Meredith Allard's Blog, page 19

An Interview With New in Books

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Here’s the interview I did for New in Books where we talk a bit about Down Salem Way. Here’s the link if you’d like to read it directly on their site. Also, New in Books featured Down Salem Way as a great read in literary fiction. Let’s face it, Down Salem Way is literary fiction disguised as a historical novel. And I’m okay with that.

Enjoy!

What can you tell us about your new release, Down Salem Way?

Down Salem Way is set around the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. While Down Salem Way is the prequel to the Loving Husband Trilogy, it was written as a stand-alone novel so you don’t need to read the trilogy to understand the story. In Down Salem Way, we see two of the characters readers love from the Loving Husband Trilogy, James and Elizabeth Wentworth. They are newly married in January 1691 and they are in the process of creating a warm, loving life together. As time passes, the madness of the Salem witch hunts starts to invade their lives. James and Elizabeth try to keep themselves out of the problems, but inevitably they are caught up in the madness. Readers of the Loving Husband Trilogy know that James and Elizabeth form a bond that will transcend time. While Down Salem Way is literary historical fiction, there are paranormal elements such as vampires and witches, and the love story between James and Elizabeth is central, so there’s a little something for everyone.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

I’ve wanted to be an author for as long as I can remember—since elementary school, certainly. I was lucky because my teachers frequently told me I was a good writer, so I grew up thinking I was a good writer. At first, I thought I’d become a journalist, then I thought I’d become a screenwriter, but I realized that with my interests and skills I was best suited to writing novels. Reading Charles Dickens in college helped me see what kind of novelist I wanted to be—I wanted to write stories that were entire worlds the way Dickens did.

What’s on your top 5 list for the best books you’ve ever read?

I’ve read so many books that I’ve loved that it’s hard to narrow it down to five, but I’d have to say my top five are:
1. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
2. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
3. Leaves of Grass, a collection of poetry by Walt Whitman
4. Beloved by Toni Morrison
5. Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg

Say you’re the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

I’ve been lucky enough to interview some of my literary idols. I interviewed John Jakes almost twenty years ago, and I’ve also interviewed Jean M. Auel. They were both lovely enough to answer my questions about their writing and researching processes. My favorite response came from John Jakes when I asked him what his next writing project was. He said he had too many ideas for too many books and he’d never live long enough to write all the stories he wanted to. I remember that answer all these years later because I realize how true that is. I also have so many stories I want to write, and I also doubt I’ll get to write them all.

What’s your favorite thing about writing?

I love that I can take these crazy ideas in my head and share them with others. I love that creative writing is about creating new worlds. One of my favorite parts about being an author is hearing from fans all over the world. Thank the literary gods, but the Loving Husband Trilogy has found a devoted audience all over the world. Connecting with people who have read and loved my books is really a treasure I cannot describe.

What is a typical day like for you?

I find I’m most productive in the morning, so I start my own writing first thing (after coffee, of course). I’m also a freelance writer and editor, so my afternoons are usually taken up with writing and editing for others. It’s a great schedule because it allows me my own creative time to write my own books and articles, but it also allows me time to help others with their writing, which I love.

What scene in Down Salem Way was your favorite to write?

Even though Down Salem Way deals with a difficult subject, the Salem witch hunts, it was a joy to write in many ways. Down Salem Way allowed me to look more closely at James and Elizabeth’s life in Salem during the witch trials. Their time in Salem is touched upon in Her Dear and Loving Husband, the first book in the Loving Husband Trilogy, but there wasn’t space to examine that time in much depth in Her Dear and Loving Husband. In Down Salem Way I was able to step back and see what their life was like in the late 17th century. If I had to pick one scene that I particularly enjoyed writing, it is the scene toward the beginning of the novel where James helps to teach Lizzie how to read and he prompts her to read Anne Bradstreet’s “To My Dear and Loving Husband” on her own. Yes, Bradstreet’s poem is where the title Her Dear and Loving Husband comes from, so there’s an obvious connection between the two books.

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

I love that quote from Walt Disney, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” I’ve found that to be true in my own life. You just have to be brave enough to let your imagination soar.

What I’m Reading

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Reading is a grand thing any time of the year, but summer reading always has a special place in my heart. Maybe it’s the memory of those childhood summers when I’d spend entire days lost in a book.

Here’s a bit of what I’ve been reading this summer.

