Martha Conway's Blog, page 4
February 5, 2015
What Was True and What What Fiction
IT MAY BE SURPRISING that one true thing in my novel Thieving Forest is the plethora of sisters in one family. I grew up with six sisters—yes, seven girls in all—and no brothers. When writing Thieving Forest I condensed the number to five, since I thought seven would be just too many for a reader to keep track of, but they are based on my real siblings. Like the sisters in the novel, we grew up in Ohio, albeit an Ohio with running water and antibiotic ointment. Thieving Forest takes place at a time when the roads were mostly deer paths.
When doing research for the novel I read a lot of early settlers’ accounts—journals, first-hand travelogues published in the magazines of the day, and letters—and many of these contained such wonderful details that I had to take the advice of T.S. Eliot: “Good writers borrow, great writers steal.”
What did I steal? An account of being bit by a snake by Samuel Prescott Hildreth, and a description of a Moravian dinner/ceremony with Native Americans by David McClure. I read accounts by early Jesuits who visited Native American tribes almost two hundred years before my novel took place, and I was also heavily influenced by the conquistador Cabeza de Vaca, who found himself lost and wondering among Native American communities in the Southwest in 1540.
The great thing about writing historical fiction is that real events can act as a springboard to your imagination. It’s true that I made up an entire Native American tribe, whom my protagonist called the Stooping Indians because of their malnutrition (they nevertheless saved her from starvation); however, this tribe was based on tribes that Cabeza de Vaca lived with and wrote about.
Thieving Forest is a story about an abduction and a search for those taken. It is also a story of survival and transformation. Susanna Quiner watches from behind a tree as her four older sisters are taken by a band of Potawatomi. Left to her own resources (her parents recently died), Susanna decides to go after them herself. But as she finds her sisters one by one, she discovers that they have changed. Part of her transformation is accepting her sisters’ new lives, and forming her own life without them.
Isn’t this the way of any family, historical or modern? We spend years and years growing up together, and then we go off to school or to jobs or to have our own adventures, and everything changes. The details might differ (antibiotics, better roads), but in essence siblings—especially younger siblings—have experienced the break-up of families from time in memoriam. We grow up, we leave home, and we change — often in that order. And the process of accepting our sibling’s life choices can be difficult.
So although the story of Thieving Forest is fiction, I like to think that the essential feeling beneath it is true. What is real is what we pin the details on: human nature. And you just can’t make that up.
August 11, 2014
My Life on the Blog-Tour Super Highway
WHEN MY FIRST NOVEL, 12 BLISS STREET, came out, my editor at St. Martin’s urged me to visit as many bookstores as possible—although she also told me that since there was no marketing or publicity budget for my book, it would have to be on my own dime.
Eager to make my book a success, I lined up bookstore readings in San Diego, San Francisco, upstate New York (where I happened to be vacationing that summer), and Cleveland (where I grew up). And the readings were enjoyable, once they got started (I was a basket of nerves beforehand, however). But were they worth the money? Did the booksellers buy more of my books, remember my name, keep tabs on my career?
I have no idea.
Ten years later, the publishing landscape has entirely changed. About six months before my novel THIEVING FOREST was due to come out, I hired a social media consultant (the fabulous Frances Caballo), and we hit the ground running—or rather, we hit the keyboard typing (fast). She helped me to understand how I can find readers online without ever leaving my office, if I’m honest about my book and realistic about who my readers might be.
Frances suggested I look into a blog tour via The Muffin’s Women on Writing. It was something she did herself for her book, and found it extremely successful. Here’s how it works: If the folks at the Muffin like your work, they have you fill out a very thorough form, in which you have room to talk about your book, yourself, and anything you feel qualified to blog about. My blog tour topics range from how to handle historical research to being a writer with a dog (a time-honored tradition).
I was a little surprised about how many topics I might very well write about, and how many people — bloggers who invite writers like me to post guest blogs— were interested in my book. Surprised and pleased. And there were fun things in the mix like giveaways and prizes.
