A Visit to a Friend's Home Births a Novel

by +AneMulligan  @AneMulligan

Jo Huddleston is a multi-published author of books, articles, and short stories. Her debut novels in the Caney Creek Series and her latest book, Wait for Me are sweet Southern romances. She is a member of ACFW, the Literary Hall of Fame at Lincoln Memorial University (TN), and holds a M.Ed. degree from Mississippi State University. Jo lives in the U.S. Southeast with her husband, near their two grown children and four grandchildren. Find Jo on her website, her blog, Facebook, and Goodreads.

What sparked the story for this novel?

When I wrote my latest novel, Wait for Me, I had been to a real coal mining community one time. One memorable time. I went home from college with a friend for a weekend. Her home was in the coal mining region in southern West Virginia.

We had arrived at my friend’s home after dark and I did not see any part of the coal community until the next day. My friend took me to the company store. When we left the store and stood on the wide porch, I saw the tipple. An imposing structure towering above all else around it.

The memory of that tipple burrowed deep within my mind. When I began writing for publication, I wanted to write a book about a coal camp and its tipple. I write sweet Southern romances with settings I know. My first published fiction series, the Caney Creek Series, was set in the southern Appalachians of East Tennessee. I decided to release that memory of a coal tipple and set my second fiction series in the coal-mining region of West Virginia.

Share a bit of your journey to publication. Was it short or long?

My journey to publication was interrupted. I had traditionally published three nonfiction titles and over 200 articles and short stories in more than fifty well-known periodicals. I had begun to mull over a novel idea but then I experienced a health issue that prevented me from writing with pen and paper or on a keyboard.

For seven years my body wouldn’t do what my brain told it to do. But I recovered somewhat and could get back to the keyboard. During those seven years I had a lot of time to meditate. A relative marvels that I’ve never questioned “God, why me?” I have not become bitter because of the health issue. I think God just gave me time to understand a lot of things when I was inactive.

I’m a more peaceful, patient, and faithful me. The writing journey is never-ending. How could I not write? What writing ability I have comes from God and I must be the best steward of that gift that I can be.

What would you do if you didn't write?

I’d have more time to read!

What makes you struggle as an author? How do you handle it?

Marketing causes me to struggle a bit. Writing is not a struggle. As for the marketing, I just buckle down and do it. I don’t stress over it and I know how much I can do and what I cannot comfortably do.

Where do you write: In a cave, a coffeehouse, or a cozy nook?

In a corner of a bedroom I have a desk that’s anchored by a laptop, printer, lamp, and ordered stacks of paper. I used this desk while in high school.

Do you prefer the creating or editing aspect of writing? Why?

I prefer the creating aspect of writing. I’m a pantster writer—I plot only in my head. When I write, my story is a stream of creativity that I want nothing to slow or stop. I see my characters say and do things that surprise me and I smile. Writing is a joy. The editing aspect of writing is more like work.

Do you consider yourself a visual writer? If so, what visuals do you use?

Visuals in my mind, from my personal experience or research, not physical visuals I need to see.

What are your top 3 recommendations for a new writer?

1.   Ask God to help you write before your fingers touch the keyboard each day.

2.   Be teachable.

3.   If writing for publication, be patient.

Then what 3 things would recommend not doing?

1.   You can benefit from reading other authors in your genre, but don’t try to copy them. Use your own unique voice to write your story.

2.   Heed the rules of the writing craft. But don’t get so hamstrung by the rules that your creativity suffers.

3.   Don’t try to write for the trends that may appear to be popular. By the time you would finish your manuscript, that trend may have vanished.

What's next for you?

Book 2 in the West Virginia Mountains Series. I don’t have a title yet—I usually get my titles from a scene or chapter in the book as I write.

Wait For Me

Can Julie, an only child raised with privilege and groomed for high society, and Robby, a coal miner’s son, escape the binds of their socioeconomic backgrounds? Set in a coal mining community in West Virginia in the 1950s, can their love survive their cultural boundaries?

This is a tragically beautiful love story of a simple yet deep love between two soul mates, Robby and Julie. The American South’s rigid caste system and her mother demand that Julie chooses to marry an ambitious young man from a prominent and suitable family. Julie counters her mother’s stringent social rules with deception and secrets in order to keep Robby in her life. Can the couple break the shackles of polite society and spend their lives together? Will Julie’s mother ever accept Robby?

Read More

John Ray Who?

No, I'm not name challenged. I can pronounce and spell correctly today's guest blogger, so welcome with me Jo Huddleston...

When writing was only a secret dream, I slipped into room 213 to attend a meeting where an editor and an agent from New York would speak. Like a squirrel, I checked my space for predators before moving farther inside. Sure enough, here came one, closing in like she’d picked me up on radar.

After introducing herself, she said, “Which is your favorite genre?”

Well, I’d lived my whole life in the South. I knew plenty of guys named Billy Earl, Bobby Joe, or Jimmy Lee but I hadn’t met a John Ray.

“I’m sorry but I don’t know any John Rays,” I said. She marched off in a huff, her literary nose tilted a few degrees closer to the ceiling than before.

My greeting committee of one caused me to wonder: Maybe this event wasn’t for me but for someone else—someone who knew John Ray better than I did.

The editor spoke first, then the agent. For an hour, I seldom heard more than two sentences strung together that I understood. The program ended with a question-and-answer time. Ah ha! Now if I just listen, all my potential writing questions will be answered.

To most of the questions, the two women answered with one of the following sentences: “Make sure you know your genre.” “Query them.” “Identify your POV.” “Include your SASE.”

Query? SASE, POV? And I was wondering how I would ever meet this John Ray person everyone had such high regard for.

