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.

Christy Allen: Guest Instructor #3 and a Giveaway!

Congratulations to Wendy Hostetter Davis who won an autographed copy of Tameka Brown's picture book, My Cold Plum Lemon Pie Bluesy Mood. Wendy is not only the daughter of one of my close writing friends, Joyce Hostetter, but she is a "closet singer-songwriter." I love having such talented people as my blog readers!

Christy was my third guest instructor at my CPCC Writing for Children class. I met Christy through the Charlotte WNBA and when I heard her experiences with self-publishing I knew she had a lot to share with my writing students.

Christy Allen is a self-published author who has worked hard at writing and publishing her first middle grade book and is now  working hard at marketing it. In this blog she responds to questions my students and I posed. 

Q: Do you have general advice for new writers?
A: When the writing starts, listen. Close the door when you write. Initially, the only voice in your head should be your own. As Stephen King wisely suggests in his book, On Writing, open the door and share your work only after your first draft is complete—and only then with your "first reader . . . someone who believes in you." Take advantage of opportunities to receive professional feedback on your work (e.g. writing contests, courses that offer agent feedback, etc.)

Q: Can you tell us a little about your self-publishing journey?

A: When I self-published, I was well aware of the stigmas of self-published work—primarily that the work product doesn't look professional. And I knew that marketing would be an even steeper uphill battle that I’d be going alone. Thus, after an initial stint with the self-publishing company Lulu (Pros: No upfront costs. Cons: High print-on-demand costs and limited distribution), I selected Amazon’s self-publishing arm, CreateSpace, to create an eye-catching, professional product—virtually indistinguishable from traditionally published books—and offer it at a competitive price across multiple channels.

For me, self-publishing has been a safe playground and a way to explore the industry.  It's given me the chance to see if I enjoy all aspects of being a writer, including the business and marketing demands—and the answer is "Yes!"

Q: Is there any thing a writer who wants to self-publish should be aware of?
A: You will get out of the process what you put into it. It takes time and money to create a quality product. Do not skimp on professional editing, cover illustration/design, or interior layout.  And, if you decide to use CreateSpace, as I did, understand that you are one of many customers—you must be your own advocate and stay on top of every process detail to prevent time delays and added costs.

Q: I see where one of your Amazon reviewers received a book "free of charge." Is this a way to entice reviewers to write a review, i.e. get some press? Every Amazon reviewer gave the book high marks.

A: Yes, like many reviewers out there, the children's book blogger whom I enlisted (Savannah Mae) offers to post an honest review on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble in exchange for a free book. Amazon has strict guidelines regarding reviews and requires that such arrangements be plainly stated. Be selective when soliciting reviews. Whenever possible, choose an established, credible reviewer in your genre. An honest, balanced review is worth much more than a fluffy "this book is great for anyone who likes to read." 

Less than half of my reviews are from family members and friends. The rest are the result of readers and parents who discovered me via Amazon, Kindle campaigns, Twitter marketing, and local school events/workshops/fairs. I also purchased a Kirkus review: as a reputable reviewer in the publishing industry, Kirkus now offers reviews to self-published authors (a tremendous benefit for those wanting industry street cred), promising an unbiased review that authors can choose to use/publish or not.

Lastly, you don't want every review to be five-star ratings. Four- star ratings and a sprinkling of three-star help your credibility. 

Q: What's an Indie Author? Mike Coker says that Indie Authors will capture 50% of the eBook market by 2020. Your thoughts? 

A: Definitions vary, but in its purest form, an Indie Author is independent, one who represents him or herself, not published by one of the "big five." With regard to Mike Coker's article, his logic and assumptions are in synch with everything I've read and heard over the past two years on the topic. Today's consumers care more about quality content than they do about the source. My personal belief is that traditional publishers will ultimately recognize that self-publishing is here to stay, and that the publishers who will endure will be those who incorporate self-publishing into their model, perhaps by offering resources, establishing standards, and promoting strong Indie work under a new imprint or as a feeder pool to existing.

Q: How are you marketing your eBooks? Recently I read where Amazon Publishing is no longer looking for new submissions. Is this a different venue than what you use?

