Ask the Author: Sarah McCoy
Answered Questions (19)
Sarah McCoy
Dear Alice,
I'm so sorry for the delay in response! I just now saw your posted question. Thank you so much for your loving words regarding THE BAKER'S DAUGHTER. Currently, I'm not sure which Italian publisher will be releasing MARILLA OF GREEN GABLES. But I promise you, as soon as I hear word, I'll share on my Facebook Fan page (https://www.facebook.com/SarahMMcCoy/) and on my website (http://sarahmccoy.com).
Molto grazie, amica!
Kindredly,
Sarah
I'm so sorry for the delay in response! I just now saw your posted question. Thank you so much for your loving words regarding THE BAKER'S DAUGHTER. Currently, I'm not sure which Italian publisher will be releasing MARILLA OF GREEN GABLES. But I promise you, as soon as I hear word, I'll share on my Facebook Fan page (https://www.facebook.com/SarahMMcCoy/) and on my website (http://sarahmccoy.com).
Molto grazie, amica!
Kindredly,
Sarah
Sarah McCoy
Hi Susan,
Oh, this is a doozy of a question as I tend not to be wooed so much by one historical period over another, but rather by the untold story--whatever era it may be in! I suppose that answers the second part of your question. I'm led into various historical periods by the story spark.
In my first novel, THE TIME IT SNOWED IN PUERTO RICO, that was 1960s Puerto Rico debating statehood or independence.
In my second novel, THE BAKER'S DAUGHTER, that was WWII Germany from the perspective of a young German woman in tandem with contemporary El Paso's border patrol issues.
For my latest release, THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN, it was Sarah Brown and the Underground Railroad in 1859 juxtaposed with the same location in present-day West Virginia.
For my next book, I'm going to an entirely different location and century! I consider myself merely the story archeologist, digging up the bones and remnants, trying to piece together the past. If I find a fascinating fragment, I'd never toss it back simply because it wasn't from a particular historical period. I keep excavating and discovering. Always. That's my job-- to entertain and educate readers! Happy end-of-summer reading days to you, Susan.
Yours truly,
Sarah
www.sarahmccoy.com
Oh, this is a doozy of a question as I tend not to be wooed so much by one historical period over another, but rather by the untold story--whatever era it may be in! I suppose that answers the second part of your question. I'm led into various historical periods by the story spark.
In my first novel, THE TIME IT SNOWED IN PUERTO RICO, that was 1960s Puerto Rico debating statehood or independence.
In my second novel, THE BAKER'S DAUGHTER, that was WWII Germany from the perspective of a young German woman in tandem with contemporary El Paso's border patrol issues.
For my latest release, THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN, it was Sarah Brown and the Underground Railroad in 1859 juxtaposed with the same location in present-day West Virginia.
For my next book, I'm going to an entirely different location and century! I consider myself merely the story archeologist, digging up the bones and remnants, trying to piece together the past. If I find a fascinating fragment, I'd never toss it back simply because it wasn't from a particular historical period. I keep excavating and discovering. Always. That's my job-- to entertain and educate readers! Happy end-of-summer reading days to you, Susan.
Yours truly,
Sarah
www.sarahmccoy.com
Sarah McCoy
Dear Natasha,
Thanks for coming on Goodreads to ask this question! All of my books have have had harrowing aspects. In THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN it was incredibly difficult to write the scenes re: the origin of the doll's head... the failed slave escape, etc. (I don't want to give out any spoilers to other readers here!) I found myself deeply disturbed by those chapters, particularly because they were loosely based on the real-life account of Dangerfield Newby. Here's his true story. It still brings me to tears: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dangerf...
That said, I believe the hardest character I've ever had to write was the Nazi officer Josef from THE BAKER'S DAUGHTER. I read a good portion of Hitler's MEIN KAMPF to get into the psychology of a Nazi solider, the rhetoric being taught, the philosophies of the Third Reich, the brainwashing! I wanted to try to understand how an educated, privileged man could convince himself to do such atrocious acts. It was very hard to write. Many days when the burden of knowledge took me to a very dark place. So I'd say that was the most difficult portion of a book I've ever written.
A very intriguing question. No one has asked me that before. Thanks for being in touch, dear.
