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Fictional Friday: Interview with Debut Author Lori Benton
I am thrilled to introduce you today to a friend and a new addition to my favorite author list, Lori Benton. Lori’s debut historical novel, Burning Sky, was only released a month ago but has already received great critical and reader acclaim. For good reason: Lori’s writing is both assured and distinctive, deftly balancing readability with a sense of historical authenticity….not to mention a cast of unforgettable characters.
Carla: Your debut novel, Burning Sky, takes place after the Revolutionary War and includes a depiction of the Iroquois culture in New York. This happens to be one of my favorite time periods/settings, but it’s not terribly well known. How did you come up with the idea for the story?
Lori: Before I began writing Burning Sky, I’d been researching late 18th century American history for about five years, working on a novel set in North Carolina. Because I knew next to nothing about the time period to begin with, I cast a broad research net, reading a lot of general information on all the colonies/states during the second half of the 18th century. My attention was inevitably drawn to the Mohawk Valley of New York. The conflict in that colony during the Revolutionary War was intense, with particular animosity raging between patriot and loyalist Americans. Along with the conflict European Americans were experiencing, the Haudenosaunee (Six Nations of the Iroquois), who had lived on that land for generations, ended up drawn into the conflict as well—not all on the same side. For a time, the Iroquois Confederacy ceased to exist as brother fought against brother.
I saw this setting—and still see it—as fertile ground for the type of stories I love to tell, stories of men and women caught between worlds (races, cultures, upbringings, beliefs)—often with loved ones facing them across the divide. It’s a place best describe as the Middle Ground. By the time I finished that earlier novel, I knew I wanted to write a story set on the New York frontier. After I decided on the setting and time period, I simply had to wait until a character showed up. It wasn’t long before Willa Obenchain came striding over the mountains, heading home.
Carla: I think the “world in transition” you describe is what I love about Irish and Scottish history as well. You and I have discussed our shared fondness for Celtic cultures. Do you incorporate a little of that into your early American work? Do you have any plans to write stories set “across the pond?”
Lori: I do incorporate that Celtic culture in my stories, as much as I can. It’s not a stretch to do so, since so many of the men and women on the 18th century frontier were recent transplants from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, or the generation born to those transplants (alongside Germans, Dutch, French, English, and other European nationalities). I love this melting pot aspect of early American history, but I confess that those of Celtic culture hold a special place in my heart.
As for plans to write stories set across the pond… as a matter of fact, I do. At least one that begins there.
Carla: You have so many different characters with different backgrounds. If you could live the life of any one of your characters for a day, who would you choose and why?
Lori: Living the life any one of my characters for a day would probably necessitate a month of recovery. They had such physically demanding lives compared to mine. I’ll pick Margaret Kershaw/Pine Bird. I would like to experience the world from her point of view for a day, because as much as a writer uses the imagination and empathy God gave her to put herself in the heart and mind of a person who faces struggles she herself will never know, “…what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?” 1 Cor. 2:11
Carla: Alright, so onto the nitty gritty writer stuff. You mentioned your research process for Burning Sky. What’s your writing process like? Plotter or pantser or something in between? Multi-drafter or one-and-done?
Lori: Plotter. I need to have a clear idea of where a story is going before I can begin it. Often this is because the fictional aspects of the story and the characters hinge on actual historical events. So I need to already have done a good chunk of my research during the story-weaving process. I need to know that the story arc I have planned for the characters works inside the framework of the historical record. But for all that plotting, on any given writing day surprises still happen. I love it when they do.
I write multiple drafts of every scene. Fiddling is the best way to describe how I work. I’ll write a few sentences, stop and play with them for a bit, write a few more, play with all that, rearrange the phrases, the sentence length, the wording. Add some. Delete some. Write a bit more. By the time I’ve completed a 1500 word scene I’ll likely have been over it five or six times already, it’s the end of the work day, and I’m exhausted. But I don’t stop there. Most of the scenes that exist in Burning Sky have been edited several dozen times. Some more.
