How long have you been writing fiction?
I’ve been writing fiction since elementary school, when my parents and a few teachers encouraged me to be creative. After college, I had a few false starts on full-length novels. At the same time I was building a career and starting a family, so time for writing was really squeezed. Then, finally, something clicked and the words really began to flow. I’ve written a book a year for the past three years and I’m well on my way to completing a fourth one this year.
Where do you get your ideas?
They usually start small. With The Trouble With Green, I was promoting a new green building for work and I thought, wouldn’t it be cool to have a great country inn that used a 100-mile diet. At the same time, I was reading a lot of books and couldn’t find any where the love story was between a married couple. Finally, I heard about a family that lost its oldest son in a kayaking accident after he had saved his girlfriend from drowning. I put those three snippets together and The Trouble With Green was born.
When do you write?
Well, it’s become much easier to find time now that I have an iPad. I can write just about anywhere now. I usually write at night after the kids are in bed and my husband is watching tv. Sometimes I’ll write on my lunch break, but that’s hard because if I really get going I don’t want to stop. Now, with the iPad, I write while I’m waiting for my daughters to finish dance class, and singing lessons, and soccer practice … you get the idea. I fit it in whenever I can. It helps that I really like to write.
Have you ever had writer’s block?
When I first started writing after college I couldn’t seem to get a book to have what my second-grader refers to as a “mighty middle” and an “excellent ending.” I had a lot of “brilliant beginnings.” Then, with my novel One for the Road, I wrote a one-page ending when I got stuck. That gave me something to write toward. I didn’t end up using that ending, but it was enough to help me trudge through the mighty middle and pull it all together.
What is your favorite part about writing a novel?
I’d have to say character development. I spend a lot of time getting to know my characters, what motivates them, and why they are who they are. It’s amazing how once I really get to know the characters they tell me what they’re going to do. I find myself saying, “Yeah, right, he would never say that, or, well, what would Josie do in this situation?” If I’ve developed my characters properly the answers are obvious.
Why do you write?
All I can say is that I am driven to write because I really, really love to do it. I get such satisfaction from the process of developing the story and seeing it all come together. I have a very full, very satisfying life and writing fiction is an important part of that. I’m lucky to be able to do it.