Down Salem Way

I’m sure it seems a little self-serving to read my own book, but between friends, that’s one of the most wonderful things for me–when I can read my own book and get lost in the story like any other reader. That’s how I know a book is finished–when I can read it just to read it, just to enjoy the characters’ journeys, without needing to tweak anything.

London: The Biography

I wanted to visit London this summer, but it didn’t work out so I contented myself with reading about it instead. Peter Ackroyd wrote one of my favorite Dickens biographies, and I loved this insight into my favorite city in the world.

Everything is F*cked

I loved Mark Manson’s first book, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, and this second book also goes a long way in helping readers see what has genuine value in our lives and what doesn’t. As a culture, we spend far too much time worrying about things that don’t really matter all that much. Like Manson’s first book, I’d call Everything is F*cked an anti-self-help book, which is good because I’ve grown numb to all the self-help books out there.

How To Be Alone: If You Want To, and Even If You Don’t

I had a few moments this summer when I felt as if I had not one other person on this planet to help me when I needed it, so I could relate to Lane Moore’s book far more than I care to admit. This book is for anyone who has ever felt completely alone in the world, for whatever reason, which I’m pretty sure is most of us at one time or another. I think Lane was extremely brave to write this book, and I for one am grateful that she did.

I’m always looking for book recommendations, so if you have any, drop them below.

Loving Husband Trilogy Free on Amazon Today

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Just a quick note to let everyone know that the Loving Husband Trilogy Complete Box Set is free on Amazon today, Friday, 7/26/19.

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As of right now, the LHT Box Set is #44 free overall and #1 in both of its categories. Thank you to all the James and Sarah fans for your continued support!

Writing Historical Fiction: Mr. Wentworth the Younger

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One of the challenges of writing Down Salem Way was showing the James Wentworth we know and love from the Loving Husband Trilogy but also revealing what he was like as a much younger man. How would you change between the ages of 30 and 300+?

We already know a bit about James’ life from the Loving Husband books. We know that James is his father’s assistant in the mercantile trade. We know that James completes his doctorate since he’s a professor when we meet him in Her Dear & Loving Husband. We know how James meets Elizabeth, and we know that Elizabeth is a farmer’s daughter. We also know that James never forgets his beloved wife. The memory of Lizzie keeps him going until he finds Sarah.

As with any coming of age story, there has to be growth. The characters have to develop some new understanding along the way. In a sense, Down Salem Way is James’ coming of age story. Bildungsroman is a fancy-pants way of describing a story where the psychological and moral growth of the main character is a central theme. Since Down Salem Way is a prequel, we don’t get the full impact of James’ psychological and moral growth until Her Dear & Loving Husband. But even in Down Salem Way we can see the beginning traces of the man James Wentworth will become.   

Fans of the Loving Husband Trilogy know John Wentworth as a kind, loving father. In Down Salem Way we see John in his full glory as his merchant business thrives. Throughout the story, James is referred to as Mr. Wentworth the Younger. James recognizes that he doesn’t have an identity of his own because others see him only as John Wentworth’s son. With Lizzie’s help, James realizes, perhaps for the first time, that he can live his life on his own terms.

Aspects of life during the late 17th century may seem wrong to modern-day eyes. For most of history, women were expected to be seen and not heard. You can argue that’s still true to an extent, but I’d much rather be a woman today with all our problems than any other time in history. In Salem, under Puritan rule, women couldn’t speak for themselves. When a woman claimed to be attacked by someone’s shape, a man had to file the complaint on her behalf. Women had no legal rights, and every aspect of their lives was determined by men. There are times in Down Salem Way when James puts his foot down as the head of his small family. Though Lizzie bristles, she gives in, which would be expected of a 17th-century goodwife.

Outlander author Diana Gabaldon said (and I’m paraphrasing here) that historical novelists are afraid to write about the truth of the past because that truth often doesn’t fit with our current way of thinking. But if we’re going to write historical fiction then we must be honest about the time we’re writing about. James is the head of his family and he can forbid Lizzie from attending the trials. The rum John Wentworth sells overseas is traded for human beings who are sold as slaves. Family members would accuse each other of witchcraft, even when those claims resulted in the accused languishing in prison or being hanged. It isn’t pretty, but that’s the way it was. If readers want to read about perfect worlds where all people are treated fairly and equally, historical fiction is not for you. Probably most anything you read or watch is not for you. As a society, we’re still struggling with the same issues that have plagued us all along—false accusations and gender and race inequality being high on that list. The things James writes about in the 17th century are not the same things he writes about in the 21st century. But that’s what happens when you’ve lived more than 300 years—you learn a little something along the way, if you’re lucky.

