It was a pleasure to talk with Emma Fox, author of The Arrow and the Crown. In our conversation, we discuss, among other topics, the appeal of certain genres, writerly inspiration, and Emma’s latest work. 

Bradley Sides: First of all, thank you, Emma, for taking the time to talk to us here at the AWC. Before we dive into talking about your recent books, do you mind talking about your writerly journey? Have you always been a writer? 

Emma Fox: Yes and no. I wrote constantly as a kid, using up reams of paper and dozens of three-prong folders. But after college, I worked for a decade as a private music teacher. It wasn’t until I was expecting my third child that I started fishing around for a more flexible side-career, and rediscovered my early passion for fiction-writing.

BS: You write and review YA Fantasy and Historical Fiction. What is it about these two genres that you love so much?

EF: I love the way that both these genres transport me to other times and places, whether in the real world or an imagined one. I especially enjoy the synergy that springs from combining a culture’s history and folklore. Historical fantasy is my sweet spot!

BS: So many writers are readers as well. What books have inspired you the most?

EF: J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy and C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia ignited my early love of fantasy, while Robin McKinley’s lush, layered fairytale retellings inspired me to write retellings of my own. I also enjoy historical fiction with threads of near-fantasy, like Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See, and Marcus Zuzak’s The Book Thief.

BS: The Arrow and the Crown was your debut novel. For readers who haven’t uncovered it yet, will you give a brief synopsis?

EF: Arrow has echoes of Beauty and the Beast, but with new plot twists and a medieval German setting. From the back cover: Ever since Anna can remember, she has avoided the ancient Grünwald Forest, where her parents disappeared years ago. Everyone in the kingdom of Weissburg knows that the forest is haunted. Tales abound of vengeful spirits that lurk among the trees, and of a Beast that has taken the lives of peasants, knights, and the king’s own son. But when the Beast emerges after seven silent years to wreak havoc on the kingdom, Anna braves all her fears to confront him. She soon discovers that there’s more to the Beast than she realized…and more to herself than she ever imagined.

BS: How long did it take you to write The Arrow and the Crown? And what was your path to publication like? 

EF: It was a five-year process from the initial brainstorming to final publication. It took 14 months to research and complete the rough draft, but as every dedicated writer knows, that initial manuscript is only the first step! Next I waded through many rounds of edits, sorted through various publication options (I landed on self-publishing in order to have the most creative freedom), and worked for another year with my editor, cover artist, and graphic designer in order to get the manuscript just right. It was slow going, but the end result was well worth it!

BS: I know you contributed a story to the new anthology The Lost Tales of Sir Galahad. For you, do you find story writing and novel writing to be similar in process? Or are they two totally different undertakings?

EF: I outlined my short story in much the same way that I outline my novels, with a similar arc structure--just in a simplified and much more compact form! It was refreshing to complete a project within a short time frame: the Galahad story took about two weeks to research, write, and revise, while both the novels I’ve written have taken at least two years. I also enjoyed the collaborative aspect of the Galahad project, as our team of authors and editors worked together to create a diverse, yet cohesive, collection of tales.

BS: You have some events in store in the coming days and weeks. Can you give us the dates and locations for readers who would like to learn more about you and your work?

EF: I host regular writing workshops throughout the year at North Shelby Library in Birmingham. We’re kicking off this summer’s reading program with a Generation Celebration at Heardmont Park on June 1st, using storytelling and games to connect readers of all ages. I’ll also be teaching creative writing workshops through the summer at North Shelby Library for 8-12 year olds (6/15, 2pm), teens (6/23, 4pm), and adults (7/11, 6:30pm). Registration for each of these workshops can be found under the “Events” tab at https://www.northshelbylibrary.org/. Additionally, I’ll be signing and reading at Pipo’s Unique Books in the Irondale Pickers’ Market on June 18th from 10 am - 12 pm. 

BS: Before I let you go, do you mind sharing what you are working on now? Another story? A new novel? 

EF: I recently completed a new fantasy novel that weaves together Siberian history and folklore. The folktales of this region are a fascinating blend of European, Asian, and Middle Eastern cultures, and I’d like to help make them more widely known! 

