Keeping Your Readers in Suspense: Author Interview with Taylor Jaxon / Deb Gardner Allard

I’ve been a fan of suspense novels for a long time, especially those that give you pause to think at the end. That’s what drew me to this author who wrote this YA novel called Before the Apocalypse. Now read on to learn what motivates this writer.

What made you decide to write your first novel?
Like many authors, I’ve wanted to write since I was in grade school. I read voraciously as a child, devouring every book I could get my hands on. My mother took me to the library every Saturday and enrolled me in a book club. In the fifth grade, I won a Daughters of the American Revolution award for a story I wrote about the wagon train that met its demise at Donner’s Pass.

As an adult, I studied with the Institute of Children's’ Literature, first tackling the magazine writing course then the novel writing course. Before the Apocalypse was my second novel.

Who are your favorite suspense authors?

I have always enjoyed Frank Peretti’s books, especially This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness. His books are edgy and suspenseful. I also enjoy James Dashner’s The Maze Runner, and Dan Walsh’s Jack Turner suspense series—especially his book, Remembering Dresden. As far as humorous writers, I enjoy Mark Twain and Eddie Jones. Eddie’s books crack me up from start to finish.

Was there any particular author you read who made you think, I could write like that? 

I don’t think I’ve ever read an author’s book and thought that I could write like them. My thinking is along the lines of plot and story. I have many ideas circling my brain at any given moment. Great stories inspire me to put my own ideas on paper.

How long did it take you to write your book?
Writing my book took about three years. The first year, I read everything I could find on prophecy, starting with the Bible, and then biblical commentaries. I also attended a year-long prophecy Bible study on the book, Footsteps of the Messiah, which is the hallmark commentary on Bible prophecy. Many prophecy scholars today started their journey with The Footsteps of the Messiah.

In addition to the Bible study, I attended a 3-day Bible prophecy conference online, since we weren’t able to travel the distance in person. The conference included most of the current prophecy scholars and started around 9 am and ended at 10 pm daily. I’ve attended three more prophecy conferences since then. 

I also watched every prophecy show on television and YouTube every week—Prophecy in the News, Prophecy Watchers, Joel Richardson’s The Underground, Derek Gilbert’s Skywatch TV, Jan Markel’s Olive Tree Ministry and Understanding the Times, and many others. I still watch them today. My favorite prophecy teacher today is Amir Tsarfati from Israel.

How many rewrites did you do?

I’m not sure. I wrote an outline before I started. I ended up adding to the outline as I went along but I continued the sequence for the story as planned.

Who helped you with the editing? 

My instructor from the Institute of Children's’ Literature was a multibook published author. She did my first edits chapter by chapter as I turned them in. Then when finished with the book, I paid two other editors for developmental and line editing, just to make sure nothing was missed. I ended up removing things that might seem stereotypical or politically incorrect. 

Most of my rewrites involved character tweaking. I wrote Jayden as a sweet, meek Christian girl, but was advised to create her more feisty because that would make her real, and Sam started out more snarky and I tamed his tongue.

What is the hardest part of writing for you? Starting? Outlining? Creating a scene? Dialog? Tension, etc?
When I first started writing, dialogue was hardest for me. But after reading a great book on dialogue, I enjoy writing it. Dialogue delivers much more than meets the eye. The next hardest thing for me is working on an outline. It takes me forever to write one. I have to mull the story over in my mind for weeks before jotting it in outline form. But it does make sure I see the whole picture and include twists and turns.

It also keeps the goal for the ending in my mind as the scenes take shape. That way, I make sure they move the story forward. It’s easier to spot wayward material that needs to be cut, too. I cut several scenes from Apocalypse and sobbed over each one as I laid them to rest. It’s so hard to kill those precious pages.

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?
While I was writing Before the Apocalypse, I kept a folder containing newly printed chapters on my desk. When my teen grandchildren came to visit, they’d disappear in my office. I’d tiptoe by to see them reading the next chapter. That kept me writing. Knowing kids are interested in what I write makes all the difference in the world. I also belong to a critique group and encouragement from fellow writers is helpful.

Give me an example of how you learned to write past the dreaded rejection letters.
Rejection is just plain hard, but form letters are so much better than no response at all. I’ve had plenty of rejections, but after a few years, they began to suggest I submit any new material. Sometimes a few personal lines were added. Those made me smile.

Also, I can be devastated by a bad book review to the point of it paralyzing my writing. But ironically, bad reviews on others’ books make me desire to read their books more. When I read a bad review, it strikes a nerve in me, and I’m determined to see if the reviewer was right on or biased for some reason. Often, I find that I love the book. So, I remind myself that bad reviews can spark sales.

I know many writers don’t want to go the indie-route because of the cost to publish. They don’t have a minimum of $1000 to $2,000 to pay for a good cover design, editing fees, formatting, copyright set-up, and basic marketing. What made you choose the indie route?

