YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST- HALF-TRUTHS HAS A HOME!

It's been a long time since I've published a "You Heard It Here First" blog post. 

It's been an even longer time since I first began writing Half-Truths. 

My first blog was in 2007 when I wrote about attending a SCBWI-Carolinas conference and finding my character's voice. Since then, I've written over 100 blog posts about this writing journey. The list includes the books I've read, 

a few of the over 100 people I interviewed, the workshops I took, and some of my major revisions. I applied for several SCBWI WIP grants and queried agents and publishers. Although I never won a contest or received a bite (although a few rejections were encouraging and personal), my vision for my book became clearer. 

One of my special interviewees, Price Davis.
He is standing in front of his childhood home in Cherry, NC.

Ask me how many drafts I've completed and I can't answer. Officially, I have ten drafts in Word and fourteen in Scrivener. Each of these drafts was revised countless times. 

One way of visualizing where scenes would go.

Sixteen years is a long time to be working on one book, but as I soon realized after beginning this task, I didn't know what I didn't know. There were times that I took breaks and worked on other projects too. Each time I returned to the manuscript, I still loved the characters and the plot. 

In the beginning, I had an idea about a white girl (Kate) who moved to the Myers Park neighborhood of Charlotte, NC from a farm in either South Carolina or North Carolina. She would feel like an outsider as she tried to figure out where she belonged in the world of 1950s debutantes. Soon after moving to her grandmother's home, she would meet a Black girl, Lillian. They would have an off-and-on friendship but would eventually bond over finding a remedy for Kate's goat's ringworm. There would be betrayal, the uncovering of long-buried family secrets, and clandestine trips to a funeral home and a cemetery. 

All that has stayed the same. But, so much has changed. 

I wrestled with how to begin the story and rewrote the beginning at least 50 times. I put in the murder of Lillian's brother and then took it out. I gave each girl a boyfriend and then, based on Rebecca Petruck's advice that I was getting too far away from my theme, I took them out. I spent two years writing it from both girls' POVs and then abandoned that idea. I made up a fictional town named Crossroads, NC until my mentor, Joyce Hostetter, convinced me that there was real history in Tabor City, NC that I should use. I changed the names of characters, deleted scenes that I loved, battled confusion and discouragement, and tried to figure out if this was a middle-grade or young adult book.

Until I found Monarch Educational Services in July. 

My Talking Story newsletter partner, Rebecca Wheeler, published her debut YA novel, WHISPERING THROUGH WATER with Monarch in January. She recommended querying the publisher, Jennifer Lowry. Despite being afraid of another rejection, within thirty minutes of sending my query, Jennifer responded that it was stellar. A few minutes later she asked for the full manuscript. That was beyond my craziest dream!

In September Jennifer provided detailed editorial input. One of her first reactions was that she saw Half-Truths as a young adult book and not as middle grade. Monarch is committed to clean reads and provides content ratings for all of their books. Since Half-Truths includes a reference to a sexual encounter between a slave owner and his slave, Jennifer felt strongly that it is a young adult novel. Since I've debated this issue so many times I'm happy to identify it as YA and for this conflict resolution! By the way, I've seen this book as upper middle-grade and expect that it will interest readers from 12 and up. 

Finally, after years of writing, rewriting, planning, and proofreading, I'm thrilled to announce, that Half-Truths will be published in June 2025. 

If you're my Facebook friend, you may have wondered why the picture of Blue Willow china has been my profile picture for all these years. If you want to be one of the first to find out its role in Half-Truths, leave me a comment (including your email address if you think I might not have it) and I'll send you a digital ARC (Advanced Reader's Copy) about six months before the book releases. The only qualification is that you post a review on Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, or Independent Book Review.  (Amazon won't allow you to post a review until the book's release.)

Thank you for joining me in this publication journey. 

IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY TO START: An Interview with author, 5th grader, Brooke White and her "agent" mom, Colleen

I honestly can't remember where I read about Brooke White, but when I did, I knew she was someone I wanted to showcase on my blog.

Brooke is a fifth grader at Charlotte Preparatory School in my hometown of Charlotte, NC. You can read her first interview here when she was featured on her school's blog. Besides having self-published two books, Brooke is an avid reader, an animal lover, a competitive swimmer, and a Girl Scout. Her books include  Cupcake the Lying Unicorn (2019) and Cookie Cat and The Tagalongs (2023).

Brooke at her recent book signing at
Park Road Books, Charlotte

INTERVIEW WITH BROOKE

Without further ado, let's get to know this young author.

CAROL: I assume you’ve always wanted to be a writer, is that correct?

BROOKE: Not fully, but I did start my passion at the age of 5. In kindergarten, an author came to share her book with the class, and she discussed the story behind writing the book. That was my first spark of interest!

CAROL: What led you to write your first book, Cupcake the Lying Unicorn?

BROOKE: In first grade, a classmate told the teacher something I did that was irresponsible.  Even though what the classmate said was true, I lied to the teacher and said that I didn’t do it. I was too afraid of the consequences if I had told the truth.

CAROL: That's interesting that you used something from your own life in your very first book. Authors are often told to write what they know, and you did!

CAROL: How was writing and publishing Cupcake different than writing Cookie Cat four years later?

BROOKE: Since Cookie Cat was my second book, it was easier in the aspect of planning, but actually putting the book together was harder. The planning was harder with Cupcake, but the execution was easier. 

CAROL: What did you learn in your first publishing adventure that helped you with your second book? 

BROOKE: I learned that it takes patience because the process of publishing took a long while. It helped me to have realistic expectations.

CAROL: What age is your typical reader?                             

BROOKE: My target readers are 5 to 10-year-olds.

CAROL: How many drafts did you go through? 

BROOKE: I did a lot of drafts with the illustrations, but I didn’t really change the script too much. We did a few edits, but the illustrations were the hardest part for me.

CAROL: Who is your editor? 

BROOKE: Mr. Caleb edited the entire book.

CAROL:  Have you considered a traditional publisher, or were you set on self-publishing?                                             

BROOKE: I let my mom focus on that part. I just focus on the writing, illustrations, and editing.

CAROL: Please tell us more about your decision to have a blank cover.    

BROOKE: I’ve always loved the phrase, don’t judge a book by its cover. I don’t enjoy it when people get judged based on how they look on the outside. I truly believe it matters more on their character traits. I think that is an important message to be understood by everyone.

CAROL: Are you planning on marketing the book outside of Charlotte, if so, how?   

BROOKE: I’ve already started by using Amazon. I believe Amazon is a good place to start because it gives me time to plan what to do later on.  My goal is to get my book into schools, international bookstores, and libraries.

CAROL: Have you been pleased with the sales of your book? 

BROOKE: It does feel like an accomplishment when I get a sale. I’ve sold 120 copies so far. Thank you to my readers! 

CAROL: What are your favorite books?  

BROOKE: Books by Sharon M. Draper are always some of my favorites. A book series I enjoy is the Emmie & Friends series by Terri Lebenson. 

CAROL: Are you planning your next book? 

BROOKE: I have started some drafts, but I am still thinking of other ideas. My main focus right now is school, studies, and time with my family and friends. Sometimes, those things inspire me to write.

CAROL: What is your advice to other young writers? 

BROOKE:  Have the courage to put yourself out there because you deserve for your voice to be heard.

CAROL: Have you read any books on writing that have been helpful to you? 

BROOKE: In writing class, we have read and discussed books about grammar.  While reading sometimes I focus on the way other authors portray their story.

INTERVIEW WITH COLLEEN (Brooke's Mom)

CAROL: What role have you taken in Brooke’s writing career? 