BS: Thank you again, Emma, for your time, and congratulations on all of your recent successes!

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Emma Fox grew up in and around the legend-drenched city of Savannah, Georgia, where she fell in love with history and fantasy side by side. She now lives in “The Magic City” of Birmingham, Alabama, with her husband, three kids, and an inordinate number of books that seem to mysteriously multiply overnight. Her debut fantasy novel The Arrow and the Crown has received multiple awards, including the Warren S. Katz Award for Juvenile Fiction from the AWC, and the Writer’s Award for Young Adult Fiction from the Southern Breeze chapter of the SCBWI. Most recently, she worked as a contributing author to The Lost Tales of Sir Galahad, newly-released from Rabbit Room Press.

Visit Emma at www.emmafoxauthor.com to learn more about her work, subscribe to her monthly newsletter, or read her blog reviews of other YA fantasy and historical fiction.  

As we start to gear up for our annual conference in late August, it’s time to also start thinking about selecting new members to our all-volunteer board of directors. Board elections will take place during the annual business meeting on the last day of the conference. 

We have several opportunities available because quite a few standing board members are due to cycle off after their long and invaluable service to our members. Board involvement is a great way to network and build relationships with your fellow writers inside and outside the state, and -- because we have no paid professional staff -- it’s critical to the organization fulfillment of our mission to “engage and nurture a diverse community of Alabama writers.”

The following elected board positions are coming open for the next two-year term starting after the annual business meeting in August:

• Second Vice President (Membership Chair)

• Treasurer

• Alternate Treasurer

Please don’t let the term “elected” deter you from considering service in one of the roles above. Prospective board candidates typically run unopposed, and our nominating committee will guide the process toward “win-win” solutions all around. And outgoing board members are committed to making a smooth transition for their successors.

Article III of our amended bylaws describes these positions in more detail, but you can also feel free to contact AWC Board President TJ Beitelman if you’d like more information about a specific position.

We also have the following appointed (non-elected) position available:

• Publications Chair

Again, for more information or to express interest in serving in any of the positions above, please contact TJ Beitelman no later than June 1.  

It was a pleasure to be able to talk with Ramey Channell about her Moonlight Ridge Series (and also her just-released picture book, Mice from the Planet Zimlac). In our conversation, we discuss, among other topics, magic, the South, and good writerly advice:

Bradley Sides: Thank you, Ramey, for taking the time to talk with me. Before we discuss some of your recent work, I’d like to ask about you as a writer. Do you remember when you knew you wanted to write books?

Ramey Channell:  I knew at a very early age that I wanted to be a writer. I wrote poems and stories in elementary school. I remember writing a story about a rabbit and a fairy when I was in the fourth grade, and a “wild west” story in the fifth grade. In sixth grade I wrote an epic poem about a dodo bird! My mother and my grandmother were avid readers, and listening to their conversations about the books they were reading inspired my desire to write. I had poems and stories published in our high school literary magazine, VOX, and my first national publication was a poem in National Scholastic Magazine, when I was twenty years old. I’ve been working at it ever since.

BS: Reading is such a big part of many writers’ lives. Are you a big reader? If so, what are some of the books you love the most?

RC: I have so many favorite books, it’s hard to name them all. I like biographies because I’m intrigued by the lives of people who have impacted and helped shape our world. For fiction, The Bartender’s Tale by Ivan Doig because it’s lots of fun, and Dances With Wolves by Michael Blake for the beautiful characters and overwhelming emotion of the story. I loved reading The English Patient, because the language is poetic and like looking at a beautiful, intricate tapestry. I was so impressed and awed by Michael Ondaatje’s writing. I think Dracula by Bram Stoker is one of the best books ever written. People of the Whale by Linda Hogan is incomparable, absolutely perfect. I was impressed by Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad because it’s a story of a flawed individual who willingly sacrifices himself for others; Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole is one of my favorites because it’s absolutely crazy, and The Trees, The Fields, and The Town (The Awakening Land) by Conrad Richter because it’s the story of a strong, intelligent, competent woman. And a recent favorite is Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, a science fiction novel with a lovable alien named Rocky.

