their love to, that saved
her. She identified with all of that emotional turmoil being the destructive
force destroying her, and once she felt loved completely, she grew, she moved
on.
Her love affair with heroin was also very
profound, because she understood that it was like a toxic lover, that she both
loved and hated it. What transpired during her stay in the therapeutic
community was more about the mental, psychological and emotional detachment
from heroin, the detox in those particular ways, from it.
I also think she was original in a lot of
ways; memorable. She was a character that forced you to think, to reflect. She
wasn’t perfect, not even close, but she WAS at heart, good natured and
empathetic. One could tag her many things, but a human without compassion was
NOT one of them.
Where
can we buy or see your books? (* include American, European and any other
relevant links. Free, free promotions or prices can be included)
+ + +
Author Nicole D'Settemi is a 33 year old writer, currently living in upstate New York. She has lived in five regions nationally, including South Florida and New York City. She has always been a self-described "poetic, nomadic, creative soul," and is an enthusiast of a variety of artistic mediums, but considers writing her number one form of art, and feels everything else is just an extension of that passion and creative outlet.
Nicole was raised in Niagara Falls, a tiny town bordering Canada, and can remember being as young as six, when writing her first lyrical, and philosophical poems. She specifically pin-points two pieces during those years, titled "If I Ruled the World," and "If the World Ended." She also points out being selected at 6, for the "Young Authors Club," which was a city-wide project.
Nicole won two city-wide essay contests between the ages 9-11, which was when she received her first word processor, and then typewriter. By 12 she started a fan-club and newsletter for her childhood hero, as well as penning letters to over 30 pen-pals internationally. She also had a poem named "And So It Begins" published which was written at 12.
Though Nicole (who was an honor student) rebelled by 15, and was incidentally expelled from school, she still wrote habitually. She once showed her "alternative-school" teacher a poem titled: "That's Life," which she penned at 14. He was so impressed with the piece; he had it faxed to every school in the city.
At 16 Nicole was uprooted from her small town and moved to Boca Raton, where she felt displaced and started to deal with depression. Hereditary, mental illness and substance abuse ran rapid in her family tree, and by 20 she experimented with a plethora of chemical substances. By 23, she became addicted to shooting heroin, and was engaged to her co-conspirator and partner-in-crime. She attended an art school for photo journalism, but withdrew half-way through the year, due to a devastating addiction to injecting various drugs.
"
Addictarium" was written while she spent two years in a therapeutic community for seriously addicted, and mentally ill, patrons. The book outlines many of the experiences she went through in the second phase of treatment, which she dubbed "the village," because of its extreme and eccentric melting pot of personalities.
During her tenure at Daytop, Nicole separated with her fiancé, and while in her stay at the recovery program in Queens New York, met her current fiancé, who was initially her substance abuse counselor. The book is also highly reflective of their relationship and its roots. Nicole credits the Latin, Brooklyn-bred counselor, 18 years her senior, with "saving her from herself."
Nicole is now residing in the Poughkeepsie area with her fiancé, Miguel. They are both artists, and run a modest side business creatively assisting those in need of artistic direction, digitally. Nicole is currently penning a prequel to
Addictarium. She is also outlining a third individual novel, which she claims will be a "psycho-dramatic thriller."
Check out Nicole on Social Media
FB: @addictarium
@addictariumarist
ON Twitter:
@nicoledsettemi
ON IG:
@authornicoldsettemi
ON YouTube as authornicolesettemi