Carla: I’m relieved to hear I’m not the only one who tinkers endlessly with sentences and scenes, though I like to do it with full drafts… and my complement of colored gel pens. I think I should dedicate my next book to Pentel! What three things are most essential to your writing process?
Lori: My research library. Solitude. Prayer. I often get the best story insights in those moments on the heels of my morning devotions, when I’m still sitting in my recliner and the house is dark and my mind drifts… and the answer to a story problem I probably just prayed about drops into my head like a gift.
Carla: I love those moments. Sometimes I’ll pray over a story problem before bed and wake up with the solution, then rush to scribble it down before I forget it. Which brings me to the next important question: coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?
Lori: Hot tea with milk first thing. Then coffee, but no more than two cups a day. Okay, maybe two and a half if I need the extra kick.
Carla: I think I pour about six cups of coffee a day, but I maybe only finish one and a half! What can we look forward to next from you, Lori?
Lori: Thanks for asking! I’m getting excited about it. My next book releases April 15, 2014. The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn is set in western North Carolina, 1787, during a time of upheaval in that region following the Revolutionary War:
To escape a threatening stepfather and an unwanted marriage, Tamsen Littlejohn enlists the aid of Jesse Bird, a frontiersman she barely knows, to spirit her away from Morganton, North Carolina, west beyond the Blue Ridge Mountains. While the two men intent on seeing her recovered prove relentless in their hunt, more trouble awaits in the form of a divided frontier community. Across the mountains the State of Franklin has been declared, yet many settlers remain loyal to North Carolina. Chaos reigns, thwarting Tamsen and Jesse’s hastily cobbled plan to keep her safe.
With her pursuers ever nearing, the region in turmoil, neighbors grown suspicious of her presence, Tamsen’s safety is soon put in greater jeopardy. Gaining the freedom she longs for will mean running yet again, to the most unlikely refuge imaginable—the Cherokees, a people balanced on the edge of war. But the biggest complication may prove to be Tamsen’s growing bond with her knight in greasy buckskins, Jesse Bird. Falling in love was never part of the plan.
Carla: That sounds fantastic! Even better than your first if such a thing is possible.
And because Lori is such a fun and generous writer, she has agreed to give away TWO copies of Burning Sky! We’ve got a number of ways for you to enter to win in the Rafflecopter widget below, so don’t forget to take all your chances to win your own copy of this great novel. ***Contest is now closed***
Also, don’t forget to take a look at the sample chapters of Burning Sky linked below!
About Lori
Lori Benton was born and raised east of the Appalachian Mountains, surrounded by early American and family history going back to the 1600s. Her novels transport readers to the 18th century, where she brings to life the Colonial and early Federal periods of American history, creating a melting pot of characters drawn from both sides of a turbulent and shifting frontier, brought together in the bonds of God’s transforming grace.
When she isn’t writing, reading, or researching 18th century history, Lori enjoys exploring the mountains with her husband – often scouring the brush for huckleberries, which overflow the freezer and find their way into her signature huckleberry lemon pound cake.
Connect with Lori at her website or Facebook.
About Burning Sky
Abducted by Mohawk Indians at fourteen and renamed Burning Sky, Willa Obenchain is driven to return to her family’s New York frontier homestead after many years building a life with the People. At the boundary of her father’s property, Willa discovers a wounded Scotsman lying in her path. Feeling obliged to nurse his injuries, the two quickly find much has changed during her twelve-year absence—her childhood home is in disrepair, her missing parents are rumored to be Tories, and the young Richard Waring she once admired is now grown into a man twisted by the horrors of war and claiming ownership of the Obenchain land.
When her Mohawk brother arrives and questions her place in the white world, the cultural divide blurs Willa’s vision. Can she follow Tames-His-Horse back to the People now that she is no longer Burning Sky? And what about Neil MacGregor, the kind and loyal botanist who does not fit into in her plan for a solitary life, yet is now helping her revive her farm? In the aftermath of the Revolutionary War, strong feelings against “savages” abound in the nearby village of Shiloh, leaving Willa’s safety unsure.
