News, Reviews & Interviews

Author Interview: Kimberly Rae
Book:  Stolen Woman

SKC:  Thank you so much, Kimberly, for agreeing to an interview. Am I right that this is your debut novel?
Kimberly:  It is! It was more fun than I expected it to be.


SKC:  But you're no novice at writing. Tell us about your previous writing experience?
Kimberly:  I've been writing for magazines, curriculum and other publications for over ten years now. This past year I hit the 100 times published number, which was a major life goal for me. That was exciting.


SKC:  How did that writing prepare you to tackle a novel?
Kimberly:  I have learned so much from writing the smaller stuff. For one, I joined a critique group, and that helped in so many ways--you learn your particular "besetting sins." (One of mine is using too many commas.) And you grow by critiquing other people's writing. Another thing: when you are writing an article, you only have so many words, so you learn to say things as concisely and powerfully as you can. That, along with the fact that so many of my articles were stories from overseas, really helped with the descriptive aspect of the book.

SKC:  In what ways does novel writing differ from your previous experience?
Kimberly:  It's just so much bigger, so much more involved. With an article, you tell your story then you're done. With Stolen Woman, I got to delve into my characters, give them idiosyncrasies and habits, heart goals and insecurities. And because the whole Stolen series is three books revolving around my main two characters, I got to extend how they grew in their faith and dealt with their fears. I learned as their relationship changed. Now that I just finished the third book, I'm really going to miss them. It may sound weird, but I've gotten to know them so well, they seem like family.

SKC:  Stolen Woman is self-published, correct? What led to your decision to take that path?
Kimberly:  Getting an agent, then a publisher, and then getting the books actually into bookstores can take years. Human trafficking is a huge topic right now, but who's to say what will be in a year or two? Knowing that more books would be coming on the topic. I wanted mine out at the beginning of that trend, not the end. So I did it myself, through Createspace, an amazon.com company. They've been great, and much cheaper than any other option I researched.


SKC:  Are you agented now? Were you at the time you self-pubbed?
Kimberly:  I am now, which is so exciting. No, I wasn't at the time the first book came out. I'd say getting an agent took about a year--just about everything in writing takes longer than you want it to. That's probably the toughest part about this business in my opinion, all that waiting. I'm not good at waiting.


SKC:  There is a lot of interest in self-publishing right now. What advice do you give writers considering that option?
Kimberly:  I've actually blogged about that, because it really is a major decision and has so many ramifications. On my blog, put in the keywords "Ever Wanted Your Book in Print," and it lists all the reasons I chose POD (Print On Demand) publishing. Since then I have to say the biggest downside I've seen after a year is having to do all your own marketing and not having it in bookstores across the country. However, I've heard that the average book sells 5,000 copies, while the average self-pubbed book sells 150, so it's clear that there's a big barrier there. Mine has sold over 1,000 so far, so it may take me a few years to get to 5,000, but I'll keep working at it.

SKC:  Stolen Woman is the first in a trilogy. It was released in January, right? And the second work, Stolen Child, is already out. Why did you pub back-to-back?
Kimberly:  That wasn't really intentional, but once the books got in my system, the continued story was just itching to be written. Also, with having to do my own marketing, getting another book out while people still remember the first one and are interested is basically free publicity. I just finished the third one ('way sooner than I expected--guess those nights I can't sleep come in handy) and hope to release it this summer, again keeping that ball rolling.


SKC:  When does the third book, Stolen Future, release?
Kimberly:  Hopefully in July or August of this year! Readers can keep track on www.stolenwoman.org or on my Facebook page: Human Trafficking Stolen Woman.

SKC:  Are you attempting traditional publishing for the series? Any prospects?
Kimberly:  Yes, I am. I remember reading recently about marketing and how it is not selfish if you are sharing God's truths that people need to hear. My message is about hope and lasting freedom, and especially about finding your worth in Christ so you can share it with others. That's a message I want out there, so I am pursuing the idea of getting the whole series accepted and mainstream published. Now that I have an agent, we're working on the book proposal. (Oh, those are intimidating! I blogged about that, too. If they scare you, you're not alone.)

