Author Interview ~ Jeri Board

Jeri Fitzgerald Board grew up in Johnston County, North Carolina, just a few miles from the site of the Battle of Bentonville. She is a retired administrator with the University of North Carolina, and a former professor of African-American Studies and American Women Writers, at Duke University and St. Andrews Presbyterian College. She and her husband, Warren, live in Tryon, North Carolina with their feline companion, Miss Beautiful.








What book or project is coming out that you’d like to tell us about?


My first historical novel, The Bed She Was Born In, was released in April.
This is the story of five southern women—three black and two white—and the intimate relationships they foster which help them overcome sexism, racism, and poverty in an era (1865-1941) when women had little opportunity.

How did you conduct the research needed to write this story with accuracy?

As a professor of Women’s Studies and African American Studies, I have been conducting this kind of research, using the most reliable resources, for decades.

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.

Mine has been a rather unconventional journey. Although I taught creative writing for years, I never made a living as a writer. I am a retired administrator with the University of North Carolina, and a former professor, and have made my living in that arena. I wrote The Bed She Was Born In during a hiatus from my usual vocation.

This story, which began with my great-great-grandmother’s experiences during the last major battle of the Civil War at Bentonville, NC, played in my head for years. I finally had the opportunity to devote myself to it in 1992-93, so I sat at my kitchen table every day and wrote it, long-hand, on legal pads. A friend processed it for me and the manuscript was 568 pages. In the winter of 1994, my husband and I made a joint decision to go to St Andrews Presbyterian College, where we immersed ourselves 24/7 in the work of that institution.

The manuscript went on a shelf in a closet where it gathered dust for the next 7 years. During that time, I sent the first three chapters to two publishers and they responded with positive remarks about content and characterization, but both expressed concern about length. We moved to Tryon, North Carolina in 2003, and after we spent 2 ½ years renovating and remodeling our house here, I got out the manuscript, cut 250+ pages (oh, lord!), rewrote the ending, and added a prologue and an epilogue.

I was invited to read at an AAUW fund-raiser last May. Les Stobbe and his wife, Rita, were in the audience. They had just moved to Tryon from Boston, and while I had met them, we did not know each other. They wanted to buy 6 copies of my book. When I told them it had never been published, they became interested. I had no idea that Les was a literary agent. They called me that evening and we set up a meeting for the next morning where I signed a contract with him. He sold The Bed She Was Born In in less than two weeks. Needless to say, I was astounded….just blown away.

What mistakes have you made while seeking publication?

I don’t mean to sound flippant here, but I have had so little experience I don’t think I have had much opportunity to make too many mistakes on the issue of publication. I did not make an honest effort to have my novel published because I could not take the time to do right by it. One very telling incident occurred with a publisher in Georgia that let me know I did have the RIGHT product, but not the right publisher. Chemistry between the writer and the publisher is crucial and I have been very fortunate in that regard.

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

The best advice I have ever heard is, “Stick With It!”…both the writing and the publishing. And read, read, read. By that, I mean, really study the writing of others.
I always ask my writing students to “ape” the style of their favorite writers….to try to capture not only the semantics, but the feeling, the depth, the color, if you will…of someone they admire. I believe that no writer can ever understand, or appreciate, the process until they can analyze, to some extent, that process from another writer’s viewpoint. You have to get in there and really take it apart to appreciate it.

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

The worst piece of writing advice I ever heard was a comment made by one of the publishers to whom I sent my manuscript. He told me there was just too much stuff in my novel about women! My reaction was BINGO! I knew I had hit it and I never backed away from what he deemed a liability.

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

I wish I had known about how little control I would have over the treatment of information shared in interviews and other marketing devices. A writer is at the mercy of those who are interested in her/his work …and especially when it comes to the manner in which their product is presented. For instance, I have seen comments printed about The Bed She Was Born In from people who have obviously NOT read it. You just have to go with the flow and know that these things are going to happen.

Is there a set back you have gone through in your writing career you are willing to share?

Since I have not had a writing career, I can’t address this. Generally, I would say that it is wise to not have too many expectations.

What are a few of your favorite books?

