Is this novel part of a series? If so, what are some overarching themes in the series?
This is a stand-alone novel unless I learn more about what happens to Abby.
Can you tell us about any research you did for this novel?
I researched Bellingham’s emergency medicine 1970. I spoke with Clock Docs for inspiration and accuracy. I needed to brush up on my football signals, too!
Who is your favorite character in the book?
Oh, that’s tough. I love so many of them, which is why I turned the short story into a novel. I really love how the mother’s character develops despite and through her tragedy. I am endeared to the comforting Patti, Matt is a hero in his own way, but Abby is the voice I love to listen to.
What makes your protagonist an interesting character?
Few novels are the voice of a 9-year-old girl. The reader can tell she is suffering even when she’s hiding it to help her family. She’s perceptive, hopeful, and her observations are so true, I feel I am her.
Can you tell us about your writing process?
I don’t outline, I just write. I let the words pour out and sometimes I’m not sure what’s going to happen to a character. But for my next novel I am doing some outlining because there is an order needed to preserve tension and mystery and to keep the plot twists unpredictable.
Editing and revising are my favorite parts of the process. Getting the initial stuff down on the page is the most cumbersome for me but I could read and edit and revise forever, always finding ways to improve a piece. I also love to be edited and critiqued and have editors slash away with a red pen.
I am most productive if I get up early and write 1,000 words without looking at social media and without editing. I also love writing in the quiet of the night where long chunks of time can go by and it feels like seconds. I’ve also learned to write my stories in my head as I try to fall asleep. I hear the characters talk and I come up with some of my best ideas. Though I have a flock of sheep in my backyard, I don’t need to count them to fall asleep.
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