SKC:  When and how did the idea for the Stolen series come about?
Kimberly:  Great question! I used to live on the mission field, and having to come home for health reasons was hard. I wanted to stay involved, but didn't really know how. One day I was riding in the car with my mom, tossing around ideas about a novel, when she asked, "If you could write about anything, what would you write about?" By the end of the day I think I had about three chapters of the first book written. The other biggest reason was that, as I got involved with fighting human trafficking, I could find so many books that delved into the evil and left the reader depressed, or they rescued  the girl and that was the end of it. I couldn't get past the question: What good is it to be rescued from something bad if you're not rescued to something good? That turned into the main question of Stolen Woman.

 SKC:  You've lived in several countries. How did that come about?
Kimberly:  I went to Bangladesh as a very young and idealistic twenty-two-year-old. I lived there two years, teaching in a school for Bengali kids and doing any writing projects the rest of the team needed. It was a great experience, and I love getting to use the book to take people on a "verbal visit" out there with me. After that, I was in Uganda for awhile. Then I got married and we lived in Kosovo and Indonesia for awhile. Living in different cultures was such a great experience and gave me plenty of things to write about.


SKC:  How has living in other cultures colored your writing?
Kimberly:  I am so thankful I had the opportunity to see outside what is normal in my own culture, to learn that the way I think isn't the only way. This has helped especially with creating multi-dimentional characters. I recognize that the way I see things isn't the only way. Because of that, if I write about a character with a different personality than me, they will not only have different habits and goals, but even a different thought process. And I must say I love writing about international culture. I find it so fascinating.


SKC:  How did you research the series?
Kimberly:  Most of the first book was based on memory, but the second book took me into the village setting, where I had never lived. It was difficult researching it, because with its third-world, out-in-nowhere setting, there wasn't much to find about the real life aspects of it. I went to the library once in my local area and asked the man about if a Muslim man had two wives but they all lived in a one-room bamboo hut, where did everybody sleep? Boy, did he look at me like I was off my rocker! I would have a hard time writing about any other culture, because I wouldn't feel enough in tune to it--how people feel and think and react. Even with this series, I still have sent every manuscript to a friend of mine who has lived in Bangladesh for over twenty years. She checks my cultural facts and makes sure I have the right perspective. She's sent changes for every one, so that's a good reminder that you can always use more help. As the Bible says, "In the multitude of counselors, there is wisdom."


SKC:  Are any of the characters based on people you know?
Kimberly:  Milo is the one I like to talk about the most. He is based on two boys I knew in Bangladesh. His personality is based on a real little boy named Milo whose mother was a brick-breaker. She spent all day on the side of the road hammering bricks into gravel. She made about fifty cents a day. Her three children all stayed on the street-side with her, and Milo, who was about five at the time, was one of the happiest, most adorable kids I'd ever met. His situation, however, is based on another real boy I made friends with, a street kid who only had one leg and used a crutch. In fact, the story with Asha and Milo at the ice cream shop is loosely based on something that actually happened with him and me.

SKC:  How do you continue to hone your craft?
Kimberly:  Oh, I have so much more to learn! I keep trying to learn about writing and be willing to listen to suggestions and critiques. Before I publish a book, I usually send it out to over ten people I trust as pre-readers. They give me their feedback, and it helps me learn what readers want. I went back and read the original Stolen Woman and was pretty amazed at how much I'd learned about writing since it came out. So I went back and fixed a bunch of stuff and put out a second edition. Now I cringe when I see the original one, but hey, if we waited till we "arrived," we'd never arrive!


SKC:  What other writers most influence you and your style? 
Kimberly:  I love Francine Rivers. A friend of mine once told me her book, Redeeming Love, changed the way she saw God. That amazed me, that through a fiction story you could have such an impact. I want my writing to be like that.


SKC:  Who comprise your support team?
Kimberly:  I have a few people who have been cheering me on since before they even knew if the books were any good. Also there's a ladies' group at a church nearby who have had me come to do Book Club sessions, and that's been a great motivator for me. Most importantly, though, is my husband Brian. He hates to read (ironic, right?) but he doesn't mind listening, so I read everything I write out loud to him. It has turned out to be a great editing tool for me, and makes me feel like he's really behind me. Except when sometimes he tells me, "A guy wouldn't say it like that," and then I have to change my sweet, romantic comment into something more realistic.

SKC:  What inspires you?
Kimberly:  Hearing from a teen girl that my book changed her life.


SKC:  What is your writing regimen like?
Kimberly:   Hah! I wish I had one. Having a three-year-old at home makes a regimen pretty impossible. I do a lot of my marketing in the morning on the computer (Facebook, e-mail, blog, etc.), but my real writing times usually have to wait until I can find some time alone.

