Welcome Penny! It’s great to have you here. When did you know that you wanted to be a writer?
I knew I wanted to be a writer at the age of nine. I spent that summer writing a story—in green ink on yellow legal paper about a girl who could fly. I also illustrated the story. It contained a romance, too. Even at that young age, I knew it wasn’t good enough to be published, but I enjoyed the process of writing so much that I wanted to continued writing stories. So, I did.
I wrote at a young age too. How much time do you spend researching before you write?
I spend months researching in depth before I write, scanning the library shelves and reading books. I also have my own reference books at home. Nevertheless, I often wind up searching for small details while I am actually writing the book. That’s when the Internet becomes very useful. I will check several references on the web, since misinformation is rampant, but there are a number of sites that are trustworthy and I rely on those.
I always enjoy the researching portion of writing. What does your writing space look like?
My library/office just went through a thorough cleanup. It’s now much neater and more organized than it was. My desktop is usually fairly tidy with the computer, scanner, printer, phone, and a paperback copy of Roget’s Thesaurus at hand. Around me are shelves of books. It’s very cozy. But sometimes I write on my iPad while sitting in the family room. There I can stare out the window while I’m thinking what comes next in the story.
Sounds cozy. What is the farthest place from home that you’ve traveled?
When I was twenty-three, I spent six weeks one summer studying art in Florence, Italy. The trip also included a week in Munich and a week in Paris. It was an amazing experience and I have always been thankful for that opportunity. After spending six weeks in Florence, I didn’t feel like a tourist anymore. I would have a cup of cappuccino in the café, stroll around the Boboli Gardens in the afternoon, and sketch pictures. Florence is such a great place to visit.
Tell us about your new book.
Ryan McGowan joins General Wayne’s Legion vowing to kill every Indian in Ohio territory in retaliation for his brother’s death. At the Battle of Fallen Timbers, Ryan breaks his ribs and finds a white woman sobbing over a dead warrior. He orders his men to take her to the fort. He resents it when the captain assigns him to teach the woman English, but she melts away his vengeance and he realizes the way to peace is forgiveness. Then he learns the woman carries the child of her Indian husband in her womb.
Màxkchulëns was adopted by the Lenape at the age of four. Pulled away from her dead husband on the battlefield and confined at the fort, she wants only to return to her people. General Wayne claims she’s the daughter of a man who fought with him and her name is Nellie. The general intends to provide for her, but there are others in the territory who see her as a prize. She finds herself drawn to Ryan’s kindness and it is he who leads her to recall a small part of the faith her biological parents held dear.
Can she rely on that faith in desperate times? And will that faith protect her unborn child as well?
Sounds good. Where did you get the inspiration for your latest book?
When I wrote Patriot’s Heart, the first book in my Patriot series, I intended to give the McGowan twins a book of their own. I wanted them to leave New Jersey and go off somewhere, but I didn’t know where. However, my Ohio cousins decided to hold a family reunion one year. I hadn’t seen them in a long, long time. But I started to think about Ohio as a possible setting for the McGowan twins and after further research, I knew that’s where they were bound to go.
So this is book two in the series. Apart from writing, what is your favorite creative outlet?
I have too many favorite creative outlets, which leaves me a bit distracted, but I’m certainly never bored. I draw and paint. I crochet. Now and then I pick up my guitar or play the piano—though not well. Hubby is a much better musician. I usually rely on him to make music and he always requests that I sing along. Still, nothing for me is quite as delightful as putting together a story. I really delve into it and can easily forget about everything else.
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Great interview.
Jodie,
Thanks so much for the interview! I really enjoyed it.