Last week, I had the opportunity to sit down with Keith Lawrence, a reporter for the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer newspaper, to chat about my new novel. I have to admit, I was a little nervous. Thankfully, Keith is a super nice guy and put me at ease right away. The article was in today’s paper (you can read it here), and Keith did a great job with it.
During the interview, I had a chance to talk about the “story behind the story” – what inspired me to write the novel, the work that went into researching for the book, etc. It was fun to get to share that experience, since only my close friends and family members have been a part of this journey until now.
One thing you don’t really think about when writing a book is what it will feel like when that book is finally released to the public. Writing a book is a very personal endeavor. It requires a lot of hard work, a lot of discipline, and a lot of independence. In my case, anyway, I find myself almost shy about letting others in on the story until I feel like it’s been polished. I may casually mention I am working on a book, and someone will inevitably ask what it’s about. I find myself mumbling answers, explaining that it’s not really finished yet, it’s just a hobby, something I’m toying around with. It’s hard to share the rough drafts even with my family and closest friends – the scenes that I know aren’t working and need to be tweaked, the sections of dialogue that sound stilted and forced. Until it’s been revised and edited numerous times, it’s sort of my own little secret world.
Just to give you an idea, I wrote the entire novel in one 30 day period (seriously!), but then it took me another 18 months to revise it until I felt like it was ready for publication.
Letting others into the world I created is a little scary, but also really exciting! 🙂 I love hearing from people who are reading it or who have already finished. It’s so fun to hear their excitement and how they “can’t wait to read what happens next!” That’s kind of how I felt writing it; I wasn’t sure at first where the story was going to go. I certainly never thought when I first started that it would end up the way it did!
If you’re interested in a copy of Waverly, you can order online via Amazon at this link. If you prefer a signed copy, please use the “contact” link and let me know. I’d be happy to sign a copy and mail it directly to you, or you can stop by the Daviess County Public Library on April 27th from 12-2pm. I’ll be doing a book signing then and will have copies available for purchase.
Thanks, and happy reading! 🙂
Amy Bellamy, Author 