BS: Let’s talk about your Moonlight Ridge Series. Currently, the first three books are out (Sweet Music on Moonlight Ridge (2010), The Witches of Moonlight Ridge (2016), and The Treasure of Moonlight Ridge (2021)), and the fourth—and final—one is on the way. For readers who aren’t familiar with your series, do you mind sharing what it’s about? 

RC:  The Moonlight Ridge books are southern fiction, a mixture of fact and fiction based loosely on my childhood and stories I heard from my parents and grandparents. The stories are set in the 1950s Alabama backwoods and a small Alabama town called Eden, which for hometown people is actually recognizable as my hometown of Leeds, Alabama.  There’s a lot of adventure as the two protagonists, Lily Claire and her “twin” cousin Willie T., explore the woods, finding mystery, magic, and occasional danger. The first book, Sweet Music on Moonlight Ridge, introduces Lily Claire and Willie T., their parents, grandparents, and their multi-ethnic family and community. After discovering that the infant son of their neighbor has a map on his tongue, the two intrepid eight-year-olds embark on an adventurous search to see what they can find by following the map they have seen on Baby Junior’s tongue.  But when Baby Junior disappears, the two kids use the map they copied from the infant’s tongue to locate him, averting a tragedy in the small town of Eden. The Witches of Moonlight Ridge follows the two young sleuths, accompanied by their eccentric fourth grade teacher, Erskine Batson, as Halloween approaches and things get really spooky on the mountain. Then in book three, The Treasure of Moonlight Ridge, when winter weather on the mountain goes from unusually cold to undeniably arctic, a half-frozen stranger appears at the door, and a mysterious message from long ago brings intrigue, danger, kidnappers, mishaps, and a search for ancient treasure.

BS: One of my favorite genres of literature is magical realism. With your Moonlight Ridge Series, you embrace the magical side of the world. What inspired you to include magic in these books?

RC: Well, as my character, Lily Claire, says, “We have always lived with ghosts on Moonlight Ridge.” Living so close to nature, surrounded by seemingly endless woods, isolated woodlands, country folks who are constantly experiencing strange and unexplainable events, magical realism is a part of everyday life. There is magic all around us, all the time. In these environs, you don’t have to imagine or invent the magic, it happens all around you and there is just no way to ignore it. What we now call the supernatural or the paranormal, was so constant in my family as I was growing up, my stories naturally reflect magic, beauty, and mystery as I have always known it.

BS: Your series is firmly rooted in the South. Do you find it easier to write about a place you know so well? Or is it more challenging because of the closeness?

RC: I actually find it very easy and enjoyable to write about the places and the people I know best. There is such a rich inheritance of folklore and wisdom all around us in Alabama, especially in the often forgotten forests and old home places, under the trees and in the shadows of the mountains. Those are the places that have their own stories, and there’s nothing I like more than sharing the unexpected tales with readers. 

BS: With you finishing the final book of the series now, how do you feel to be closing your time with these characters and their world?

RC: These characters are real and beloved to me, both the ones based on people I’ve known and the ones that are altogether fictitious.  I’m just endlessly delighted by the eccentric, surprising characters of Moonlight Ridge. They’re so real to me, I’m pretty sure they’ll live on as an influence in my life, even after I’ve finished writing the series. Lily Claire and Willie T. are immortal!

BS: I know the Moonlight Ridge Series isn’t your only recent project. In 2021, you released the picture book Mice from the Planet Zimlac, which you wrote AND illustrated. Did you write the story first and later illustrate it? Did you do the two simultaneously? What was the process like as you put this book together?

RC: I wrote the story, Mice from the Planet Zimlac, several years ago, and started work on the illustrations soon after writing the story. So I had my characters defined, I knew what they looked like. Some time elapsed before I got back to work on completing the illustrations, and as luck would have it, that turned out to be fortunate. After a while, I was able to see the little Zimlacians more clearly in my imagination, and so I was better able to capture their quirky expressions and body language. It was actually a rather lengthy process. Definitely a labor of love, bringing those little space-mice to life on paper.

BS: Before I let you go, what is the best advice you’ve gotten as a writer that you would like to share with emerging writers?