Since then, I’ve lined my bookshelves with writers’ magazines, reference books and annual volumes of market guides. After numerous bylines, I still haven’t decided on a favorite John Ray. Perhaps several could query me, so I can choose one. I hope each includes an SASE.

Jo Huddleston is a multi-published author of books, articles, and short stories. Her debut novel, That Summer, released in December 2012, as the first book in The Caney Creek Series. Book 2, Beyond the Past, released in April 2013 and book 3, Claiming Peace, is scheduled for release in September 2013. Visit with Jo and her books at her website www.johuddleston.com.

Read More

Debut Novelist Jo Huddleston Gets Trapped in Her Computer

Jo Huddleston is a multi-published author of books, articles, and short stories. Her debut novel, That Summer, released in December 2012, as the first book in The Caney Creek Series. Book 2 in the series is scheduled for release in April 2013 and book 3 is scheduled for release in September 2013.

NR: Be sure to leave Jo a comment and be entered in a drawing for an autographed copy of her debut novel. Continental U.S. residents only, please. Winner will be announced on NR's Facebook page.

Jo, you've published a number of co-authored non-fiction books, short stories and articles. How long did it take you to get a full-length fiction contract?

My novel, That Summer, began percolating in my mind in the late 1990s. From 2001-2008 I had health problems that prevented me from writing, by hand or computer. After that I put my story on paper and began to try to get an agent to help me get the book published. As you know, agents rarely take a chance on a first-time novelist. On my own I began to query the smaller publishers on the ACFW recognized list. I received my contract in September 2012.

Was there a specific 'what if' moment to spark this story?

That Summer is set in the Southern Appalachians of East Tennessee where I and my ancestors were raised. I’ve listened to their stories. My novel is fiction but hearing about my ancestors’ lives helped me with the setting. When I thought about writing a novel, my thoughts went to what if I told the story of where they were brought up.

Do you have a full or part time day job? If so, how do you balance your writing time with family and work?

I don’t have a full or part time day job. My children are out on their own and my husband supports my writing and the eccentric habits of a writer.

Did anything unusual or funny happen while researching or writing this book?

My book is a Southern historical novel and moves from 1928-1950s. Once I got into the 1950s I didn’t need to do much research because I had lived through that era. The funny thing is that my editor questioned something I had written about in the 1950s, not believing it could have been a reality.

Do you consider yourself a visual writer? If so, what visuals do you use?

A visual writer? Hmmm. Perhaps I am. If so, all the visuals are in my mind and my remembrances.

Are you a plotter, a pantster, or somewhere in between?

I’m totally a panster. I don’t put anything on paper in the way of an outline or a sketch of my story. My stories and characters start in my mind and simmer there for a good while. When I begin writing the story, I know my basic plots and characters. I don’t always know the ending or how I’ll get there but I know the places I want my characters to go between the beginning and end. The characters always come up with ways to get to the ending. They really do, they take over their scenes, and push the story forward.

Where do you write: In a cave, a coffeehouse, or a cozy attic nook?

I write at a desk, which I’ve used since high school, in the corner of a spare bedroom.


Have you discovered some secret that has helped your process for writing?

No, I haven’t discovered a secret to process my writing. At some future time my panster methods may fail me and I might have to look for a secret.

What are your thoughts on critique partners?

I’ve never been in a critique group. A writer-friend and I have bounced things off one another by email. Getting another’s viewpoint of my work is helpful. I’ve entered contests and get comments there that also help me to see my story from an outsider’s view.  

Do you ever pound your computer over writer's block? If so, how did you overcome it? 

Thankfully, I’ve never had writer’s block. I do, however, get frustrated with my computer when it does what I tell it to do and it’s not at all close to what I wanted. Sometimes I get somewhere in my computer I don’t want to be and because I don’t know how I got there I can’t get out. Then is when I’ve thought of throwing my computer out of the nearby window. Haven’t yet.

Novelists sometimes dig themselves into a hole with implausible plots, flat characters or a host of other problems. What's the most difficult part of writing for you?

POV. I never see POV changes in a scene when writing my first draft. Only when I go through the first draft do I sometimes detect them. Sometimes I never detect them unless an editor points them out to me. Big as life right there in front of me and I didn’t see them.

What's your strength in writing? 

In That Summer, Caney Creek is a setting but just as much a character in the story as any supporting character. So this time around I suppose my strength was having setting as a supporting character.

Did this book give you any problems? If not, how did you avoid them?

Of course. All writing gives problems until we work them out to what they’re supposed to be. As I said above POV is a big problem for me and that “rule” Show Don’t Tell gets in my way when I get into description. I just try to stay alert when going through that lousy first draft.

What’s the best writing advice you’ve heard?

Don’t quit if you feel equipped by God to do this crazy thing called writing. 

Do you have any parting words of advice?

If you’re writing for publication, build up those patience muscles because you’re going to need them.

Thank you, Ane, for having me as your guest on Novel Rocket. I’ve enjoyed sharing time with you and your readers. They can visit with me at http://www.johuddleston.com.

That Summer
A Southern historical novel

The Great Depression brings devastation to
The Southern Appalachians but love’s triangle survives.

To escape his poppa’s physical abuse and their dirt-poor farm life, Jim flees to an imagined prosperous city life where he can make his own choices, ignoring God patiently knocking on his heart’s door. Settled in town, Jim strays from God and the way of faith his momma taught him. 

He meets a girl and loses his heart … and meets another girl and loses his willpower. Jim wrestles with social and moral dilemmas as he makes a choice beside Caney Creek that will alter the lives of five people.

Read More