Interview Madeline Dent Huss

by

Carey Kreiger

1. How long have you been writing? Is The Dandelion Patch your first completed novel?

I've been writing since 3rd grade. My fifth grade teacher sent my story, "The Mystery of The Haunted House" to "CHILD LIFE" magazine. It failed to be accepted for publication but I received a very nice rejection letter. "The Dandelion Patch " is my first book I've finished. I am working on another one called "Home Of Our Own" which is about the suburbs in the fiftie's baby-boom years..

2. Do you find that you always have some creative project going?

I try to keep writing stories for newspapers and magazines and when they are published, it encourages me to go on.

3. Do you set aside time everyday to write or do you write when the mood strikes you?

I'm inclined to write when the mood strikes me but I try to set a certain part of my day dedicated to my writing. Sometimes, my mind contains more stories than are actually put on paper.

4. Are there stories in your mind that are clamoring to be written?

There are many stories clamoring to be written and sometimes I lay awake composing them.

5. Who are some of your favorite authors?

I like Maeve Binchy and Rosamonde Pilcher who write sagas I can sink my teeth into. Also, I like mystery suspense writers like Ruth Rendell and Minette Walters. I just now realized they are all British, but this is not to slight the body of American authors. I just like to read everything but sultry romances and Sci-Fi.

6. Do you belong to any writers or critique groups? Are they helpful?

I owe my writing career to my writer's group who were Penwomen and located in Alexandria, Virginia. I had stopped writing to raise my family of five children until my friend Ruth Eckert persuaded me to join the group in 1980.

7. What prompted you to write The Dandelion Patch?

I have so many memories of growing up in a small town in New Jersey. I was born and raised in Lyndhurst, NJ where you can see the Empire State Building if you climb the hill by where the Meadowland Stadium is now located.

8. How do you plan to market The Dandelion Patch?

I have told all my friends about my book and urge them to pass the word on my book. I sent a copy to my hometown Historical Society and the book is in each of the school libraries.

9. Do you set writing goals, either short term or long term?

Not really. Just keep writing as long as possible. I am over seventy and would like to take advantage of the time alloted to me to make up for the years I didn't write.