Helen, tell us a little about you
Do you plot or let the story unfold as you write?
I’m an ‘into the mist’ writer. I begin with main characters and an idea of conflict, let that mull around for a while until I think I have enough material to sustain a story, and then I write. What I’m working with is a reasonable handle on points A to maybe F, with a sense of a few random other points and an end concept. How the story takes off from point F depends on the characters, and that end concept is a moving target. My method would drive a plotter crazy, but my subconscious is very good at creating a cohesive story and every so often dropping in a significant object or eye-opening discovery that, if I go back and tweak a few things, blows my mind and takes the story to another level. I’m therefore a firm believer in right brain/left brain integration.
What was the hardest chapter/book to finish and why?
By the time I get to the last third of a book, and the pace picks up, the pace of my writing picks up too. The scenes are shorter, more intense, so each scene can be written in a shorter amount of time. Unless I have a chapter-length scene with a large cast of characters, such as in Lord of Druemarwin. That chapter took a week to write because, while the scene is delivered via one character’s point of view, each of the other cast members must behave true to whatever his/her motivation might be. I had to go through the chapter multiple times to make sure I’d represented each character appropriately and hadn’t forgotten anyone, even the wolfhound.
What tips would you give a new writer?
Write the best story you can, don’t be afraid to put emotion on the page, be specific in your word choices, employ significant detail rather than cluttering the page, and be sure your reader knows what’s at stake for your characters and why it matters to them. Then get someone to read it who’s not your best friend, family member, or significant other but someone who knows writing, especially in your chosen genre. You need a critique from someone who will tell you when your prose is not delivering the message or effect you are aiming for, when you’re leaving out important information, or when you’re simply confusing the reader. Sometimes our ‘darlings’ aren’t perfect as ‘birthed’ and need multiple polishing passes if we hope to see them published.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
My books share a common theme expressed in my author tag line: Brave men, bold women—hearts in search of home. My characters all feel a sense of disconnectedness that fuels their journeys. They may have a physical home at the beginning of the story, but they don’t feel they belong there or feel they don’t fit in their community. Or they’ve been uprooted as children and raised among strangers who treat them with prejudice. They’re searching for love, friendship, a sense of belonging, often in a world torn by war. This theme comes from my own sense of rootlessness caused by growing up as a military brat. My message is to not dismiss people based on stereotypes but to get to know them personally because friends bond best over shared experiences.
When did you decide to become an author?
I started writing in early grade school, and I’ve always made up stories to entertain myself, so I can’t pinpoint a specific time. I didn’t decide to pursue publication, however, until I was a stay-at-home mother and I was reading Harlequin novels bought at rummage sales and decided I could write something at least as good as those. I filled spiral notebooks with romantic suspense novels, and shopped them to agents with some interest, before I decided to dust off a fantasy romance I’d started in high school. That, after many years of writing, critiques, and polishing became my first published novel, The Prince of Val-Feyridge, #1 in the Crown of Tolem series.
and now for some fun
Who do you see as a hero/heroine in your life?
I think it would be my mother. Like my heroine in Lord of Druemarwin, she left her home, family, community, country, and culture to marry my father, move halfway across the world and learn a new language.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
At one point I wanted to live on my grandmother’s farm and have a horse (I still love horses; that’s why I write medieval-type settings), but I always played ‘school’ with my toys, so it’s no wonder I decided early in life to become a teacher.
Have you ever found true love?
Yes! But it takes work and shared self-sacrifice.
If you came with a warning label, what would it say?
Beware of a tendency toward cynicism, skepticism, and sarcasm; possesses eyes in the back of her head.
If you were a tool what would you be?
One of those multi-tools: I’m a Rube-Goldberg-type, using creative methods to solve problems and fix things, both around the house and in fiction. I love to brainstorm solutions to others’ issues.
where can we find more about you and your books
Website: https://helencjohannes.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/
Learn more about Lord of Druemarwin, Crown of Tolem #2 on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lord-
and other online retailers
6 comments:
So glad to be here today. Thanks for hosting me.
I loved this book. Highly recommended.
I love author interviews. Glad to learn more about you and your writing. Thanks for sharing!
Enjoyed the interview. And Helen, I have to say skepticism--asking questions--can be a good thing. Certainly authors need to be willing to ask questions :)
Hi Helen nice to meet you. I can relate you your wonderful line "into the midst" to describe your approach to writing. Beautiful cover.
Helen, I LOVE your warning label. Seems like we have some things in common, both in our writing styles and personalities. Best of luck with your writing!
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