RC: Try to write something as good as the books, stories, poetry, that made you want to write to begin with. This is advice from Brad Watson, who encouraged me in the beginning of Sweet Music on Moonlight Ridge. At that point, I didn’t know that I’d be writing a series with a Moonlight Ridge book for each season of the year. But I was determined not to sell my characters short. I’ve also heard “Write what you’re afraid to write.” There have been a few themes and subjects that I just thought I couldn’t write about, no one would believe it. But those passages turned out to be some of the most defining and important parts of the Moonlight Ridge narrative. And, most importantly, reread, reread, and reread. Make sure that every sentence you’ve written actually says what you intended to say. Remember the reader can’t see what you’re thinking, they can only see what you put down on paper.

BS: Congratulations, Ramey, on all of your recent success, and thank you again for taking the time to answer a few questions for us over at the AWC.

RC: Bradley, thank you so much for this opportunity to share my love of writing with readers and AWC members.

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Ramey Channell turns family legends into fantastic fiction. A native Alabamian, Ramey Channell spent her childhood in the deep and enchanted woods surrounding her rural home in Leeds, Alabama, a small town near Birmingham. Her award winning poetry and stories have appeared in many journals and collections including Ordinary & Sacred as Blood: Alabama Women Speak, Belles’ Letters 2,  and Stormy Pieces: a Mobile Writers Guild Anthology. Her published novels are Sweet Music on Moonlight Ridge, The Witches of Moonlight Ridge, and The Treasure of Moonlight Ridge. Ramey’s picture book, Mice from the Planet Zimlac, is for children ages 2 to 6 years, and adults of all ages.

Screen Door Review is an online literary magazine that publishes poetry and flash fiction authored by individuals belonging to the southern queer (lgbtq+) community of the United States. Our editors are based in and around Birmingham, AL and our central purpose is to provide a platform of expression for queer southerners to explore and celebrate the complicated relationship that exists between person and place—specifically, queer person and the South.

Through publication of works, we aim to encourage, empower, and celebrate the voices of queer southerners that are oftentimes overlooked, undermined, condemned, or silenced.

The idea for the magazine came together in 2017 through a series of conversations with a good friend and former editor, Hannah Conner. We were talking about our time living in Montevallo and how we saw queerness and “southernness” interwoven in such beautiful ways there and how that, in turn, helped us visualize ourselves and queer southerners from all parts of the south in more dynamic ways. I was an English department adjunct at the time, and she was a librarian, so naturally, the conversations turned toward the role literature plays in the authentic representation of the queer southern community. After a few hours, we both felt strongly that it’d probably be really beneficial to have a publication specifically by, and for, this community; so, we started figuring out how to make it a reality. 

I sent out a call for editors and went from there. I really had no idea what kind of interest there would be or if anyone would respond. Encouragingly, we had a high volume of people wanting to be involved. We started off with a team of editors from a few different southern states, but our editors now are all located in and around Birmingham. And certainly, the magazine would have failed a million times over if it weren’t for the phenomenal editors—both past and present. 

All the past editors brought such a unique perspective, experience, and level of professionalism that really gave the magazine a solid foundation. My current co-editors, Rachel Nix and Emma Bolden, are miraculous human beings who have kept the magazine afloat through all the challenges of the pandemic. Their dedication to the project, kindness, and poetic brilliance are truly responsible for holding SDR together over the past few years. There have also been so many generous donations from friends and strangers along the way, including a friend who offered to host our website for free, which has been instrumental to the sustainability of the magazine. 

One of the most important things that I hope to accomplish, and honestly have already seen many examples of, is that our contributors will feel celebrated for being exactly who they are. The relationship between “southernness” and queerness is complicated and dynamic and there truly is no one way to be southern and/or queer. These layered and multitudinous voices deserve empowerment and celebration and that’s what I hope to continue at SDR for as long as possible.

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Alesha Dawson prefers chilly weather and hot tea and is arguably a better writer when both of those are involved. She holds English degrees from the University of Montevallo and the University of Edinburgh. Currently, she is happily settled in Birmingham, Alabama where she teaches high school English and lives with her partner and three cats. Alesha is the founding editor of Screen Door Review.

