A Writer Bleeding in a Garden

In recent months I’ve spent a lot of time speaking to book clubs and at author discussions about Dogwood Blues. Through these discussions of my debut novel I’ve found that readers are curious about the writing process. I’m usually hit with many questions. Did you outline your story? What made you write about a small town struggling with change? What made you decide to tell the story in third person? Where did you get your ideas?

I can’t speak for other writers; I find it hard enough to speak...