Some books tell a story. Others reveal a transformation. In Gutted: How an Old House Remodeled Me, author Maida Korte shares the unexpected lessons, challenges, and personal growth that emerged from restoring an old house—proving that sometimes the things we rebuild end up rebuilding us.
Q & A with Maida Korte, Author of Gutted
Q: What inspired you to write this book?
A: I have worked in design and construction for my entire working life, and it left me exhausted, nervous, with anxiety creeping into my daily existence. Moving from the city to the country changed me, and taking the time to slowly remodel a 100-year-old house was the medicine I needed.
Q: Can you tell us about the main characters and their development throughout the story?
A: Even though I am central to the book, my experience as I healed from the emotional trauma of decades working in a field fraught with problems, my husband Andy, and my four daughters also play a role. Andy’s voice of calm and sarcasm kept me grounded and my girls gave me a sense of purpose as to why I wanted to reinvent myself, to be a better person, a better wife, a better mother.
Q: Did you have any challenges while writing this book? If so, what were they?
A: Challenges appeared in many forms. The tyranny of the urgent project in remodeling, the birth of 9 grandchildren, and the reflection needed to examine the quiet revolution that had changed how I look at life.
Q: What is your favorite scene in the book and why?
A: I think my favorite scenes are when I’m talking about a disaster and the differences between how Andy looked at problems and my hair-on-fire overreaction.
Q: Were there any specific books or authors that influenced your writing of this book?
A: Glennen Doyle (Untamed), Ann Patchett (This is the Story of a Happy Marriage), Frances Mayes (Under the Tuscan Sun)
Q: Can you talk about your writing process and how you approach writing a novel?
A: I often write toward something, and let that simmer in a large pot, while I write what leads me in that direction. I have a second book coming out June 1, 2027, but I have finished my first novel, which I will be querying. I sit down in the very early morning to write every day – often rewriting
the pages from the day before, as a launch pad into new words on a page. I am inspired in the morning and grayish by early evening.
Q: What was the most difficult part of writing this book?
A: Capturing emotions that I have felt ashamed of.
Q: Do you have any favorite quotes from the book?
A: When I talk about Andy and call him my ‘boot stomping man.’
Q: Can you give us a hint about what you’re working on next?
A: I have a book coming out in 2027 called “Basically, It’s Going to be a Nightmare: Life Lessons in Remodeling.” I’m excited about it since it says what every remodeler wants their clients to know. I’m also in the edit phase of my first novel, titled “Look.” It is a book about the wonder of life and don’t miss a second of it.
Q: How do you hope readers will feel after finishing your book?
I hope readers will feel inspired to try something new and that it is never too late to reinvent yourself from the inside out, the only way it can be done.
About the Author: Maida Korte loves to write about the intersection of interior design and family life, revealing the humor, heart, and lessons found in both. A midwestern native with a tireless work ethic, she raised four daughters while running a design firm—an experience she jokes qualifies her to run a small country. A former HGTV guest, she holds degrees in interior design and writing. Gutted is her debut book. Maida lives in Lake in the Hills, Illinois, with her husband.
Read the reviews for Gutted:
https://chicagobookreview.com/review/gutted-how-an-old-house-remodeled-me/
https://losangelesbookreview.com/review/gutted-how-an-old-house-remodeled-me/