Interview Ellen Anthony
By Jayme Evans
Hello, I'm glad to be able to interview you on your November release, Jacob's Oregon Trail Adventure. I have a few questions for you.
1. Tell us a little about yourself and how long you've been writing.
I started writing in high school. My first novel, THE MANHUNTER, was published in 1999 and was a finalist for the 2000 Eppie Award. My second novel, SEARCH FOR THE SUN, won the Eppie for Best Mystery in 2001. All told, I've had five science fiction novels published and the two Oregon Trail books.
2. What prompted you to write in the young adult genre and have you ever tried other genres?
When I looked at the "diary" type adventures put out by a major publisher, I thought a letter format would interest teenagers more and be more useful in the classroom. Of course, the Oregon Trail was the best subject to start with. I live on the old trail and it's also been a topic of interest to me. Science fiction, though, is my favorite genre.
3. This is your second book in the Oregon Trail Adventure. Did you have to do a lot of research for these books, and how would you advise new authors to do research?
These books required a lot of research, but there was plenty of information out there regarding the trail and the time period. I would suggest that new authors go first to Writers Digest Books (not the magazine) to find research books like THE WRITER'S GUIDE TO EVERYDAY LIFE IN THE 1800's (Marc McCutcheon). This book was invaluable in providing the slang, songs, and detail for the Oregon Trail books. FRONTIER LIVING by Edwin Tunis was also an excellent reference source.
4. How do you approach your writing? Do you use outlines and lots of preparation or the seat-of-your-pants method?
When I start a book, I know (1) who the main character is and his history, (2) the main plot of the book including the desired ending, and (3) the character's main supporters and main opposition. I don't outline the book until I get stuck. That gets me started again and I go back to the outline every time I ask myself "What do I do next?" The outline, of course, isn't written in stone and I often end up with whole blocks of chapters never mentioned there.
5. Do you write everyday? Explain.
When I'm writing, it's every day. I start out as soon as I get up and work until I get a chapter done. As a result, I've got a job in the evening which doesn't interfere with my writing time.
6. Do you have more stories floating around in your head or on paper? If so, what are you working on?
The next book on my schedule is QUEST OF THE SUN, a science fiction novel in the Syran series. The next Letters Through Time book will be on a colonial girl in Rhode Island colony in 1690.
7. What is your favorite phase of writing? Creating? Editing?
The first draft of a book is my favorite stage. The characters take over after a while and I just let the story flow. Revising, though, is nearly painless. The stage I hate is marketing.
8. Who is your biggest inspiration for writing?
Robert Vaughan, author of ANDERSONVILLE. Mr. Vaughan writes 20 pages per day every day and is the author of over a hundred books ranging from award-winning western novels to trashy romances.
9. Tell us something about Jacob's Oregon Trail Adventure and what prompted you to write it.
I have brothers. I know from experience that the things they talk about from a sequence of events are totally different than from I notice. When I started writing LURA'S OREGON TRAIL ADVENTURE, I thought it would be more natural for her to talk about girl things and for her to have a brother who talked about boy things on the trail. The result was two books on the same journey, but only the major events are the same. For instance, Lura is scared of losing her father when he's bitten by a rattlesnake, but Jacob is worried about that and becoming the man of the family at 14.
10. What advice do you have for aspiring authors?
Write. If you're working on a novel, don't worry about revising. Let the story flow on until the end and then revise. If you want to avoid getting stuck in an editing loop (a common problem for new writers), use the previous chapter to jumpstart your writing in the new session, but don't go back any further than that. Example: When working on chapter two, go back and review chapter one and tweak it and then go on writing. When you get to chapter twelve, go back and review chapter eleven. Don't start from the beginning each session or you'll never get done.
Thank you Ellen. It has been a pleasure. I wish you the best of success
With your new book.
Jayme Evans, author of Eternity’s Many Loves