When I published, Before the Apocalypse, publishers weren’t and still aren’t seeking prophecy novels. I know because the rejections told me so. I spent six months reading everything I could find on how to publish a book. I created my own publishing company. I paid editors, two book cover designers, and a book formatter to make my book professional.

What do you know now about writing that you wished you had known sooner?
Taking writing courses, reading books on writing, attending conferences, and belonging to professional writing groups makes all the difference in the world in fine-tuning our writing. I belong to American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Word Weavers International.

What is some of the best writing advice that you’ve received or could give?
We hear many authors say to read and write daily to become better writers, and that truly is the best advice ever. Reading helps us to pick up on character and plot development as well as grammar. Writing daily helps us to write better and faster as we go along.

Are there any other points about writing that you would like to add?
Writers truly must develop a thick skin. We need to be willing to accept constructive criticism and heed it if we want to succeed.

Why did you write this book under a pseudonym?
I write humorous stories under my real name Deb Gardner Allard. Before the Apocalypse is an edgy story so I used a pseudonym so that anyone looking for more light-hearted material wouldn't feel like they didn't get what they paid for. 

Do you have another book in progress?
Currently, I’m writing an adventure story under my real name, Deb Gardner Allard.

Can you give me a short synopsis?

Here’s a short synopsis: When six boys with different personality quirks meet at Camp Coyote for the summer, they have no idea what awaits—an adventure beyond their imagination—with twists and turns along the way. As they attempt to uncover what the military is guarding in a desert cave, they must learn to get along with each other and put their character flaws to good use if they want to survive.

That’s all for today’s interview.  I’m impressed by the thoroughness of Deb’s research and study to make sure the storyline rang true in the eschatological sense and gave the readers something to ponder. Hope her thoughts on writing intrigued you to the point of buying her book and finding out about upcoming novels as well. Here are some links to get you started: 

Website: https://debgardnerallard.com
FB author site: @dgardnerallardauthor, @authortaylorjaxon
FB: Deb Allard, Deb Gardner Allard
Twitter: @debbie_allard
Instagram: debbie.allard.35

Getting Through the Research: An Interview with Sarah Sundin

My interview today is with Sarah Sundin, who is the author of nine historical novels, including When Tides Turn. Her novel Through Waters Deep was a finalist for the 2016 Carol Award, won the INSPY Award, and was named to Booklist’s “101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years.” A mother of three, Sarah lives in California, works on-call as a hospital pharmacist, and teaches Sunday school. She also enjoys speaking to church, community, and writers’ groups.

What made you decide to write your first novel? What drew you to writing about WWII?

My very first novel stemmed from a dream. I woke up and knew it was a complete story, and I had to write it. This was a very strange thing for this pharmacist! That first novel will never be published, but it served its purpose. Soon I had an idea for a story that wouldn’t work in a contemporary setting. I immediately decided on World War II. The era has always fascinated me. My grandparents were all storytellers, and my father was always watching WWII movies when I was little. I think it seeped into my soul.

How long did it take you to write your first book?

My first published novel, A Distant Melody, took about three years from concept to complete first draft. My children were little, I was only writing part-time, and I had to do a ton of background research.

How many rewrites did you do on it?

I lost count of the rewrites—probably a dozen. Since I had five years of rejection letters, I had plenty of time to edit.

Who helped you with the editing?

I never hired a professional editor, but I belonged to a wonderful writers’ group that gave excellent feedback. I read lots of books on writing and attended conferences to learn the craft. Now my critique partners are online, and we exchange chapters by email.

Who encouraged you along the way?

As for encouragement, so many people helped along the way! The acknowledgments section for A Distant Melody is quite long.

How do you go about doing research for your books? 

Research is multifaceted—books, websites, documents, oral histories, research trips, touring historic ships and planes, and consulting experts. I usually start with a basic internet search on my topic and then I assemble a list of books and websites to investigate. This list grows and changes as I continue my research.

Was there ever an "aha" moment you had when doing research that surprised you?

I’ve had so many “aha” moments! My most recent one…I’m currently writing a series about three estranged brothers who fight on D-day from the sea, in the air, and on the ground. I’d assigned my pilot brother to the 357th Fighter Group and my soldier brother to the 2nd Ranger Battalion. I found out both units sailed from New York to Britain on the Queen Elizabeth on the same date! And the brothers are estranged! And they most definitely don’t want to see each other! I couldn’t have planned this.

How did you go about finding a publisher? Was it through conferences, seminars, or slush piles?

I found my publisher through Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. Conferences offer the advantage of allowing you to get to know editors and agents, especially when you attend for several years, and they give you the chance to pitch or submit. In 2008, I submitted to my editor at Revell while at Mount Hermon. I was offered my first contract a few months later.