SKC:  What big idea do you want your readers to come away with after reading Stolen Woman?
Kimberly:  That no matter how trapped someone may be or feel, there is always hope. And that their worth is not in what or how much they do, but in the fact that the God of the universe says they are worth dying for.

SKC:  What Scripture is especially meaningful for you right now?
Kimberly:  In searching for Scriptures for the book, I have been surprised at how much God cares about justice, and have loved the great verses I've found that lets me know God cares about the trafficked so much more than I do. But a passage I am memorizing right now is Psalm 74:14-18. I think it's a great passage for writers.

SKC:  What role does Jesus Christ play in your writing?
Kimberly:  I was just talking about that with a writer I met. He'd sent me a manuscript about trafficking that had some questionable things in it. He had mentioned his faith, so I (very uncomfortably) asked him if his faith was why he wrote the book, then why didn't it affect his book? What good is a book to raise awareness, if it doesn't give the hope of Jesus Christ? To me, without Christ, there's no point in writing. I don't have any desire to write just for entertainment.

SKC:  How do you balance writing, family life with young children, and health challenges?
Kimberly:  That's a challenge! Fortunately, writing is something I can do even when I'm not feeling well (like right now, when I'm on antibiotics for an infection, writing actually helps me stay put when I need to rest). I do struggle with balancing my desire to write and my family life. I keep praying about that one and asking for daily wisdom to make the best choices, not just the ones that feel the most urgent.


SKC:  What project are on the horizon? Do you work on multiple writing projects at once?
Kimberly:   I can't seem to help having several ideas in my head at once. I haven't figured out how to file them away until I have time for them. My latest project is a series of books on chronic health problems titled, Sick and Tired: How to Live Graciously with Chronic Health Problems When You'd Rather Just Kick Something! I also have a new novel idea in my head that I'm hoping will simmer until I'm ready to write it.

SKC:  What was the most difficult or troublesome challenge in writing Stolen Woman?
Kimberly:  Remembering how an American person would perceive Asia for the first time. The longer you live in a culture, the more normal things seem, so you forget what at first felt shocking or confusing. So I had to get some help on that.


SKC:  If you could write only one other book after Stolen Future, what would it be?
Kimberly:  Oh, that's a hard one, but I guess I would have to sacrifice Sick and Tired, and say it would be Shredded, the novel in my head that I want to work on someday.


SKC:  What have I failed to ask that you'd like to address?
Kimberly:  Two things. First, so you can all share in my excitement, I just got a book contract this very morning for the Sick and Tired series. I'm thrilled (and a little scared).
     Second, the books are available for Kindle and Nook. People can also get an autographed copy through www.stolenwoman.org. Order the first two books in the Stolen series and get FREE SHIPPING!

SKC:  That's a great deal, Kimberly. Thank you, again for taking time to answer my questions. God bless you as you continue to write for His glory.

Write on!
Because of Christ,
Sharon 

Ramona K. Cecil, Writing Romance God's Way

Some of the best writing advice I've received came from my friend and multi-published author Ramona K. Cecil. We live in neighboring towns, and we both were active in the same writers' group. She is the one who prompted me to join American Christian Fiction Writers. So it was with great pleasure that I sat down with her over lunch at the local Panera restaurant for an interview. She's a very busy lady, so I greatly appreciated her taking the time to meet with me.

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." ~2 Corinthians 9:8

ME:  Ramona, I know you began your writing career by writing poetry. You include a poet's vivid imagery in your prose writing, as well. What is there about poetry that appeals to you?

RAMONA:  I love the beautiful "word pictures" poetry paints. I write rhyming poetry in the tradition of Helen Steiner Rice. I enjoy the challenge of constructing the poem, i.e., saying what I want to say in the way I want to say it while keeping the meter and making it rhyme without the rhyme sounding forced or contrived.

ME:  What steps have you taken to develop your craft?

RAMONA:  The poetry has always come very natural to me, so I've never really studied how to write it. I've only developed it by repetition--writing many, many poems over my lifetime. The prose, however, is different. Online writing workshops, critique groups, and reading the works of authors I admire are some of the ways I continue to develop my novel writing skills.

ME:  Where do your ideas for your poetry come from?

RAMONA:  The short answer is "Everywhere." As a child, I began writing poems about the beauty of nature, God's creation, and how that beauty affected me. As I matured, the subject of my poems became more about my Christian walk, my dependence on the Lord and thanking Him for His many blessings.