So who is Mr. Wentworth the Younger? He’s a newly married young man finding his way in the world. He’s learning what he doesn’t want—working with his father in the mercantile business—and he’s learning what he does want—to return to university with his wife by his side. He’s more insecure than the older James, but most of us are more insecure when we’re younger, aren’t we? The James Wentworth we know and love is found in his love for Elizabeth. His affection, his devotion, and his passion for his wife are limitless. In this dear and loving husband we find the love story that will transcend time.

Making Changes

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A few years ago I wrote this post about the joys of having a day job. When I wrote it, I meant every word of it. For years I needed the security of having a steady paycheck, and believe me—steady paychecks are a glorious thing. I’ve been a teacher for the past 25 years, teaching everything from kindergarten to middle school and high school English to university to writing workshops for students of all ages. I received an MA degree in English and a PhD in Education. My writing has been published in journals and magazines worldwide, and I’ve been the executive editor of a literary journal for 20 years, working with the best up and coming writers as well as established names. I’ve written four bestselling novels with a brand new prequel to my name and I’ve sold over 300,000 copies of my books.

I say this not as a humble-brag, but only to point out that
I was able to accomplish a few things while holding down various full-time
teaching jobs. True, teachers work 10 months a year, but if you know a teacher
you know she or he packs 12 months or more of work into one school year. After
my teaching day was done, when I got home in the afternoon, no matter how tired
I was, which was plenty tired most days, I sat down at the computer and worked.
I’ve always believed that if you want to write badly enough, or if you want to
draw or sing or dance or act or volunteer or whatever it is, you’ll find a way
to do it. It’s hard, but if that is what your heart is telling you to do, then
it’s worth it.

Now, after a lot of thought and quite a bit of planning, it’s time for a change. I had come to the point where I felt like I’ve done everything I can as a full-time teacher, at least for now. There were no more challenges to reach for, and I’m the kind of person who needs a challenge. After 25 years, I decided to see what else is out there for me. As it turns out, there’s a lot, and I’m looking forward to new opportunities. I’m fortunate in the sense that I’ve honed a number of skills over the years. As a PhD, I learned the ins and outs of scholarly research, which are useful beyond writing historical fiction. As an editor, I learned about editing and proofreading, and as a writer, I learned about copywriting and writing articles for various markets.

I’m looking forward to having more time to work on aspects of my writing that were pressed aside due to my full-time jobs. Yes, I had summers off, but trust me, two months go by in the blink of an eye when you’re writing a book. Whatever writing time I had was dedicated to my novels. Since I write historical novels that require a lot of daydreaming, a lot of planning, and a lot of research, writing a book took time. Down Salem Way, once I got going, was a two-year journey. Now I’ll have time for the nonfiction articles and books I’ve been wanting to write.

When I left my last job I didn’t have another job waiting for me, which was unusual for me. Instinctively, I understood that the school where I was teaching wasn’t a good fit for me. I wasn’t sure at that time where my future was, but I knew it wasn’t there so I left. Several of the teachers I worked with said, “You’re so brave to leave without another job. I wish I could do what you’re doing but I can’t.” I understood what they meant because that was how I felt most of my life—I couldn’t leave somewhere unless I knew where I was going. Acknowledging the truth about what I wanted (or in this case what I didn’t want) gave me the courage to see what else life might have in store for me.

It was time, that’s all. I’ve always believed that everything happens in its own time. If I had made this jump 10 years ago, even five years ago, I don’t believe it would have worked. Now, I know what I have to offer and I’m finding work as a freelance writer and editor while still leaving time for my own writing, both fiction and nonfiction.

I’ve been reading a lot about making changes in your life. When To Jump: If the Job You Have Isn’t the Life You Want by Mike Lewis is one book that has helped me along this journey. While there isn’t a lot of actionable advice in this book, it’s filled with anecdotes from others who have jumped from one life to another and lived to tell the tale. Career Change by Joanna Penn guides you through understanding what it is you really want from your life. I’m fortunate in the sense that I already knew what I wanted: to work at home editing, researching, and writing. But if you’re stuck in a job you don’t like and you’re looking for a change, Joanna’s book is a great place to start.