A great writer / editor relationship is like a marriage—it needs to be honest, supportive, trusting, and lovingly tough. A good editor is one who wants what’s best for a writer but who resists the urge to impose their desires on the writer’s creative works. Good editors help writers achieve their highest potential with a given work.

This is my approach at Creative Editing Services where I offer developmental, line, and copy editing, and author coaching services. Every writer has unique talent, ambition, and publishing aspirations. These variables as well as the writer’s personality heavily influence how each writer relationship is approached.

For example, I recently copyedited an artist’s legacy memoir. From a technical standpoint, the copyedits were loose. This was deliberate so the prose would match the art included in the book. It’s very important that an editor actually “get” the author’s intentions for their work. A technical copyedit, while not wrong, would have been overstepping; though, technical edits are certainly something that I do.

Another service that’s gained traction is developmental editing and author coaching. Developmental editing involves working with a writer at the conceptual stages and hammering out big issues like structure, theme, plot, character, etc. before the writing gets underway or taking a work in progress and jamming out big-picture kinks to ensure the best possible story manifests. Author coaching is similar but more hands-on; I serve as an editor, a project manager, and a sounding board as we collaboratively progress through the process.

Regardless of the editorial service chosen, the goal is the same: a finished written work. Of course, I also want to see writers emerging more informed about publishing or storytelling. A lot of the knowledge imparted during the editorial process stems from my ongoing education.

I’m a huge craft nerd and take classes throughout the year offered by the Editorial Freelancers Association, Jane Friedman, and others. I just finished a developmental editing workshop series with Allison Williams and did a class on midpoints with James Scott Bell, and I’m reading John Truby’s The Anatomy of Story. Ongoing education is vital for editors to stay relevant to writers; relationships, such as those made through organizational memberships, are important, too. If I meet a writer who isn’t a good fit for me, because of those connections, I often know someone who can help.

I work with memoir, upmarket or literary fiction, mystery, psychological thrillers, and romance, so science fiction and fantasy authors—while enthralling, are those who I’ll direct to editors more seasoned in those genres. As a writer, I do a lot of creative nonfiction and memoir—that was the focal point of my MA studies at USA—but I also write contemporary fiction; I have a character-driven work in progress inspired by my experience as a young widow.

If you’re interested in working with a writing coach or having your book edited, contact Amy Delcambre at Creative Editing Services at amy@creativeeditingservices.com or call 251-285-8992.

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Amy Delcambre is a writer and editor located in Mobile, AL. She is currently president of the Mobile Writers Guild, is a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association, the American Copy Editors Society, the Author’s Guild, and other organizations. Amy has an MA in creative writing from the University of South Alabama and an MPS in publishing from the George Washington University.

In our new quarterly series “Successes Around the State,” we seek to highlight the recently published short work of our members. Here is where we celebrate new stories, poems, and essays. Congratulations to our members for the successes listed below. We celebrate with you!

Chris Jones had a fiction article, "Clarity at the High End," appear in the January 2022 issue of The Bridge Bulletin, which is the magazine of the American Contract Bridge League. This is a rollicking tale of a couple of guys trying to find shortcuts to mastering the game of bridge.

Bradley Sides had an apocalyptic, gameplay short story titled “To Take, To Leave” published in the winter issue of Psychopomp.

T.K. Thorne’s latest nonfiction book—Behind the Magic Curtain: Secrets, Spies, and Unsung White Allies of Birmingham’s Civil Rights Days, the last novel in her trilogy about a Birmingham police witch—has hit the shelves. The long awaited House of Iron completes the trilogy that began with House of Rose and House of Stone. Also, her short story “The Old Lady” appears in two anthologies, Work in Progress and To Serve, Protect, and Write.

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If you are a member of the AWC and have a recent short work you would like to include in our next roundup, please email Bradley Sides (bradleynsides@gmail.com).

“Sunflower Fantasia” (Boris Datnow)

"Where do your ideas come from?” That is a question I am asked most frequently as a writer. One suggestion for sparking inspiration is to dip into a new genre—one you rarely choose to read. On my blog, “The Emerging Genre of Climate Change,” I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations to choose from.

Poetry can also be a profound way to crystalize your themes. I recommend Alina Stefanescu’s blog for poetry.