ME:  You know I love reading your historical romances, and I admire the depth of research you do to be accurate and true to the period about which you're writing. From where do those ideas spring?

RAMONA:  I'm most often inspired by real-life events in history, especially Indiana history. I like to take a nugget of some real-life occurance and build a fictional story around it. My first novel was inspired by a visit to Connor Prairie [a living history village near Noblesville, Indiana]. My latest, A Bride's Sweet Surprise in Sauers, Indiana, was inspired by stories my uncle learned while working on a family history.

ME:  Which comes first--the title or the idea?

RAMONA:  The idea comes first, but, oddly, I can't seem to begin a story until I have a title. The title may change over time, but I have to have one to begin writing.

ME:  Are you a plotter or a pantser?

RAMONA:   Now, I'm a plotter. I started out a pantser, but I soon learned I needed more structure in order to write quicker and with fewer "plot holes."

ME:  How much flexibility do you allow yourself? I.e., how much straying from the plot do you allow? Can the story change radically?

RAMONA:  I do allow myself a liberal amount of flexibility. Sometimes I'm working on a chapter and decide that something I'd planned in my chapter synopsis won't work as well as I'd thought, or might even cause a problem later in the story. I just have to make sure any changes are reflected in later chapters. For instance, I can't have someone moving away and then reappearing in a later chapter without explanation.

ME:  Have you ever suffered writer's block? How do you overcome it?

RAMONA:  Yes. I imagine most, if not all, writers experience it some time or another. First, I pray for God's guidance. Brainstorming with fellow writers is another way to give your imagination a jump start.

ME:  How do you push through when life intrudes on your writing time?

RAMONA:  That's a difficult one. Since my husband works evenings, that's when I do my writing. I try to keep that time as free as possible from intrusions.

ME:  What has been the biggest challenge to your writing?

RAMONA:  Believing I can actually do this. I have to remind myself that alone I can't do it, but with God's help there is nothing I can't do. Beside my computer, I keep the verse from Ephesians 3:20:

Glory be to God, Why by His mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare ask or even dream of."

ME:  You have such a sweet mentor's heart, always willing to help other writers by offering sage advice and encouragement. Where does that come from?

RAMONA:  When I embarked on my journey toward becoming an author, I encountered many wonderful writers who encouraged me and helped me along the way. I love the chance to pay that forward and help other aspiring authors. Besides the thrill I get out of helping another writer along, I'm sure God expects nothing less from me.

ME:  In what ways do you partner with the Lord in your writing?

RAMONA:  I consider my writing a ministry. Through my characters, I try to show God's unconditional love and salvation and that He can overcome any problem or obstacle in a person's life, if we give Him control and yield our will to His.

ME:  Has He ever sent up a red warning flag that would seem to suggest, "No, don't go there," or "You're looking at that wrong."

RAMONA:  I honestly believe that is when I question some aspect of a scene. I call these episodes "God whispers." Sometimes something I've written or plan to write just doesn't "feel" right. Then I pray and ask for God's guidance. It may take a day or two, but an idea of how I might better handle the scene eventually comes.


ME:  What is the greatest compliment you've received regarding your writing?

RAMONA:  That my writing has touched someone in a very personal way. Whenever I hear that from readers of both my poetry and my novels, I'm simply blown away and extremely humbled.


ME:  How does your husband Jim help you in your writer's journey? Does he support you?

RAMONA:  Yes, he is very supportive. He puts up with me leaving him for days to attend conferences and has lugged boxes of books, assisting me at book signings. He has sometimes even helped me brainstorm an aspect of a story. Also, I couldn't do this and support myself financially. Jim refers to himself as my corporate sponsor.

ME:  Have you ever received negative feedback from a critique partner, an agent, or an editor? How did you deal with that?

RAMONA:  Absolutely. I have learned that to be a successful writer, one must have a teachable heart. I can usually sense if a criticism is genuinely meant to help me improve my writing or is simply mean-spirited. To be honest, I've experienced both. However brutal, the ones meant to help I take to heart and use as tools to make my writing better. The others, I simply ignore.

ME:  How did you land an agent?

RAMONA:  Basically through a conference. I got to know Tamela Hancock Murry [Steve Laube Agency] several years ago when we were stuck together at the Denver airport waiting for our flights home after a writers' conference. At that time, I was writing the short romances that didn't require an agent. Later when I began writing the longer stories, a friend and client of Tamela encouraged me to send her a proposal. I did and she accepted me as a client.

