Muze’s Musings – Interview with Nikki's Parents
I’m doing something a little different today. First, this is my parents’ anniversary – 43 years, I believe. Happy Anniversary to dad and mom. Since I had a spot in the tour, I asked if they would like to ask me some interview questions. These are the questions they asked.
1 – Did you have any personal obstacles to overcome in order to write? If so, how did you do that?
I did have quite a few stumbling blocks and I was talking about this on the Communati blog earlier this week (www.communati.com). I wanted to write for years, but I doubted whether I could do it. So, I put it off for a long time. In 1987, I made rough notes about a series of characters, a location for the story and basic ideas for the story. It was an interesting story, but my doubts and concerns caused me to file the notes away. Believe it or not, I kept those notes in a box for the next 14 years. I’m just amazed I could find them when I decided to give writing another try.
One day I was on roof estimates with my younger brother and he mentioned to the homeowner that I wanted to be a writer. I think this was because she is an artist and works with some authors. She came to talk with me and strongly recommended that I should read The Artist Way by Julia Cameron. I high recommend this book for anyone who wants to pursue any creative pursuit in their life. I didn’t follow all the instructions and exercises in the book – but the point got across to me. I also read Vein of Gold by Julia Cameron. These helped me get past the doubts and I decided to try to write. I found the Writers’ Village (www.writersvillage.org) and the price was right and the class schedules were very flexible. And, eight published books later, the rest is history.
For anyone who has personal doubts and concerns, I recommend that you read one or both of these books. Go into it with an open mind and when the book asks about your life, but honest with yourself. It’s amazing what a difference it can make in your life and your creativity. Unleash your personal creativity
2 – What is your primary interest in writing?
I wanted to find a creative outlet. It seems like the chance to be creative was one of the things that drew me to promotional work. My favorite place to be, is on the coast, on the sand, near lighthouses --- so, why not write about that setting? I also love interesting architecture and history. There is so much wonderful history associated with lighthouses and the early days of the Lifesaving Service (which became the Coast Guard). I also enjoy the fact that my novels give me a chance to share more lighthouses and lifesaving details with my readers. There is a lot of authenticity in my novels, so you will learn about both of these organizations and the wonderful work that they did over the years. There will be more lighthouses and lifesaving history in future Misty Cove and Cape Hatteras books.
My novels give me a chance to weave together history, architecture, the ocean and my imagination. What more could I want?
3 – What is involved in choosing the “right” setting?
For a long time I thought Cape Cod was the right setting for Kennalyn’s story (being released as Stormy Shores later this year). But, when I visited the area, I knew it was the wrong place. On that same trip, my brother and I visited Cape Ann and that was the right setting. The area, the people, the scenario, everything was right for the story. As I researched the area and its history, I realized there were more stories to tell about the people of Cape Ann.
Sometimes a specific place is just “right” for the story. If you try to force a story into the wrong setting, it won’t help your story. I’m an author who feels the right setting and an accurate setting is very important when you tell a story. I will be at the Muse Online Conference with my publisher and a good friend. We’ll be talking about choosing, researching and using setting in your story. Feel free to visit us on October 9th at 6:00 pm EST. For more details, click here - http://www.freewebs.com/themuseonlinewritersconference/. We will have a workshop on the 9th and we will have a forum where you can ask questions all week. Hope to see you there.
4 – How did family trips to the beach as a child enhance your stories?
The beach has always been my favorite place. I live in the mountains of Virginia, so the beach is a nice change. When I was young we traveled all over the east coast and other areas might show up in future stories, but the Outer Banks has been a favorite destination for years. It just seemed natural that I would write about the area, and there will be more books set in that area. When I write the sequel to Lady Lightkeeper, I’m moving a lot of the action to Wilmington NC.
How could I write and not include information about the ocean, powerful waves, gulls, the smell of the ocean and lighthouses? I’ve loved the area and each facet of the ocean – I had to include these things in my stories.
5 – Was there anything about Stormy View that sparked the idea for a historic series?
In Stormy View (soon to be re-released as Stormy Shores), I created a lot of family history for Captain Bart. He is the latest in a long line of lighthouse keepers in the Jones family. His pride prompted me to include stories about brave rescues by other family members over the years. I was having a lot of fun creating these pieces of the history for Kennalyn and Captain Bart to share with Kennalyn’s daughter. I researched the history of Cape Ann and found so many great things that I had to write about the people and their history. The historic Misty Cove Chronicles were born. Lady Lightkeeper is the second book in that series.
6 – Is any of your personality reflected in your characters? If so, what?
This is an interesting question and one that I’ve avoided for ages. There are elements of me in Lizbeth and Kennalyn. I will admit that Mrs. Stevens and Ida do not have any of my personality traits – no matter what people may try to say.
I am independent and determined to accomplish things. I am very loyal to people I care about and I do what I can to protect those same people. I also do what I must to deal with the things life throws at me. But, I must admit that I throw a lot of problems at both of these women. They held up well, no matter what I made them handle. If you’ve read my books and like these women, wait until you meet Georgette – she will be in Rebels and Rogues.
7 – Have you written yourself into a corner with a story? If so, how did you fix the problem?
This is a problem that no reader has mentioned to me, but I had to fix the problem anyway. When I referred to Kennalyn’s great great great grandmother in Stormy View, I called her Lizbeth Jones. The problem was that I named her Lizbeth Kinsey in Widow’s Walk. That was a pretty big problem and I wasn’t entirely sure how to fix it. Believe it or not, I didn’t think about it until I was about 1/3 of the way through Lady Lightkeeper. There were only a few good ways to fix the problem, but I don’t want to ruin the surprise for people who will read Lady Lightkeeper. If you email me privately, I’ll tell you what I did. My actions have gotten me so mad emails from readers and some suggestions for future story elements. I can be reached at nikki_leigh22939@yahoo.com.
Remember that everyone who posts a comment on any of my virtual tour visits will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win a copy of Lady Lightkeeper. In addition, anyone who buys a copy of Lady Lightkeeper can be entered in a drawing to win a copy of Widow’s Walk (Book One) or Lilah and the Locket. All you need to do is send me a copy of your receipt and I’ll pick a winner by the end of the month.
For much more information about my books, visit www.nikkileigh.com
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