Author Interview ~ J.M. Hochstetler

Joan M. Hochstetler divides her time between writing historical novels and serving as an associate editor of adult general interest products at Abingdon Press. She graduated from Indiana University cum laude, taking a degree in Germanic languages.

Born and reared in central Indiana, the daughter of Mennonite farmers, Hochstetler currently resides in Dickson County, Tennessee. Her interest in the American colonial and Revolutionary War eras grew out of the experiences of her Anabaptist ancestors who immigrated to America from Europe seeking religious freedom. Daughter of Liberty, book 1 of Hochstetler’s American Patriot Series, was published in 2004.



Plug time. What book or project is coming out or has come out that you’d like to tell us about?

Native Son, book 2 of the American Patriot Series published in July 2005. It begins right after the end of Daughter of Liberty, and brings the story up to July 1776. After the British are finally forced out of Boston, my heroine, Elizabeth Howard, moves to New York City in advance of Washington and the Continentals in order to continue spying on Howe’s army. Meanwhile, Jonathan Carleton, now a brigadier general under Washington, travels far out onto the western frontier among the Indians, where he is first captured and enslaved by the Seneca, then rescued and adopted by the Shawnee. Native Son ends just after signing of the Declaration of Independence and during the build-up for the second major clash of the Revolution, the Battle of Brooklyn Heights.

Currently I’m working on bringing Elizabeth and Jonathan back together again in book 3, Wind of the Spirit—among other projects.

Tell us about your journey to publication. How long had you been writing before you got the call you had a contract, how you heard and what went through your head.

I started writing back in the late 1970s when my two oldest daughters were just tots. It wasn’t until the early 1980s that I began to think seriously about getting my work published, however. Of course, once I started submitting, I also started accumulating rejections. After going through a number of life changes and several periods when I was concentrating on working to earn a living instead of on writing, I got serious about this calling, and in November 2002 I finally received a contract offer. That’s a long journey!

When I got my first contract, I was still working full-time as an editor with Abingdon Press. That morning when I came into the office, there was a voice-mail waiting for me. The message was from the secretary of the editor at Zondervan, and she calmly asked me to call them because they wanted to offer me a contract!

Somehow I managed not to run up and down the hallway screaming my head off!

Of course, I immediately called my agent, who got in touch with the editor right away and then called me back with the terms they were offering. At that point I didn’t really care what the offer was. I would have accepted anything. I was totally in a state of shock that my dream was finally coming true!

This happened less than three months after my parents died as a result of an auto accident. One of the main things I was thinking about when I got the offer was that if it had only come through three months earlier, then I would have been able to tell my parents before they went home to be with the Lord.

Do you still experience self-doubts regarding your work?

Are you kidding? It comes with the territory. I don’t think you ever get over it. Every project you write is your worst—at least in your own head!

What’s the best advice you’ve heard on writing/publication?

Never give up! I absolutely believe that. If you persist and keep on working to become better at this craft, keep on networking with other writers, and keep on submitting your work to the appropriate editors, you will one day be published.

What’s the worst piece of writing advice you’ve heard?

To submit to one editor or agent at a time and wait for their answer before you submit to anyone else. Unless they specify they will not accept simultaneous submissions, send a proposal to everyone who’s interested in the type of project you’re pitching. Life is too short to engage in serial submissions. Get the word out.

What’s something you wish you’d known earlier that might have saved you some time/frustration in the publishing business?

Networking is key. Attend as many writers conferences as you can afford to and talk to every agent, editor, and author you possibly can. Check the workshops offered and the faculty carefully, of course, and make sure the conferences you attend will be of the most benefit to you personally as far as knowledge and contacts are concerned. And join online writers organizations to increase your network of contacts.

Do you have a scripture or quote that has been speaking to you lately?

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace (Acts 20:24).

Is there a particularly difficult setback that you’ve gone through in your writing career you are willing to share?

There are several, but they’re very personal. Someday I may share them, but it’s going to be a while.

What are a few of your favorite books? (Not written by you.)

Three of my all-time favorites, which I first read when I was a teenager, are A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, Green Dolphin Street by Elizabeth Goudge, and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Even though when I first read them I had no idea of becoming a writer myself, these books have had the greatest influence on me as a writer.