ME:  What qualities were you seeking in an agent?

RAMONA:  Someone accessible and with my best interests at heart.

Me:  What's your favorite among your books?

RAMONA:  That's like asking me which of my children I like better. I guess, if pushed, I'd say my first book, Larkspur. Though perhaps not as technically well-written as some of my later works, it is truly the story of my heart.

ME:  Tell us about your latest book.

RAMONA:  My latest book is A Bride's Sweet Surprise in Sauers, Indiana [picture above]. The story, set in the real-life German farming community of Sauers in my home county of Jackson, was inspired by actual incidents from my family history. Regina Seitz's sisters were allowed to marry for love, but Regina has been told by her father she must marry a man she has never met, just so Papa can have a German son-in-law to inherit the family homestead. Diedrich Rothhaus is as reluctant as she is, until her striking beauty and deep faith stir emotions he hadn't expected. Against both their wills, love claims their hearts. Then a cruel family secret is revealed, and Diedrich must fight to save the most precious thing in hi life, Regina's love.

ME:  Okay, Ramona. You've definitely piqued my interest in this one. Now what can we look forward to in the future?

RAMONA:  I've just finished another short historical romance, Heart's Heritage, scheduled for release later this year by Barbour Publishing. The story is set in Jackson County, Indiana, against the backdrop of the War of 1812 and the rising threats of the great Shawnee war chief, Tecumseh.

ME:  Ah! We'll be watching for that one, too. I find Tecumseh quite heroic. Okay, you're a poet and a historical romance writer. Is there another genre you'd like to explore? If so, what? And why?

RAMONA:  I've written some contemporary novellas and have even plotted a contemporary romantic suspense. I also have an idea for a contemporary women's fiction novel.

ME:  Let's play Pretend. You're having a tea party. You can invite seven writers--past or present. Who will you invite and why?

RAMONA:  Of course I'd invite you, Sharon. My other six choices would be close friends and wonderful authors of Christian fiction: Louise Gouge, Laurie Alice Eakes, MaryLu Tyndall, Kim Vogel Sawyer, Patty Hall, and Debbie Lynne Costello.

ME: Thank you for including me with this esteemed group. These all are writers I'd love to meet.

What is a typical day like in the life of author Ramona K. Cecil?

RAMONA:  Since we live a late shift due to my hubby's job, I get up about 11 a.m.. I check e-mails, then have breakfast with hubby and watch some news on TV. I'm then often jumping in the car to run errands. Fix lunch around 3 p.m., then get hubby off to work at 4:35. Then I check e-mails again and begin my "writing time." I work until 8 p.m., when I take a supper break. I go back to work from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. when hubby comes home.

ME:  What is the best writing advice you've been given?

RAMONA:   Keep writing. Never give up. Keep your eyes on Christ. Never forget

ME:  Who were your mentors?

RAMONA:  Two early critique partners, Pat Loomis and Stacy Wilder, Kim Vogel Sawyer, Louise Gouge, Laurie Alice Eakes, and MaryLu Tyndall, who continue to encourage me and help make me a better writer.

ME:  What advice do you offer to novice writers?

RAMONA:  Have a teachable heart and never give up. Keep your eyes on Christ. Remember God is in control, and His timing is perfect. Never forget Who [sic] you are working for and that He will help you do the work He has given you to do. And encourage one another.

ME:  That sounds very much like Colossians 3:23-24. Kathy, dear friend, what a blessing it has been to chat with you. Thank you. And may our Lord continue to bless you, Jim, and your work.

Write on!
Because of Christ

Gentle Readers, remember to leave a comment by noon, March 14. I'll randomly select from among those who comment and announce the winner of Ramona's latest book on this blog by 10 a.m. March 15.

A Chat with Jennifer Hudson Taylor

An interview with the author of Highland Blessings

1. What intrigued you about fifteenth century Scotland so that you chose it as the setting for Highland Blessings?

I’ve always thoroughly enjoyed history, but there is something romantically intriguing about the late Medieval period and the clan system of the highlands. I’m amazed at how the clans can fight among themselves, and yet, fiercely defend each other against the English and any outsiders.

2. How did you choose the setting?

The setting of the loch where Akira nearly drowns is from an area in a park where I used to practice running. I was on the Cross Country team in high school and ran several miles a day. The rest of the scenes were a combination of my research of Scotland and castles and my imagination.