COLLEEN: Generally, my goal is to support Brooke, in whatever area she needs. I haven’t defined what that looks like in her writing career just yet, but wherever there is a gap or there are dots to be connected, that’s where I fit in. I help her bridge them. That’s my goal as a mother. And yes! I created her website. 

CAROL: How have you supported Brooke’s efforts? 

COLLEEN: 

At age 6, Brooke said she wanted to become a published author. I somewhat disregarded her at first, assuming that she meant, in the future, but then she started to put stories together with passion and consistency. It was easy to realize she had a natural knack for writing. When she was happy, she carved out time and wrote complete stories. Stories that were well articulated, had a compelling narrative, and were ready to be edited. In times of sadness, she jotted down story ideas. Writing became the thing she did when she was happy and her comfort token in times of sadness. It became very difficult to ignore. It was easier to encourage and support her than it was to disregard her. I decided to accept that writing was something Brooke was serious about. I started to really pay attention to her habits, listened, and trusted her words. And then helped her connect those dots.

CAROL: What advice would you give other parents of young writers? 

COLLEEN: Hold tight.  First, you will need to buy a lot of sketchbooks, and writing materials. If they like to illustrate, add some Posca markers to the mix. Secondly, remember that your primary responsibility is to listen and examine the needs of your writer. Don’t focus on parents who think you are pushing your kid too hard. That’s their way of saying it’s hard to believe. But the truth is, it’s hard to believe for me too. Some things, however, whether hard to believe or not, are undeniable. Brooke’s ability and passion for writing are just that--undeniable.

CAROL: Any cautions for parents to heed? 

COLLEEN: Remember it’s their passion, let them do the hard part; the writing is theirs. As long as they continue to do the hard part, then you know they’re serious. If they're committed to working, then we need to get serious about meeting them where they are, supporting them, and advocating for them. Bridge the gaps for them, including building a website if you need to!

CAROL: Did you encourage Brooke to consult other writers? 

COLLEEN: No, I did not. I didn’t know that I should--it didn't come to mind.  By the time I realized just how serious she was, she had finished her first book! When my daughter handed me a completed manuscript at 6 years old, I had no real idea what to do with it. I sat on it for months! She kept asking “Mom, is my book published yet?" Then I realized she was not letting this go. I started to witness her passion begin to fade. It was heartbreaking! Her writing slowed down drastically, and there was an underlying feeling of disappointment that she carried around with her.  To avoid the repeated questions and to uplift her spirit, I found an editor and began the publishing process. I decided to support and encourage instead of silencing and dismissing her.

CAROL: There are a lot of books out there for young writers, have you consulted any? 

COLLEEN: No. Now that Brooke has completed book two, I may just have to do that. I plan on making sure she’s plugged into some good resources.  We will start with the resources you have already provided. 

GIVEAWAY

Brooke is giving away an autographed copy of Cookie Cat and the Tagalongs. In the comments, please leave a personal message to Brooke or a question you'd like to ask her. Since Brooke is a fifth-grader, any parent or teacher of a fifth-grader, or a fifth-grader herself or himself, gets two chances! The giveaway ends October 4th. U.S. addresses only. If you prefer, you can email your comment or question to me. If you are new to my blog, please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win.

Congratulations to Barb Seregi who won Scary-O-Typed from last week's blog.

Don't forget to check out Greg Pattridge's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday blog!

Author Interview with Anna Jean Mayhew- Part II

As promised on last week's blog, A.J.Mayhew, author of Tomorrow's Bread answers more questions on the art of writing fiction, being a White author writing from a Black POV, and dealing with doubt.

Secondary Characters

CAROL How did you pick Eben and Persy as your secondary characters?

A.J. It may sound weird, but I feel like they picked me. I knew right off that Loraylee would be my primary narrator. Initially I wrote her narration in third person past tense, but that wasn't "active" enough…when I changed it to first person present tense, she leapt off the page. I began to think about other people who lived in Brooklyn; I wanted a community leader for my second narrator, and Eben worked well for that. He was perhaps the easiest to write, although I was surprised by his doubts; I had assumed that as a minister he would have a deep and abiding faith, but throughout the novel he voices great uncertainties.