I still have a day job because I’m editing, researching, and writing for others, but I’m working at home and I have control over my schedule in a way I never have before. And I have more time for my own writing, which is a grand thing. Things are different, which is a good thing when it’s time for a change.

Down Salem Way Review Copies Now Available

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While I’m getting back into work mode after a couple of
difficult months, I wanted to share some updates.

Down Salem Way is here! Normally, I’d send out review copies in the weeks prior to a book’s release, but as I said in this post, I fell behind on just about everything this summer. You have to go with the flow, right? Here’s a belated offer for digital review copies for any reader who would like one. If you’re interested, contact me via email at meredithallardauthor(at)gmail(dot)com or through the form on the Contact page. If you do request a review copy, let me know if you’d prefer a mobi, epub, or pdf version. For those of you who have already bought copies, thank you! There will be other promotions and giveaways for Down Salem Way in the coming weeks and months.

The initial feedback for Down Salem Way has been positive, for which I’m thankful. Down Salem Way is different than the other Loving Husband Trilogy books for a few reasons: 1) it’s strictly historical fiction, taking place in Salem in 1692, so there’s no back and forth between the past and the present; 2) it’s James’ journal and the narration feels different since these are James’ thoughts and experiences as he describes the madness of the witch hunts in his own words; 3) James is the James we know and love, but he turns 30 here, as in actually 30 years old. He’s not a 300+-year-old pretending to be 30. His journal reflects the thoughts and experiences of a young man still finding his way in the world; 4) James may seem to have a modern view of the witch hunts, but he isn’t the anomaly he seems to be. Many in the late 17th century, many in Salem itself, believed the Salem Witch Trials were a travesty of justice. John Proctor spoke aloud of his disbelief in the witch hunts in 1692, and he was accused of witchcraft and hanged as a result. You don’t need to dig far to find examples of others from that time who believed as James and John do—that it was the dark side of human nature, not a supernatural evil being, that caused the suffering of innocent people.

Just for fun, I thought I’d share the beginning section of Chapter 1 that I’ve shared here before. If you read all three examples, you’ll see that I had everything I needed in the first draft, but I whittled away at it until I had the final version that ended up in the book. How do I know when something is finished? I know when something is finished when I can read it without needing to tweak anything. There’s not a lot of change from version to version, but if you read all three you’ll see how sections, words, or sentences were whittled down or deleted. A few mistakes were caught and fixed (some by me, some by my editor). This part of writing, what I call my “whittling down” phase, is the best part for me since this is when I can finally see the story I meant to write all along.

It looks like I had three drafts for Down Salem Way, but it’s impossible to say how many drafts I wrote. What constitutes a new draft? Is it changing sentences around, rearranging the same comma 10 times, or deleting entire passages?

Here are the three main drafts from 10 January 1691 (Chapter 1) for your reading enjoyment.

First Draft of Chapter 1— Down Salem Way

Second Draft of Chapter 1— Down Salem Way

And the beginning of the final draft of Chapter 1…

10 January 1691, Monday

The winters are colder here, I’m certain of it. I feel it so in my bones, which feel brittle, as though they shall shatter like a hammer against icicles. The sky looks nearly as it does in England, gradations of gray from near-black to tinder-slate that shed wind, sleet, or snow depending on its mood. Whilst England grows cold enough in the sunless months, in Salem the sky disappears beneath a woolen blanket. I cannot step one foot outside without feeling liquid ice in my veins, but such is life in Massachusetts in January. 

This morn Lizzie laughed as I piled on layers of clothing in an attempt to stay warm: my woolen flannel underdrawers, my linen shirt, my thickest worsted leggings, perhaps not the most fashionable, but they are my warmest; my woolen suit of doublet, jerkin, and breeches, and my heavy coat, the deep blue one Lizzie says matches my eyes, though what matters my eyes when I cannot see for the blizzard? Lizzie pulled my coat close to my ears and knotted my scarf near my throat so I might keep whatever warmth I take with me. I would cover myself in ten coats if I could without looking ridiculous. Even as I was, Lizzie could not stifle her giggles. 

“Good heavens, James. You look like a blue onion ready for the peeling.” 

“And shall you peel my layers away?” 

She blushed in that way I love, red-hot along her jaw. She pushed me toward the door as though she could not be rid of me soon enough. 

“Perhaps when you return home. If you’re lucky.”

I pulled my dark-haired, dark-eyed beauty closer and basked in her warmth. I ran my lips along her red-stained cheeks. “I have been lucky thus far. I cannot imagine that my luck shall not continue.”

