Author Q & A (Part 3)

And here we are with the third and final part of the author Q & A! This is another really great group of questions, all fun, challenging, and thought-provoking questions allowing me to delve deeper into some of the story elements.

The last of them are below, and all three parts and now together on a dedicated Author Q&A page if you prefer to read them altogether!

Once again, apologies for the delay and thank to all of you who waited patiently to read the last installment, and especially those of you who took the time to ask questions and were waiting for my replies. Here they are finally!

Part 3Tillie and Lina's falling out is a great side story, partially because it adds tension and obstacles to the story but also because it's a relatable misunderstanding between young friends. Did you enjoy writing their relationship?

Yes! Their friendship story arc was probably one of the most enjoyable, satisfying, and meaningful parts of the story to write. There are many messages and themes in the story but strong and clear communication amongst loved ones was so very important to me to address.

The rift in their friendship was, of course, because of a simple misunderstanding, which had the unfortunate result of a breakdown in communication, which is so very common in all relationships, both among young friends, and adults as well. It definitely was meant to also add a bit tension and be a bit of an obstacle for Tillie going into the forest in the beginning.

The two of them are so much alike. Before Tillie and Lina are able to resolve their quarrel, their personality similarities are ironically what help contribute to delaying overcoming the temporary breakdown in friendship. But when they do overcome their misunderstanding, because of these similarities, they are able to then bring out the absolute best in each other.

In the end, it is because they are both finally willing to communicate, open their hearts and share what they are really feeling, that they are able to not just resume their friendship, but for it to grow even deeper.

Was this story based somewhat on real life experiences or did you dive deep into your imagination and let it take you on this magical journey?

 It was definitely a deep dive into the imagination, with a few incidents, character references, and real-life location inspirations, some of which are little easter eggs for my kids and family! But yes, overall, it gave me a chance to really imagine a new world. There were even times I would literally pick a character and fall asleep picturing them moving about through the manor house, or the forest, or circus or wherever and sometimes my imagination would take me places that were unexpected!

Which character was most fun to write (and who's your favorite character)?

This is probably the hardest question to answer of all because I had so much fun with each of them! I enjoyed developing their characters and the different turns each took. It sort of felt like play acting or putting on personalities of other people who are different from me.

Elinora and Tillie, and Henry, of course, are who the story originally focused on. But as the cast grew and other characters took their place on the stage, I was able to really have fun. Lina and Alister were definitely very fun to write. I look at them as the very sensible, intuitive types that are so reliable. I also began tapping into a little bit of Lina’s somewhat psychic intuition which will be very fun to work with in Book Two. I do have to say writing Tillie’s somewhat sassy lines were also good fun.

Favorite character? Errr…that is so hard, but in the end, I will have to go with Henry simply because he has a heart of gold and is meant to be the epitome of what everyone’s canine love of their life is.

Who is your favorite minor character if you have one?

This is also very hard to answer because there are just so many characters in the story! This was by design, as I am always a fan of stories with ensemble casts, movies with stories about large families gathering, etc. So, I had a lot of fun in that way. Right now, Lovii, Emil and Lark are minor characters at the moment, but I love them all very much for various reasons, and they will develop even more and begin to play a bigger role in Book Two.

Specifically, Lark has quite a bit of meaning to me as she does not speak much and communicates physically and with little grunts or noises. As a student I could barely find the nerve to talk in elementary school, and even beyond that I was incredibly shy. So, I have to say, I have a special place in my heart for Lark for that reason.

Are you currently working on Book Two?

Yes! Book Two is currently in both my head and bits of it are on paper! Right now, the overarching storyline and the conclusion are in my mind, which is how I begin. I then begin fleshing out the in between parts. I also do a lot of talking to my creative team, who are my kids, my dad, my sister, mom, and other family members who are involved. I bounce off ideas, listen to their ideas, and really start knitting things together.

Once I get through that phase, I’ll begin a very rough outline of the action and what needs to happen, chapter by chapter. Finally, I will dig in one chapter at a time to get that first draft completed.

Book One was a lifelong process, but as I got more serious about getting it on paper and into book form, that process sped up. It will take a bit of time to complete the second book, but this time around, after learning so much about my writing habits and what works for me, I will be able to complete Book Two so much faster. There is no release date as of yet, but I will continue to post progress! All I can say is I am so excited to get back into the heads of the characters, and into Eldmoor and Kellandale Wood!