Persy was the most difficult of the three narrators, maybe because she was the most like me. The address I chose for her home with her husband Blair is less than a mile from where I grew up; she was a young wife only a few years before I had the same role, same neighborhood, same schools, etc. I had to find a way to let her be her unique self, so I wrote a lot of back story that never made it into the book, pages and pages about her parents, her brother, about her husband's parents (his realtor father, his meddlesome housewife mother); I found that by creating a life story for her that was vastly different from mine, I became free to write her narration.

One reason I chose to have Persy and her husband Blair live on Sugar Creek is that I wanted something to connect them with Brooklyn besides politics. Thus the creek became sort of a character in the novel, roaming as it does from north Charlotte through south Charlotte and on to the Catawba river. It's mentioned in the opening line of the novel and in the last line. I didn't plan that, but when it happened I realized how important Sugar Creek, aka Little Sugar, meant to the story and to me (I grew up only a couple of blocks from the creek, and it was always there in my life).

1942 image of houses near Little Sugar Creek.
Photo courtesy of Beaumert Whitton Papers,
UNC Charlotte Atkins Library

History + Fiction = A Great Story!

CAROL You mentioned in your acknowledgments that Cliff Staton "relieved you of the burden of sticking to the facts.” As a hopeful historical novelist, I’m curious about this. Obviously, there is a ton of truth in this book. How did you decide what to fictionalize? I’m curious about the church and the cemetery. Were they real? Any “real” people? 

A.J. I found a story about a “lost” graveyard behind Myers Park Country Club in a wealthy area of Charlotte; human remains were discovered when foundations were dug for a new development in the mid-1980s, where an AME Zion church once stood. That led me to read about old graveyards—particularly those where slaves were buried—and to look into what would happen if a cemetery got in the way of urban renewal. I imagined a graveyard behind St. Timothy’s, and for the purposes of the drama such a burial ground would create, I chose to fictionalize, to disregard the fact that there was no cemetery in Brooklyn.

As for being relieved of the burden of sticking to the facts, my friend Cliff Staton was referring to an author statement about writing fiction, and having the right—as novelists—to "make stuff up." Cliff and I had a long conversation at the kitchen table back when I was agonizing about whether I would get all the facts right. He helped me see that my story was driven by the characters—fictional people—and that if I got the historical facts right (e.g., when the bulldozers rolled), I could have fun making up the rest. And I did!

Commemorating the Brooklyn community.
Placard hanging in Second Ward High gymnasium. 

Writing as a White Author

CAROL Have you had any negative response from the Black community for writing two of the viewpoints from a Black person’s POV? 

AJ I have had two reviews thus far from men who grew up in Brooklyn, and await a third from a woman who lived there. The first two were stunning in their approval and praise. A big weight was lifted when I got those comments!

Thus far the only criticism of being white and writing black has been in one of the Amazon reviews, wherein someone named Petunia said: "I'm just not really sure that the author does a good job of representing POC [people of color] and often wonder if someone who is white should be writing from that perspective."

I am sick and tired of the whole issue of what's being called "cultural appropriation." As a white person perceptive about such things (how could I write what I write without being aware of and respectful of race issues?), I was at first quite defensive when considering whether I had appropriated. But any such issue can be taken to extremes. If Tolstoy and Flaubert had been told they could not write from the POV of a woman, we wouldn't have Anna Karenina or Madame Bovary. If Puccini had been told he could not "appropriate" Japanese mores, we would not have Madama Butterfly. Likewise, there's Carmen, set in Southern Spain and written by Georges Bizet, French and male, about a gypsy woman falling in love.

And what about Uncle Tom's Cabin by the white author Harriet Beecher Stowe? 