Lizzie tugged my coat closer round my neck, then opened the door and pushed me toward it. She shivered in the cold, kissed my lips, and pressed me outside.

“Go. Father waits for you.”

“Shall you wait for me?”  

“What other man might I wait for who is tall and strong with hair the color of spun gold and eyes like the bluest, brightest jewels?”

I stepped into the unfriendly gloom and the door shut behind me. I had lost the battle to Lizzie, which is as it usually goes. 

I quivered in my boots as I walked toward the shore, warming my mind with thoughts of Lizzie, her wondering dark eyes, her dark hair, her luscious, berry-like lips. I needed something else to occupy my mind, but there was nothing. I’m still struck by how sparse tis in Massachusetts. 

“They call this a town?” I said aloud, to no one. I struggle to think of this place as civilized. Salem Town grows livelier toward the harbor since tis the hub for shipbuilding and the merchant trade. Tis even more provincial at the Farms. There is so little of everything here, and tis still a shock to walk amongst nothing but seashore to one side, farmland on the other, and wilderness all round. 

“Is this all there is?” I said, again to no one. A seagull cawed overhead, but then I doubted what I heard since even seabirds must know to stay away from Salem in winter. 

I shook myself as far as the sea and stood at the edge of the white-gray bay, the tips of my boots licked by the lapping waves, the ocean spray splattering my exposed face with bitter water like pinpricks along my cheeks. Again, I thought the cold in England was not ever this cold. I squinted into the expanse of water, slapping my forehead when I realized I left my spectacles at home. What a confounded fool I can be. Twas an excuse to return home to Lizzie, I knew, but Father waited for me at the wharf so I pressed forward. If I concentrated enough, so that my temples squeezed, I could see well enough. If I pinched my brain that much tighter, I thought, I could see past the ocean to England, and home.

A sharp spray of salt water brought me back to myself. The air is even colder at land’s end. With my hat pulled over my eyes and my face turned from the wind, I bumped into a man in a leather coat, a fisherman, I think. The man’s Monmouth cap fell to the ground, his leather pouch flung from his shoulder, and he grimaced with severity.

“My apologies,” I said. “I did not see you there.”

“Blind, are you?” The man spat in my direction. “A Pox on you!” With a hmph! he skittered away, his gray doublet and breeches blending into the slate of sea and sky. Indeed, I am blind. I cannot see my own hand before my face without my spectacles, which were at home with Lizzie, where it was warm, where she was warm, her embrace warmest of all. I wanted to be in my cushioned chair before the hearth reading Samuel Pepys’ Memoirs of the Navy with Lizzie beside me knitting, mending, or chatting to me about her day, but instead I was there near an unforgiving shore whipped by the angry weather like a thief in the stocks. Still, I pressed forward. I stared into the distance, struggling to make out Father’s short, slight shape. Then I had a fright brought on by one word: “Pox.”

I did not need that ill-tempered man to remind me of the Pox running rampant along the shore. There has been another outbreak, and those living closest to the port suffer most. I pulled my scarf closer to my mouth, as though the meager movement would keep the Pox where it belonged, over there, away from me and mine. 

My head ached with the clinking of nails hammered into wood and the grunts of strong-backed men in heavy coats hauling barrels on their shoulders. The woody scent of fresh-made lumber, salt, and fish lingered everywhere. I stopped near the port, squinting into the distance, still searching for Father, until I thought my head would burst into a star-like pattern from the effort. With some struggle, I saw a vague outline of men and guessed Father was amongst them…

Down Salem Way is Here!

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All right, friends. The day is finally here! After years of waiting, Down Salem Way, the next installment in James and Elizabeth/Sarah’s story, is now available in ebook and paperback versions from Amazon. The novel will become available through all major online retailers over the next two weeks.

As I said in this post, I’m feeling a little verklempt these days realizing that this version of my journey with James and Elizabeth is done. I’m thrilled that those of you who have been waiting so patiently for the next installment of the Loving Husband series will have a chance to see what life was like for the Wentworths in Salem in 1692. Fans of the Loving Husband Trilogy already have a sense of what to expect from Down Salem Way. You know that James and Elizabeth share a love that will transcend time, and you also know there are joys and sorrows ahead.

Some of you have requested autographed copies of the paperback version of Down Salem Way. Thank you! You can purchase signed copies from the Down Salem Way page. Just scroll down the page for directions.

