Interview with Muge Direr, Author of Koncolos Witches
28 May 2025
What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Koncolos Witches?
The unseen tragedies behind the lives we encounter every day and the people we often judge without knowing their past have inspired me the most, as they do in almost all my books. I wanted to explore what shapes a person and how pain, trauma, and resilience can quietly coexist beneath the surface. I’ve come to believe that sometimes, people cope with trauma by becoming the very evil that once tortured them. It’s their only way to escape what they couldn’t endure otherwise. Morally, it’s arguable, of course, but we can’t reach or heal a mind unless it believes those who hurt its soul have paid a fair price. And in today’s world, unfortunately, justice is rarely distributed fairly.
If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Koncolos Witches, what would they be?
Torna Surriento for Antonio, and 50mila by Nina Zilli for Monica.
What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?
Honestly, I enjoy any genre. I grew up in a home with hundreds of books; my parents were true bookworms. There were times in my life when I’d read whatever was on the shelf, simply because it was my only escape, a way to step into another world. And in my writing, I experiment with many genres quite deliberately.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
My TBR pile is empty right now because I’m fully focused on finishing my own books. Every minute spent elsewhere tends to make me feel a little guilty. And as a non-native speaker, I often spend twice as much time on a single paragraph to avoid errors, whether linguistic or cultural. It takes a huge amount of effort. When I was working full-time, I used to read at least during my commute. But now that I’m fully at home, every free moment goes to writing. Beyond that, I go on vacation and I write. I sunbathe and I write. My laptop is always with me. If I ever decide to take a real break, I’d love to revisit some of the classics I read when I was very young, around 14 to 16, because at 46, I’ve honestly forgotten the plots of some of them. Authors like Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and Zola left a deep impression on me back then, and I believe they are worth re-exploring.
What scene in your book was your favorite to write?
That’s a hard question. My favorite scene is usually the one that challenges me the most while writing. So if I had to choose, I’d say it’s the chapter titled The Sick World. In that chapter, I had to describe a witch that exists in Monica’s mind, though whether she is real or imagined is left to the reader to decide. My book isn’t a fantasy, so I wanted to blur that line carefully. It was technically demanding, so it stands out to me.
Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)
I live in a detached house with a garden and 21 dogs, all rescued by me. I actually enjoy it when they come and sniff around while I write; it’s oddly comforting, like they understand what I’m doing and are asking, ‘How’s it going?’ I don’t have a lucky mug or a cat on my lap, and my dogs are far too large to sit on my lap while I’m at my laptop. But I do have a habit of getting completely consumed by writing, which, in itself, might be my quirkiest habit. Sometimes I go days without proper sleep, which I know is very unhealthy, but I just can’t hold myself back.
Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?
The world is full of very bad people, so beware.
If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?
They would want to read my other books.
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