Willa is a woman caught between two worlds. As tensions rise, challenging her shielded heart, the woman called Burning Sky must find a new courage–the courage to again risk embracing the blessings the Almighty wants to bestow. Is she brave enough to love again?
Read the first two chapters here. You can also buy your own copy at your favorite e-retailer, such as Amazon or CBD. And don’t forget to enter the drawing below! Winners will be drawn on September 17th and announced here.
Tags: Burning Sky, Early American, historical fiction, Iroquois nation, Lori Benton, Revolutionary War, writing life
Words for Women: Look Into His Eyes, by Lucille Zimmerman
I debated whether or not I should tell my counselor this dark, awful story about a piece of my life I had blocked from my memory.
Over the months, I had felt more and more safety opening up and telling parts of my story that included painful events and life choices.
But lately I felt like I was playing a game of, “Whack-a-mole.” Every time I told one story, two or three new memories would pop up.
My counselor looked at me, dimmed the lights just a bit, and encouraged me to tell.
After I said the words, I tipped my head down cried myself breathless. Then I tilted my head back up to look at him. I thought he would return my look with disdain. Instead, I saw tears in his eyes and utter acceptance. Then he said, “Lucille, you believe I think less of you. I love your more for having the courage to tell that.”
He understood that the light was the antidote for my shame. His look was my healing.
There’s a story just like that in the Bible. On the night of Christ’s crucifixion, Peter denied Christ three times. I’ve often thought that it was the cock’s crow, and and the memory of Jesus telling Peter he would do that, that made Peter weep bitterly.
But take a closer look at the text; you’ll see it was something else that made Peter weep.
In Luke 22:61 it says, “Jesus turns and gazes at him.” The Greek word emblepo means, “to gaze knowingly.” Jesus knew Peter couldn’t live a perfect life. He knew Peter would crumble in fear and deny knowing him.
It’s impossible for me to think that Jesus gave Peter an, “I told you so” look of anger. Instead, Jesus gazed lovingly, knowingly, into Peter’s eyes. Peter felt the love and wept.
If there is something that is causing you pain or shame, look into the eyes of the one who loves you most.
About Renewed
Women increasingly find themselves pulled in many directions, striving to balance the needs of others with the need to nurture themselves. This pull is often exhausting and, sometimes, can lead to resentment or burn-out. So how do we manage our work and family and faith and ministry lives if we aren’t able to take care of ourselves as we also take care of others?
Renewed helps women understand the need to put themselves on “the list.” Through practical ideas and relatable anecdotes, readers can better understand their strengths and their passions—and address some of the underlying struggles or hurts that make them want to keep busy or minister to others to the detriment of themselves. Renewed can help nurture those areas of women’s lives to use them better for work, family, and service. It gives readers permission to examine where they spend their energy and time, and learn to set limits and listen to “that inner voice.”
About Lucille
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://www.carlalaureano.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/LZ_Headshot.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Lucille Zimmerman is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a private practice in Littleton, CO and an affiliate faculty professor at Colorado Christian University.
She is also the author of Renewed: Finding Your Inner Happy in an Overwhelmed World. Through practical ideas and relatable anecdotes, readers can better understand their strengths and their passions—and address some of the underlying struggles or hurts that make them want to keep busy or minister to others to the detriment of themselves. Renewed can help nurture those areas of women’s lives to use them better for work, family, and service. It gives readers permission to examine where they spend their energy and time, and learn to set limits and listen to “that inner voice.”
Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, or at her website, LucilleZimmerman.com. [/author_info] [/author]
Tags: acceptance, Lucille Zimmerman, Renewed, shame, unconditional love
Fictional Friday: Beware the Ides of March, by Amy Drown
Every author can pinpoint “The Moment”—the one in which the passion for storytelling irrevocably took hold. When the calling to pursue this gut-wrenching, nail-biting, ulcer-inducing, slightly schizophrenic career became unmistakably clear. When a wily Muse dropped an anvil on her head, stars filled her eyes, and little birdies began to circle her semi-conscious life form chirping Write! Write! Write!
