Today, I'm chatting to Donna Jo Stone, award-winning author of historical, contemporary and young adult fiction. She shares about her latest book featuring the resident behind house number 5 in Our House on Sycamore Street, a new multi-author, multi-genre Christian series.
Are your characters based on anyone you know?
I get inspiration from real-life places, people, and situations, but my characters grow out of a combination of these, plus the story idea. They may act in ways that seem familiar, have a similar experience to a real event, or even pull a specific prank one of my siblings (or another family member or friend) has tried out. Beyond that, I feel like every character contains a piece of the author, an experience or a lesson they’ve learnt, or something they yearn for. Creating characters is a very intimate process, requiring writers to examine their thoughts about life, faith, and love.
What process did you go through when you picked your character's name for The Key Collector’s Promise?
In my story, Harlow Brushy, Private Investigator came complete with name, mannerisms, appearance, and tone of voice. Most of the time, I have a terrible time picking names and often change them. I scour databases of popular names for the time and area my character is from, then try to find names that fit the various personalities, checking the name meanings. Additionally, the name must fit with the other characters' names, yet not be too similar. As you may be able to deduce, I probably spend too much time on this one task of naming.
Do any of your characters take over and write the book themselves sometimes?
I love it when that happens. Usually, it’s a side character. In The Key Collector’s Promise, Harriet, the neighbour in no. 3 and one of the Ferrymans, took charge on the page, much in the way she takes charge in the story by being a supportive friend. She’s a good person, solid as they come, but you’d better not hurt anyone she cares about.
What are your hobbies?
I love to sew and quilt. I needed a break while writing The Key Collector’s Promise, but Our House on Sycamore Street was still on my mind, so I made a house quilt block and eventually turned it into a book bag. This is handy because reading is another favourite hobby of mine. It’s very roomy and could easily accommodate my watercolour pads and paints.
Besides sewing, crafting, doing art, and reading, my favourite thing is enjoying the
company of my friends and family.
What’s your go-to cure for writer’s block?
For me, it's to refocus my energies elsewhere for an afternoon, a day, a week, or even a month or longer. I’ll switch to another activity, such as painting or sewing, getting active physically, cooking, gardening, shopping, visiting with friends, or just taking a rest.
When I feel like the well is empty, I love talking to people and hearing about their real-life stories. I’m never afraid I might run out of things to write about because stories are in the air.
If you're a writer struggling with feeling blocked or burnt out, you can try these things, but above all else be kind to yourself. We can be our own worst taskmasters, demanding performance from ourselves we’d never saddle another person with. It’s okay to take a break.
Any advice for aspiring authors, especially those feeling a little discouraged?
Remember what drew you to the writing life, and why you love to write in the first place. If you have a story to tell or simply love wordplay, find your purpose and joy in those things, rather than trying to pare down your gift to fit into a box you were never meant to squeeze yourself into. If you wish to be understood, first you must be heard. For your story to be heard, reader expectations are a real consideration but don’t get so caught up in the business side of writing that you lose sight of what set you on this path. It is a hard undertaking, writing. Critics and naysayers abound, but if you have a passion to write, write. Learn as much as you can, focusing on craft first, and do the best you can with the resources you have. Don’t turn your passion into drudgery. Understand what a gift it is to do the things you love to do.
Here's what The Keycollector's Promise is about:
A 1980s Suspense with Romance at Our House on Sycamore Street Kindle Edition
She came to warn her estranged mother of danger. But will the cost of unraveling family secrets be too much to bear? If you love domestic suspense with romance, you’ll love The Key Collector's Promise.
Summer 1983: When young real estate agent Sandra Lejeune receives an anonymous letter threatening her family, she leaves her home in Cypress Bend, Louisiana, and travels to England, intending to warn her estranged mother. But first, she has to find her. Sandra starts her search in the Suffolk coastal village of Eden Cove, untangling memories, and mysteries along the way.
Conner Harrison, her father’s lackey and Sandra’s main business rival, follows her and tracks her down, claiming he flew over the ocean out of concern. It’s hard to take Conner at face value. In the past, he threw away the chance to win her love.
Who sent the letter? Her father’s shady business partners? The private investigator Sandra previously hired?
Or perhaps it’s someone closer to Sandra’s heart.
Buy Link: Amazon
More about Donna Jo Stone:
Donna Jo Stone writes southern-flavored novels for the inspirational and general market. Her stories are often about people facing tough times. Not all of her books have romance but when they do, the romances are sweet. No graphic language, sex, or violence, just plenty of heart-tugging emotion with endings that leave readers with a sense of hope.
When she’s not writing or reading, she spends her time hanging out with family and friends, and occasionally visits bookshops and fabric sales.
Social Media Links:
Website: www.donnajostone.com
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Thank you, Donna Jo for sharing about your new book.