Yours truly,
Sarah
www.sarahmccoy.com
Thanks for coming on Goodreads to ask this question! All of my books have have had harrowing aspects. In THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN it was incredibly difficult to write the scenes re: the origin of the doll's head... the failed slave escape, etc. (I don't want to give out any spoilers to other readers here!) I found myself deeply disturbed by those chapters, particularly because they were loosely based on the real-life account of Dangerfield Newby. Here's his true story. It still brings me to tears: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dangerf...
That said, I believe the hardest character I've ever had to write was the Nazi officer Josef from THE BAKER'S DAUGHTER. I read a good portion of Hitler's MEIN KAMPF to get into the psychology of a Nazi solider, the rhetoric being taught, the philosophies of the Third Reich, the brainwashing! I wanted to try to understand how an educated, privileged man could convince himself to do such atrocious acts. It was very hard to write. Many days when the burden of knowledge took me to a very dark place. So I'd say that was the most difficult portion of a book I've ever written.
A very intriguing question. No one has asked me that before. Thanks for being in touch, dear.
Yours truly,
Sarah
www.sarahmccoy.com
Sarah McCoy
Great question, Jason! Being human, we all struggle with conflict, frustration, fear, anxiety and anger. I am a big proponent of recognizing the emotion (not hiding it or sweeping it under the carpet) but not allowing the feeling to govern my actions. I give it validation and try to ascertain the source/cause of that negative emotion rather than allowing it to swallow me whole. Mind over drama. True heart over flimsy sentiment. While anger can feel like a solid rock inside of us, it only has the power to hurt us and those around if we cultivate it and set it as king of our thoughts/actions. That's my personal take on dealing with anger conflicts.
Writing is an pivotal part of my personal validation and healing process. If I take that anger nugget out of myself and place it in a character then I'm able to view it from an objective, 3rd-person POV. I can see the macro picture... how actions taken in the name of that negative emotion affect not just the character but so many innocent around them. As a writer, it helps me to understand the feeling for my characters and myself.
Hope this answers your question to some degree. I love delving into the psychological factors at play in my books--why people do what they do; what's the thought process behind the action; how does one action impact generations that follow for good and bad, etc. This definitely shows up in all my novels.
Yours truly,
Sarah
www.sarahmccoy.com
Writing is an pivotal part of my personal validation and healing process. If I take that anger nugget out of myself and place it in a character then I'm able to view it from an objective, 3rd-person POV. I can see the macro picture... how actions taken in the name of that negative emotion affect not just the character but so many innocent around them. As a writer, it helps me to understand the feeling for my characters and myself.
Hope this answers your question to some degree. I love delving into the psychological factors at play in my books--why people do what they do; what's the thought process behind the action; how does one action impact generations that follow for good and bad, etc. This definitely shows up in all my novels.
Yours truly,
Sarah
www.sarahmccoy.com
Sarah McCoy
Dear Dominique,
Congrats on being a new author--welcome to our tribe of bondsmen to the written word!
To answer your question. I adhere to the advice given to me by author friend Chris Bohjalian. I do three weeks of back-to-back cities during the initial release of one of my books. So... I fly to various locations to do a signing event every day (sometimes two a day) for about 21 days. Then I take a break and re-connect with readers on social media. I've found it's very difficult to be present online AND do in-person events. This is the best personal balance I've found. I do local (within driving distance) events for a couple months after that and then fly to the various book festivals across the country in the fall. How many signings does that up to in a year? Shoot... I never stopped to count! If any organization/bookstore/library extends the gracious invitation to host me for an event and my schedule permits, I alway say Yes.
Hope this helps and again, many congrats on your writing!
Sarah
Congrats on being a new author--welcome to our tribe of bondsmen to the written word!
To answer your question. I adhere to the advice given to me by author friend Chris Bohjalian. I do three weeks of back-to-back cities during the initial release of one of my books. So... I fly to various locations to do a signing event every day (sometimes two a day) for about 21 days. Then I take a break and re-connect with readers on social media. I've found it's very difficult to be present online AND do in-person events. This is the best personal balance I've found. I do local (within driving distance) events for a couple months after that and then fly to the various book festivals across the country in the fall. How many signings does that up to in a year? Shoot... I never stopped to count! If any organization/bookstore/library extends the gracious invitation to host me for an event and my schedule permits, I alway say Yes.
Hope this helps and again, many congrats on your writing!
