It has been a busy summer with fishing and all the fun promos I have hosted, but it is time for the Lazy boy to get some use as they are starting to get dusty.
That is why when the lovely and prestigious author Gay Ingram texted me about coming over for a beverage and chat about her work, I welcomed her with much enthusiasm.
I just hoped that Gay would be okay with my little shed gang.
Welcome, Gay Ingram have a seat. I know you
probably heard that I had only milk crates to sit on but have since acquired
these Lazy Boy recliners. I hope they are more comfortable. Would you like a
drink?
Hey,
we use tree trunks as seats around our place so a milk crate will do just
fine…for a little while, at least until my bum gets sore. I will never pass up
a cup of coffee, black please.
Thank you for coming Gay though I have known
you for years, this yahoos are unfamiliar with you, share a little about
yourself.
Well
I camp out on some acres in the piney woods of east Texas. My great husband and
I have been there thirty-plus years. We’ve been married over fifty years so
that gives you a ballpark of how old I am. I have one living son who lives
fairly close by but I don’t see him as often as I’d like. My two granddaughters
recently moved from Oregon to Arkansas which made me very happy because that’s
quite a bit closer and perhaps I’ll get to see my two greats, Josh and Lexi
more often.
I have seen Second Time Around (on) http://www.amazon.com/Gay-Ingram/e/B008VS6AJI
and I would love to pick it up, but before I do, could you tell me a little
about it?
Well,
it’s about a recently widowed woman who has an accidental meeting with a man
who she suspects is her first love of twenty-five years previously. The hitch
is that he supposedly was killed in a train wreck on his way to propose.
Wow, Second Time
Around sounds intriguing, is there a particular part of the story that
you really enjoyed writing?
I
really enjoyed doing the research. I set the story in Dallas, Texas in the 50’s
because I lived there at the time. Then I found a forum online where folks were
posting their memories of Dallas in that time period which really gave my
remembrances a kick-start.
The shed is pleasantly quiet until Jack belches and shouts out his favourite question.
Hey dude,
tell us who your favourite characters are!
Hmmmm,
favorite characters. Well, I really connect with authors rather than their
characters. Madelyn L’Emgle is one of my favorites and so is Terry Brooks. I
recently discovered Deborah Macomber and am really enjoying reading her stuff.
Sorry about that, but Jack's question brought another question to light,
If Second Time Around were to be
optioned for a movie, who do you see playing your main characters?
What
an interesting question. I’ve always envisioned Susan Sarandon playing Dolly
Summers. Not sure who I’d choose for the role of Douglas, maybe Richard Gere.
They will be perfect, Gay I could really see
Susan Sarandon and Richard Gere playing those parts. I was wondering, as a person who writes on the
side, during my down time, my writing process starts with forming the story in
my head before I put pen to paper, what is your writing process like?
It
seems, with my fiction writing of course, my stories always begin with a
character who insinuates himself/herself in my thoughts. I spend a lot of time
interacting with them subconsciously and as they reveal more of themselves, their
particular time period and situation begin to develop.
I don't know how I missed it, but a bundle of promotion posters lay rolled up in the middle of the shed floor. Terrance did not see them as he was heading to the cooler for another beer and tripped over them, spilling whatever contents was left in the beer bottle in his hand over Gay.
If I had a hole, I crawl in it. This embarrassment did not stop the yahoo from asking his tired question.
All of this sounds fascinating but I heard writing is a hell of a lot of
work, why do you do it, what do you get out of it?
Oops!
Careful there, Terrance. That’s going to clash with my perfume I’m afraid.
As
to why do I write, well, let me tell you. I just can’t keep from doing it.
After Second Time Around was published I went over two years without writing
any kind of fiction. Oh, I did my hand-writing three pages every morning a la
Julia Cameron’s recommendation, which I urge every writer to do.
I
had a personal blog going for a while until it ran out of steam. And I post a
blog on Venture Galleries.com every week where I feature some historical facts
about not-well-known cities across the US. I’m also the editor of Write With
Pen, the monthly newsletter for one of the writing groups I belong to: North
East Texas Writers Organization, or NETWO for short.
But
I just lost any enthusiasm for writing fiction of any sort even though I had
two unfinished manuscripts collecting dust on the shelf. But recently I picked
up one and am beginning to work on it a bit. I found out if I don’t write it’s
like something is missing in my life.
Thanks for the awkward segue, Terrance, now go over with the rest of the
b'ys and let me and Gay have our yarn.
Terrance asked you why you like to write, now I want to ask you, is there
anything about writing you don't like?
Not
the writing per se. I enjoy the research necessary because I tend to set my
stories in a particular time frame and I’m a stickler for getting it historically
correct. I enjoy revision because it usually reads better afterwards. I even
like the editing part. In fact, I have an editing service and have done some
for a few other writers. What gives me the willies is all the promotion and
marketing being required of authors these days to sell their books.
When you write, what is it that you hope your readers take away from your
story?
My
stories are about ordinary people who are thrust into extraordinary
circumstances. The take-away I strive to deliver is that we as humans are
stronger than we realize and that there is always hope to overcome.
Do you have any other stories you are currently writing or are planning to
write?
Oh
goody! I was hoping you’d ask that. I’m real excited about my latest work,
Morgana’s Revenge, which has a release date of Oct. 1st. It’s about a young woman who loses her
parents in a home fire then goes looking for answers. She goes undercover as a
tutor to three precocious children…there are two men vying for her attention…lots
of intrigue…and it was a pleasure to write.
Thanks a million for answering all my questions…and the others, Gay Ingram it has been a real pleasure. As I said
before, I have seen Second Time Around online
at http://www.amazon.com/Gay-Ingram/e/B008VS6AJI
is there anywhere else your book is
available and what formats?
All
of my books are available in both print and digital through Amazon. Just check
out my Author Page to check them out.
It
was a pleasure having you here and you are most welcome to come back anytime.
Is there anything else you like to add before you go?
Just
want to say I’ve really enjoyed our visit…even the beer stains Terrance left
with me.
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