3. Does the story line of this novel parallel a particular Biblical account?

No, if there is a biblical parallel, it was not a conscious decision on my part. I originally wrote Highland Blessings as a secular novel in 1998. I didn’t convert it to Christian fiction until 2006 after I discovered Kathleen Morgan’s novel, Embrace the Dawn. Once I realized there was such a thing as a Christian fiction Scottish Medieval, I was elated and determined to try and get mine published.

4. Which comes first, the plot, the place, or the people? Why?

The people. I can’t write a story unless I’ve created a character sketch of the main characters. I can create a plot around the characters, but I think it is the people that make the story. I think that is why I tend to love character driven novels like Jane Austen’s stories.

5. Which novel was the more difficult to research, Highland Blessings or Beloved Liberty, your book set in early nineteenth century South Carolina?

Beloved Liberty required the most research. The story idea is loosely based on my real family history from the actual genealogy research I conducted on my Hudson line. Then I had to research slavery laws for 1810. It takes place during the Regency period of England, but the setting is on a rural plantation in SC. Most of my southern plantation knowledge is either during the colonial period before 1800 or much later in the Victorian period between 1840-1865, so I had to do extensive research for 1810.

6. How did the research between the two differ? The writing?

The writing is very different as the two books contain different cultures, accents in the dialogue, and time periods. The vocabulary for Highland Blessings in 1473 is extremely limited compared to 1810, so in that regard Highland Blessings was harder to write. I had to keep looking up alternative words for those words that were not yet in existence. It was difficult to verify some of the clothing in 15th century Scotland. There are so few authentic references and most date from the late 16th century. For instance, the Scottish kilt as we know it today was not in existence until around 1725, nor wore the family clan tartan colors.

7. How do you develop your characters?

I develop a character sketch that includes physical traits and personality traits. Each character must have at least one spiritual flaw, and one personality flaw, if appropriate, even a physical flaw. In Highland Blessings, Akira MacKenzie is extremely tall for a woman, and she isn’t very fond of her auburn hair. In Beloved Liberty, Catherine Oakes has a mole on her cheek that she thinks is hideous, but the hero views it as a beauty mark. The last thing I establish is their background, their goals, and why they want to achieve them and how they will go about achieving those goals based on their personality and character.

8. How do you name your characters?

Names are very important. I use the Character Naming Sourcebook, and I sound out first and last names aloud. I run them by my husband. I even look up street names and small towns in the areas where the novel is set. I do this because lots of streets and towns are named after the local people and families in the area.

9. What is your writing regimen?

I don’t have a set schedule because I work another full-time job. I squeeze writing in between lunch hours, doctor visits, evenings, weekends, road trips while my husband drives, wherever and whenever I can. Sometimes I fear that my writing won’t be as good as others who have the opportunity to sit down and really concentrate and work on their novels throughout the day. Then I quit feeling sorry for myself and just deal with it.

10. What has surprised you most about the whole process, from inception of the idea to release of your debut novel?

When I first received the contract offer, the release date was a whole year and half away. I’m surprised at how fast that time passed.

11. What have you learned about God through this journey?

I’ve learned that God will help me in ways that I never imagined. He is with me the whole way and He inspires me through loved ones, inspirational verses, and dreams.

12. What advice do you have for unpubbed writers?

Never give up. Persevere and press through.

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to chat with us today. May God bless you with much writing success. We're really looking forward to your next novel.

COMING MAY 1, Just As I Promised

Earlier this year, I received my first ARC (advanced reader copy) to read and review. It was Jennifer Hudson Taylor's debut novel Highland Blessings. Though the review and an interview with Taylor were completed at least two months ago,  when I asked Abingdon Press if I could go ahead and post both, they said to hold it until the release date of May 1. I confess ignorance in such matters, since this is a new experience, but I kept my word, forcing myself to hold off for that magic date. Now, I see reviews everywhere I look. Perhaps my mistake was in asking Abingdon.

Though I am a novice at reviewing ARCs, I am not new to writing reviews and conducting in-depth interviews, as I did both on a regular basis as a newspaper journalist. I cordially invite you to return to this blog on May 1 to read both my review and interview with Jennifer.

Getting to Know You, Getting to Know All about You

Leah Bright Maxwell and Trevor Aldrich Logan

That's real characters, as opposed to real people. But they're real to me, now that I've interviewed them.