Sarah
Sarah McCoy
Hi Paul,
Thanks for submitting this great question. I became so deeply captivated by the signs, symbols, and codes that I had to reel myself in from footnoting the entire novel! Not only am I a history nerd, but I also grew up in a sci-fi household. All thanks to my dad as my momma was having none of that Trekkie-techie business. I loved the 'alien' languages of space fiction, the high-tech gizmos of 007 stories, the secret codes of Sherlock Holmes. So when I discovered the Underground Railroad communications, I was quickly captivated. They were a significant part of THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN's writing.
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center was a tremendous help to my research. They provided much of the code information-- symbols to colors, orientation of lines to placement on quilts. Everything had a particular meaning and message. Even their modes of being delivered varied from dolls and scratches on wooden door beams to quilts and songs. We must remember that these weren't used exclusively during the Civil War. Hardly! That was a fraction of their use. They began when the first slave was brought over from Africa. Messages were transported between divided families in code (music, art, African language, food).
Can you just imagine? Something as simple as pecan nuts being passed from a slave on one plantation to another to let the family members know that all was well or that a child was born, etc. Blows my mind. The quiet, powerful ways people fight oppressive forces. I believe Sarah Brown saw the truth in that and used her art in similar fashion.
For more information, pictures, meanings, and so forth, I highly encourage everyone to visit the Freedom Center: http://www.freedomcenter.org
Happy summer reading!
Sarah
Thanks for submitting this great question. I became so deeply captivated by the signs, symbols, and codes that I had to reel myself in from footnoting the entire novel! Not only am I a history nerd, but I also grew up in a sci-fi household. All thanks to my dad as my momma was having none of that Trekkie-techie business. I loved the 'alien' languages of space fiction, the high-tech gizmos of 007 stories, the secret codes of Sherlock Holmes. So when I discovered the Underground Railroad communications, I was quickly captivated. They were a significant part of THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN's writing.
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center was a tremendous help to my research. They provided much of the code information-- symbols to colors, orientation of lines to placement on quilts. Everything had a particular meaning and message. Even their modes of being delivered varied from dolls and scratches on wooden door beams to quilts and songs. We must remember that these weren't used exclusively during the Civil War. Hardly! That was a fraction of their use. They began when the first slave was brought over from Africa. Messages were transported between divided families in code (music, art, African language, food).
Can you just imagine? Something as simple as pecan nuts being passed from a slave on one plantation to another to let the family members know that all was well or that a child was born, etc. Blows my mind. The quiet, powerful ways people fight oppressive forces. I believe Sarah Brown saw the truth in that and used her art in similar fashion.
For more information, pictures, meanings, and so forth, I highly encourage everyone to visit the Freedom Center: http://www.freedomcenter.org
Happy summer reading!
Sarah
Sarah McCoy
Absolutely, Paul! All of THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN book tour events (past, present and future) are listed on my website's Event's tab: http://sarahmccoy.com/events/
As you will find there, I did a majority of my bookstore events March-May 2015 with this summer being my Skype period= visiting libraries, book clubs, and reading groups online. All readers are welcome to join in on that "tour." Just contact me at sarah@sarahmccoy.com to set up a time and date with my publicist. I happily Skype from wherever I am!
In the fall, I hit the road again for literary festivals across the country. A list of those will be posted in the next month. So check back to see where I'm bringing my books & boots September-December.
Hope we get the opportunity to meet up in the future, Paul. I can't believe we missed each other at the Gaithersburg Book Festival. Tragedy!! We must make amends. :)
Yours truly,
Sarah
As you will find there, I did a majority of my bookstore events March-May 2015 with this summer being my Skype period= visiting libraries, book clubs, and reading groups online. All readers are welcome to join in on that "tour." Just contact me at sarah@sarahmccoy.com to set up a time and date with my publicist. I happily Skype from wherever I am!
In the fall, I hit the road again for literary festivals across the country. A list of those will be posted in the next month. So check back to see where I'm bringing my books & boots September-December.
Hope we get the opportunity to meet up in the future, Paul. I can't believe we missed each other at the Gaithersburg Book Festival. Tragedy!! We must make amends. :)
Yours truly,
Sarah
Sarah McCoy
Ha! Oh, sweet Mary, you pay me too much kindness. I don't know the identity of the cover model for THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN. She's as enigmatic to me as to my readers, but I like to imagine she's the spirit of Sarah Brown in a contemporary Eden model. I think that fits quite nicely, don't you?
I'm thrilled you are enjoying the story! Thanks for popping into Goodreads' #AskTheAuthor series, and feel free to submit more questions if you have them.
