Best of Family & Relationships
Best of Family & Relationships
"So Many Books, So Little Time!"
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Exclusive Interview with
When did you start writing?
I actually won a county-wide prize in first grade for a book report, so I guess I've been writing for quite a while. I had a small business for ten years and wrote weekly blog posts about family stories for marketing purposes. I enjoyed the process. I decided to write a novel after I found my grandmother's 125-page conviction paper after a twenty-year search. When handed a story like this one, I felt compelled to write about it. I had to explore what may have happened in her life to bring her to the choices she made.
What makes writing your passion?
I am passionate about family stories(we all have them!). These stories—often hidden away—tell us who we are and how we come together as families. Though my works are fiction, my stories are based on truth.
How long have you been writing?
I became serious about writing right after I uncovered my grandmother's story. It took six years to write my first book (Rock Bottom, Tennessee) and only one year to write Rock Bottom Rising.
What was the feeling when you published your first book?
Having had the dream for so long and then holding the physical copy in my hand brought complete satisfaction from accomplishment. When I heard from readers that they related to Ruby's story and asked for a follow up book, I was elated.
What’s the story behind your choice of characters?
All of my characters are based on stories my mother told me as I sat at her feet. She grew up in Eastern Tennessee, without running water or electricity. The hardships imposed by the mountains and how people around her reacted to the difficulties gave me fodder for my characters. I used the basis of some of her stories for plot points in my books. I would argue that the setting almost acts like a character in that it influences the character's actions and motivations.
What annoys you the most in pursuing a writing career?
It doesn't annoy me, but I would like to address the idea that indie (or self) publishing is inferior to traditional publishing. I would argue that it was the easy, right decision for me since I already had previous experience in marketing.
How do you get over the “writer’s block”?
I always play music from the era of my books while writing. And before I quit for the day, I set up the scene or the background for what I'll write the next day. When all else fails, I take a break. Every time, I sit back down, the writing flows.
We all know the writer’s path is never easy, what makes you keep going? What advice would you give to new authors?
Write about what interests you—the genre that you read, a path in life you wish you had taken, a love story that dangled in your life at one time. It helped me to imagine what my life regrets would be at the end of my days if I had NOT written the book.
If you could go back in time and talk to your younger self, what would you say?
Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with the bad ones?
I read reviews about every three months (when gathering quotes for social media posts). Some bad reviews make me laugh (they thought Ruby was morally ambiguous though I advertised she had committed a felony).
What is the feeling when you get a good review?
I am deeply touched when readers contact me about how my words or character development affected them.
Have you ever incorporated something that happened to you in real life into your novels?
All the time. Or I use stories that my mother told me about her childhood. It's delightful to tuck these tidbits into the narrative.
Which of your characters you can compare yourself with? Did you base that character on you?
I say that I come from a long line of wild women (both my grandmother and my great-grandmother left their families). Because my mother changed the generational narrative of neglecting her children, I can't say that I compare myself to my characters.
What do you think, the book cover is as important as the story?
Very much so. I actually gathered a review committee before choosing a cover. It needs to attract the reader and give some idea of what the story is.
Do you connect with your readers? Do you mind having a chat with them or you prefer to express yourself through your writing?
I love connecting with my readers. They send me notes and social media messages, and come to my author events. This part of being an author surprised and delighted me.
How do you feel when people appreciate your work or recognize you in public?
I'm touched and pinch myself every single time. I've recently won three awards and it amazes me that readers connect so much with my stories.
Who is your favorite author? Why?
I love Pulitzer Prize winner Marilyn Robinson. I admire the way she weaves stories of family and setting into her novels, leaving the reader cheering for extraordinary outcomes for her ordinary characters.
What’s the dream? Whom would you like to be as big as?
I am living the dream. Seriously, I would love to see my novels in film. I'm pursuing that now but I know it's a long shot.
Would you rewrite any of your books? Why?
In a sense, I have rewritten my books before publishing them. For Rock Bottom, Tennessee, I went through eight rounds of edits and cut over 15,000 words. I wouldn't change a thing with my published books.
If you could switch places with any author – who would that be?
I can't think of one. I would love to have lunch with other authors in my genre however.
What would you say to the “trolls” on the internet? We all know them – people who like to write awful reviews to books they’ve never read or didn’t like that much, just to annoy the author.
I guess I'm not paying attention. I haven't noticed any trolls.
What would you say to your readers?
First, take a look at your own family stories and how they've influenced you. I believe it's an important part of who we are. Secondly, thank you so very much for all of your support.
Share a bit about yourself – where do you live, are you married, do you have kids?
I live in Austin, Texas, most of the year and Crested Butte in the summers. I am married, have three grown children, and have six grandchildren. The grandkids love our storytelling times. They get a turn, and I always say when they finish, "That's preposterous!" They love it.
What is your day job if you have one?
I am a CASA volunteer (I advocate for foster children and report to court about their well-being).
What are your hobbies? What do you do in your free time?
I love to hike (in the mountains). I also like adventure travel with friends.
Did you have a happy childhood?
My sisters and I say that we hit the "mother jackpot." When I look at my mother's childhood with an absent mother, I marvel at how she became the fantastic mother she was. My father was a 3-time Purple Heart Veteran from WWII and very funny. We didn't have much money (we lived off the land, eating only what we could grow), but it was very happy.
Is there a particular experience that made you start writing?
As I stated, I discovered my grandmother's felony conviction papers. After reading about her life, I had to explore the theme of what caused her to make her horrid decisions.
Do you have unpublished books? What are they about?
I've started a memoir about retracing my father's footsteps from WWII (European theatre) to learn who he was. He never talked about the war, and he died when I was twenty-five. I'm also working on a children's book.
What do you think should be improved in the education of our children? What do we lack?
I served on a school board for six years. I believe there should be different tracks for older kids based on their interests and abilities (the arts, business, medicine, etc). Also, not every child should go to college right out of high school. Sometimes, having a gap year or getting an associate degree to measure interest in a field is the better way to go.
If you were allowed 3 wishes – what would they be?
1. A cure for autism
2. That my books be made into film
3. That every child benefit from a healthy childhood
What is your favorite music?
Any song that tells a story.
Share a secret with us 🙂
I married my high school prom date.