 It was my pleasure to chat to DEBBIE A. MCCLURE recently about her debut novel, IN THE SPIRIT OF LOVE, which I reviewed yesterday (please check our REVIEWS category to have a look).Where
did you grow up?: London, Ontario, Canada Where
did you go to school?: Westminster High School, London, Ontario Did
you always want to be a writer?: Yes, but unfortunately I had
to focus on raising two children as a single parent for many years after my
divorce. The truth is, I didn’t have the confidence back then to take on
something as major as writing a novel, although I always knew I would some day.
It’s only in the last few years that I’ve taken up the craft in earnest. How
long have you been writing and do you write full time?:
Although I’ve been writing for about three years now, writing full time has
been a very recent adventure of about six months. What
are your goals as a writer?: As a writer, my goals are to
entertain my readers with stories that catch their imagination, while perhaps
weaving a few “morals” into the story line that resonate with them. I hope my
characters are ones the readers can identify with, leaving them wanting more. In
The Spirit Of Love is designed as the first in a series, and I’m
pleased with the initial response from readers who tell me they are “hooked”
and now need to know what happens to the characters in the next book. Who
are your favourite authors?: My favourite authors have
long been the likes of Nora Roberts, J.R. Ward, and more recently, Kristin
Hannah. Each writes is a very different voice, but I’ve always loved how the
characters are believable and the plot lines engaging. Each also usually has some
“moral” to the story, although not so obvious that you’re thinking “oh, that’s
the moral of the story”. They make you think about the relationships between
the characters, and life lessons, and this is something I attempt to emulate in
my work as well.
 About
Your Latest Book What
is the title?: In The Spirit Of Love When
was it published?: November, 2012 What
is it about?: Set in Kent County, England, In The
Spirit Of Love is a paranormal romance with a murder mystery twist. It
is the story of Sir Richard Abbotsford, a ghost wrongfully accused of murder
almost a century and a half ago, and the woman he believes has returned to
release him from his eternal prison. Unfortunately, Claire Jacobs doesn’t
believe in ghosts, and has no recollection of Richard
or a love he claims they shared-one hundred and fifty years in the past!
Rife with twists and turns that keep the reader turning the
pages, In The Spirit Of Love reminds us that the past and the
present are connected in ways that can change the course of the future, and
that sometimes, love finds a way to rise once again. What
came first, the characters or the story?: Good question. In this
case, the story line. The characters evolved and grew throughout the writing,
often times surprising me. In the sequel, new characters are introduced, while
current ones continue to be explored. And
what inspired you to write this story & about these characters in
particular?: I was watching television one afternoon, when
something came on, an advertisement perhaps, but I don’t recall. It featured
one of those fabulous old English manor estates, and I remember thinking, I
wonder if those places are really haunted? With that thought came the germ
for a story line, so I jumped up and went to our dining room table and began
typing in a very sketchy outline for the story. The next day, I couldn’t wait
to get back to it and start writing. As the story unfolded and evolved (I never
have much of a story board), so too did the characters. Despite all the edits,
once the characters were in place and fleshed out, I never challenged, or
changed, them. Each felt right and whole, so I left them alone. How
long did it take you to write, and how do you go about research?: It
took me about three months to write the first draft, then another three to edit
it for querying to agents and publishers. Once I had a publisher, Echelon
Press, LLC, I had another two rounds of edits, followed by a final print proof
edit for the soft cover prints. As for research, when I came to a part in the
story where I wanted to understand a little more, such as Kent County, or
particular estates, I’d simply stop and Google the question, make the adjustments
or add the info I wanted, then continue writing. Sometimes those searches sent
me in places I’d never considered before. For example, I was extremely
surprised to learn that England actually has a Chillingham Castle, although I’d
never heard of it before referencing a Chillingham Estate (which is reportedly
haunted) in the book. I also did some research during writing about the
paranormal and ghostly encounters at English manor homes and castles, which was
interesting. I’ve never had such an encounter myself, but it’s a subject that
has always intrigued me. What is your next project ?: I am currently about 2/3 of the way
through writing the first draft of the sequel to In The Spirit Of Love.
I don’t have a working title in place, since I find I tend to title a project
once it’s finished. As with the first book, this second one is unfolding in
some interesting ways, and even I’m not sure of the ending or the roles each
character will play, although I have an idea. What was the best piece of advice you
received on your journey to publication?: Be prepared for a huge amount of hard work,
and after you’ve poured your life’s blood into your project, expect huge
amounts of rejection. Oh, and after being accepted with an agent or publisher,
expect huge amounts of work again. Each of these has held true for me, but the
journey and learning experience has been worth it. Are you pleased with the initial
response to the release of this, your debut novel? Absolutely. It’s only been a month,
but already I’ve received some incredibly supportive comments and reviews. I
was most afraid of what my family and friends would have to say once they read
it, since I value their opinion. I was terrified they’d think it wasn’t
terribly good, but so far, all have raved about it, saying they had no idea how
much they’d enjoy it. Even my male friends and family have come to me saying
they initially read it because they thought they “should”, but found themselves
drawn into the murder mystery and story line and really enjoyed it. The fact
that so many have come forward saying they can’t wait for the sequel is really
exciting for me. As a writer, you “pen” the words in silence, but until a
reader lets you know they enjoyed it, you haven’t experienced that high you get
from having accomplished your goal. Have there been any surprises in the
writing or marketing/promo phase of your book? Not so much in the writing, but the
marketing/promo phase is huge. Because of my background in sales and marketing,
I thought I had a pretty good idea of what to expect, but I underestimated how
much time and effort it would take. Add in a (semi) weekly blog, social
networking, interviews, etc. to the writing of the next book, and you start to
understand what REALLY goes on behind the scenes in getting a book out to the
buying and reading public. There is simply so much more to it than most people,
authors included, know. I often laugh and say this writing gig has proven to
have a learning curve the size of a tsunami, but what a ride! Do you have anything you’d like to
add? Only, Thank
You to you folks at LionheART Galleries for inviting me to this interview, and
a huge Thank You to my readers and supporters. You make my job my joy. Debbie A. McClure can be contacted through: Website: www.damcclure.com Twitter: @debbiemcclure59 or |
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