Tell us the story behind the story. How did MISS DREAMSVILLE AND THE COLLIER COUNTY WOMEN’S LITERARY SOCIETY come to be?
I never thought I’d write a novel. I was taking a break from my nonfiction book projects and publishing in general. I told my mom I was going to write “just for fun” for a little while, and that’s exactly what I did. I had never tried my hand at fiction and I thought, Why not? I started writing what I thought was a short story. The more I wrote, the more I fell in love with my characters and my plot so I just kept going.
What was the most challenging aspect of writing MISS DREAMSVILLE?
After writing nonfiction for my entire career, I had to give myself permission to invent material rather than sticking 100 percent to facts. It was scary and difficult until I realized it was just a matter of switching gears mentally.
What is the message you want readers to take away from your book?
My lead character is a middle-aged wife and mom (inspired by a real person – my late mother-in-law) who moves with her family from Boston to a small, sleepy town in South Florida circa 1962. Her struggle to fit in starts on day one. She starts a book club at the local library but the only people who will join are the other “outcasts” in town. The community is very suspicious about this newly formed little group. The book is about the judgments people make about those who are different, the struggles faced by those who are ostracized or bullied, and the need that everyone has to find their place in the world. It’s an inspiring message, because ultimately each member of the book club becomes stronger and happier as individuals because they found each other.
Describe your background.
My dad was an executive with General Electric, and we moved several times while I was growing up. Being the new kid, adapting to a new school and town, was challenging but it made me resilient. The place that had the most profound impact on me was Columbia, South Carolina. We moved there in 1965 when I was in first grade. I loved South Carolina, but when I was 12 we moved to Scarsdale, N.Y., which was very difficult for me. I was bullied because of my Southern accent, which I very quickly learned to hide. It made me a survivor, however, and I think it helped inspire my career. I became a newspaper reporter and was always eager to write about people who were overlooked or mistreated in some way. I continued this path with my nonfiction books, and now, in my first novel as well.
Describe your writing schedule. Do you outline? Any habits?
I usually write in the late morning until early afternoon. I often get a second wind late in the evening and if it’s going well, I’ll write until 2 or 3 in the morning. I only outline when I run into a jam I can’t think my way out of. I don’t think I did any outlining with MISS DREAMSVILLE.
What books are on your nightstand? What are you currently reading?
I just finished WIDOW OF THE SOUTH by Robert Hicks. I was on a panel with Robert at the Southern Festival of the Book in Nashville. It’s a brilliant book.
Which authors inspire you?
I have a special fondness for journalists who became novelists, such as Charles Dickens and Stephen Crane. A contemporary example is Anna Quindlen, someone I admire enormously.
What have you learned from this experience?
That it’s worth taking risks and trying something completely different than what you had planned. The biggest surprise to me was something I learned about myself, however. My husband has said for years that he thinks I’m the funniest person he knows. I don’t think of myself as funny at all. Writing a novel (as compared to nonfiction) presented me with the opportunity to explore that side of my personality. And guess what?! I’m funny! All the reviews say that the book is hilarious. It’s a shock to me. I’m going to have to get used to a new self-image.
What is your advice for aspiring writers?
Another writer told me this years ago. If you want to be a writer, there are three things you must do. One, you must read – a lot – because reading and writing go hand in hand. Two, you must write! In other words, you must practice your craft. You won’t improve unless you do. And, three, you must live. Get out of the house and outside of your own little universe, meet people, and experience life.
What are you working on now?
I’ve had a lot of requests to write a sequel to MISS DREAMSVILLE. And I might just do it.
Thanks you, Amy, for stopping by Bookfinds!