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Things have been interesting around here for the past couple of weeks with my mother’s surgery and the subsequent complications she faced. Then, while my mother had to be hospitalized a second time, my beautiful 14-year-old Tillie became ill suddenly and we lost her a few days later. Fans of the Loving Husband Trilogy know Tillie by name. I named Sarah’s cat after her. Since I began writing the Loving Husband Trilogy 10 years ago I can’t recall writing anything without Tillie sitting on the arm of the chair where I work.

Getting back into the swing of things has been hard, especially since my mother still needs a lot of help, but we go on. There will be tours and promotions for Down Salem Way, but we decided that it would be best to go with a soft launch, which means that promotions, giveaways, and other goodies will occur over several months instead of all at once around the publication date as we originally intended. This allows me time without feeling overwhelmed by all the launch activities we had planned. Sometimes, we have to be flexible since things don’t always work out the way we expect them to, and that’s okay.

Today we celebrate Down Salem Way. My greatest wish is that those of you who have been waiting for this book are as touched by James and Elizabeth’s story as I have been.

So here’s to James and Elizabeth. Happy reading!

Down Salem Way is Five Days Away

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The publication of Down Salem Way is just five days away. I’m in that nostalgic mood that always comes for me at the end of a project, especially a years-long project like this. I’m feeling even more shattered than usual since writing this story has been such an emotional roller coaster.

Writing Down Salem Way has been a true labor of love. As Robert Frost said, “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” Believe me, there have been many tears shed and a lot of surprises felt in the writing of Down Salem Way. I’ve always said that writing fiction and acting have a lot in common. I can’t write about characters’ experiences unless I’m following them right through it. I can’t explain something unless I feel it myself.

It’s always an interesting time for me when we’re categorizing my novels because they don’t fit easily into genres. Are the Loving Husband books paranormal romance? Paranormal fantasy? Historical fantasy? Historical romance? Historical and contemporary romance? Historical contemporary paranormal fantasy romance? Down Salem Way is even harder to categorize. On the one hand, it’s definitely historical fiction since it takes place from 1691-1692. And there are paranormal elements to be sure. Is it a romance? It’s romantic, certainly. But there are pretty strict guidelines about what constitutes a romance, and I’m not sure Down Salem Way meets them. Never fear. The love between James and Elizabeth is always front and center in this story, and it’s the love between the Wentworths that carries us through to Her Dear & Loving Husband.

The truth is, I’m sitting here twiddling my thumbs. It’s almost like I don’t know what to do with myself now that Down Salem Way is done. This story was on my mind for four years, but it was put on the back burner while I went to school for my PhD. Last year, after I finished my degree, this book became my obsession. For the past six months, I have thought of little else. Now I have to find something else to occupy my time. Luckily, I have other writing projects on the horizon. After a much-needed brain break, I will begin something new. And for those of you who are wondering, yes, there will be more Loving Husband books, as well as a new Hembry Castle story.

What am I going to do for the rest of the day? Maybe I’ll catch up on some TV shows I’ve been wanting to watch. Maybe I’ll color in one of my coloring books. Maybe I’ll continue reading some of the books I began but set aside when it became crunch time. Maybe I’ll just stare at the wall. It’s an odd feeling, having nothing to do. But I will be writing again soon enough. When you’re a writer, you have to write. Life is funny that way.

Writing an Epistolary Novel

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As I said in this post, I like to give myself a new challenge with every novel I write. For Down Salem Way, the challenge was writing my first epistolary novel.

If you’re unfamiliar with the term, an epistolary novel is simply a fancy-pants way of describing a novel written as documents such as journals, diaries, letters, newspaper clippings, even emails, blog posts, and post-it notes. I used elements of an epistolary novel in the Loving Husband Trilogy. Sarah documents her dreams in a journal in Her Dear & Loving Husband. James and Sarah learn about the growing problems for vampires through blog posts and newspapers in Her Loving Husband’s Curse. Dracula, which is itself an epistolary novel, was my main inspiration in using documents as a way to show the increased public paranoia over vampires. 

I decided to write Down Salem Way as James’ journal after rereading Marilynne K. Roach’s The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege. This was one of the books I read for research when writing Her Dear & Loving Husband, but I felt a reread was necessary for Down Salem Way. Once I decided that Down Salem Way would be James’ journal, I had to learn how to write an entire novel as a series of his private contemplations and experiences.