Also, may I just say that your new GR profile photo is swoon-worthy. #TheMapmakersChildren and garden hydrangeas. In Alice Hill's Floriology book, the interpretation would be: an expression of the giver's gratefulness for the recipient's understanding. And so I bow humbly and return my gratefulness in a virtual bounty of blue hydrangeas.
Fondly,
Sarah
I'm thrilled you are enjoying the story! Thanks for popping into Goodreads' #AskTheAuthor series, and feel free to submit more questions if you have them.
Also, may I just say that your new GR profile photo is swoon-worthy. #TheMapmakersChildren and garden hydrangeas. In Alice Hill's Floriology book, the interpretation would be: an expression of the giver's gratefulness for the recipient's understanding. And so I bow humbly and return my gratefulness in a virtual bounty of blue hydrangeas.
Fondly,
Sarah
Sarah McCoy
Right-- the Sarah-Sarah connection is fluky! Technically, my momma stole Sarah Brown’s name 134 years later, so she claimed it far before me. Had John Brown’s only unmarried artist daughter been named Clementine, one of THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN’s protagonists would be named after a fruit. It just so happens my name is Sarah, too. Perhaps that’s what made her story spirit seek me out—a sister Sarah. But I can confidently say she was and is her own autonomous person. I learned from her; I admire her greatly for the legacy she left behind.
Through the writing of this novel, I’ve integrated aspects of her into my own life that I didn’t have on page 1. She and Eden together inspired me to be a braver, bolder, stronger woman, unafraid to map my own life outside of the constraints of convention. They told me, "You’re okay, Sarah McCoy. You’re okay, contemporary 'Eden' readers out there. We’re okay, sister women." That was their inheritance to me, and I pray to everyone who picks up this book.
I'm equally smitten by both of my protagonists but truthfully... the entire cast of New Charlestown won me with their spirit, spunk, and secrets--some of those I'm still riveted to explore!
I got off on a little tangent there, Paul, but I hope this answers your question. Feel free to post more of those Qs you mentioned. We have all month here!
Yours truly,
Sarah
Through the writing of this novel, I’ve integrated aspects of her into my own life that I didn’t have on page 1. She and Eden together inspired me to be a braver, bolder, stronger woman, unafraid to map my own life outside of the constraints of convention. They told me, "You’re okay, Sarah McCoy. You’re okay, contemporary 'Eden' readers out there. We’re okay, sister women." That was their inheritance to me, and I pray to everyone who picks up this book.
I'm equally smitten by both of my protagonists but truthfully... the entire cast of New Charlestown won me with their spirit, spunk, and secrets--some of those I'm still riveted to explore!
I got off on a little tangent there, Paul, but I hope this answers your question. Feel free to post more of those Qs you mentioned. We have all month here!
Yours truly,
Sarah
Sarah McCoy
As a novelist, I consider myself a perpetual student of the craft. I learn so much with each book world and cast of characters. From the research and creative process to the editing and revising, writing a novel is like a master class in narrative invention. I come away knowing so much more than I did from the start—so many nuanced techniques and lessons that I didn’t yet know or have a full grasp of utilizing when I began my writing career.
My first novel, THE TIME IT SNOWED IN PUERTO RICO, is a precious gem to me because it radiates the passion I have for my Puerto Rican heritage and the earnest yearning I had to become a published author during the writing of it. I was inspired by my Puerto Rican mommacita and the stories I heard growing up with my two titis and abuelita. Strong, admirable women who influence so much of my formative years--personally and creatively!
My second novel, THE BAKER'S DAUGHTER, was inspired by an experience I had. I'd just moved from Virginia to El Paso, Texas, and went to a local farmer’s market. There I met an 80-year-old German woman selling bread. I was completely smitten by her, and all that I imagined she might have experienced in her life. While picking out my brötchen, I asked how she came to be in El Paso. “I married an American soldier after the war,” she replied. It was a lightning moment. Elsie, my 1945 protagonist, was born. My memories of living and traveling in Germany served as my imaginative landscape and fueled my hunger to research the country and its people during those last awful months of World War.
