Ask the Author: Beth Durham
Answered Questions (7)
Beth Durham
I love history! There's a myriad of historical fiction world's I'd love to see in person. I suppose if I had to choose one I will always choose Gone With the Wind. I'd want to step into their world on page one - I doubt I would enjoy the war-torn south or the Reconstruction era.
One of the things I love about Gone With the Wind is the pageantry of the planter-class. However, it isn't the life of ease that I would like to experience first hand. I don't really want to see people enslaved and forced to wait on me hand and foot.
Instead, I'd love to really understand the workings of a large plantation. I'd like to get to know the people whose whole life was spent at the mercy of a human master. I can hardly imagine Georgia summers spent in layers of petticoats and I'd like to know the ladies who survived that particular torture.
My books are generally set during the 1850 -1900 period and I've heard the stories of my own family during that era from childhood. Mine were not wealthy ancestors and our home on the Cumberland Plateau supported neither large plantations nor slaves. It was an era of extremely hard work but spiritual strength. Elements of my people exist even in Margaret Mitchell's fictional world and I'd love to walk among them.
One of the things I love about Gone With the Wind is the pageantry of the planter-class. However, it isn't the life of ease that I would like to experience first hand. I don't really want to see people enslaved and forced to wait on me hand and foot.
Instead, I'd love to really understand the workings of a large plantation. I'd like to get to know the people whose whole life was spent at the mercy of a human master. I can hardly imagine Georgia summers spent in layers of petticoats and I'd like to know the ladies who survived that particular torture.
My books are generally set during the 1850 -1900 period and I've heard the stories of my own family during that era from childhood. Mine were not wealthy ancestors and our home on the Cumberland Plateau supported neither large plantations nor slaves. It was an era of extremely hard work but spiritual strength. Elements of my people exist even in Margaret Mitchell's fictional world and I'd love to walk among them.
Beth Durham
I don't have much mystery in my own life. However, my stories are usually inspired by the legends of my homeland - Tennessee's Cumberland Plateau. Among those legends are many mysteries and unanswered questions, some of which I have recorded in blog articles at: www.TennesseeMountainStories.com.
My first novel, Margaret's Faith (no yet published I'm afraid), centered around my great-great-great grandparents who met during the Civil War. She was a farmgirl in Tennessee, he an Italian immigrant fighting in the Union Army. In the end they married and lived in Chicago - a world away from the Tennessee Farm Margaret had known her whole life. There are so many questions surrounding that relationship I feel I could write volumes of fictional stories from them.
Another favorite legend is about gold found on the Cumberland Plateau. One cousin claimed he found a rich vein on his father-in-law's property. The cousin tried to strike a deal with him but the old man demanded such a large portion of the gold that the cousin refused to disclose the location. It was never found and the cousin took the secret to his grave. Is there a story in that or what?
My first novel, Margaret's Faith (no yet published I'm afraid), centered around my great-great-great grandparents who met during the Civil War. She was a farmgirl in Tennessee, he an Italian immigrant fighting in the Union Army. In the end they married and lived in Chicago - a world away from the Tennessee Farm Margaret had known her whole life. There are so many questions surrounding that relationship I feel I could write volumes of fictional stories from them.
Another favorite legend is about gold found on the Cumberland Plateau. One cousin claimed he found a rich vein on his father-in-law's property. The cousin tried to strike a deal with him but the old man demanded such a large portion of the gold that the cousin refused to disclose the location. It was never found and the cousin took the secret to his grave. Is there a story in that or what?
Beth Durham
My favorite fictional couple would have to come from my favorite work of fiction - Gone With the Wind. Unfortunately, it's hard to choose just which could I prefer.
Gerald and Ellen O'Hara are a typical old-world couple from very different backgrounds but utterly devoted to each other. Gerald loves Ellen so much he is never quite the same after her death and Ellen is the epitome of feminine grace.
Then there's Ashley and Melanie Wilkes. Melanie is as Rhett Butler describes her, "The only truly good person I've ever known." Despite the perception of many that Ashley is weak, I find him incredible as he valiantly maintains his wedding vows to Melanie in the face of Scarlett's seductions.
And of course the stars of the whole thing are Rhett and Scarlett O'Hara Butler. Their love burns white hot yet neither of them are willing to recognize it for what it is. Rhett declares they are the same. Scarlett wants to be more like her mother - and in turn more like Melanie - but she's unwilling to change her selfish nature. She wastes a lifetime yearning for Ashley and only recognized her love for Rhett when it's too late.
Margaret Mitchell was a true artist. She crafted in that one long novel enough characters for a shelf full of books.
Gerald and Ellen O'Hara are a typical old-world couple from very different backgrounds but utterly devoted to each other. Gerald loves Ellen so much he is never quite the same after her death and Ellen is the epitome of feminine grace.
Then there's Ashley and Melanie Wilkes. Melanie is as Rhett Butler describes her, "The only truly good person I've ever known." Despite the perception of many that Ashley is weak, I find him incredible as he valiantly maintains his wedding vows to Melanie in the face of Scarlett's seductions.
And of course the stars of the whole thing are Rhett and Scarlett O'Hara Butler. Their love burns white hot yet neither of them are willing to recognize it for what it is. Rhett declares they are the same. Scarlett wants to be more like her mother - and in turn more like Melanie - but she's unwilling to change her selfish nature. She wastes a lifetime yearning for Ashley and only recognized her love for Rhett when it's too late.
Margaret Mitchell was a true artist. She crafted in that one long novel enough characters for a shelf full of books.
Beth Durham
Getting these things out of my head!!! :-)
I see stories all around me. Sometimes they get stuck in my head - like a song that keeps repeating. Writing them down clears my memory banks - sometimes they are junk when I get them on paper and sometimes they grow into something real.
I see stories all around me. Sometimes they get stuck in my head - like a song that keeps repeating. Writing them down clears my memory banks - sometimes they are junk when I get them on paper and sometimes they grow into something real.
Beth Durham
My agent has asked me to try my hand at a Christian Romance. It is in an historical setting and still On The Mountain (as we locally refer to our plateau).
If you read my blog (and I occasionally post short stories there) I think you will begin to know the people and the ways of the mountain. I hope you will love them as I do.
If you read my blog (and I occasionally post short stories there) I think you will begin to know the people and the ways of the mountain. I hope you will love them as I do.
Beth Durham
Prayer!
I'm serious - I write Christian Fiction and while I certainly don't claim my writing in inspired the same way the Bible is, I do pray a LOT while I'm writing.
I'm serious - I write Christian Fiction and while I certainly don't claim my writing in inspired the same way the Bible is, I do pray a LOT while I'm writing.
Beth Durham
Really all of my writing is inspired by the people of Tennessee's Cumberland Plateau. Replacing Ann was inspired by an old man who really lived a mysterious life - in hearing stories about him, I always have lots of questions that no one could ever answer - so I wrote the answers.
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