If your authorial self was a character from The Wizard of Oz, which one would you be and why?

I would be Dorothy because everything I write has as its most important element the journey home.

What piece of writing have you done that you’re particularly proud of and why?

I’m the proudest of both Daughter of Liberty and Native Son because the founding of our nation is such a thrilling and inspiring story of God’s working in the lives of his people and the world. But today most Americans know so little, if anything, about the heroic struggle, sacrifice, faith, and vision of our Founders. I’ll be greatly honored if I can have even a small share in highlighting and honoring the tremendous accomplishments of our first greatest generation.

Do you have a pet peeve having to do with this biz?

The thing that troubles me the most is that nowadays authors have to spend so much time promoting their books. Publishers used to expect to invest money and effort in promoting a new author until he or she achieved name recognition in the market. But today unless you’re already a best-selling author or a celebrity, you’re expected to do virtually all the promotion on your books yourself.

I truly believe that’s why the market is saturated with books that are poorly written and edited, have little substance, and consequently have little staying power. How can you possibly write outstanding works that will stay in your readers hearts long after they put the book down, and that will profoundly affect their lives, when you have to spend the majority of your time promoting yourself? It’s a conundrum I haven’t figured out yet.

Can you give us a view into a typical day of your writing life?

On days when I’m not working at Abingdon, I’m usually up by 6 a.m. Generally I spend the morning doing my personal Bible study and devotions and then taking care of business details such as answering e-mails, making phone calls, or doing mailings. After a quick lunch, I spend the afternoon working on one of the projects I have going—right now I have three!—either writing or doing research. And often after dinner I’ll spend another hour or two writing before heading to bed between 9 and 10 p.m.

I work three days a week as an editor, and on those days I try to put in some time on my projects for an hour or two after dinner. That’s tough, though, because I have an hour’s drive each way into Nashville, and after spending the whole day on the computer, I’m usually pretty brain dead!

If you could choose to have one strength of another writer, what would it be and from whom?

I would love to capture the profound depth and originality of J. R. R. Tolkien!

Do you have a dream for the future of your writing, something you would love to accomplish?

I have two great ambitions. One is to write the only truly comprehensive—and best-selling—historical fiction series on the American Revolution. The other is to write a fictional version of the story of my Anabaptist ancestors. The Hochstetlers came to this country in 1738 in search of religious freedom only to get caught up in the French and Indian War in 1757, with several members of the family being massacred and several being carried away into Indian captivity. A cousin and I are just beginning work on that project, and it’s shaping up to be a thrilling and inspiring story of faith and endurance through severe trial.

Was there ever a time in your writing career you thought of quitting?

I’ve quit more times than I can count. Probably most writers have done so at one time or another, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I hold the all-time record. The thought still occurs to me on a regular basis, but I’ve gotten better at ignoring those nagging little voices in my head and just blundering on.

What is your favorite and least favorite part of being a writer?

My favorite parts are doing research, and then editing once I’ve written the rough draft. My least favorite part is writing the rough draft.

How much marketing do you do? Any advice in this area?

I’ve discovered that it’s virtually impossible for me to put in large amounts of time doing promotion and do any serious writing at the same time. My brain just isn’t wired that way. I have to give my full attention to either one or the other. I’ve also discovered that doing a lot of traveling breaks my budget and totally wears me out, so that’s something I have to limit for both my financial and physical health.

I think it’s really important find a balance. If you spend a majority of your time promoting your work, you’re not going to have time to write excellent books that readers will want to buy and read and recommend to others. So you have to find the balance that works the best for you as far as getting the word out about your books and spending time actually writing.

If you write historials like I do, it’s especially hard because you have to spend huge amounts of time doing research before you even sit down to write. So I’ve found that I need to be very intentional about setting aside specific days or even a week each month to concentrate on promotion. I’m also learning to narrow my focus to the markets that have a natural interest in the kinds of books I write and let the rest go until I’ve fully covered those.

Parting words?

Never give up. If one door closes, look for a window or a path to another door. Find a way around those obstacles. There is a way to reach your goal, and with prayer and perseverance, you can find it!