My latest novel, THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN, began with a sentence being spoken …“A dog is not a child,” the woman, Eden Anderson, kept saying. And it was the way she said it that wouldn’t let me be. Confident, irked, and yet, deeply wounded by the very words she spoke. I couldn’t shush her no matter what I did. Months of hearing this over and over in my mind nearly drove me insane! So in an effort to cure my banshee insomnia, I wrote the sentence and its corresponding scene in the journal. I realized then that the sentence was echoing through and out the front door of an old house—the house in New Charlestown calling me to solve its Underground Railroad secret. A mystery set between Eden in present-day West Virginia and Sarah Brown 150 years ago.
The “spark” for each of my novels has come to me differently. Author friends tell me how they are consistently inspired through one particular medium: a visual image, historical character, political agenda, time frame, emotional struggle, color, food, etc. I can’t say that I have one. I guess my Muse likes to throw her bolts in various forms or maybe I'm a lint brush for random bits of story fodder floating through the universe. ;)
I'm now working on my next (fourth) novel. The inspiration came in 2010 from a freak discovery in an unusual place that I'd never been before and haven't returned since. It's almost as if story angels fatefully guided me to it. I've spent the last 5 years researching, getting to know the characters, getting to know their ties to contemporary real life-- CrockPot simmering, as I jokingly describe it to Twitter friends. I'm a slow-cooker writer. I find that makes the most toothsome book meal. I'll spend the next year or more writing and immersing myself even deeper as the narrative blooms on the page. I can't wait to share more of that--hopefully later this summer or early fall!
Yours truly,
Sarah
My first novel, THE TIME IT SNOWED IN PUERTO RICO, is a precious gem to me because it radiates the passion I have for my Puerto Rican heritage and the earnest yearning I had to become a published author during the writing of it. I was inspired by my Puerto Rican mommacita and the stories I heard growing up with my two titis and abuelita. Strong, admirable women who influence so much of my formative years--personally and creatively!
My second novel, THE BAKER'S DAUGHTER, was inspired by an experience I had. I'd just moved from Virginia to El Paso, Texas, and went to a local farmer’s market. There I met an 80-year-old German woman selling bread. I was completely smitten by her, and all that I imagined she might have experienced in her life. While picking out my brötchen, I asked how she came to be in El Paso. “I married an American soldier after the war,” she replied. It was a lightning moment. Elsie, my 1945 protagonist, was born. My memories of living and traveling in Germany served as my imaginative landscape and fueled my hunger to research the country and its people during those last awful months of World War.
My latest novel, THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN, began with a sentence being spoken …“A dog is not a child,” the woman, Eden Anderson, kept saying. And it was the way she said it that wouldn’t let me be. Confident, irked, and yet, deeply wounded by the very words she spoke. I couldn’t shush her no matter what I did. Months of hearing this over and over in my mind nearly drove me insane! So in an effort to cure my banshee insomnia, I wrote the sentence and its corresponding scene in the journal. I realized then that the sentence was echoing through and out the front door of an old house—the house in New Charlestown calling me to solve its Underground Railroad secret. A mystery set between Eden in present-day West Virginia and Sarah Brown 150 years ago.
The “spark” for each of my novels has come to me differently. Author friends tell me how they are consistently inspired through one particular medium: a visual image, historical character, political agenda, time frame, emotional struggle, color, food, etc. I can’t say that I have one. I guess my Muse likes to throw her bolts in various forms or maybe I'm a lint brush for random bits of story fodder floating through the universe. ;)
I'm now working on my next (fourth) novel. The inspiration came in 2010 from a freak discovery in an unusual place that I'd never been before and haven't returned since. It's almost as if story angels fatefully guided me to it. I've spent the last 5 years researching, getting to know the characters, getting to know their ties to contemporary real life-- CrockPot simmering, as I jokingly describe it to Twitter friends. I'm a slow-cooker writer. I find that makes the most toothsome book meal. I'll spend the next year or more writing and immersing myself even deeper as the narrative blooms on the page. I can't wait to share more of that--hopefully later this summer or early fall!
Yours truly,
Sarah
Sarah McCoy
This is a popular question, Deb--because it's a good one! Here's my earlier June #AskTheAuthor answer. https://www.goodreads.com/questions/4...
I'll add that it's also helpful to have: a developed palate for caffeinated beverages, a room with no mirrors, and a good quality cushion for your desk chair. A furry friend to keep your toes warm in the cold months is nice, too. ;)
Write on, writerly trojans!
~ Sarah
I'll add that it's also helpful to have: a developed palate for caffeinated beverages, a room with no mirrors, and a good quality cushion for your desk chair. A furry friend to keep your toes warm in the cold months is nice, too. ;)
Write on, writerly trojans!