Another suggestion is to attend conferences which matches your interests and needs. I recently attended the Alabama Environmental Education Association Conference 2022 in Gulf Shores. I was honored to be part of a panel discussion on climate change, which you can view here.

I’ve been begun browsing fantasy which I rarely read—the most recent, Neverwhere, by the the award-winning author, Neil Gaiman. Concurrently, I am reading Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid by Thor Hanson, a nonfiction work on the Biology of Climate Change, which is in a genre I enjoy for background research to the Eco Mysteries and Climate Fiction books I write. In this way, I cross-fertilize my brain with science and literature, which for me, is the best one to weave stories with environmental themes.

As you read, make a note of a phrase, a word, or an idea that lights a spark for you.

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Claire Datnow was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, which ignited her love for the natural world and for diverse indigenous cultures around the globe. Claire taught creative writing to gifted and talented students in the Birmingham, Alabama Public Schools System. Her published works include a middle grade Eco mystery series, The Adventures of The Sizzling Six. She received numerous scholarships and awards, including, The Blanche Dean Award for Outstanding Nature Educator, the Alabama Writers Cooperative Middle Grade Award, and Monarch Mysteries (Book 6 eco mystery series) long listed for the Green Books Award. During her tenure as a teacher, Claire and her students developed a nature trail, recently named in her honor as the Alabama Audubon-Datnow Forest Preserve.

It was a treat to be able to talk with Hallie Christensen about her new book, Enchanted Misadventures with Great-Aunt Poppy. In our conversation, we discuss, among other topics, the book’s origin, the joys of writing for children, and what it’s like to spend time with young readers:

Bradley Sides: Thank you, Hallie, for taking the time to talk with me about your book Enchanted Misadventures with Great-Aunt Poppy. Before we get started, I want to say congratulations on your award, being an Indies Today 2021 Finalist. That’s really great!

For those readers who haven’t heard about your book yet, do you mind sharing what it’s about?

Hallie Christensen: Hi, Bradley! Thank you so much!! My middle grade fantasy novel was published last October 2021 by Sweetwater Books – Enchanted Misadventures with Great-Aunt Poppy.

Over the Christmas break, Ava, Nolan, and Charlotte Alexander are sent to stay with their most feared relative - Great-Aunt Poppy. Of course, the siblings are terrified. Who wouldn’t be? Poppy is a witch! If the haunted house, crazy cats, and deadly spells aren’t bad enough, frightening howls grow ever closer. It will take all their bravery and wit to survive. But things aren't always what they seem! The greatest adventure might be hiding in the most unlikely place imagined!

Great for ages 8-12 who love adventure, magic, fun, and getting spooked.

BS: And this is the first book in a larger series, right?

HC: Yes, this is the first book and was written as a standalone (I’m not a fan of cliffhangers, lol), but there is definitely potential for many more adventures with the Alexander children. 

BS: How did the book come together? What sparked the idea?

HC: Well, I have found that one of the best ways to perfect your writing skills is by writing! (Who would have thought?) I joined an online writing community and one month they held a novella contest. There were 40 different prompts that you could choose from, and I chose one that sounded like this (paraphrasing): Three siblings must visit a relative over a holiday, but they don’t want to go. That one resonated with me because I’m the youngest of three siblings, and every holiday we would visit relatives. As a child, I would sometimes dread this, especially when the relatives were old, and they would talk non-stop the entire time. But I considered this and knew that wouldn’t be enough to keep a child’s interest. So, I made the relative a witch!

Once I started writing the story, the words just came to me. I probably will never again find a story so relaxing to write! It was very enjoyable!

BS: What’s been the most exciting part of getting this book out into the world?

HC: Being traditionally published was super exciting! Like most authors, the road to publication is fraught with many “no, thank yous.” I had about moved on to another project when the editor from my current publisher reached out to me about my query. They loved my story and wanted to publish it! I knew I had found the right home because they cared as much about my manuscript as I did.

Support from the community has been amazing. I smile every time someone tells me they loved my book! I have really enjoyed doing author visits at schools and attending other speaking engagements. I am always honored to be asked and humbled that people enjoy my story.

BS: You write largely for children and middle-grade audiences. What draws you to this genre?

