Ask the Author: Beem Weeks
Answered Questions (18)
Beem Weeks
Never let a little thing like death keep us apart. We'll always be twins, you and I.
Beem Weeks
Hi, Aysha. Now you can seek to follow other writers and readers. You can post short stories here, as well as blog articles. Books you've read can be reviewed under the My Books page. There are also various book-related discussion groups you can join if you choose. This is a great community of writers and readers just waiting for you to engage. If you need assistance, feel free to email me.
Beem Weeks
Those who say point-of-view isn't important have zero understanding of the concept. (Minimize what you don't know.) POV is a vital component to telling a great story. POV shifts are so often confusing, causing the reader to re-read portions to try and grasp which character is telling the story at any given point. I've lost interest in many books because of this lack of understanding.
Beem Weeks
My next novel will be another historical fiction entitled The Secret Collector. It's set in 1910 Alabama. It revolves around a teenage girl who gets lured into the fight for women's right to vote. The title comes from the fact that she collects and keeps secrets--including a very dark one involving a murder her grandfather may or may not have committed. I am also in the outlining stages for another novel set in the present, with flashbacks to the 1970s. No title for that one just yet. Release dates? Nothing immediate.
Beem Weeks
I think there is quite a bit of their roots in the outline, though the story itself has no connection to my grandparents. However, the whole notion of what the south was like in those days, be it race relations, poverty, or simple everyday life, is directly connected to my grandparents' roots. Many of their stories influenced the background scenery. My grandmother spoke of girls she knew being married off at 12 or 13 years of age. Many of those marriages had little to do with love; they had more to do with a father being freed of that extra mouth to feed. My grandmother herself was married at 15. That directly played into Jazz Baby, with Aunt Frannie deciding to marry-off Emily Ann to Jobie--though that had nothing to do with an extra mouth to feed. Frannie saw it as an opportunity to force Emily to grow up and take responsibility for herself. Great question, Queenie! Thanks for asking,
Beem Weeks
I have received some good feedback so far. It's still early, so there hasn't been any reviews yet. Those will come.
Beem Weeks
Ah, good question. I do most of my writing at my desk, in the front living room, which has become my office over the years. However, I wrote the manuscript for Jazz Baby by hand (pen and paper), mostly while sitting up on my bed. That's rough on the back and neck, though.
Beem Weeks
That's a strong possibility. I'm considering some ideas. But I have another novel to finish first. Thanks for your question, Shirley.
Beem Weeks
Hi, Shirley. I did. My grandparents were young during that era. My grandmother was born and raised in Mississippi. My grandfather was born in Arkansas. They both had their stories from the era. Grandpa was older than Grandma. He ran bootleg whiskey made from his own whiskey still. He just had so many great stories from the 1920s and 1930s, before he moved the family north to Michigan. I loved sitting with them, listening to how things used to be. Thank you for your question.
Beem Weeks
I have put together a collection of short stories called Slivers of Life. It is with the publisher at this moment. I've combed through the book block and returned it to the publisher. We are working hard to have it available sometime this summer. Thanks for asking, Queenie!
Beem Weeks
Hi, Queenie! I don't usually snack while writing. But sometimes I do grab a handful of M & M's plain or Hershey's Kisses to munch on while pondering where a scene might go! Chocolate is my big vice these days!
Beem Weeks
Hi, Christine. Thank you for your kind words. My research for Jazz Baby came from many different sources. Most importantly, I used a 1980s American History high school text book. This provided a solid foundation on which I set the scenes. I also watched several documentaries on the 1920s, which included the Ken Burns series on Prohibition that aired on PBS some years ago. My grandparents often told stories of their lives in the 1920s and 1930s. My grandfather, also a writer, had written a memoir of his teenage years spent working aboard a riverboat on the Mississippi River. That really gave me a feel for the era. And of course there's Google. Anything is possible with Google. Thank you so much for your question.
Beem Weeks
The idea for Jazz Baby came through my love of history--especially 1920s America. I watched many documentaries on the era. I also have a head full of stories my grandparents shared with me from those long-ago days. Influences are all around us.
Beem Weeks
Inspiration can be found all around us. All we have to be is observant. I recently found a 1965 telephone book at a garage sale. I paid a quarter for the book. It inspired me to write a blog article about my find. https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog... I have also been considering a short story based on an old phone book. And I've been approached about contributing to a magazine an article concerning change. The phone book illustrates the idea of change with such stark truthfulness. Just open your eyes and look around you. Even some mundane little nothing item can inspire a story, essay, or blog piece--or all three!
Beem Weeks
I am currently putting the finishing touches on a short story collection, called Slivers of Life. I'm also writing my second novel.
Beem Weeks
Creating that which would not exist without me!
Beem Weeks
If you have ideas for short stories, essays, or even a novel: JUST WRITE! Let others read what you're working on as you're writing it. Take care to listen to feedback these readers offer. Don't be scared of making changes based on suggestions, either--especially if you're new to the writing game. And always pay the extra money for a qualified editor. Be sure to put your best work forward. Your name depends on it.
Beem Weeks
I don't really suffer from writer's block. I always have some idea for writing. I do suffer bouts of inactivity based on low motivation!
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