Welcome, Lynne. Tell
us how much of yourself you write into your characters.
A fair amount. I’m a biology teacher, and in A
Twisted Strand, my protagonists are medical professionals. In my
current WIP, a story set in the 1740s, my heroine’s main interest is botany. On
the other hand, I have to imagine a lot of their experiences and feelings. A
Twisted Strand is by no means a memoir.
What is the quirkiest
thing you have ever done?
In high school, I attended the “Computer Dance” as the
computer. A couple of us set up a box-like structure with instructions on the
outside. I hid inside. I can’t remember what I told inquirers. Who they should
dance with, maybe.
When did you first
discover you were a writer?
Good question. “Discover” is the right word—I never wrote
stories or took any creative writing classes in my youth. But after I took pity
on my own students and wrote a Texas History curriculum in “novel” (narrative)
form, others started calling me a writer and desired me to teach writing
classes. Looking back, I see that I’ve always loved to read. Now I’ve been
bitten by another kind of bug—I enjoy writing the story myself.
Tell us the range of
the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
Wow. “Range” is a good word. I read history and historical
fiction, and some romance. I’ve read most of Michael Crichton (my geeky side),
and one of my new favorite authors is Charles Martin. Occasionally I’ll read
something theological. And I can’t forget the classics. I’ve read To Kill a Mockingbird and The Lord of the Rings numerous times
each.
How do you keep your
sanity in our run, run, run world?
I do have a physical infirmity that keeps me from constantly
working. Well, occasionally I overdo it. But writing itself is perfect in the
sense that I can do it at my own pace, and the editing functions of Word are
marvelous when compared to the clunky typewriter I used in college. Back then,
I had two drafts: longhand, and the final edit as I typed.
How do you choose
your characters’ names?
Some of it’s a bit random. I like strong names, but strong
names can be very common. In my historical fiction I am very careful to choose
both given names and surnames that existed in the time and location of my story.
What is the
accomplishment you are most proud of?
My husband and I raised four sons by the grace of God.
Repeat: by the grace of God!
If you were an
animal, which one would you be, and why?
If you had asked me this question in the fourth grade, it
would have been easy: a horse, of course. Yes, I went through a horse phase and read every single horse
book I could lay my hands on.
What is your favorite
food?
Does coffee count? Starbucks’ Sumatra
is total awesomeness.
What is the problem
with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?
I ran into a roadblock with A Twisted Strand because
it was my first novel, and I didn’t understand story structure all that well. I
was writing by instinct. I read a few books on the craft, including John Scott
Bell’s on writing the middle scene early on, and so I stopped and did that. I
wrote the middle “turning point” scene, and that solved it. I’ve learned that
while I might not need a detailed outline, I do need something to structure my
story so that I know where I’m going. With A Twisted Strand I ended up using a
flowchart showing plot and character threads.
Tell us about the
featured book.
A man cheats on his wife and they divorce. That’s the
backstory. Then a genetically engineered virus invades South
Texas —everything I write about bioterrorism is true, except for
this particular made-up virus. Anyway, the woman works for an epidemiologist,
and the guy is a doctor who ends up helping, and thus they are thrown back
together. They are also both confronted by scriptural truth. There’s a lot of
solid doctrine in this book, but I worked hard to keep it natural and
user-friendly.
Please give us the
first page of the book.
[this is page two]
She took another deep breath. The country settled her,
reminding her of why she had decided against a stuffy city apartment, despite
the long commute to her office in San
Antonio . At eleven, Jason was old enough to care for
Buttercup, and Abby could ride Brownie, the pony. Well, with supervision. The kids
seemed happy.
Last weekend’s storm had brightened the limp lawns of the
houses scattered along the country road. The live oaks dotting the fields on
either side were always green, but the mesquite and other brush country flora
along the fences were now bursting with new leaves, painting the landscape in
the pastel green of spring. Refreshing. It almost reached that hard knot deep
inside her chest.
“Look, Mom, bluebonnets!” At his age, Jason rarely showed
such child-like enthusiasm.
Yes. Swaths of soft indigo brightened the ditches. By next
week the humble flowers would be entrancing motorists to stop their cars, wade
in, and take pictures.
One final familiar live oak cheered her heart. They were
home. After checking the mailbox, she eased the vehicle down their long unpaved
drive.
“Mom, is there something wrong with Buttercup?” Jason sat
rigidly alert, peering ahead at their property: ten acres with a small
mustard-colored stone house, several spreading oaks, and their animals. Rachel
blinked, trying to focus, and as they approached she saw what her clear-eyed
son had spotted. The heifer was down.
How can readers find
you on the Internet?
The best way is to go to www.lynnetagawa.com,
my website. I’m also on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Thank you, Lynne, for
sharing this book with my readers and me.
Readers, here are links to the book. By
using one when you order, you help support this blog.
A Twisted Strand: A Story of Faith and Second Chances - PaperbackA Twisted Strand: A Story of Faith and Second Chances - Kindle
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11 comments:
I am intrigued by this book, for sure! Thank you for sharing.
Melanie Backus, TX
Wow switching from EE to Education - I switched from Nursing to Finance so all of my electives in college were science classes! "A Twisted Strand" sounds like a good story. Elaine from WI
Thanks for sharing the first page of A Twisted Strand. It sounds like a very interesting story.
Blessings!
Connie from KY
cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com
A medical-type suspense...some of my favorite stories!! This sounds fantastic from the except. New-to-me author and I love discovering new writers. Thanks for the chance!
Trixi in OR
This is a new author to me, and her book sounds very intriguing. I would love to win a copy. Thanks for the chance. 😊
gobersATembarqmailDOTcom
VanG from NC
This sounds like an interesting story.
Linda in CA
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
Cheri from Michigan
Thanks for this opportunity.
Sounds like a very interesting story and one I want to read.
Enter me in your awesome giveaway!!
Conway SC.
This is a new author to me.
Dianna in TN
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