Next Big Book Thing: Author Interview

How has your upbringing influenced your writing? Although I spent much of my childhood in New Jersey, my parents were from the South. Hearing the words of my parents, aunts and uncles in my ear all my life has enabled me to not only write in a southern voice, but to also think as a Southerner. I think that’s what makes my Southern characters come to life as vividly as they do.

What is your favorite part of being an author? Delving into the complexities of relationships. All of my books are very character-driven. However, I must say that meeting with book clubs runs a close second.

What is your least favorite part of being an author? Editing! Although it is my least favorite part, it is absolutely crucial to producing a quality book. I will edit a book several times, then turn it over to an outside editor

What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your life? Although I am very proud of having won ten different Literary Awards for my work, I am most proud of having earning the respect and friendship of my peers.

What inspires you to write? People and their relationships. Everyday life events. It can be a place we’ve visited or someone I’ve met. Spare Change is a perfect example of this. We were visiting friends on the Eastern Shore of Virginia and drove through long stretches of road without seeing stores, houses or even a gas station. I commented to my husband that it was such a desolate area that a murder could take place and no one would be the wiser…that thought gave birth to Spare Change.

Who or what influenced your writing when you first began? It was an older gentleman named Dan Grant. He was the leader of a writer’s workshop I attended and he constantly challenged me to grow beyond myself.

Who or what influenced your writing over the years? I believe it was the quality of the books I read. Every time I lost myself in another wonderful story, I challenged myself to reach higher and create my own stories with that same magical quality.

What genre are you most comfortable writing in? Definitely women’s fiction. That said, several of my books that are set in the first half of the twentieth century are also considered historical fiction. Amazon has all of my novels under Literary Fiction, I suppose it’s because they are all very character driven stories.

Have you developed a specific writing style? Very much so. I usually combine a number of different voices in any given story. Although the story of Spare Change is told in the narrative, There are first person segments from each of the main characters. It may sound confusing, but it’s not. As the story unfolds, certain characters step up and talk directly to the reader.