HC: I’m a kid at heart! Their dialogue and language, their thoughts and fears, I remember well! Also, MG and kids lit is just so much fun. You get to go on adventures and laugh along the way. It’s an enjoyable escape.

BS: I imagine it’s really wonderful to be able to spend time with young readers (and future writers). What are some of the things about your book that children seem to enjoy the most?

HC: The future writers that I have met are incredible. And so talented too! A lot of them are fantastic artists and I know will create some amazing graphic novels.

The students’ loved the adventure and scary moments in my story. They also liked the humor and snark from some of my characters. Kids really seem to connect with sarcastic cats, lol. Merlin, the cat in my book, was one of their favorite characters. I thought he might be, so I made him a sticker that I pass out to students at my author visits.

I made sure to have distinct personalities amongst all my characters so that my readers could connect with the ones they felt were most like them. But I also made sure that my characters had inhibitions and things to learn and overcome so they could grow.

BS: Before I let you go, I’m curious to know what you are currently working on. Is the sequel to Enchanted Misadventures with Great-Aunt Poppy coming soon?

HC: While finishing the final edits for EMwGAP, I started working on another MG manuscript not related to Great-Aunt Poppy. It’s inspired by a local folk legend. No one knows the origin, so I decided to write a background story. It’s a bit spookier than my first novel and falls under the horror genre. (Think spooky and suspenseful like Goosebumps). I also drew inspiration from the old Bryce Hospital in Tuscaloosa, AL. I’m in the final editing stages now and hope to have some good news to share with everyone soon about that manuscript! :D

BS: Thank you again, Hallie, for talking with me. I wish you and your writing the absolute best.

HC: Thank you so much!! It’s been a pleasure!

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Hallie Christensen grew up in a small town in Alabama surrounded by professional storytellers - her family. She received her BA in English with a minor in Italian while attending The University of Alabama and her MA in Teaching English from Faulkner University.

Her life’s background helped to influence her writing and creativity. While growing up she attended Young Authors conferences, played in a marching band, tried her luck as a magician, became a Junior Ranger for quite a few National Parks, and for a brief moment was a disc jockey with an eclectic taste of music spanning from The Monkees to N’SYNC.

When she isn’t writing or editing, she enjoys hiking, attending rock concerts from musicians her parents’ age, staying at B&B’s, and of course, reading with preferences in fantasy, contemporary, and the classics. Hallie currently resides in northern Alabama with her husband and a couple of cats.

Visit authorhalliechristensen.com to learn more about Hallie's work and sign up for her e-newsletter.

It was my pleasure to be able to talk with author Laura Secord about her new book, An Art, a Craft, a Mystery. In our conversation, we discuss, among other topics, the book’s form, the role of research in writing, and Laura’s writing journey:

Bradley Sides: First of all, thank you for taking the time to talk with me about your book An Art, a Craft, a Mystery. For those who haven’t heard about it yet, do you mind sharing what it’s about?

Laura Secord:  Thank you Bradley and AWC for asking.

An Art, a Craft, a Mystery is an historical novel-in-verse, a family saga told in a series of short poems. It’s a hybrid of poetry and historical fiction telling the stories of two real women, my ancestors, Lydea Gilbert and Katherine (Kate) Harrison, who settled on the frontier along the Connecticut River in the mid 1600s.   

After indenturing themselves in exchange for passage to the colonies, they served in the home of Ann Hutchinson, who was banished from Massachusetts Bay Colony for heresy.  Later, both Lydea and Kate became healers, midwives, and farmers, who faced the struggles and joys of life in a wild new land. They were women in a puritan culture, women of intuitive genius and healing powers, who lived through times where feminine power and the value of women’s lives were suspect and condemned.

BS: With a work that draws on the lives of historical women, how much time did you spend researching? How did you balance your research and writing time as you worked through your project?

LS: I first began this project after my husband, an historian and genealogist, discovered my great-great-great-great-great was found guilty of witchcraft in Connecticut in the 1600s. Of course, I felt I must write this story, but was not excited about the puritan culture. Thanks to my life partner, I began reading about the unknown, untaught aspects of life in the colonies, especially the undocumented lives of women.

