It’s Official Now

Tags

Amphorae Publishing Group, Blank Slate Press, forests, Industrial Revolution, novels, The Language of Trees

My publisher, Blank Slate Press, an imprint of the Amphorae Publishing Group, has set the release date for my next novel–September 26! This is an exciting moment for me, as I’ve been working on this book since 2014.

We went around and around for several weeks about the title. I like titles with a lot of literary flair, while the publishers like titles that will catch the eye and sell well from a bookshelf—not that these two concepts are necessarily opposed to each other. But we definitely come from different vantage points; as my editor regularly reminds me, “Writing is an art. Publishing is a business.” But it all worked out in the end, and we have a title that suits us both.

I don’t want to give too much of the plot away quite yet. It’s fun to do a little buildup as the months go by, and launch events have not yet been planned. But I can give you a taste: when This Old World ended, it was 1866, and the people of Daybreak had wrestled with the aftermath of the Civil War with varying degrees of success. Some of them carried the wounds of war with them till their end, while others sought to heal by whatever means they could find—revenge, forgiveness, the remaking of self. But now, it’s 1887, the war is a fading memory for most although still fresh in the minds of some, and new challenges face Daybreak. Their agrarian way of life seems outdated as the Industrial Revolution transforms the country. And new people have moved into the valley. Some are sympathetic to the ideals of Daybreak, some seek to profit from them, and some keep their motives to themselves. The children of Slant of Light and This Old World are now in their twenties, creating lives of their own, and not everyone wants to hang on to the prewar utopian ideals that led to the creation of Daybreak. So the stage is set for change in the lives of Charlotte, Charley, and all the inhabitants of Daybreak old and new, change that will be profound, tumultuous, and potentially tragic.

The new book is The Language of Trees.

Good times at Washington U.

Tags

Alpha Delta Phi, books, Eliot, Missouri, St. Louis, Washington University

Every year, the men of Alpha Delta Phi at Washington University choose a Missouri author to read and discuss. This year I was happy to be selected, and here’s a picture of us after my talk! They are aptly known as the Eliot Chapter of their fraternity. We talked for more than an hour, and they had some great comments and questions. Thanks especially to Tarun Chally (third from left), who was my contact person/organizer for the event. And despite the general glow, we aren’t about to be transported into a spaceship . . . just standing in a brightly lit foyer.

Living with Loss

Tags

art, change, childhood, creativity, Crystal Payton, fiction, historical fiction, history, lakes, Leland Payton, literature, memory, Osage, Quincy, writing

A while back I shared a guest post from Dean Robertson about “home” – her recollections of her childhood home, leaving it, and returning years later. Since then that meditation has returned to me on occasion as I work on my next book.

The third book that I have set in the same river valley takes place about twenty years after This Old World‘s end. Some of the characters are still there, some are gone, and new ones have arrived. I’ve been thinking about the complicated emotions we experience when we see a place – our place – occupied by someone else.

Whenever I travel to Quincy, I like to drive by our old house on North 22nd Street, the house my daughter grew up in. For a while it was an unpleasant experience, as the house fell into disrepair (seeing its occupant appear in the police report was the low point). But now it has a new owner, bright shutters, newly planted flowers. So the drive-by is a cheerful one once again.

Still, it’s not my house any more. And even the most dutiful of owners is not me. So even positive change involves loss.

These thoughts were prompted today by the folks over at Damming the Osage, who posted a poem written by a gentleman not of my acquaintance, Rod Cameron of Raytown, Mo. It’s a lovely poem, followed by a reminiscence, of himself and his neighbors losing their land to the building of a reservoir. It’s a darn fine poem. Take a read.

What can we do with loss? Loss is built into our existence. Some losses are inevitable, but others (like the loss in the poem) are not, and we fight like devils to prevent them. In G.B. Shaw’s Major Barbara, a character says, “You have learnt something. That always feels at first as if you have lost something.” Perhaps that aphorism can be reversed as well. When we lose something, we owe it to ourselves to learn from it – or at least to make it into a poem worth reading.

And so I return to the last few chapters of my novel-in-progress, thinking about my characters and their losses and their learning.

Interview Podcast

Tags

creativity, historical fiction, history, radio, reviews, Slant of Light, This Old World

Interview Podcast

Here’s a link to my recent interview on It Matters Radio. My portion of the show starts at about the 38-minute mark, but the guest before me is a record producer with several really good acts. So if you have the time, listen to the whole show! Some nice musicians on there. Thanks again to Monica and Ken.

OK, Here’s a Peek . . .

Tags

Blank Slate Press, books, Civil War, fiction, historical fiction, Missouri, novels, This Old World, utopia, writing

Still proofing but here’s a peek at the cover!

Sequels

Tags

art, Blank Slate Press, books, creativity, historical fiction, novels, sequels, utopia, writing

I have completed all but a few minor edits for the next book, the contract is all signed, and we are kicking around cover ideas. And yes, after more than a year I’m getting excited to see it come out.

The title of Book #2 is This Old World, a phrase that I borrowed from a song I grew up with:

This old world is full of sorrow, full of sickness, weak and sore —

If you love your neighbor truly, love will come to you the more.

The tune of this hymn, as I learned it anyway, is an old shape-note song that goes by the name of “Restoration,” which has had any number of verses put to it. I thought the song captured many of the themes I am trying to work into this book, not to mention the fact that the tune is haunting, and I wouldn’t mind if it stuck with readers for months!

The novel is indeed a sequel to the Slant of Light, but at the same time I was in a different mental place when I wrote it, and I think it will hit people differently. I’m working on the third book of the series now, and it too is very different. The thing about reading sequels (and I’m as prone to this as anyone) is that people approach them with the same expectation that they had with the previous book–and usually in the case of genre novels, this is a reasonable expectation. But in my case, I’m hoping that readers of the series will follow me through a set of books with widely varying themes, tones, and styles. Let’s hope that people don’t let sequel-expectations get in the way of an open experience of the new book.