The most stunning recent example is The Vain Conversation, an amazing novel with a young white protagonist—the son of a sharecropper—who witnesses the murder of four blacks from his town and whose life is forever changed. The author, Anthony Grooms, is a professor of English and black. I wonder what Petunia et al would have to say to him.

Writers must pay homage to the truth while creating fictional settings and characters, and must write with sensitivity no matter the setting or plot. I am first and foremost a Southern writer; as such, if I didn't include blacks in my stories, I would certainly be accused of the sin of omission.

To paraphrase the inimitable Toni Morrison, I don't appropriate, I imagine. 

Sugar Creek cleaned up and now enjoyed by many
in Freedom Park. 9/1/19

Taking your Time and Writerly Doubts

CAROL I love the fact that it took you 18 years to write and publish The Dry Grass of August. I’m well over 10 years into Half-Truths (I don’t really want to know how long it’s been) but given this is my first novel, I had a lot to learn. Here’s the question: How did you maintain your momentum while writing? Any doubts along the way that nagged at you? (I’m revealing my hand with that question.)

AJ I don't trust any writer (any artist of any medium) who never has doubts. I certainly did, many, and the only thing that dispelled them or took away their strength was to go right back to the computer (the manuscript, the drawing board). I have a quote pasted to the top of my monitor: "Trust the process. Let go of the results." That has served me well over the years. And as for maintaining my momentum, I've been in a writing group for 32 years; knowing that I would have to read to the group from my work in progress helped me tremendously. We meet on Thursday mornings, and I've said that my first novel should have had a subtitle: The Dry Grass of August: A Novel Written on Wednesday Evenings.

CAROL What's next?

AJ As I said in my "interview" in the back matter of TB, when asked, "Are you working on a third novel?" I answered, "Yes. No. Maybe." I've pulled out some short stories I wrote many years ago, so maybe a collection of them. Maybe a third novel…I do have an idea I'm pursuing, based on a book I wrote 25 years ago. But as I approach 80, the idea of writing another book makes me weary. Don't quote me!

Thank you, A.J., for taking the time to answer all my questions. If you live in the Charlotte area, A.J. will be one of the guests at the Women's National Book Association annual Bibliofeast on October 21. If you win her book, you can get her autograph!

By the way, ten discussion questions at the end make this book a perfect book club selection. 

Giveaway

Leave me a comment with your email address if you are new to my blog. Winner's name will be drawn on September 5. For additional chances, share this on social media and let me know what you did. 

This description of urban renewal is posted on
Second Ward High's refurbished gymnasium.
The high school was torn down in 1969.

Author Interview with Anna Jean Mayhew: Part I

As a fan of historical fiction, I love it when a book seems so real that it could have happened just like the author described it. That's how I felt when I read Tomorrow's Bread which I reviewed last week. (If you haven't already read my review, please do that first. This interview will make more sense if you do.) Some of my questions about what was real and what was fictionalized were answered in the Author's Note, but not all. As you'll see in this interview, A.J. Mayhew drew from facts and her imagination. There is no better way to write a book. 

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

CAROL Your books bring to life Charlotte’s history. Can you give us a few words about how growing up in Charlotte shaped your books? 

A. J. In 2008 I returned to my hometown of Charlotte for a high school reunion, and for some reason decided to drive through the heart of the city rather than taking my usual route on the perimeter. It was then that I saw how much open land remained where Brooklyn used to be. I couldn't help wondering why, 40 years later, the city hadn't built on the land they appropriated in 1968. That curiosity led to the writing of Tomorrow's Bread.

CAROL How did your first book, The Dry Grass of August influence Tomorrow’s Bread ? Was this your idea or did your publisher request another book? 

