Following her two acclaimed and warmly welcomed novels, Alice J. Wisler again spins a captivating southern tale of humor, faith, and romance with Hatteras Girl. Combining the wit and vibrancy of southern fiction with a sweet romance, Wisler again offers a cast of endearing characters and a picturesque backdrop of North Carolina’s Outer Banks. With refreshing depth and insight into life, Wisler turns an already delightful story into a compelling novel.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT WRITING?
Since I enjoy eavesdropping on other people’s conversations, dialog amuses me. I like noting how people talk—what they leave in and what they leave out. Yes, I often use what I hear, but I change enough to protect the innocent.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE HATTERAS GIRL?
What inspired me to write Hatteras Girl comes in the form of salty sea air and old homes. Over the decades, as I’ve visited the coastal towns of New Bern, Beaufort, Emerald Isle, and Nags Head, the desire to have a bed and breakfast on the North Carolina shore has flourished. Since I’ll probably never be able to put wings on that dream, I decided to let my character, Jackie, hold that longing. I get to live through her as she deals with the headaches and joys of moving toward her goal to run the Bailey House, a bed and breakfast on the Outer Banks.
YOU HAVE ANIMALS IN EACH OF YOUR NOVELS; IS THERE ANY REASON YOU DO THIS?
That’s true. In Hatteras Girl, the terrier named Shakespeare is not the most flattering pet, but his owner loves to spoil him. In my first novel, Rain Song, I had a donkey and a talking parrot, as well as a tank-full of marine fish, so I guess from here on out, each novel will have a pet. There is some quote about not having really lived until you’ve loved an animal, and I suppose I believe that.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE READERS WILL GAIN FROM READING HATTERAS GIRL?
I want them to be entertained and enjoy the story. I also hope the theme of waiting on God for our dreams will come through.
YOUR NOVELS ARE ALL SET IN THE SOUTH. ARE YOU A SOUTHERNER?
I’ve lived 22 years in Durham, North Carolina, but I still do not consider myself a Southerner. I love the South—my roots, children, and relatives are here. However, I grew up as a missionary kid in Japan, so I feel I’m also from Asia. Even so, I certainly don’t look Asian. I suppose I’ll always be a bit of a displaced person, and that’s okay.