A: I don't necessarily market my paperback and digital book any differently from one another, but Amazon's KDP program (Kindle Direct Publishing) has been valuable to me. (In return for 90-day cycles of exclusivity on Kindle and pricing my digital book at $2.99 or less, I keep 70% of my royalties.) The ability to offer free promotions or Kindle Countown Deals, as well as the existence of the Kindle Lending Library (where Amazon Prime customers can borrow my digital book for free) all increase my book's exposure. Twitter has also been a viable marketing avenue for promoting these types of campaigns.

Regarding Amazon Publishing, this is Amazon's own version of traditional publishing, which is different than self-publishing through CreateSpace, Amazon's self-publishing arm, like I did.

Q: Do you set writing goals, e.g. X pages a day, etc?

A. I target Stephen King's "1000 words" recommendation for newbie writers in his indispensable book, On Writing. I don't sweat the word count, however. My goal is to write something/anything every day, with the goal being to work on my novel(s) five days out of seven, even if somedays all that I have time for is fifteen minutes of revision or outlining.

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Check out this well-done video for more information about the inspiration for Christy's book and her fun events for children.

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I am giving away an autographed copy of Book #1 in the Samantha Green Mysteries series. Leave me a comment by May 3 (U.S. addresses only) and I'll enter your name. If you are new to my blog, please make sure I have your email address also. 

Guest Instructor: Emily Smith Pearce and a Giveaway!

For the last three weeks in my "Writing for Children" class at Central Piedmont Community College, my students were treated to visits from authors I know through SCBWI Carolinas and WNBA: Emily Smith Pearce, Tameka Brown, and Christy Allen. In the next three blog posts I'll share some of the highlights of their talks plus give you a chance to win some fabulous books.

Emily Smith Pearce is the author of two children's books, mother of two busy elementary school children, crafter, and blogger. In January, 1999 she was in the second class to graduate from the Vermont College of Fine Arts with her Master's Degree in Writing for Children and Young Adults. She is currently working on a young adult novel and a nonfiction middle grade book on fashion history. She credits hanging out at the library where her mother, a children's librarian worked, as one of the things that influenced her the most in becoming a writer. 

Here are some nuggets from Emily's presentation:

• Get a boring day job so that you have brain space left over to write after work.
• Persevere. Persevere. Persevere. "It took several years and plenty of setbacks to get my first book published."
• In response to, "How were writing your novel and your early reader different experiences?" Emily said, "Isabel and the Miracle Baby was written over a period of time with my mentor, Carolyn Coman at VCFA, and was inspired by someone I knew. Slowpoke, which is autobiographical, started out as a writing exercise. I took a picture book and studied its structure, and then I plugged it into a story. I also had one editor for Isabel and three different editors for Slowpoke because of the fast changing nature of the publishing industry.  Eden Edwards suggested it would work better as an early reader than a picture book."

  

  Boyds Mills Press, 2010

  
  
• You should use social media for networking in addition to promoting your own work. Maureen Johnson and Sarah Dessen are good examples. "You should share more about others' work than your own or people will quickly grow bored."
• The most rewarding thing are school visits when kids read your book. "One boy told me he had paid for the book out of his own money." 
• Discouragement happens. One first grader asked, "Do you ever worry if you'll never write another book?"
• She still reads. A lot. While cooking supper or drying her hair. Her daughter once said to her, "Mommy, please don't read while you're driving!" Emily never said if she put the book down…

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Here's your opportunity to win an autographed copy of Isabel and the Miracle Baby. 

Front Street Books, 2007

“The tantrum-prone protagonist of this multi-layered debut novel seems a smidge spoiled at first glance, but underneath eight-year-old Isabel’s fits-and-starts temper lies a very ordinary need for attention. [T]he novel . . . becomes more noteworthy for Pearce’s graceful weaving of a larger and more difficult subject into the narrative: Isabel’s mother has had cancer . . . Pearce stays true to Isabel’s young perspective even as she conveys the character’s complicated discoveries about growing up.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

• Leave me a comment by the evening of  April 19. 
• If I don't have your email address, make sure you leave that too.
• Open only to residents of the continental United States.
• Become a follower of this blog or share this on social media and I'll enter your name twice!