~ Sarah
Sarah McCoy
Great question, Paul!
I read Thoreau's "A Plea for Captain John Brown" and was captivated. He not only wrote this treatise but gave it as a speech multiple times mere weeks after the raid on Harper's Ferry and the arrest of John Brown. Quite a bold act and incredibly dangerous for the times. Thoreau even went so far as to criticize the popular Christian majority, claiming that they said prayers then went to sleep aware of injustice but doing nothing. He stood and pointed a finger in the face of countrymen who were on the verge of picking up arms in Civil War. All for John Brown, whom most in the nation viewed as an abolitionist zealot. Their link had to have been beyond political advocacy. Those are the actions of a friend. Researching deeper, I found more evidence of the two in conversation. Brown being such a family man, Sarah Brown would've been familiar with her father's close friends and supporters.
I'm such a history nerd. I loved seeing these connections and brush-stroking them into my fiction. It's info that I felt was essential to fully understanding the social influences on Sarah Brown's character development even if it didn't directly pertain to THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN plot.
I'm so glad I have astute readers like you who pick up on the stories beyond the novel and take the time to know it for themselves. Thank you, Paul!
Yours truly,
Sarah
I read Thoreau's "A Plea for Captain John Brown" and was captivated. He not only wrote this treatise but gave it as a speech multiple times mere weeks after the raid on Harper's Ferry and the arrest of John Brown. Quite a bold act and incredibly dangerous for the times. Thoreau even went so far as to criticize the popular Christian majority, claiming that they said prayers then went to sleep aware of injustice but doing nothing. He stood and pointed a finger in the face of countrymen who were on the verge of picking up arms in Civil War. All for John Brown, whom most in the nation viewed as an abolitionist zealot. Their link had to have been beyond political advocacy. Those are the actions of a friend. Researching deeper, I found more evidence of the two in conversation. Brown being such a family man, Sarah Brown would've been familiar with her father's close friends and supporters.
I'm such a history nerd. I loved seeing these connections and brush-stroking them into my fiction. It's info that I felt was essential to fully understanding the social influences on Sarah Brown's character development even if it didn't directly pertain to THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN plot.
I'm so glad I have astute readers like you who pick up on the stories beyond the novel and take the time to know it for themselves. Thank you, Paul!
Yours truly,
Sarah
Sarah McCoy
The best? The work uniform: pajamas. Which can also be the worst if say... someone important shows up on your doorstep and you look like a feral cat stinking like the dumpster and temperamental to boot. This is why I make it a rule that if anyone cares to find me, they must make a date. It's for their own safety! I am a noxious author troll otherwise. ;)
No, seriously, there are SO many things I love about my business, but it's not the glamorous occupation many hope/want/believe it to be. Writing is hard, agonizing, never-turn-off work that has me typing through sleepless nights, sacrificing family gatherings, neglecting dear friends, and away from my home life--be it physically or mentally. But that's the thing, you've got to *choose* to commit to being "a writer" entirely. When it's a willingly choice, you sacrifice... because you believe even the sacrifices are "the best thing" for your art and craft.
Happy first Sunday of June!
Sarah
No, seriously, there are SO many things I love about my business, but it's not the glamorous occupation many hope/want/believe it to be. Writing is hard, agonizing, never-turn-off work that has me typing through sleepless nights, sacrificing family gatherings, neglecting dear friends, and away from my home life--be it physically or mentally. But that's the thing, you've got to *choose* to commit to being "a writer" entirely. When it's a willingly choice, you sacrifice... because you believe even the sacrifices are "the best thing" for your art and craft.
Happy first Sunday of June!
Sarah
Sarah McCoy
Since I write fiction, it's easier for me to objectively research my characters. I don't necessary start at their genesis (i.e. birth) but rather at the point that is most climactic to my narrative structure. From there, I research extensively by jotting notes, clipping historical facts, reading primary sources and secondary sources, traveling to the locations they lived, worked and died, etc. I want to know everything about their present (in my story), their past, and their future so I can accurately plot the book with a pace that is pleasing to readers.
A majority of the research doesn't go into the book. As the author, I simply need to have that knowledge as I write. I need to be cognizant of the social influences, the past traumas, the future outcome--all at one time--so I am in full control of the narrative arc. If I hit a chapter that needs more historical information, I pause to dig in the archives more. When I feel I understand what I must to puzzle the picture, I go back to the story world and continue. It's a rigorous, plotting process. I don't know if it's different for autobiographies. I've never written about myself... and Lord, I don't think I have the chutzpah to ever do so!