I happen to be blessed to know author Ramona K. Cecil (Sweet Forever, Everlasting Promise, and Charity's Heart--all from Barbour Publishing's Heartsong Presents). We both are members of Southern Indiana Writers' Salon and American Christian Fiction Writers. On multiple occasions, Ramona has adjured SIWS writers to interview our main characters. I did that with my latest WIP and was amazed at the difference it makes in the writing. It shows.

If a writer has not taken the time or made the effort to get to know his characters well, that shows, too. It's hard to write in deep POV if one doesn't know what that POV would be or how the character views the world.

In the case of my protagonist, Leah Bright Maxwell, I knew her pretty well; much of her is me. Whereas I interviewed her, I didn't uncover any major information. Some minor things, but nothing big. On the other hand, I didn't know much at all about the neighbor boy, Trevor Aldrich Logan. His personality was ambivalent. He showed up, spoke a line or two, half-smiled, and stepped into the background. Then I interviewed him. Everything changed. Now, he will have a much larger role in the plot. He will be a co-conspirator.

Here is the interview I conducted with Trevor:

SKC:  What is your full name?

Trevor:  Trevor Logan.

SKC:  Middle name?

Trevor:  Aldrich. It was my gramp's name, but everyone called him "Al." [I didn't know this before.]

SKC:  That's a good solid name. Do you know what it means?

Trevor:  Mom looked it up once. She said that the Trevor part means "large village." Aldrich means "old king." Some place else said it meant "spear wielder."

SKC:  So you're the old king of a large village who carries a spear? (chuckle)

Trevor:  (smiles) I guess. A soldier. Like my dad. And my gramp.

SKC:  Is your gramp still living?

Trevor:  No. Neither is my dad.

SKC:  Oh, Trevor. I am so sorry. How did they die?

Trevor:  Gramp was old. He had a stroke and died. [I didn't know this.] I was a little kid. Dad was a brave warrior.

SKC:  Oh?

Trevor:  He died in Iraq. He. . .

SKC:  I know it is hard to talk about. You don't have to--

Trevor:  No. I want people to know, because I'm proud of him. He threw himself on a grenade to save his buddies.  [Nor did I know this before the interview.]

SKC:  Oh, Trevor. He was a very, very brave man.

Trevor:  Gramp died shortly after we heard about Dad dying. Mom says Gramp died of a broken heart. 

SKC:  What about your grandma?

Trevor:  Grammy lives with us. [This also surprised me.] Actually, we live with her. It's her house. She and Gramp built it a long time ago. The front part used to be a little gas station, back before Gramp decided to retire. It's kind of an odd house, with old gas pumps still out in front. [This was all news to me.]

SKC:  It has character.

Trevor:  (chuckles)

SKC:  So how did you and your mom--what's her name?

Trevor:  Wilhelmina. But no one calls her that. She might bop 'em if they did. Everyone calls her "Willie."

SKC: So how did you and your mom come to live here? Where did you live before?

Trevor:  North Carolina. After Gramp died, Grammy called Mom and said, "Wilhelmina, why don't you and Trevor come to Indiana and live here with me? We'll take good care of one another." So we did.

SKC:  She's your father's mom, isn't she?

Trevor: Yep.

SKC:  Are your other grandparents, your mom's folks, still living?

Trevor:  Yeah. They live in Illinois. Close to the Mississippi River.

SKC:  What's your Grammy's name?

Trevor:  Fern. I like that name. The woods around here are full of ferns, and I think they're really pretty.

SKC:  I like ferns, too. Have you met the girl who is spending the summer up on the hill?

Trevor:  With Miss Becky. Yeah.

SKC:  What do you think of her?

Trevor:  I don't know her much. She's from Chicago, so she's probably uppity.

SKC:  "Uppity"?

Trevor:  Yeah. You know. Snobbish. Big city. Miss Becky said her dad's a college professor or something like that.

SKC:  Her name is Leah. You and she have some things in common.

Trevor:  Like what?

SKC:  Well, she's only a little bit older than you. And she has lost a parent, too. Her mom was killed in a car wreck. She was hit by a drunk driver.

Trevor:  That's sad.

SKC:  Yes, it is. Do you know Miss Becky well?

Trevor:  Yeah. We go to the same church. She was my Sunday school teacher in third grade. I like her a lot. I go up to her house a lot. She let's me help out. Do chores. That kind o' thing.

SKC:  Don't you have a garden at your house?