A. J. I got a two-book deal when my agent sold Dry Grass to Kensington Publishing, in 2009; at that time I was given a year to write the second book. But I don't write fast, never have, and I didn't finish Tomorrow's Bread until the winter of 2017. The only real influence of the first novel on the second was that I'd done a lot of research for Dry Grass about black/white history in North Carolina; that came in handy as I started the second novel.

CAROL Where did you get the titles of your novels?

A. J. Both my titles came from poems. The Dry Grass of August is a phrase from Robert Penn Warren's poem, "Star-Fall," and Tomorrow's Bread is from "Democracy" by Langston Hughes. I wish I could write poetry, but I absolutely cannot, have tried. I read it quite a bit, though, and have a deep appreciation for the art form.

CAROL You seem to gravitate towards historical fiction. Please comment on your process of research. Any sticky points? Recommendations for other historical fiction novelists?

A.J. When I began to write Dry Grass it never occurred to me that I was writing historical fiction; I had a story to tell. The fact that it was set in the 1950s and would require a lot of research was of no concern, at least not until I began to have to check facts, to determine whether my memories were accurate. The internet is both a boon and a pit of misinformation. I learned quickly not to trust what I found online unless the source was valid (and sometimes it wasn't easy or even possible to track down an original source). Journals I'd kept over the years (some of them going back to my twenties and thirties) were helpful. Encyclopedia yearbooks were a boon when I discovered them. Old magazines helped me get into the mindset of someone living in the early fifties, especially my female characters. I saw how publications like Good Housekeeping, Life, Look, Saturday Evening Post, etc., geared their advertising toward the stay-at-home mom. Magazines aimed at people of color were harder to find, but when I began to write Tomorrow's Bread, I found Ebony and Jet to be of incredible value.

There's a thing I do that might be useful to other writers: When I'm perusing magazines of the period of my story (the 50s for Dry Grass and the 60s for Bread), I find photos of my characters and create a scrap book; for Dry Grass it was a physical book; for Bread it was digital, on my computer. For example, here's a photo of Uncle Ray, sitting on the front porch of 1105 Brown Street, with the old rocking chair behind him.

And here's my doctored photo of 1105 Brown Street, with the magnolia tree dominating the front yard:

And the duplex they find:

CAROL That's what I use Pinterest for!

*********

GIVEAWAY

Next week, A.J. returns with more thoughts about writing historical fiction, writing as a white author, and what she's working on next. I'm giving away my copy of Tomorrow's Bread and the contest ends on September 5. Each time you leave a comment I'll add another entry in your name. Make sure you leave your email address if I don't have it!

Picture This: A Behind The Scenes Look at Researching Historical Fiction

Congratulations to Linda Andersen who won an autographed copy of Linda Phillips' ARC, CRAZY.

My last few blogs have been heavy on text, so I thought I would do something different for the next two weeks. Today I'm going to share some of the photographs I consult while writing Half-Truths. Next week, you'll meet a few of my experts--from "back in the day," and now. 

*******

With the help of Pinterest and The Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, these images help me create the story of Lillie Harris, my light-skinned African American protagonist who lives in Charlotte, NC in 1950. 

MRS ANNIE TURNBO MALONE A chemist and entrepreneur, Annie Turnbo Malone became a millionaire by successfully developing and marketing hair products for black women in St. Louis. She used her wealth to promote the advancement of African Americans and gave away most of her money to charity. Born on August 9, 1869, in Metropolis, Illinois. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Malone

Johnson C Smith University

1947 Homecoming 

African American Album 

http://www.cmstory.org/african/album/volume1/079.htm

Rose Morgan - Founder of Rose Meta House of Beauty, one of the largest and most visible African American beauty salons in the U.S. in the 1950s and 1960s. From Ideas to Independence: A Century of Entrepreneurial Women | NWHM. entrepreuners.nwhm.org 

Pinned from Etsy, this is my model for Lillie's little sister, Gloria.