What shouldn’t have been surprising was how fun it’s been. I love to write, so natch! But, like the bookstore readings, before I began I was nervous. However I am a writer, after all, and not a stand-up performer, so this feels like a much better fit. I’m more comfortable, and after the first few guest blogs I haven’t been so nervous.
And I don’t have to buy plane tickets or a new outfit. (I did buy a new pair of shoes, but that was more for me.)
Don’t get me wrong, I love bookstores, and I go to a lot of readings every year. But I’m beginning to wonder if bookstores are really better for the reader me than the writer me.
And now that I think about it, that just might be a great topic for another guest blog.
Blog Tour Dates
Monday, October 13 @ The Muffin
Stop by for an interview with Martha Conway and a chance to win Thieving Forest!
http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/
Tuesday, October 14 @ Writer with Dogs
Martha Conway shares a little about how important a dog can be to writing research today at Writer with Dogs.
http://writerwithdogs.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, October 15 @ All Things Audry
What is a Quest Novel? Stop by for author Martha Conway’s thoughts on this exciting genre.
http://allthingsaudry.blogspot.com
Thursday, October 16 @ Book Talk
Looking for something new to read? How about a historical novel set in the rough and wild frontier of Ohio in the early 1800s—Thieving Forest by Martha Conway.
http://www.barbarabarthbookblog.blogspot.com/
Friday, October 17 @ Deal Sharing Aunt
Big families…what is that they share, what makes them unique? Learn more about family from Martha Conway and enter to win her novel Thieving Forest.
http://dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com/
Sunday, October 19 @ Writer Unboxed
Martha Conway will be sharing why she thinks we should embracing heroines, instead of heroes, especially in historical novels. Stop by and tell us your favorite heroine.
http://writerunboxed.com
Tuesday, October 21 @ Katherine Hajer
When you’re caught up in the magical world of a book do you ever wonder what DIDN’T make it into the final draft? Martha Conway, author of Thieving Forest, tells about the painful decisions that have to be made.
http://www.katherine-hajer.com/
Wednesday, October 22 @ Caroline Clemmons
What do you know about Native American families? Martha Conway, author of Thieving Forest, shares a few things you never would have guessed.
http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com
Thursday, October 23 @ Renee’s Pages
Need some tips on researching historical fiction?Ask Martha Conway, author of Thieving Forest, set in the Ohio frontier during the early 1800s.
http://www.reneespages.blogspot.com/
Friday, October 24 @ A Writer’s Devotion
Learn more about author Martha Conway in today’s interview.
http://www.awritersdevotion.blogspot.com/
Monday, October 27 @ Katherine Hajer
The Headless Horseman isn’t the only scary thing in the forest this Halloween. Read a review of Thieving Forest and find out what else lurks there.
http://www.katherine-hajer.com/
Wednesday, October 29 @ Words by Webb
Get a quick peek at author Martha Conway with a 5Ws interview.
http://jodiwebb.com/
Friday, October 31 @ Lisa Buske
Sisterhood hasn’t changed much in 200 years: find out how Martha Conway’s sisters played a role in the writing of Thieving Forest.
http://www.lisambuske.com/blog
Monday, November 3 @ Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews
Stop by to learn more about author Martha Conway and her latest historical novel Thieving Forest.
http://lisahaseltonsreviewsandinterviews.blogspot.com
Monday, November 10 @ Vickie S. Miller
Stop by for a visit from Martha Conway, author of 12 Bliss Street and Thieving Forest.
http://www.vickiesmiller.com/
Tuesday, November 11 @ The Lit Ladies
Stop by for an interview with author Martha Conway and a chance to win her latest novel Thieving Forest.
http://www.thelitladies.com/
Wednesday, November 12 @ Kathleen Pooler
Author Martha Conway shares “What Independent Publishing Means to Literary Authors” as well as a last chance to win her latest book, the historical novel Thieving Forest.
http://krpooler.com/blog/
To view all the Women-on-Writing touring authors, check out the Events Calendar. Keep up with blog stops and giveaways in real time by following WOW on Twitter @WOWBlogTour.
Get Involved!
If you have a website or blog and would like to host one of our touring authors or schedule a tour of your own, please email WOW at blogtour@wow-womenonwriting.com.