Through my extensive reading, I became interested in visiting the places where these stories happened. I got a fellowship at poet Marilyn Nelson’s Soul Mountain Retreat, and was able to spend a few weeks visiting Windsor and Wethersfield, as well as the archeological re-creations of the Plymouth plantation and the Mayflower. The poems really blossomed after experiencing these worlds and absorbing the sensory details of their lives.

This project took many years to come to fruition: first extensive research, always writing along the way, followed by the process of creating a powerful story using imagination.

I put the book down for a few years as I completed a creative writing MFA.  I returned to it in 2017, after the previous election made me extremely worried about the fate of women in this country. As I saw the restrictions of puritanism re-emerge in society and law, I felt compelled to complete this book. I spent a couple of years deepening the story, clarifying the voices of the characters, and working to hone the quality of the poetry itself.

BS: Your book takes the form of being a novel in verse. Did you know going into the project that this was going to be its shape?

LS: From the beginning I knew it would be a novel-in-verse. This is the kind of work I love to do. I didn't know how extensive the story would become, but I knew the trajectory of these women’s lives from the few pieces of documentation that existed.

I’m a writer who does better when I know the plot, and I love telling a story in poetry. I followed the examples of some great modern poets who write history, including Marilyn Nelson, Frank X Walker, and Patricia Smith.

BS: One thing I’m always fascinated by is the title of a book. How did you arrive at An Art, a Craft, a Mystery?

LS: The title is taken from historian, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich’s book Goodwives: Image and Reality in the Lives of Women in Northern New England, 1650-1750. Her work describes the lives of women in the colonies and deepens our knowledge of women’s undocumented experiences.  

Her work explored the essential things needed to live in a wild and unknown world: fire for heat and bread to eat. “Women's work” it's called, but without it, none could survive— fire and bread—living things, hot coal and yeast scraps nurtured to carry into another day. Ulrich called this work an art, a craft, and a mystery. That’s how the title was born.

BS: What’s been the most exciting part of your writing journey so far?

LS: Publication is definitely the most exciting part of my writer's journey. I’m thrilled with the responses I’m getting from readers for this book. It’s been a part of my life for over a decade, and now it’s finally being shared. I love hearing about the joy of reading it, as well as the deep emotion readers experience through the voices of Lydea and Kate.

BS: In addition to writing a novel in verse, you are also a spoken word artist and the Director of Community Engagement for The Magic City Poetry Festival, so poetry is clearly a huge part of your life. I’m curious who and/or what influences your craft the most?

LS: What influences my craft the most? After a long career as a nurse practitioner and my involvement in the poetry scene since the mid 90s, I have been lucky to listen to many people’s stories. I have been lucky to hear tales of happiness and suffering. I am inspired by putting myself in the shoes of another, until their voice finds a way through me and onto the page.

BS: Thank you again, Laura, for talking with me. Congratulations on the release of your book! I wish you and your writing the absolute best.

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To order your copy of An Art, a Craft, a Mystery, check out Livingston Press, Thank You Books, or Amazon.

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Laura Secord is a poet, writer and teaching artist. She earned her MFA in Creative writing from Sierra Nevada University. She has worked as a printer, union organizer, health care activist, teacher, sex-educator and nurse practitioner in community health and HIV care. Her verse novel, AN ART, A CRAFT, A MYSTERY is forthcoming from Livingston Press (February 2022). A Pushcart nominee, her poems appear in Poetry, Hobo Camp Review, Shift, Simple Machines, Cahoodleloodling, Finishing Line Press, Burning House Press, Voices of Resistance, Snapdragon, Indolent Books, Passager, PoemMemoirStory, The Southern Women’s Review, The Birmingham Weekly and Arts and Understanding. She serves on the board of The Magic City Poetry Festival, and has a lifetime commitment to women and lost or unvoiced stories.

We love virtual readings here at the AWC and wanted to share the news that Kimberly Casey will be hosting “All Over Alabama” this upcoming Sunday (March 6th). This reading is being put together by Magic City Poetry and will feature Josh Baker, Jahman Hill, and Jerri Hardesty.

To register and to get full information about the featured poets and host, please click here.

We know it’ll be a good time for all who are able to attend!