Voted by friends as “The one most likely to spend the night in a coffin for fun,” author Debbie Viguie (pronounced vi-gay) is not afraid of her dark side. “My agent calls my style Pink Goth,” she said. “Because in
Voted by friends as “The one most likely to spend the night in a coffin for fun,” author Debbie Viguie (pronounced vi-gay) is not afraid of her dark side.
“My agent calls my style Pink Goth,” she said. “Because in person I’m cheery and light but what I write is really macabre.”
Meet New York Times best-selling author of the “Wicked” series for her latest book, “Resurrection” at 2 p.m. Saturday at Borders Books and Music.
The Kaua‘i resident co-wrote the young adult fiction series with Nancy Holder of San Diego, Calif. who she met at the Maui Writers Conference in 2000 when Viguie attended Holder’s workshop. In 2002 Holder, the author of 50 books, called Viguie who was then living in California to invite her to co-write the series.
“When the series first came out it tanked so bad,” Viguie said. “But seven years later and we’re on the New York Times Best Seller list.”
“Wicked” was rescued from oblivion in 2006 when a Barnes and Noble executive gave the books a second glance, saying, why aren’t we promoting these?
“All it takes is one person in the right place who likes your work and is willing to champion it,” Viguie said.
The mystery man who went to bat for the series had the four books repackaged into two, with new book covers that roused intrigue. But the truly fortuitous turn came with a marketing strategy that shot “Wicked” from the back of the house and on to the tables fronting the entrance.
“Barnes and Noble hung banners in their stores that read, “Waiting for Harry Potter? Read Wicked,” Viguie said. “Then when the final book came out (“Resurrection”) the packaging as a series elevated visibility even more.”
In February “Resurrection” hit the New York Times Best Seller list and last month, the now three-book series landed on the New York Times Series list at number seven.
“The last three weeks it was on the best seller list it was at number six,” Viguie said. “6-6-6, for three weeks — we thought that was auspicious.”
The series tells the story of star-crossed lovers who belong to feuding families of witches. It traces the battle between the Cahors and the Deveraux through six-hundred years of history while focusing on the current generation’s struggle to end the battle.
When Viguie moved to Kaua‘i with her husband in 2006, like many residents, she worked multiple jobs to make ends meet. Today though she writes full time, churning out books hand over fist. Presently she has 12 books in stores with seven more scheduled for publication over the next three years.
The “Wicked” series is her only co-authored set so far. Her Christian fiction series, “The Psalm 23 Mysteries” will be in stores in 2010. She is also one of a stable of writers retelling fairy tales — “Midnight Pearls,” based on “The Little Mermaid” and “Scarlet Moon” on “Little Red Riding Hood.” Then there’s three books in her “Sweet Seasons” series.
“There are two kinds of writers,” she said. “Ones that write a book a year and those who write a book a month. The fastest I have ever written a book was in three days.”
Viguie confessed to the four 12-packs of Coca-Cola consumed for the task and a mountain of Cheez-it.
“Cheez-its are my remedy for writer’s block,” she said.
Next Viguie and Holder are writing a spin-off series called “Crusade.”
“We take one character from “Wicked” and continue with them in the new series,” she said.
The two authors do have a technique for writing together.
“Nancy’s strength is description and mine is dialogue and fast pacing,” Viguie said.
Each writes a 13 chapter outline that they craft together.
“Nancy writes even chapters and I write the odd, then we switch,” she said.
Viguie said that when she reads the completed manuscript she has no idea which lines belong to who.
“This is not my story and it’s not her story, it’s our story,” she said. “It’s a very generous way to write.”
Holder approached Viguie in January 2002 and by fall of that year the book was in stores. “Wicked” was Viguie’s first publication and as soon as she had one book published, the world of publishing laid itself at her feet.
“No one wants to publish your first book because they don’t think you can finish one,” she said. “As soon as I had one, the editor who had turned down “Midnight Pearls” called me back.”
That was 12 books and seven years ago.
Today book tours to the Mainland and marketing her books are the only tasks slowing her break neck momentum.
“I had my year scheduled out around deadlines,” she said. “But when (“Resurrection”) hit the best seller list, suddenly I am doing work I never had to do before.”
Marketing a best seller — there are worse ways to get off task.
• Pam Woolway, lifestyle writer, can be reached at 245-3681, ext. 257 or pwoolway@kauaipubco.com.
