I would like to pick her brains about the writing and
publishing process of her latest book:
Hetty’s Song: The Death Of The Skylark
Why did you write
this particular book? Any incident
prompted the story?
In searching my ancestors, I found a young Mennonite girl in
Singer’s Glen, Virginia, who historians reference as the greatest singer to
come from Rockingham County, the home of an enclave of singers in the heart of
the Shenandoah Valley. I had to tell her
story.
Give us a short synopsis
or a blurb about the book.
A gifted Brethren
girl, Hetty wants only to sing. She runs
away from home and becomes the new Nightingale of Cincinnati only to battle an
ancient family skylark with its curse of mental disorder, heartbreak, and
failure. Will she succumb to muteness,
or will she sing again overcoming harsh obstacles presented by strict family
traditions, an irresponsible husband, and the outside world she does not
understand.
How would you
describe your journey into the publishing world as an author?
An exciting adventure in meeting challenges and finding
ultimate personal satisfaction.
What advice can you
give a writer who wants to get his or he work published?
Look carefully into both self and traditional publishing
venues. I’ve published in both. Learn how to present your story to agents
and/or social media.
When did you start
writing? Any specific reason why you took that step?
When I retired, my extensive business writing turned to writing
fiction about notable men and women in early America—poignant stories which
would not otherwise be told.
How do you handle
negative criticism, feedback and peer critique?
I wouldn’t consider my stories successful unless they
generated critique and reader opinions. Negative
opinions have helpful nuggets, which make stories stronger.
Let’s get a little
personal:
Favorite Book -- How
Green Was My Valley tied with True
Women
Favorite Author -- Richard Llewellyn and Janice Woods Windle
Favorite Movie -- The War Horse
Favorite type of music or song-- Ballads, bluegrass, gospel,
classical
Favorite time of the day -- Morning
Favorite downtime activity (when you are not writing)-- Counted
cross-stitch embroidery
Favorite place or vacation destination-- Any place where
nature is not compromised; i.e. mountains or Newfoundland
You can connect with
Barbara Andrews on her social media links:
goodreads.com/author/show/5328725.Barbara_A_Andrews
twitter.com/BobiAndrews
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Barbara. And thank you
for all the constructive feedback you have given me during our critique
sessions.
Lilas Taha is a novelist, winner of the 2017 International Book Awards and is the author of Shadows of Damascus and Bitter Almonds.
Lilas Taha is a novelist, winner of the 2017 International Book Awards and is the author of Shadows of Damascus and Bitter Almonds.
The support and constructive suggestions have been mutual. You are a perceptive and positive influence in my writing life. I look forward to reading Shadows of Damascas very, very soon!
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