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MEET AMY DUNKLEBERGER (6/2011)
by Bonnie O'Brian

When you were a child did you ever have moments when you decided that you were going to be a writer when you grew up?

Amy Dunkleberger

I got my first hint to pursue writing from my fifth grade teacher. Mrs. Klavens loved a little story I had written and, in front of the whole class, suggested I could be an author when I grew up. Though I delighted in the praise, I fought against my teacher’s advice for many years. It wasn’t until my sophomore year in college that I embraced the idea of becoming a writer. I don’t regret my detours into movies, music and anthropology, however, as I learned many inspiring and useful things along the way. The beauty of writing is that you can do it anywhere, anytime, on any topic that moves you. No experience or subject, not even algebra, is irrelevant, because every thing you learn today might find its way into your story tomorrow.

What books influenced you most when you were growing up?

LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott, THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH by Norton Jester, THE CALL OF THE WILD by Jack London and A WRINKLE IN TIME by Madeleine L’Engel. I loved the history and romance of LITTLE WOMEN, the offbeat humor of THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH, the deep emotion of THE CALL OF THE WILD and the suspense and imagination of A WRINKLE IN TIME.

What was your first job when you graduated from college?

Technically it wasn’t my first post-graduation job, but my most memorable early employment was working in the Recorded Sound Division at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. For an entire summer, I got to sift through and organize an enormous collection of records that had been played at U.S. Armed Forces radio stations around the world. The recordings from World War II, which had been assembled specifically for soldiers fighting overseas, were especially fascinating to me. To this day, I have a special interest in that period of American history.

Do you focus on fiction or nonfiction? Which do you prefer? Do you find one easier than the other?

Most of my professional writing (writing I get paid for) is nonfiction -- books, study guides, reviews and feature articles. Earlier in my career, though, I wrote screenplays, and I have a special love for fiction. I like fiction and nonfiction equally, both as a writer and a reader. Both have unique demands, but both require imagination and structure to work. I never refer to nonfiction writing as “non-creative.” All writing is creative!

Where do you get your ideas?

Anywhere and everywhere. One of my most reliable sources of inspiration, however, is music. Listening to music seems to shift my brain into an imaginative, open mode. Sometimes feelings expressed in the lyrics inspire me to invent characters or dramatic situations. I also find inspiration in good writing by exceptional authors.

Do you enjoy researching or do you prefer working totally from your imagination?

Because I write mostly nonfiction, research is a huge part of my work. It’s often the most enjoyable part of writing for me. I love going to libraries and archives to pore over dusty texts. When I write fiction, I tend to blend pure imagination with research. I’m attracted to stories that are set in the past, with either situations taken from history, or characters based on real people.

What are the topics of some of your books?

Most of my books are about movies -- how to make and appreciate them. I’ve also written about playwright Arthur Miller.

Do you like to include humor in your stories? Or adventure? Or mystery?

Humor is absolutely essential to my writing. Even when I’m writing educational material, I try to slip in a joke or two. I think humor, adventure and mystery are all important tools to be used in writing. To be engaging as a writer, no matter the subject, the author needs to draw the readers in and keep them turning the pages.

How did your life change when you got married? and had children? Did it make it easier or harder to find time to write?

Marriage didn’t change my everyday life much, but becoming a parent definitely presented challenges to my writing career. You do have to make an effort to carve out time and space to write, and it’s easy to justify not writing on any given day. One of the great benefits of having children, though, is that you have a wonderful new source for ideas. And you have a built-in excuse to re-read your favorite childhood stories and to discover new books and new writers as well.