Good luck writing your story, Deb. I greatly admire your bravery in putting your real life on the page. A testimony to your solid heart. Write on strong!
Yours truly,
Sarah
A majority of the research doesn't go into the book. As the author, I simply need to have that knowledge as I write. I need to be cognizant of the social influences, the past traumas, the future outcome--all at one time--so I am in full control of the narrative arc. If I hit a chapter that needs more historical information, I pause to dig in the archives more. When I feel I understand what I must to puzzle the picture, I go back to the story world and continue. It's a rigorous, plotting process. I don't know if it's different for autobiographies. I've never written about myself... and Lord, I don't think I have the chutzpah to ever do so!
Good luck writing your story, Deb. I greatly admire your bravery in putting your real life on the page. A testimony to your solid heart. Write on strong!
Yours truly,
Sarah
Sarah McCoy
The inspiration for each of my novels has come to me differently. Published friends tell me how they are consistently inspired through a specific story vehicle: a historical character, political agenda, visual image, emotional struggle, color, food, etc. I can't say that I have one. My Muse likes to throw her bolts in various forms. I've never had a story come to me in the same way. THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN began with a sentence being spoken ...
"A dog is not a child," the woman, Eden Anderson said. And it was the way she said it that wouldn't let me be. Confident, angry, and yet, deeply wounded by the very words she spoke. I couldn't shush her no matter what I did. Months of hearing this over and over in my head nearly drove me to the madhouse. That's when I knew: this wasn't just a passing statement; it was a character haunting—begging—summoning.
In an effort to find relief from my insomnia, I wrote the sentence and its corresponding scene in my journal. I realized then that the voice was echoing through and out the front door of an old house—the house in New Charlestown. It was calling me to solve its Underground Railroad mystery set between Eden Anderson in present-day West Virginia and Sarah Brown 150 years ago.
I became completely absorbed in THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN's New Charlestown world. The historical research took me from Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, to Concord, Massachusetts, to Red Bluff, California. I followed Sarah's trail, piecing together her legacy map. I wrote about that investigation process in the "Author's Note" in the back of the novel.
I hope everyone checks it out and enjoys #TMC!
Yours truly,
Sarah
"A dog is not a child," the woman, Eden Anderson said. And it was the way she said it that wouldn't let me be. Confident, angry, and yet, deeply wounded by the very words she spoke. I couldn't shush her no matter what I did. Months of hearing this over and over in my head nearly drove me to the madhouse. That's when I knew: this wasn't just a passing statement; it was a character haunting—begging—summoning.
In an effort to find relief from my insomnia, I wrote the sentence and its corresponding scene in my journal. I realized then that the voice was echoing through and out the front door of an old house—the house in New Charlestown. It was calling me to solve its Underground Railroad mystery set between Eden Anderson in present-day West Virginia and Sarah Brown 150 years ago.
I became completely absorbed in THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN's New Charlestown world. The historical research took me from Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, to Concord, Massachusetts, to Red Bluff, California. I followed Sarah's trail, piecing together her legacy map. I wrote about that investigation process in the "Author's Note" in the back of the novel.
I hope everyone checks it out and enjoys #TMC!
Yours truly,
Sarah
Sarah McCoy
Dear adoring Serena,
Yes, the novel I'm writing now is another contemporary-historical dual narrative. ;) Tidbits I can share? Hmm... I'm one of those awful secretive authors. I don't whisper a word about my book babies until they are grown enough to hold their heads up autonomously. That said, I can tell you this-- it's turn of century (early 1900s) and today. The location is a far cry from anywhere I've ever gone before. To quote Doc B, "Book 1 was 1960s Puerto Rico. Book 2, WWII Germany. Book 3, Civil War Virginia. And now this?? After 17 years together, you'd think I'd know your imagination."
Don't blame me. I'm just the writer. I go where the characters point and I'm having a wildly good time adventuring to this ancient exotic setting. Stay tuned. More information releasing in the next few months...