My moment was unforgettable for many reasons, not least of which because it happened on March 15, 2011—the proverbial Ides of March. I’d been chatting with some friends about our various hobbies and interests. When the subject of my writing came up, I got the same response I’d been getting from every friend and family member for the past thirty years—“You should really write a book someday.” And I dismissed them the same way I always did: “Yeah, yeah. Someday.”
What no one knew was, I had tried to write a book. Tried and failed.
Ever since I was nine years old, I’d been writing and revising scenes for a story idea I could not get out of my head. Everything I learned about writing was poured into that story. I loved it. I gave it my all… until 2004, when one of my secondary characters completely hijacked it. He leapt off the page, demanding a surprisingly prominent role I had never intended for him, and when I could make no logical-plotline argument to keep him in his place, I was forced to admit the awful truth—my story was going nowhere. Like the crazy Widow Winchester who filled her house with never-ending construction, only stairs and doors to nowhere, I had written a pointless, never-ending story with no end in sight. Despondent, I shoved every last scrap of my writing into a filing cabinet drawer and locked it. I was no writer.
That was the guilty secret haunting my restless mind as I crawled under the covers that Tuesday night. I switched off the lights and turned on my iPhone, hoping a little music would soothe and distract me long enough to fall asleep.
Enter my Muse—one of my all-time favorite singers, Matt Wertz.
Suddenly remembering it was release day for Matt’s brand-new album, I switched over to iTunes and downloaded it. The tinny, unimpressive sound quality of my 3GS phone did nothing to detract from the first three tracks. I hummed and smiled along, shifting my head side-to-side on my pillow in time to the lively songs. My cat even snuggled up beside the phone and began to purr. Good times for one and all.
Enter my anvil—track number four.
Maybe I’ll always learn the hard way
Maybe the only way is through…
Thirteen words. That was all it took for the old abandoned story to crash back into my life. By the end of the first chorus, I suddenly knew how the story would end. It was as if my characters had written those lyrics, shouting them to me from the locked file cabinet in my office. I rolled over to see the song title and burst out laughing. Running Back to You. How ironically, hilariously, divinely appropriate.
I jumped from my bed and literally ran back to my story. I didn’t sleep at all that night. I stayed up and wrote the final scene to my never-ending story. But the inspiration didn’t end there. A few months later, I had fleshed out twenty years’ worth of ideas and scenes into a full-length novel. By the end of the year, I was making research trips for new story ideas. I began entering writing contests and getting positive, professional feedback on my work. I’m now officially pursuing representation and traditional publication. I still have a long way to go, but for the first time in my life, I know I’m doing what God designed me to do.
All because of a song—four innocuous minutes that forever changed the course of my life. Guess Shakespeare was right—beware the Ides of March.
About Amy
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://www.carlalaureano.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/AmyDrown.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Amy Drown studied History at the University of Arizona and the University of Glasgow. An executive assistant by day, she is also an award-winning photographer and musician. But her true passion is writing edgy, inspirational stories that explore the deep roots of family, friendship and faith. She is a 2013 My Book Therapy Frasier Finalist and Bronze Medalist, and an ACFW Genesis Semi-Finalist and First Impressions Finalist. Connect with Amy and learn more about Deep-Rooted Fiction™ at www.AmyDrown.com.[/author_info] [/author]
Tags: Amy Drown, Matt Wertz, Running Back to You, writing life
Words for Women: Imagination Versus Experience, by Anita Higman
In my latest novel, Winter in Full Bloom, I wrote more from experience than imagination, but both were so interwoven throughout the work, that the pieces became one fabric—one story. Still, I would say that there are more pieces of my personal life in this work than in any other novel I’ve written.
For instance, as I wrote the manuscript I was still recovering from a brutal case of empty nest, and those emotions were still quite vivid in my heart as I let my heroine go through the same gray passages. Most women who’ve been through this phase of motherhood will probably be able to relate to my character, Lily Winter.