Rather than mentioning their books, may I just mention a few of the writers I particularly admire? Edith Wharton, Willa Cather, Alice Hoffman, Toni Morrison, John Steinbeck, Victor Hugo, Thomas Hardy, Jane Austen, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Zora Neale Hurston, Wm. Faulkner, Alice Walker, Amy Tan….there are so many. I wish that Harper Lee had written more than one book.

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

I think The Bed She Was Born In should be read by every woman, and every man, in America. Some people will think, because of the title, that this is a “woman’s book.” It is rather a book about women who may be viewed as unconventional for their time.

The Bed She Was Born In deals with universal themes that, I hope, will have universal appeal. I have received so many wonderful comments from people who have read it and loved it…men and women, black and white, old and young. I have been particularly gratified by the positive comments I have received from young adult readers.

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

My pet peeve is dealing with other people’s assumptions. I think this is something all of us human beings deal with when we deal with other human beings. It’s constant.

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

When I wrote The Bed She Was Born In, I sat at my kitchen table off and on throughout the day. I began early each morning with a long walk which helped clear my head of any excess baggage I did not need for my writing journey. (I still do this every day….and I work when I walk.) If I were frustrated with a particular scene I was working on, I would leave it and take a walk around the block. And if that did not work, I would let it alone for a few days and go back to it later. Things need to meld, to season…they need time.

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

If I could choose to have one strength from another writer, it would be the incredible power of certain writers to convey feelings of “being in the moment” in their work I think Toni Morrison does this so well. I feel as if I am looking over her shoulder when I read her work….as if I am the person about whom she is writing.

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

My dream would be that the message of The Bed She Was Born In would become so wide spread that people all over this country would come to understand the positive relationships that have always existed between black and white Southerners. We have been dependent on each other for centuries, and Southern women have always nurtured the thin thread of civility that has kept us going and kept us strong. This is not to say that there have not been tremendous problems along the way. Racism, sexism, poverty, and lack of opportunity have existed, not only in the South, but all over this country throughout our history. Unfortunately, they continue to flourish today.

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

I always dreamed of having a time in my life when I could actually write something, and when I finally got the opportunity, I held onto my hope that The Bed She Was Born In would be published. I wrote the original manuscript of 568 pages in two years time and NEVER thought about not finishing it. The journey to writing it had been so long that I could not do anything but hold on until the end. Besides, I loved every minute of it. Writing this novel was the hardest thing I have ever done, but it was the most fun, too.

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

My favorite part of being a writer is “being” the characters. I love to get inside their heads and let them take me where they will. The thing that is hardest is the isolation. This is lonely work, as one has no colleagues in an office next door. I have to MAKE time to get out and see other people, to socialize, to try to be a normal person. This always helps me with my work because others are interested in what I am doing and they ask questions, and make comments, that give me even more insight. I come away from every presentation I do at a library, or club meeting, with new friends and new ideas.

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

Now, this is a great question because I think that most first-time novelists have no idea of the amount of time and energy they will have to devote to marketing. Unless you are a John Gresham or Doris Kearns Goodwin, you will get very little help from your publisher (If you are lucky, perhaps they will sponsor one event). I spend the majority of my day dealing with correspondence (mainly emails) and scheduling events for The Bed She Was Born In. I present programs for libraries, historical societies, civic and church groups, and do readings and signings at book stores on a regular basis. People who organize these events do NOT come to you; you have to go to them. Fortunately, they are very supportive and interested in having you do something for them.

Parting words?

Talk with other writers who have been successful. Learn from them. Try to adapt to new ideas especially when it comes to marketing. Use your connections, your friends, to help you. My friends have been incredibly helpful and supportive and nothing works as well as “word of mouth” when it comes to selling.

Don’t be shy or easily intimidated. Find out what you need to know and go for it. And don’t be lulled into thinking that your book will sell itself. Writers sell books. Be prepared to spend a bundle on marketing items such as a web site, postcards, flyers, as well as gas, meals, and motels while you are on the road. Some libraries will cover mileage and/or pay an “author’s fee,” but these will not be enough to cover your expenses. Above all, have fun! This is your time to shine…and to meet interesting people who are obviously interested in you and your work. Make the most of it because in the end, all we have is each other.

For more on The Bed She Was Born In, including the synopsis, first chapter, and ordering information, please go to www.thebedshewasbornin.com. Thank you.