Q: Have you always known you wanted to write?
A: Definitely… writing has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.
Q: What was the first piece of “real” writing you did?
A: I wrote an illustrated Halloween story in kindergarten – one long run-on sentence! It started out “There once was a witch and she had a black pot and one day a pumpkin came and stole the pot….” I don’t remember the rest, but I remember that the witch and pumpkin reconciled in the end.
Q: How long did it take you to write A Scottish Ferry Tale?
A: It took about six months to complete. But the first draft was done in a month — I wrote it as part of National Novel Writing Month, in November 2008. Then I went back and added more to the story.
Q: Can you describe your novel to readers in 20 words or less?
A: Young woman grapples with issues of head vs heart, fairy tales, love and chocolate cake. A handsome Scot helps.
Q: What do you find to be the most challenging part of editing?
A: Flow. I want the story to flow, but I’m very much a “day in the life” writer — I want people to see the characters as people, doing things that real people do. Sometimes that means spending five chapters on a two-week period of time, and then skipping ahead months into the future. It’s tough to strike a balance between recounting too much and leaving out important bits.
Q: How did you celebrate once A Scottish Ferry Tale was published?
A: When the first proof arrived, I screamed – a happy scream. 😉 I didn’t have any specific celebration, really. But I celebrate a little bit almost every day — when I get an email from someone who’s been touched by it, when I see people purchasing it, when aspiring novelists ask for advice.
What was the biggest difference you noticed when writing your second novel?
The first book felt like a 5K, and the second book was more like a marathon. I gave myself time with Scotland by Starlight to explore other characters, develop more storylines, notice details. The first book was like that first rush of in-love feeling, where you can’t spend enough time with the other person and it’s all new and urgent and dramatic. The second book was more like how it feels once you settle down a bit in a relationship, take the time to notice the other person’s idiosyncrasies, have a few arguments, get annoyed at them for trivial things, but fall even deeper in love with them at the same time. I admit I have a slight preference for the sequel… there’s a lot packed into it.
Did you know when you started A Scottish Ferry Tale that you would write a sequel?
I did not. It’s kind of embarrassing what happened, but I’ll share anyway. 😉 I wrote all of the first book and a good chunk of the second book all at once. Then I had an overwhelming obsession with publishing it. But it was clearly a novel plus some more, and not a nice round story all neat and tidy. So I ended A Scottish Ferry Tale at a natural ending place — the reunion on Coll — and decided the rest of the story would become the sequel. I worked on it for months fairly steadily, took some time off, and then finished it up in late 2010 and published it a few months later.
How did the ending for Scotland by Starlight come to you? It’s shocking!
I’ve gotten a lot of flak for the epilogue! It was literally one of those days where I sat down and started writing, and realized I was writing in Ralph’s voice. Apparently he had something to say, and got impatient with all of the chapters being from Cassie’s point of view. 😉 I sobbed while I was writing it… especially during the scene with Cal and the stone. It might sound bizarre, but I still feel awful for putting the characters through that, even though they’re fictional! But… it never occurred to me to leave out the epilogue. There are some other bits I eventually decided not to include in the sequel, but I wrote that entire epilogue in one sitting and the way you see it in the book is pretty much the way it came out.
Are you working on another project?
That depends on your definition of “working” ;-). I have two unfinished novels sitting on my MacBook, and another that’s mostly in my head with about 3 pages on paper. Have I worked on any of these lately? Um… no. This past year has been chaotic for me to say the least, and I just haven’t had the focus. I’ve been having some vivid dreams recently, however, and have woken up with paragraphs of words in my head, which is promising. The muses are still there… I just need to be a bit better about nurturing them.
Q: You live in Vermont, a state that has been on my travel wish list for years. Why do you enjoy living there?
A: It’s gorgeous, and I love the four distinct seasons (five, if you count “mud season” between winter and spring). Being outside in nature is important to me. The state is like one big small town — people are tough and independent, yet always willing to lend a hand. And there’s a sense of community here that’s invigorating; people still trust one another. Add in local foods, beer, wines, and art — it’s just a wonderful place to live. (And billboards are against the law, so when you drive on the interstate, you can see the mountains!)
Q: Where would be your dream vacation?
A: I’ve always wanted to visit New Zealand.
Q: What is your advice for aspiring writers?
A: Get messy. Don’t expect perfection in the first draft, or even the twentieth. There’s a great essay by Katherine Patterson (Bridge to Terabithia) – she lives in Barre, Vermont, which is known for granite quarrying. She says that the first draft is akin to quarrying the granite – you’re just trying to get something out of the ground. It won’t be pretty, so don’t expect it to be. Once you’ve done that hard work, the grunt work, you can start sculpting and turn your lump of granite into something amazing.
Also, seek out people who can provide constructive criticism, not just pats on the back. We all love to hear kudos, but your writing will change and improve if you are willing to consider other points of view.
Thanks Nancy for dropping by! Please be sure to check out Nancy’s website and her blog.