The Tate Family, 1910

A prominent Charlotte African American Family

Several of Thaddeus' Tate daughters

passed for white. 

http://www.cmstory.org/african/album/volume1/009.htm

"The Tate family lived in this elegant home at 504 East 7th Street. Thaddeus Tate opened a barber shop in 1882 which prospered for over sixty years. He co-founded several of Charlotte's leading black businesses, including the Afro-American Mutual Insurance Company and the Mecklenburg Investment Company." http://www.cmstory.org/african/album/volume1/010.jpg 

Second Ward High School

served black students from 1923-1969.

It was torn down when busing began. 

http://www.cmhpf.org/S&Rs%20Alphabetical%20Order/SurveyS&Rjeffers.htm 

Second Ward cheerleaders, 1940
http://www.cmstory.org/african/album/volume1/educat10.htm

A view of homes along East 8th Street in Brooklyn. Area was demolished during urban renewal in the 1960's-1970's. Photo courtesy of Second Ward Alumni Association. 

http://www.cmstory.org/aaa2/places/content_brooklyn.htm

Bertha Pinckenpack in front of her house on Alexander Street

 with her great-granddaughters, 

Geraldine and Beverly, c. 1950.

 http://www.cmstory.org/african/album/volume1/013.htm

Bishop Daddy Grace

was the leader of the United House Of Prayer For All People, 

a Pentecostal denomination that met in the Brooklyn neighborhood.

http://www.cmstory.org/aaa2/places/main_menu.htm

I study pictures like these for all types of information: people Lillie might have heard about or met; hair, clothing, and shoe styles; neighborhoods she would have walked through; what her school looked like. I never know which image might provide an interesting detail that will inform my work.

How about you? What resources do you use when researching a book?

I'm On Tour!

Last week Becky Shillington tagged me on her blog tour and as you'll see at the bottom of this post, I'll tag three more writers. I hope you'll enjoy this post and check out my fellow bloggers.


What are you working on right now?
As many of my faithful blog readers know, I'm writing my first work of fiction, Half-Truths. This link will take you to a list of posts about the evolution of my book.

Although I've been working on the story for at least six years--my first blog post about researching the novel was in 2007--the story actually started out as a picture book about Wing Haven.  I fell in love with this bird sanctuary and the history surrounding it when  my youngest daughter and I visited when she was 5. (She will turn 22 soon, so you do the math!!). 

There were too many stories to fit into a 2000-word-picture book (that was before picture books had a 6-800 word count) and the book morphed into a book for boy readers. I spent months devising a book based on a real story of a young boy rescuing a robin and bringing him to Wing Haven. When my son-in-law informed me that no boy would read a story about a robin--I went back to the drawing board.  

This time, I started imagining a young woman (Kate Dinsmore) who moved from Cheraw, South Carolina into the high society of Myers Park. Her world radically changes when she meets the light-skinned granddaughter (Lillie Harris) of her grandmother's cook. After writing the book from Kate's POV, Mary Kate Castellani an editor at the 2011 SCBWI-Carolinas conference, recommended writing it from both girls POV. I completed that draft this summer and have begun the third "major" draft (there were many starts and stops that I haven't counted in that number!). I am deepening the characters and working on both girls' story arcs. 


How does Half-Truths differ from other works in its genre?
As far as I can tell, there isn't another book that is set in Charlotte on the eve of the civil rights movement. In addition, I am hoping that the alternating points-of-view will deepen both white and black readers' perspectives on race, prejudice, and privilege. 

Why do you write what you do?
Initially, I was intrigued with the challenge of finding the story in my own backyard that Carolyn Yoder posed to my friend, Joyce Hostetter. I also love seeing how the actions, thoughts, and decisions of previous generations influence a person's "now." And I think it's pretty cool to visit places that in Charlotte and think, "My story happened here."

How does your writing process work?
Research (reading books about the era, civil rights, Charlotte history, dialect, fashion) and interviewing experts--folks who lived during this time period--are intermingled with my writing. I actually do less research now, but still find libraries I need to visit and people I want to talk to. I like to write for a few hours in the morning, but my days don't always unfold like that.  