Also, I have traveled to Melbourne, Australia, just as Lily did, so I’m hoping her gasping moments of delight when she discovers this beautiful place will ring true. Just like Lily, I too spent a lot of time exploring the city, having adventures, and enjoying this lovely city down under.
Another similarity was that Lily had a fire-breathing fear of flying, and you guessed it—so did I. In fact, to give you a clearer picture of this mutual phobia, here is the opening scene from Winter in Full Bloom.
I sat on a 747, trying to talk myself out of a panic attack.
The jet still sat on the tarmac, but already I could imagine—in electrifying detail—the fiery crash and then the watery pull into the briny depths of the Pacific Ocean. Lord, have mercy. What had I been thinking?
Fool that I was, I’d left the sanctuary of my own home, which was safe, and hygienically clean, I might add, to board this death trap. Too late now. I’d taken a leave of absence from work, stopped the mail, given all my indoor plants to my neighbor, and said a dozen goodbyes to my daughter, Julie. The trip was set in stone—the igneous kind that the geologists liked to talk about at work.
While I sat there sweating, my mind got out its magnifying glass to examine my inner motives. All in all, the journey had a grab bag full of miseries attached to it. For me, getting on the plane proved that the empty nest had driven me over the edge like the biblical herd of pigs. Since my Julie had left the house, was I trying to find a person to fill that void . . . that vacant place at the table . . . the perpetual silence of the house and the clocks, ticking away the rest of my tedious life? Probably. And yet finding my sister in Australia would be no less than wonderful, whether Julie was at home or not.
I looked out the small plane window at the heavens with my anxious puppy dog eyes and could almost hear the Almighty chuckling. Yes, I know, God. I must keep You entertained.
I won’t tell you if Lily gets over her fear of flying or not—but I did. I was offered the chance of a lifetime to fly to Australia, and I knew if I said no, I would regret that decision the rest of my life. So, I made that long twenty-two hour journey to Melbourne, and by the time I made it over there and back, I had recovered from my phobia. Now I fly all over the world with my husband. In fact, we just got back from Ireland.
Hopefully, you can now see a little bit better how a character from a novel might get infused with the writer’s personal journey. I have to say, though, Lily Winter is a finer character than I am. She is brave and noble and interesting. The kind of woman you could trust with your life. The kind of woman you’d like to have as a best friend. In fact, when I grow up, I’d like to be as wonderful as the woman I created—Lily Winter.
Win a copy of Winter in Full Bloom, below! Simply leave a comment or publicize this post and you’ll receive up to three entries. The winner will be drawn randomly on Wednesday, August 28th. ***Contest is now closed***
About Winter in Full Bloom
Lily Winter’s wings are folded so tightly around her daughter that when empty nest arrives, she feels she can no longer fly. But Lily’s lonely, widowed life changes in a heartbeat when she goes to visit a woman who is almost a stranger to her-a woman who also happens to be her mother. During their fiery reunion, her mother reveals a dark family secret that she’d been hiding for decades-Lily has an identical twin sister who was put up for adoption when they were just babies.
Without looking back, Lily-with her fear of flying-boards a jumbo jet and embarks on a quest to find her sister which leads half way around the world to Melbourne, Australia. Befriended by imprudent Ausie, he might prove to be the key to finding her sister. But her journey becomes a circle that leads her back home to attempt a family reunion and to find the one dream she no longer imagined possible-the chance to fall in love again.
About Anita
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://www.carlalaureano.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/AnitaHigman.jpg[/author_image][author_info]Award-winning author, Anita Higman, has twenty-five books published (several coauthored) for adults and children, and she has been honored as a Barnes & Noble Author of the Month for Houston. Anita has a BA degree, combining communication, psychology, and art. Her favorite things include exotic teas, movies, and all things Jane Austen. To contact Anita or enter her monthly contest for a free signed book please visit her website at www.anitahigman.com.[/author_info] [/author]
Tags: Anita Higman, art imitating life, fear of flying, phobia, Winter in Full Bloom, writing life
