Visiting with Kobbie Alamo

by Claire Guyton, Art + Life Editor

What inspired “Flying for Food“?

As most business owners claim, “It’s all about location, location, location.” And boy, does that fit for the birth of this story! Due to the company my husband works for, we have moved often and lived in many places. This can be very exciting! It also gives us a chance to see the way different people live in different areas and surroundings. I try to incorporate these ideas into my stories. Anyway, the first niggling notions for “Flying for Food” came to me when we attended a sporting event at a private school in an affluent suburb of Detroit. I remember thinking how strange it was to see these very fortunate students living blocks away from downtown homeless shelters. In both settings, we saw teenagers adapting to their lives based on the conditions they were in. Some people might be surprised to know how they’re often more similar than different. The story idea stayed with me when we moved from Michigan, through stints in both Pennsylvania and New York, until finally finding its voice in Seattle (even though the action takes place in New York!).

Tell us about your writing process—either generally or specifically with regard to the birth and development of this story.

My characters are always born well before the story they inhabit. Sometimes I know them so well that I fret I cannot create a story worthy of them—sounds funny to say this, but they’re very real to me and I want them to have the best chance for “life.” In the case of “Flying for Food,” the idea for David came about after I volunteered at an AIDS shelter in downtown Detroit and saw many young people not only surviving in tough conditions, but thriving. I was awed. And inspired. Pretty soon David wasn’t just an idea, he was ready to take over his own story.

What’s the sound track to this story?

This is a hard one—but I think much of the soundtrack from the 2008 “Iron Man” movie would fit this story very well.

Have your writing habits changed over time?

Oh my goodness YES! Probably the most significant change is consistency—in the past, much of my writing was “in my head.” Now, I spend hours and hours every day trying to craft the best stories I can—on paper instead of in my mind. I usually start my day by revising what I created the day before—that sort of gets those creative juices flowing—and then, when I’m settled into the flow and my brain has flicked on, I start creating the new parts. Right now I’m working on a full-length mystery novel with dogs that some claim are magical. Of course, my heroine knows they can’t be…or can they?

                                                                           

 *Source of dog photo here.

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Contact Claire with any questions or suggestions for Hunger Mountain’s Art + Life section at hungermtnal@gmail.com.

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