Trevor:  Yep. We all three work in it. But I really like to grow things and take care of them, so I help Miss Becky, too.

SKC:  I would think that would keep you pretty busy.

Trevor:  Yep. But I like to be outdoors, so it's fun for me. Dad did, too. He was a first-rate woodsman. He taught me all sorts of things about the woods and how to survive in the wild. Like Brian in Hatchet.

SKC:  Oh, so you've read that book?

Trevor:  Yep. Pretty good, too.

SKC:  Do you read a lot?

Trevor:  Not really. That was a book we read in school. Mostly I read to find out stuff. You know. Not made-up stories. Books about nature, an' stuff like that. Dad used to get me them kind o' books just about every birthday. I have a bookshelf in my room--well, it's part of my bed--that Mom calls my Lewis and Clark shelf. You know. After the explorers. [All of this is new to me.]

SKC:  Yes. I've heard of them. So what kinds of books are on your Lewis and Clark shelf?

Trevor:  Dad got ma a lot of books about how to identify stuff. Trees, wildflowers, medicine plants, birds, mushrooms, butterflies, insects, snakes, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, dragonflies--you name it.

SKC:  I might not be able to name it.

Trevor:  Then we'll look it up in a book.

SKC:  Those are important things to know.

Trevor:  Yep. [He says "Yep" a lot.] I know the woods around here real good.

SKC:  You miss your dad a lot, don't you? I can tell. When do you miss him the most?

Trevor: When I'm out in the woods and I see something special and I want to show it to him or ask him about it and I can't 'cause he's not there. And at night. He used to read to us from the Bible and we'd talk about it. What it meant. That kind o' thing. Sometimes we'd talk a looooooooong time. Till Mom said I had to get to bed. Oh, and when the mailman comes. I know there's no need expecting a letter from Dad. There's another time, too, when I really miss 'im.

SKC:  When's that?

Trevor:  When Mom cries. When she misses him so much she just cries. And I don't know what to do to make her feel better.

SKC:  Do you cry?

Trevor:  (almost inaudibly) Sometimes.

SKC:  Trevor, may I ask some not-so-serious questions?

Trevor: Yep.

SKC:  These are about your favorite things. What's your favorite color?

Trevor:  Green.

SKC:  Ice cream?

Trevor:  Butter pecan.

SKC:  Meal?

Trevor:  Grammy's homemade chicken 'n' noodles with mashed potatoes and corn-on-the-cob and tomatoes from the garden. Watermelon for dessert.

SKC:  Subject in school?

Trevor:  Hmmmm...art. And science. I like social studies pretty good, too.

SKC:  Book?

Trevor:  Well, Hatchet. And I really like the Chronicles of Narnia, too. Are we about done, 'cause I got some things I need to do?

SKC:  I think so, unless there's something else you'd like to tell me.

Trevor:  Nope. I want to go see if I can help Miss Becky.

SKC:  Thanks for talking with me.

Trevor:  You're welcome. See ya later.

SKC:  Count on it.

Want more on the subject? Visit Linda Glaz' blog.

Bringing the Dead to Life

Pictured above: The working images I've chosen for Trevor, Johannah, and Leah.
Fellow writer and good friend Ramona K. Cecil suggests that fiction writers "interview" their protagonists and principal characters before beginning a new manuscript. I wish that I had done that with Camie in Up the Rutted Road, but instead I got to know her the hard way: word by page by chapter by triumph by danger.

The Second Cellar will be different. Though I've written 104 pages, I've learned so much during the revision of Rutted Road that I know I must begin again. But first, I'm taking Ramona's advice; I've interviewing Leah, my protagonist, as well as Trevor (Leah's neighbor for the summer) and Johannah (Leah's nineteenth-century friend). I may also interview Leah's father, Byron, the English professor.

It's amazing what a writer can learn from character interviews. All right. I can hear you asking, "Since you invented the characters, don't you already know them?" No. There is much to be discovered in an interview. For example, I had no idea that Leah's middle name was Bright. Nor did I know that she went for two weeks after birth without a middle name. Until Trevor's interview, I didn't know that he and his mother lived with his paternal grandmother, Fern. Further, his father died a hero while serving in Iraq; he threw himself on a grenade to save his buddies. Who knew?

I join Ramona in advising writers to talk to your characters. Get to really know them before you write their stories. Know their back-stories, as well. Don't be shy about prying into private matters. If they blush, let them blush. If they fidget, make note of that. Once you know them, you can write about them authentically.