Amber Cowie is a novelist living in a small town on the west coast of British Columbia. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Salon, The Globe and Mail, CrimeReads, and Scary Mommy. Her first novel, Rapid Falls, was a Whistler Book Awards nominee. She is a member of several writing groups and holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Victoria. She is a mother of two and reader of many books. She likes skiing, running, and inventing stories that make her internet search history unnerving.
Want to keep up on all things Amber then check out her website Visit her at AmberCowie.com or follow her on Twitter and Instagram
What does your writing space look like?
My writing space is a little studio with a view of many beautiful trees and one of the largest granite monoliths in the world (a sacred and astonishingly huge rock). Being a mother of two during a pandemic has made my writing space versatile, however. I’ve written on the couch while watching episodes of Octonauts on repeat or the kitchen table while cooking dinner. If my laptop is there, I can write anywhere.
If you could spend a day with another popular author (living or dead), who would you choose and why?
Given the isolation of being an author in a pandemic, my list of options for this could easily be a mile long from good friends like Samantha Bailey, Marissa Stapley and Robyn Harding whom I’ve wanted to connect with for years to my most beloved deceased authors like Patricia Highsmith, Nella Larsen and PD James.
I’ve also been blown away by recent books by SA Cosby, Stephen Graham Jones and Emily St. Mandel so I’d have to invite them to the party as well.
Oh wait, did you say one author? I think I might be planning a festival instead.
How do you celebrate when you finish your book?
What a great question. It’s hard to know when a book is actually finished so I’m not always great at celebrating it but my husband and kids are very good at the party part. Since the world has opened up again, we usually go out for a fun dinner at one of our favourite local restaurants or (on very special occasions) open a bottle of champagne.
Is there something you do/have while writing that helps your process? (Music, snacks, etc.)
I find writing so much easier when I have a whole lot of yummy carrots to crunch on.
What book are you currently reading?
The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield which is a murder mystery set in space. I also have Bird By Bird by Anne Tyler on the go and I’m about to start Sari, Not Sari by Sonya Singh.