Yours truly,
Sarah
Yes, the novel I'm writing now is another contemporary-historical dual narrative. ;) Tidbits I can share? Hmm... I'm one of those awful secretive authors. I don't whisper a word about my book babies until they are grown enough to hold their heads up autonomously. That said, I can tell you this-- it's turn of century (early 1900s) and today. The location is a far cry from anywhere I've ever gone before. To quote Doc B, "Book 1 was 1960s Puerto Rico. Book 2, WWII Germany. Book 3, Civil War Virginia. And now this?? After 17 years together, you'd think I'd know your imagination."
Don't blame me. I'm just the writer. I go where the characters point and I'm having a wildly good time adventuring to this ancient exotic setting. Stay tuned. More information releasing in the next few months...
Yours truly,
Sarah
Sarah McCoy
When I feel like I can’t write, it’s usually a sign that my characters need more gestational time-- quiet development and growth. They aren’t ready to be born on the page yet. If I force the story into the world too early, I risk damaging it irrevocably. So if I'm unable to write, I use that period as an opportunity to dig deeper into the historical research and to read copiously. I believe part of being a good writer is being a good learner. You've got to view yourself as an information sponge in the world, soaking in all the emotions, facts, psychology, culture, etc. that you can in order to properly create your story world.
I never sit and stare at the sky waiting for inspiration to strike. That isn't my kind of writing religion. I'm of the hard-work, hard-won, utilitarian writing tribe.
I ascribe to Ann Patchett's philosophy. In an interview she compared being an author to her husband’s occupation as a doctor or any other job. My husband is a doctor, too, so it struck a chord with me. He can’t wake up and decide he’s just not in the mood to go into the operating room. Whether or not I ‘feel the writing mojo’ is inconsequential. The work remains. Patchett put it perfectly, as she always does: “… if you work, you just work , and sooner or later, you’ll get through it.”
So simple, so brilliant, so true. I advocate that straightforward work ethic in my own life and highly recommend all of Ann's work. She's one of my literary she-roes.
Here's the full quote I mentioned above: http://writeplacewritetime.tumblr.com...
I never sit and stare at the sky waiting for inspiration to strike. That isn't my kind of writing religion. I'm of the hard-work, hard-won, utilitarian writing tribe.
I ascribe to Ann Patchett's philosophy. In an interview she compared being an author to her husband’s occupation as a doctor or any other job. My husband is a doctor, too, so it struck a chord with me. He can’t wake up and decide he’s just not in the mood to go into the operating room. Whether or not I ‘feel the writing mojo’ is inconsequential. The work remains. Patchett put it perfectly, as she always does: “… if you work, you just work , and sooner or later, you’ll get through it.”
So simple, so brilliant, so true. I advocate that straightforward work ethic in my own life and highly recommend all of Ann's work. She's one of my literary she-roes.
Here's the full quote I mentioned above: http://writeplacewritetime.tumblr.com...
Sarah McCoy
Like I told Brown University's The Brown Daily Herald in our recent interview:
"PERSEVERE. This writing life is hard. Ninety percent of your work is in solitary confinement where no one sees your toil, your tears, the sleepless nights, and writing sores from being enslaved to the story realm. And that’s exactly what you are as a writer—a slave to your characters, a humble minstrel to the masses, a pleading peasant to a kingdom of critics. But if you know for certain you could not be happy doing anything else, then join our gypsy tribe and persevere, young friends."
Full interview is now available on my website: http://sarahmccoy.com/qa-the-mapmaker...
"PERSEVERE. This writing life is hard. Ninety percent of your work is in solitary confinement where no one sees your toil, your tears, the sleepless nights, and writing sores from being enslaved to the story realm. And that’s exactly what you are as a writer—a slave to your characters, a humble minstrel to the masses, a pleading peasant to a kingdom of critics. But if you know for certain you could not be happy doing anything else, then join our gypsy tribe and persevere, young friends."
Full interview is now available on my website: http://sarahmccoy.com/qa-the-mapmaker...
Sarah McCoy
Aw, Deb, you are the loveliest. So happy to have you joining our Goodreads chat. You are sunshine, and I love your enthusiasm for my books!
I'm not sure when my next novel will release. I hope to have a better timeline from my publisher later this summer. I actually started researching for this next novel before THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN. So it's been slow-cooking for a mighty, delicious, long time. I promise, you'll never dream of what adventure I'm taking you on next. Stay tuned!
I'm not sure when my next novel will release. I hope to have a better timeline from my publisher later this summer. I actually started researching for this next novel before THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN. So it's been slow-cooking for a mighty, delicious, long time. I promise, you'll never dream of what adventure I'm taking you on next. Stay tuned!
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