Any departing words of wisdom for other authors?
Don't give up, seek and receive input from writers who you trust, and believe in your story. But most of all, 

      PERSEVERE!

A path in Wing Haven that Kate and Lillie probably walked on
as they persevered in their goal of friendship.

Here are three more bloggers who I hope you will visit as they go on tour next:

Janice Green whose blog combines family entertainment with Bible lessons. 

Becky Levine who has a blog full of writing tips. 

Janie Sullivan who is the director of the Center for Writing Excellence, runs writing contests, and sponsors writing classes.  

Or, if You Prefer Food & Travel Writing....

Yesterday I posted information about my writing classes. Here are other writing classes in the Charlotte, NC area focusing on book publishing, food writing and travel writing. Classes start Sept. 13 and 20, Oct. 11 and are led by author/teacher Jodi Helmer. 

Pre-registration is required for all classes; email jodi@jodihelmer.com to register.

Travel Writing: Write Your Way Around the World (four sessions)

When: 7 to 9 p.m. September 13, 20, 27 and October 4

Where: The Last Word, 230 East W.T. Harris Blvd., Suite B11 (Behind Walgreens on the corner of WT Harris and Hwy 29), Charlotte, NC Cost: $125

 

Travel writing is a job most people dream about – learn how to make that dream come true. This class will help new writers learn how to develop ideas, approach editors, write articles and (of course) travel the world for free. In-class exercises, homework and thoughtful critiques will help you hone your writing skills and get one step closer to getting published.

 

Coffee & Critiques/Questions (four sessions)

When: 10 a.m. to noon September 15, October 13, November 17 and December 15

Where: Charlotte area, exact location TBA

Cost: $150 for all four sessions; $50 for a single session (pre-registration required)

 

Spend the morning building the confidence, skills and information you need to achieve publishing success. In monthly sessions, I’ll critique queries, help brainstorm the best markets for your ideas, answer questions about the publishing process or provide an old fashioned kick in the pants to help you reach your goals. These sessions are designed for those with some publishing experience/knowledge.

 

Book Publishing: Go from Idea to Author (four sessions)

When: 10 a.m. to noon September 20, 27, October 4, 11

Where: The Warehouse Performing Arts Center, 9216-A Westmoreland Rd., Cornelius, NC

Cost: $125

 

You’ve dreamed of writing a book but have no idea how turn your idea into a published book available on the shelves at Barnes and Noble. During this four-week class, you’ll learn how to tailor a book idea so it’s irresistible to agents and publishers, craft a successful book proposal and determine whether to work with an agent (and how to find one). The class will also cover the basics of self-publishing and book marketing.

 

Food Writing: Eat Your Words (three sessions)

When: 7 to 9 p.m. October 11, 18 and 25

Where: The Last Word, 230 East W.T. Harris Blvd., Suite B11 (Behind Walgreens on the corner of WT Harris and Hwy 29), Charlotte, NC

Cost: $95

 

Food nurtures and sustains us; it also serves as the backdrop for some of our favorite memories. Learn how to turn your love of food into published articles and essays. Whether you want to write a memoir based on family recipes, cover trends in urban agriculture or become a successful restaurant reviewer and recipe developer, this class will provide the ingredients you need to succeed.

About the instructor:

Professional writer Jodi Helmer is the author of three books, including Moon Handbooks' guide to Charlotte, as well as hundreds of magazine articles for publications includingWomen's Health, Shape, Family Circle, and Backpacker. 

 

When she's not writing, Jodi loves to share her knowledge of the writing business with others, through classes and one-on-one coaching. Students who have taken Jodi's classes have been published in regional and national magazines and books, including Natural Health, EatingWell,  and Chicken Soup for the Soul.

Learn more at www.jodihelmer.com.