Hi Lynn, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.
I'm happy to be here! I’m an author, wife and mother living in Central Ohio. I’ve been writing—from lavish journal entries to fictional stories—most of my life. My first novel, Chef's Table, was published in December 2014 with Interlude Press. Black Dust is about a couple who, fifteen years after a tragic car accident tore them apart, are given a second chance to heal and to love.
Tell us something no one else knows about your characters.
I've told a few secrets about my protagonists; let me talk about a supporting character, if that's okay. Mac, the band director at Emmett's school is known to be strong and tough with a inner core of compassion and genuine love for her students—and Emmett. But, the first impression is, "don't mess with Mac." What people don't know is that she paid her way through college driving senior citizens to appointments, the grocery, etc. Her stories and charm were so meaningful to her clients that they were known to lavishly tip her, "to help buy books." Never able to convince them to keep their much-needed money, she would in turn donate the extra funds to the town food bank.
Have you ever had writer’s block? How did you overcome it?
Everyone has a different definition about writer's block and whether it even exists or not. I struggled with this book; scenes and chapters would not come out, or when they did, they wouldn't make sense. Years ago, I had a years' long stretch of being "unable" to write. But if I'm honest with myself, it's more an inability to keep my butt in the chair and just DO IT. So, that's the last step. Before that, if you feel like you're just banging your head on your desk and crying into your tea, get up. Take a walk. Veg on some TV or read someone else's words. Make a mug brownie. Before too long, get your butt back in the chair and type. Let lousy stuff come out. You can fix it later. But if you write nothing, you'll have nothing to fix.
What book you’ve written would you like to see made into a movie?
I'd be thrilled to see either Chef's Table or Black Dust made into movies. Chef's has the excitement of restaurant kitchens, quiet moments walking the streets of Brooklyn Heights, a silly dog and an ensemble of interesting people. Black Dust covers a number of cities, has beautiful music and lovely theaters, and a smaller, but quite fun ensemble of supporting characters. They're love stories, plain and simple. Who doesn't love a good romance on the screen?
Do you work on an outline or plot or just let the story takes you where it wants to go?
I've called myself a pantsing plotter, but that sounds like some sort of respiratory disorder. Most times, I plot in big bold strokes first, then attack the first few scenes or chapters to get to know my world and characters. There are times point-by-point outlines don't happen until the final third. But, I definitely write more efficiently and comfortably if I know where I'm going. Sometimes though, you have to drive on low-lights and trust that the road you're on isn't heading toward a wall. Cliffs might be okay—all kinds of interesting things can happen once you fall off a cliff.
And now for a few rapid fire questions:
1 – Favourite meal: Thanksgiving dinner. The turkey, gravy, potato and stuffing forkful simply cannot be beat.
2 – Favorite color: plum
3 – Favorite ice cream flavor: Jeni's Ice Cream—Dark Chocolate Peppermint.
Thank you for joining us today Lynn. It's been a pleasure talking to you.