What is the hardest part of writing for you? Starting? Creating a scene? Dialog? Tension, etc?

Plotting. Getting all the scenes and plot elements in order, while juggling history and character development, feels like a wrestling match to me. But at a certain point, the outline falls into place and all is well.

We have all experienced rejection. Give me an example of how you learned to write past one of yours.

I’ve had plenty. Five years of rejection letters. I learned to give myself limited pouting time, then back to work. Whenever I felt dejected, I took it to God. He always seemed to send me some confirmation through friends or circumstances that yes, he did want me to keep writing. That carried me through—plus my love for the stories.

What has surprised you the most in writing/publishing?

Coming from a scientific health-care background, I’ve found much about the publishing industry surprising. In pharmacy, if you work hard and do good work, you succeed. And you have to do something really bad to lose your job. But in publishing, if you work hard and do good work, you may or may not succeed. And there’s absolutely no such thing as “job security”! I’ve had to learn to relax and give up the illusion of control.

What do you know now about writing that you wished you had known sooner?

To ignore the rules and turn off my internal editor during the rough draft phase and allow myself to dream. Then during editing, to turn that editor back on and be ruthlessly analytical.

What is some of the best writing advice that you’ve received or could give?

It’s related to my answer to the last question. During the rough draft phase, don’t stop to edit. Do find a way to capture your editing ideas, but don’t actually do the rewriting. Since I print off my chapters, I scribble notes on the hard copy—everything from punctuation to changed wording to “don’t forget her dog” or “have it raining during the scene.” Some writers make the notes in “track changes” straight in the Word document. Then when I finish the rough draft, I go through my notes and make any changes during the edit.

Are there any other points about writing that you would like to add?

You’ll hear lots of techniques and lots of advice—including mine—but you have to find what works best for you. A strategy can unleash one writer’s creativity—and kill another’s creativity. Try new techniques. Keep those that help you work better and ditch the rest.

What is the next book that will be coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis?

The Sea Before Us, the first book in the Sunrise at Normandy series, will be released in February 2018.

Here are the details… In 1944, American naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton arrives in London to prepare for the Allied invasion of France and is determined to redeem himself with the brothers he has betrayed. Dorothy Fairfax serves as a “Wren” in the Women’s Royal Naval Service, striving for the love of her bereaved father and of the man she’s always adored, Lawrence Eaton. When Wyatt and Dorothy work together on Allied plans for D-day, he hopes Dorothy will return his growing love. But will family secrets, misplaced affections—and the seas off Normandy—separate them forever?

Sounds like a great story! If you’d like to learn more about Sarah’s writing, here are some links for more details.

Website: http://www.sarahsundin.com

Blog: http://www.sarahsundin.com/blog

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SarahSundinAuthor

Twitter: http://twitter.com/sarahsundin

Writing for Tweens - An Interview with Margo Sorenson

We last interviewed author Margo Sorenson about writing for the school market and picture books.  She has authored twenty-eight books for young readers and has won recognition and awards for her work, including being honored by ALA nominations and being named a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award in YA Fiction. Today we’ll be focusing on her new tween e-book entitled Time of Honor.

First off, how about a brief synopsis of the story?

Thanks for inviting me again, Chris!  Fourteen-year-old Connor’s smart mouth gets her in and—luckily—out of trouble on her prep school’s debate team and in the classroom.  On a field trip to the U.K., when she is suddenly catapulted into the year 1272, she finds her royal new friends’ lives are threatened by a conspiracy fueled by greed.  When William and Maud learn that their father has been murdered on the Crusade, they beg her to help them find who is plotting against them.  

This sounds a bit like a kid’s version of "Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court." What drew you to this topic?

Growing up as a young child in Europe and being a medieval history major, I always wanted to live in the Middle Ages, so I just plunked myself down where I wanted to be!

What do you mean when you say Connor is sassy?

I love words and playing with words, just as you do -- and probably everyone who’s reading your blog does -- and I wanted to write a novel that featured a character who used words a little too well and got herself into trouble that way, not that it’s ever happened to me.

I coached speech and debate for many years (yep, I’m a retired NFL coach!), I drew on many of my former debaters’ characters for Connor.  They were always fun to coach. They kept me laughing and kept me on my toes, believe me, so I had lots of raw material from which to draw.  Courtesy and decorum were key in the Middle Ages, as you know, so Connor needs to confront this problem head-on, because she is so not courteous or decorous, and she has to learn how to deal with life in 1272… and keep from getting murdered at the same time.

How did you go from an NFL Coach (and a female one!)and debating to writing?   

Actually, I *was* one of the few female NFL coaches! J  The speech and debate coaching was extracurricular, and I taught speech and debate classes in addition to teaching high school and middle school English.  It was fun teaching kids to write, using the National Writing Project and many other wonderful resources and we invited well-known writing teachers to the schools. 

