New Interview at Author Alley

JAMIESON: Thanks very much for dropping by Author Alley! How about we start with how you came to writing. Did you always want to be a writer?

Beverly: Thank you for interviewing me, Jamieson. Actually, I never thought about being a writer. When I was a child, I hated to read. Even though my eighth-grade teacher sent my poem “Stars” to a high school anthology and it was published, I hated to write. Despite my rocky start with books, I attended college, read a lot, and became a teacher. Who would have thought it?

JAMIESON: When did you realize that you wanted to write for a living? What were you writing at the time?

BEVERLY: I don’t believe there was that “Ah-ha!” moment where I decided I wanted to write. But as a teacher, I read to my students; they read to me. I also read to my sons and discovered Dr. Seuss. Now he was fun. From my children’s stories, I learned that books were exciting and, whether they were realistic, fantasy, or historical, they were filled with information. In school, my students read Newbery books. Wow! If I could only tell a story like those authors. Why not? So I gave it a try. Magazine articles were my first attempts at being a writer. Some were actually published. It took a long while, but I finally wrote a couple of novels, for teens. Today, I write constantly.

JAMIESON: Now, I'm dying to know about your new book! What's it called?

BEVERLY: My forthcoming book is Rebel in Blue Jeans, a contemporary story for teen readers. It is out now as an e-book and will be released in trade paperback later this year.

JAMIESON: What is it about? I know we can read the summary on the back of the book or online; but I always love to hear about the book from the author themselves.

BEVERLY: And authors love to talk about their books. I’ll try to keep it brief. Rebel in Blue Jeans is the story of a sixteen-year-old girl who has a lot to deal with. Her mother has run away with the drummer in a rock band. Her father withdraws and starts drinking. Her friendly relationship with the Garret cousins, Will and Sully, on the neighboring ranch, starts to change. And Rick, a handsome college guy with a bad reputation, takes an interest in her. Being Rebel, she decides to do three things: (1) Bring her mother home, (2) show the Garret cousins she’s their friend, nothing more serious, and (3) prove that Rick is a gentleman, contrary to everyone’s beliefs. Rebel soon discovers that people are not always what they seem, and she’s a lousy judge of character.

JAMIESON: What inspired you to write it? Even though it's a novel, is there a lot of fact woven into it? Most authors who write fiction tend to put a lot of themselves into their work.

BEVERLY: As a former elementary school teacher, I’ve witnessed the reaction of younger children when their parents divorce, but I started wondering how teenagers, who like to be independent but still need their parents’ guidance, react to the same situation. So Rebel gave me her point of view. I also love horses and dogs and cats, and Rebel, living on a ranch, has all of them.

JAMIESON: Where can readers find you on the net? Do you have a web site or a blog?

BEVERLY: I have a Web site: http://www.beverlystowemcclure.com My blogs are http://beverlyjean.livejournal.com and http://www.myspace.com/beverlywriter

JAMIESON: It’s been such a pleasure having you stop by Author Alley! Thanks so much for visiting!

BEVERLY: Thanks again for letting me share a little of my world. I’ve enjoyed talking with you. For those of you interested in books for young adult readers, might I mention my other novels? Listen to the Ghost is a paranormal mystery, and Secrets I Have Kept is a contemporary mystery. They are both available in trade paperback. Happy writing, everyone.

Jamieson Wolf