Video Interview

Tags

books, bookstores, fiction, historical fiction, history, Missouri, novels, Ozarks, River Hills Traveler, rivers, rural, Slant of Light, writing

Emory Styron of River Hills Traveler recently conducted an interview with me about Slant of Light, its origins and themes, the Ozarks in general, and I don’t know what else. We had a great time chatting, and I was delighted to find such a discerning reader and sympathetic listener. Here’s a link to the River Hills Traveler video interview.

May I just add that copies of the novel are available from their bookstore!

Jefferson City Here I Come!

Tags

books, history, Jefferson City, libraries, Missouri, Slant of Light, utopia

I’ve been invited by the Jefferson City Public Library (more properly, the Missouri River Regional Library) to talk about utopian communities in Missouri. If you live in the area, please join me! I’ll be signing books afterward, and will have them available for sale as well.

It’s next Thursday, August 15, at 7 p.m. in the Art Gallery of the main library downtown, 214 Adams Street. Here’s a link.

Major Website Update!

Tags

creativity, education, human nature, teachers, writing

I generally use my website for relatively “static” information – things that won’t change rapidly and only occasionally need updating. This blog, my Facebook page, and my Twitter feed are where I put breaking news.

So I want to mention that the website has a whole new section! It is specifically for teachers. I’ve been getting some great feedback from college instructors who are using Slant of Light in their classes, and my friend Alexis Engelbrecht-Villafane has put together a comprehensive teachers’ guide to the book. Alexis’ background is in English education at the pre-college level, so the teachers’ guide follows the format typically used for books to be used in high school classrooms.

We agree that Slant of Light poses some issues for the typical high school instructor. It has offensive language, graphic violence, sexual encounters, and adult situations – just the sort of stuff that would invite a parent complaint. But as a choice selection (not a required reading) for an advanced class, it would be a great option. It deals with big themes from start to finish, and it is an excellent introduction to the atmosphere of pre-Civil War America. (Sorry to toot my own horn so energetically here.)

Take a look!

The Next Big Thing

Tags

Civil War, creativity, fiction, historical fiction, history, Missouri, Missouri Writers Guild, novels, Ozarks, Slant of Light, writing

The Next Big Thing is a game of literary tag. On their blogs, writers answer a few questions about a work-in-progress, then tag other writers, who do the same, tagging more writers and more–forever. It’s like a chain letter, or a pyramid scheme for people without any money, often writers!

Steve Yates, author of Morkan’s Quarry, an excellent novel of Missouri in the Civil war, and the forthcoming Some Kinds of Love: Stories, winner of the Juniper Prize in Fiction from the University of Massachusetts, tagged me in this game. His blog, “Fiction and History,” is well worth following. I’m tagging Claire Applewhite, a St. Louis mystery writer and former president of the Missouri Writers’ Guild, to tell us about her Next Big Thing.

So anyway, here are the questions and my answers.

What is the working title of your novel?

Do I have to tell??? I really haven’t decided yet, although I have a couple of contenders. But I’m going to take a pass on this question.

Where did the idea come from for the novel?

Even while I was working on Slant of Light, I was already at work on this one! I knew the story of these characters wasn’t over–there was a lot more to explore. My grand scheme is to keep going with this location as the cast of characters evolves and develops over time. As far as I’m concerned, it’s one idea with many books in it.

What genre does your manuscript fall under?

I’m going with literary/historical. I think of it as a mainstream novel that happens to take place in the past, which in my mind is different from a historical novel….my focus is on the characters, not the time period.

Which actor would you choose to play your character in a movie rendition?

For James Turner, I’ve always envisioned someone large but nimble, with incredible energy. The image of Burt Lancaster in Elmer Gantry comes to mind. For Charlotte Turner…..oh, the debates around my house! I have not yet found the person who conveys the requisite blend of toughness and vulnerability, resilience, and both beauty and practicality.

What is a one-sentence synopsis of your book?

With the ending of the Civil War, the surviving members of the Daybreak community strive to recapture the ideals that brought them together, discovering that old animosities are hard to quell and that the war has changed them all for better and for worse–and that the new era of materialism and individualism brings both opportunities and dangers.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Three years, off and on. I set it aside for about a year while finishing Slant of Light and embarking on its promotion.

What other books would you compare your story to within this genre?

Oh boy, that’s tough. OK…..imagine if Inman in Cold Mountain had not been killed on his journey, but had returned safely. What would have happened then? Would he and Ada have been able to realize the magical love that their early relationship promised? Or would the difficult realities of postwar life have dragged them down? What happens to the great love affairs when the soul-damage of a war intervenes?

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

My sources of inspiration are many. But in the end, it all comes back to that one perfect reader, the person who turns every page with anticipation and sympathy, who is eager to accompany me on my journey through history and through the lives of all these characters.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

A whole host of new characters! If you thought Slant of Light had some good characters, wait till you see who shows up in the next book! A lot of the first novel’s characters return, but not all……there was a war, after all.

Here’s a snippet:

Charlotte stopped in the road about six feet in front of the man. She could smell him from where she stood. His overcoat was thickly stained, more dirt brown than blue. He did not appear to be armed, but you could never tell these days.

They regarded each other.

“Lee’s surrendered,” the man said.

“It’s about time,” said Charlotte.

She waited. But the man seemed to be in no hurry to announce his business.

“We can’t feed you,” she said after a minute.

“Didn’t ask.”

“So you didn’t. But you’d not turn down a meal if offered, I wager.”

“No, ma’am. That’s the soldier’s first rule.”