Some of my students’ parents encouraged me to write myself, since I was teaching their sons and daughters how to write – theoretically! When I retired early from teaching, I had a book contract for ten books that grew into another five additional books and two more for an educational publisher.  From there, I wrote picture books and more tween/YA manuscripts, many of which remain unpublished!

Have you ever done any sports writing?

I’ve not done any sports writing per se, but the sports writing I have done has been in my tween/YA novels, such as WHO STOLE THE BASES (baseball), SOCCER BATTLE, SOCCER BLASTER (both soccer, of course), CLUBHOUSE THREAT (golf), FUNNY MAN (football), and a number of others that include sports as an important part of a subplot.  One of my latest tween enovels, ISLAND DANGER, features Todd, a know-it-all soccer star. 

Our daughters were little jocks, I love baseball and golf, and my husband is a sports nut, so it’s natural to have lots of sports in my books.  Of course, my beta readers for accuracy were my family (“Mom!  You can’t say that!”), Sports add another dimension to the plots and can demonstrate character and conflict.

What research did you have to do for this book?

Your blog highlights “research,” so I’m glad you asked this question!  I majored in medieval history (read “geek,” here) and although I had lots of medieval history books, I had to repurchase many others that I’d given away in order to do the research I needed.  The internet has been great, of course, but one has to be careful about vetting the sources.

One of the fun resources I found on the internet was a cabinet-maker who specializes in medieval cabinetry, and he helped me with how drawers worked and with cabinet construction.  We can’t have a character opening up a closet when there were none in 1272!  Several of my other books (picture books AMBROSE AND THE PRINCESS, AMBROSE AND THE CATHEDRAL DREAM) are also set in that time period, so the food and dining research I did for those came in handy for TIME OF HONOR.  Connor is grossed out that she has to share a goblet with her dining companion!

How do you think someone from our day would really be able to handle the smells and lack of technology in the Middle Ages?

People from our day would really struggle with the smells and way of life, including no technology back in medieval history.  Connor has a hard time with the gross smells, definitely, with the sewers running down the middle of the lanes in the towns and the tannery on the outskirts of the village (think burning cow hides).

Connor has no GPS to find Akbar, the Spice-Seller, whom she has to trick into revealing critical information about a planned murder, without tipping him off that she’s really not who she pretends to be.  She rides her horse through the town to find his tent, putting herself in harm’s way, with no cell phone to use in case she needs to call 911.

What advice do you have for authors to improve their writing?

I enjoy reading your blog for its advice component, so I’m happy to chime in, here.  For me, the most important is Ellen Kozak’s first commandment for writers, “Thou Shalt Not Fall In Love With Thine Own Words.”  Oh, my, goodness, I can’t even count the number of times I’ve fallen prey to that feeling – “Wow!  What golden words I’ve just written!” 

Seriously, I should know better, but, I don’t, and it’s always a battle to put a manuscript away for a while and let it sit in the darkness, whimpering, all alone.  When I take it out again, I blush, and I’m so glad no one is looking over my shoulder, smirking and snorting at those words! 

Another piece of advice is to find a critique partner who understands your vision but also doesn’t hesitate to try and take you to the next level in a respectful way. My critique partner, Minnesotan and children’s author Bonnie Graves, is wonderful; she helps me by asking incisive questions about each part of my manuscript, giving me encouragement to try new ideas, and validating what is working.  Above all, just as you say in your blog, read, study, research, write, revise, submit, submit, submit!

What do you think writers should expect to learn from their critique groups?

I’m probably not a good person to answer this question, since I’ve never had a critique group (blush!), only a critique partner.  When I taught English, there were many great resources to use in setting up feedback groups for the kids, and those were very helpful, setting ground rules and methods for responding to each other’s writing.  From those experiences and from my own critique partner experiences, I’m thinking that writers should expect to find out that others don’t read their writing the same way they do. 

It’s so hard to translate the words in our heads on to the page so that others see the same pictures we see.  That’s what I used to tell my students, in any event, and it is so true for myself, as well.  We’re so sure we’ve been clear in what we’re writing that it’s a bit of a shock to discover that others don’t read it in the same way.  That factor is key; we writers need to accept that what we write isn’t always perceived by others in the way we want them to perceive it!  That’s what I think writers could expect to find out in critique groups, and, hopefully, they can use that feedback in revision for clarity – so they can improve -- and not leave their manuscripts on their hard drives, never to see the light of day, as so many of mine still are. J  Writing is indeed a process!

Thanks, again for stopping by and giving us your insights on writing.

Thanks so much, Chris, for the welcome to your blog, and congratulations on your inclusion in those great anthologies shown here on your website.  They sound wonderful!

Hope you enjoyed this interview and you might consider buying a book or two for Christmas gift.  If you'd like to learn more about her writing go to www.margosorenson.com or Twitter at @ipapaverison.