My college aged kids said not to worry, if somehow I was still unpublished when I died, they'd see the story finally got out there. I thought that was sweet. And unacceptable!
Sharon Duerst – 12 January 2017
The Back Flap
Captivating story of betrayal, friendship, and loss…with a satisfying outcome of hope. Richly descriptive spiritual mystery with vivid, true-to-life experiences of discovery. Tumultuous journeys of love from the Northwest to the South, and beyond.
About the book
What is the book about?
A thirty-something woman living in Portland, Oregon struggles with her life. Mia is building a business with husband, Tim, but there's little time for friends or fun. She's become distant with family in Texas. Longing for change, Mia tries to start a family, but after several mishaps, she is still childless and at loose ends. A frightening and sad dream of an unknown woman compels her to action. But is it too late to save her marriage and the relationship with family? Shocking loss and revelations cast doubt on everything she thought was her life. Odd clues and dreams of the woman catapult her on a journey in search of someone, somewhere with answers.
When did you start writing the book?
I began writing Mending Stone in 1996, a year after having a strange dream about two unknown women of different ages but with similar heartache. Their distress was so real I could not put it away! I wrote to discover more who they were, where they lived, what happened in their lives.
How long did it take you to write it?
The first draft took 9 months to hand write on dozens of small pieces of paper I later taped together and had typed onto computer disk. I tried unsuccessfully to get an agent or publisher. I took a full time job and did not work on the story for several years, but it was still on my mind. I worked on it, sent it out again to no avail. I always believed in the basic story, but I knew I could improve my writing. And I needed to go to the places I had researched and written. I went deep into Mexico for two weeks in 2005. And I visited Texas in 2008. Photos helped me insert new details and develop more compelling lines.
Where did you get the idea from?
The strange and compelling dream of the two women and their heartache was the impetus to start writing. I had to figure out their lives and the people in them. I decided on a possible connection between them which led to the beginning and a possible ending. Their heartache was strong, but it took a long time to understand what it was telling me!
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
The women in the dream seemed to be from Texas and Mexico. But why? I had not been to either place. I researched the Yucatan region of Mexico and discovered a book written in the 1960's by a Maryknoll Sister/scientist who had lived and worked there. Her last name was the same as my maiden name. I thought it was a sign! I wrote the story, but it was all expository. The characters had little or nothing to say, though I felt the story deeply. I knew I had to change something. I wondered if setting the beginning in the Northwest would help me hear them. Once I moved it to Oregon, where I live, the characters began speaking!
What came easily?
I didn't want to tell readers what emotions were felt. I wanted the moods and intentions of the characters to be revealed with body language and action. I also used the natural elements of sun, wind, water, sky, and landscape to foreshadow emotion. Poetry helped the main character reveal her thoughts as she developed into a writer.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
After finishing Mending Stone, I noticed some characters have traits in common with people I know or have met. But mostly the characters developed their own personalities and perspectives. They are real to me, as real as friends or family! I now know and love them!
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
I don't know that any particular authors have influenced how or what I write. I do like reading complex stories of families, of cultures different from my own. I tend not to read much while in the process of writing. Once I finish, I break for the outdoors! I love to work in the yard, walk, visit with friends and family. I re-engage with the world! Then I start hungering for a good book to read. I like a lot of current authors and the different ways they present their work. And I like poetic prose. The first poet I remember reading way back in elementary school was Emily Dickinson; her poems, steeped in symbolism, allude to things I still struggle to understand. But I am intrigued with cadence and I try to establish a certain flow to my writing.
Do you have a target reader?
Women 18 and up tend to relate well to the issues of the characters. Travel, family, friendship, love, mystery, and faith are prominent themes in the Possibility Series (Mending Stone is book 1 in the continuing story.)
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
I begin writing in my mind, mulling over emotions I am feeling from characters and trying to find their words. When their chatter in my head is too loud to ignore, I sit down and write whatever comes. Usually the first few sittings are erratic. I don't worry about how the various segments will fit together, I just put them down. This can go on for months! Eventually I become committed and obsessed with getting the ever more developing story out of my head and onto the page! Details pop into my mind as I walk, or while I'm working outside, or when I'm sewing. Working on other creative projects seems to help the writing develop.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I don't outline, but sometimes I jot down possible ways a story might go or specific details I want to remember to include. I don't usually have any idea where the story is going, or what themes will emerge. After I've written most of a book, I figure out a title. I list coordinating chapter headings and work the words and details into each chapter. I enjoy the conceptual part of that process very much. I developed a vision or story board early on for Mending Stone by cutting and pasting pictures and words from magazines. But I haven't done that for the following two books.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you've finished?
I tend to edit as a way of getting unstuck when reaching a standstill. Often taking the time to go back helps identify problems and clarifies new ideas.
Did you hire a professional editor?
I hired a professional editor for Mending Stone, though afterward, I made additional changes! The process of working with the editor helped me learn to convey the meaning behind what I wanted to express, and to say it more clearly.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
I listen to music while writing if the television program my husband is watching is too distracting! I like hits of the 1960's, 70's, and 80's especially. But sometimes it's current country. More often, I listen to singer songwriters of different genres and decades.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
I submitted my work to numerous agents over the years, and I received good comments from a few, but they did not feel strongly enough to take it on. Writing has been a part of my positions as a teacher, administrator, public relations director. But my foray into fiction really took hold with the story of Mending Stone.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
In 2006, ten years after beginning the story, I was diagnosed with a rare liver disease. My college aged kids said not to worry, if somehow I was still unpublished when I died, they'd see the story finally got out there. I thought that was sweet. And unacceptable! I would get my story out there myself! I refocused, rewrote yet again. Finally, a friend referred me to a small publisher, Henschel Haus Books, which liked the story and published the first edition of Mending Stone in 2011. Due to a distribution issue, I cancelled the contract and brought out a new edition with my own company, White Spring Publishing, in 2012. I did try again to get an agent or another publisher, but it did not happen. I do love doing my own layout, cover concepts, and marketing. And I love meeting people.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
The first cover of Mending Stone was professionally designed by a graphic artist hired by the publisher (which I paid when cancelling my contract). Another graphic designer tweaked the original cover when I did the first update. The current cover was designed by my son who is a film director, editor, and screenwriter. The "storm of emotion" cover is a landscape photograph taken just before a summer hailstorm by my husband. It conveys so much about the story: changing conditions, beauty, landscape, travel.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I do about six appearances a year. I'm currently focusing on revamping my website and writing short pieces to coordinate with Mending Stone. I've drafted several publicity and other related newspaper articles. Personal appearances are really fun to do and comments from readers are the greatest reward for all the quiet hours writing!
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
You will make mistakes, but do the work. Then get it out there! Be excited for all you've accomplished! But keep learning, keep heading for a smoother, more joyful process!
About You
Where did you grow up?
I'm a Northwest girl – I grew up on the Columbia River Gorge, went to college in the Willamette Valley, started my career and family on the Oregon coast.
Where do you live now?
I now live in Central Oregon and love it!
What would you like readers to know about you?
I have a knack for finding 4-leaf clovers. I believe in dreams and the lasting connections we forge with others. I love to walk. I like reading and sewing and creative problem solving. And I love the thrill of writing and sharing insights with others. I need readers like flowers need sun and rain! Writing is the seed from which everything grows!
What are you working on now?
I've published two books after Mending Stone in the continuing story of the Possibility Series: Catching Rain in 2014, and Seeding Hope in 2016. I'm just beginning to think there might be a fourth book coming! But I'm working on a collection of family stories for young and old with spiritual twists and significant points. I plan to have it out in summer 2017.
End of Interview:
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