The first thing I did (which is the first thing I do whenever I’m tackling something new) is find examples from other writers. The Color Purple by Alice Walker is written as letters to God. Dracula is written as diaries, letters, newspaper clippings, and ships’ logs to tell the story of the aristocratic vampire. Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding is a great humorous example and one of my all-time favorites. After I read a few epistolary novels (or reread, since I read most of them before), I found a few articles about how to write epistolary novels.

I’m always wary of how-to articles. My intention when I write posts like this is never to say this is how you must write or you will die, which is how a lot of how-to articles come across. Over the years I’ve learned to take the advice that works for me and leave the rest aside.

For example, in some of the how-to articles the authors made declarations about what people absolutely never write in their private journals. People do not write dialogue in their journals, they said. People do not describe other people in their journals. People do not describe places in their journals. Unless you’ve read every private journal ever written, it’s hard to make such declarations. I write conversations in my journal all the time. I describe people, events, places, and pretty much everything else.

Then there’s the problem with showing versus telling in an epistolary novel. Most people have heard the old saying, “Show, don’t tell.” Some argue that there’s no room for showing in an epistolary novel, again, because people don’t write that way in their journals. But if you read primary sources such as historical letters and diaries, you’ll see that people did go into detail about what they did, who they saw, what people looked like, conversations they had, places they visited, etc. In old-timey days, if people wanted to remember something, or if they wanted to share an experience, they couldn’t snap a photo to share on Instagram. They wrote about it in exacting detail.

And then there’s the plot, which can be problematic in a novel written as a diary or journal. I discovered that in an epistolary novel there’s some wiggle room as far as moving the plot forward. Normally, I’d say the plot needs to move at a steady pace—fast enough to keep the readers interested but not so fast that it’s hard to keep track of what’s happening. In an epistolary novel, however, readers expect more interior monologue from the character who writes the letters/journal/diary. You can take a breather and allow the character to share thoughts and opinions in a deeper way when sharing that character’s journal. But events still need to happen. The plot still has to go somewhere or else what is the point of telling us this story? Really, it’s a balance between allowing your character his or her say while helping readers see where the story is taking them.

With Down Salem Way, the plot was taken care of for me since it’s the events of the Salem Witch Trials that move the story toward its inevitable conclusion. This is why Marilynne K. Roach’s day by day summary of events was crucial to the writing of James’ diary. Her work allowed me to see what happened in Salem in 1692 in real time, so to speak, as though I were looking at a calendar. It’s up to James to fill in how and why these events are important to the Wentworths.

One piece of advice I found helpful was this article about writing in deep point of view from Well-Storied. Writing in deep point of view isn’t so different than writing in first person point of view, but it intensifies the experience for both the writer and the reader. In deep pov, you need to limit your character’s knowledge. James only knows what’s in his head, not Lizzie’s. He can take a guess based on her words and actions, but since words and actions aren’t always reliable, he’s still only taking a guess at what she thinks or feels. I liked the article’s suggestion about cutting filter words like “he saw” and “they felt.” This goes along with what I call my “no extra words” rule when I’m fine-tuning my writing. If a word or phrase isn’t essential to reader understanding then it needs to go bye-bye.

Rather than worrying about what James would or would not write in his journal, and rather than worrying about how to move the plot forward, I focused on getting deeply into James’ head. Fortunately, that part was easy for me since I know James pretty well at this point (we have lived through the Loving Husband Trilogy together, after all). Of all the characters in the Loving Husband Trilogy, James has always been the one I identify with most. We’re both bookish scholars who prefer solitary contemplation to the real world. My main goal with James’ journal is to pull readers into the moment with James. If readers feel as though they stand by his side as he experiences the madness of the Salem Witch Trials, then I have done my job.

At a certain point, I had to put the how-to articles aside and figure things out for myself. I discovered that for me writing an epistolary novel is a balancing act—finding the right balance between James’ interior monologue and moving the plot forward, or, in other words, finding the right balance between thoughts/feelings and description/action. Everything comes down to the story. What is the best way to tell this story? Finding the answer to that question is always the challenge, and the reward, of writing fiction.

35 Days Until Publication!

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All right, friends, the galley copy of Down Salem Way has arrived. Here’s the proof:

[image error]The galley copy of Down Salem Way

We’re just 35 days away from publication. Check this space for more information as it becomes available.

Are you excited about reading the next chapter (or really the first chapter) in the Loving Husband series? I can hardly wait to finally share it with all of you!