Bend
in The River,
looks like a great coming of age story. Any plans for this to be
part of a series?
Not at the present.
What
do you think makes a great story? Something
relatable. In this case it's a young boy who feels different and is
bullied, in 1847 Wellsville, Ohio.
What
inspired you when writing Bend
in The River?
I visited the River Museum in Wellsville, Ohio and was taken with the
beauty of the location and history.
What
are your ambitions for your writing career? Full time? Part time?
I love writing. I like to think of myself, not as an author, but a
storyteller. I love telling a good story. I would be happy writing
full time.
When
did you decide to become a writer? I
never really decided to become a writer. I retired after 38 years of
assembly line factory work. I wrote a story for my husband and when
it was finished he prompted me to send it to a publisher, in 2010.
In 2011 my first novel, "SAVING DIANA" was published and I
have gone on to publish 2 - 3 novels a year since then with 16 to
date.
When
writing Bend
in The River
did anything stand out as particularly challenging? It
involved some research as it was a fictional story written around a
real town with historic connections.
How
did you come up with the story of Bend
in The River?
I was so taken by the town of Wellsville, Ohio. I grew up listening
to stories told by my father and grand-father. I began writing about
Jack Gideon living in historic Wellsville and thought as a boy,
storytelling would be the entertainment of the day. Telling a story
about a drunken whaler with one leg would be something a boy Jack's
age would love.
What
do you like to do when not writing? Visiting
with my grandchildren and Great-grandchildren. I love kids. I love
to watch their faces when you start telling them a story. I told
stories to my daughter, my grandsons, and now to my great-grandsons.
They love it and I love the time with them.