Kathleen Neely has graciously agreed to be my guest today. We will talk about her latest release. First, Kathleen, tell us a little about your writing journey.

I believe that all authors launch their writing journey from a love of reading. For years, I was what I dubbed a ‘closet writer.’ I enjoyed creating stories but never told anyone. My first novel was years in the making. I was a fulltime teacher, then an administrator, and mother of three sons. That doesn’t allow for much quality writing time. With my kids grown and as I approached retirement, I revisited my love of writing. I connected with local writers, joined a critique group, and had some success with writing contests. My novel, The Least of These, won first place in the fiction category of a Fresh Voices contest. That bolstered my self-confidence.  Today I celebrate the release of my fourth novel, In Search of True North.

What an intriguing title. True North reminds me of finding the right direction for our lives. Tell us about your novel.

In Search of True North is a story about a mother’s love, yet it’s so much more. When 16-year-old Mallory discovered she was pregnant, her parents urged her to give the child up to her barren sister. It proved to be the hardest decision of her life. She lost more than just her son. It shattered family relationships. In Search of True North is about peeling back the layers of grief, learning to accept responsibility, and understanding that other people are fallible despite their good intentions. Healing takes a slow journey to reach the heart; twelve years in Mallory’s case.

I love that Mallory Carter is not a perfect, beautiful, too-good -to-be-true protagonist. She comes to us bitter, passive-aggressive, and insecure, always protective of the wall she built around herself. It takes a twelve-year-old boy to break through—not to mention a little help from his handsome uncle.

Wow! So intriguing. I love complicated characters. Tell me, what inspired you to write In Search of True North?

Writers are always looking for ideas. I can’t say it was any divine inspiration—although I do believe God directs our paths. I heard a man speaking about his adopted son and applauding the birthmother who made the difficult decision. From there, Mallory’s story emerged. What if the child grew up right within her family? What if she could never speak about giving birth to him? I imagined the growing bitterness. The helpless feeling that she had lost a part of herself. Writers look for an edge. Some details to add a bit of zing to the plot. What if the biological father didn’t know? What if he were now famous?  From there, In Search of True North began to take shape.  

Love all these what if moments. Share with my readers how do you developed the characters for your stories?

I love this question because characterization is the heart of fiction. I do a number of things to bring life to my characters. My husband knows that when I’m sitting silently, staring at nothing in particular, I’m actually hard at work. I see scenes and watch who emerges. I also have my main characters do some journaling. When I write from their perspective in a journalistic fashion—free writing, no concern for form or mechanics, pouring out feelings and emotions—it helps me to stay true to each character when my writing returns to the manuscript. Have you ever read a novel where you just want to scream at the main character? Don’t go there! Stop saying that. That’s a bad decision. That’s why authors need to build a strong profile—so readers will understand WHY a character does what they do.

My characters are very loosely based on real life people. I don’t sit down and envision someone I know and write them into a story. I do, however, watch people. At the beginning of In Search of True North, Mallory holds on to bitterness and is an experienced blame-shifter. Brady is a fixer. Elliott is driven. Liam is laid-back and can’t be rattled. We all know those people. Writers watch them and learn from them. They make our writing richer.

Well said, Kathleen.

 Next question how do you research for your book? What sort of research did you do for In Search of True North?

When writing, I love sub-topics. In Beauty for Ashes, Angie was an amateur violinist. Del a basketball enthusiast. In The Street Singer, we walked through the old farmhouse renovations which had little to do with Trish and Adda’s dilemma. These sub-themes add another dimension to our characters, helping us to know them more deeply. They teach us while we read (and write!) In Search of True North includes Mallory’s love for astronomy. I had to do some research on the design of the telescope, positioning of constellations, star systems, and meteor showers. Since then, I’ve found myself visiting a local science center planetarium. Mallory’s fascination was contagious.

I’ve discovered that many people love to share their areas of expertise with authors, and they appreciate a thank you in the acknowledgments. 

What audience of readers will enjoy your books?  

I have never liked categorizing my books into genres. Women’s Fiction. Romance. Mystery. Etc. I know that my books will find more appeal to female readers, yet I’ve had a number of men read and enjoy my stories, particularly The Least of These with a male protagonist. One man who works with the homeless and was brave enough to admit his emotions, told my friend that he fought tears as he read it. I don’t claim to write romance, but always include a romantic element. It adds a nice flavor and is true to real life. I wouldn’t say I write mystery novels but any good work of fiction holds a little mystery. So, I claim the genre of Contemporary Fiction, yet this fall I’ll have a time-slip release that spans 150 years, delving into historic.

My work can also be classified as Christian Fiction, although I don’t set out to write a novel about faith. As a Christian, my faith defines everything I do. True faith is not something that can be compartmentalized. However, I allow it to enter my story when it’s appropriate for the plot. Otherwise, it feels forced and detracts from a good work of fiction. In Beauty for Ashes readers will find a more overt Christian message because the setting is an afterschool ministry for teens, and because Nathan is in great emotional turmoil which naturally leads him to scripture. Regardless of whether my story includes a message of faith, I offer good, clean reads.

Sounds like you have an intense love for storytelling, what’s next?

I’m currently working on a story about a troubled marriage.  At the same time that Kate and Ryan separate, she begins to experience some significant neurological concerns. As the symptoms increase, she is diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. She refuses to tell her husband, knowing he will return out of pity.

I live with PD, and have long wanted to write a character with this disease. This story is in the final stages but needs a little more fine-tuning. I’m excited about the possibilities.

Wow! I’ve had family members with Parkinson’s Disease. I’d love to have you back to talk about this book when it is done. I love the idea of the protagonist with real-life issues like PD.

Where can folks find you on the web?

Here are some ways to contact me:

Website – www.KathleenNeely.com

Facebook – www.facebook.com/kathy.neely.98

Twitter – https://twitter.com/NeelyKneely3628

Instagram – www.Instagram.com/KathleenNeelyAuthor

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More about Kathleen Neely:

Kathleen Neely is a retired elementary principal, and enjoys time with family, visiting her two grandsons, traveling, and reading.

She is the author of The Street Singer, Beauty for Ashes, The Least of These, and In Search of True North. Kathleen won second place in a contest through ACFW-VA for her short story “The Missing Piece” and an honorable mention for her story “The Dance”. Both were published in a Christmas anthology. Her novel, The Least of These, was awarded first place in the 2015 Fresh Voices contest through Almost an Author. She has numerous devotions published through Christian Devotions.

Kathleen continues to speak to students about writing and publication processes. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.

Giveaway:

She is offering a free digital copy to one lucky commenter. I’ll give you all until Monday to comment on the blog (not social media) then I’ll draw a name and Kathleen will contact you.