Ask the Author: Beth M. Stephenson
Answered Questions (9)
Beth M. Stephenson
My 1 year old had a lollipop bulge in his cheek, but there wasn't any stick. My husband called from the kitchen, "How did Brian get his diaper off?"
Beth M. Stephenson
I'd go to Narnia and write a book about our 21st century USA. It would be the most unbelievable piece of fantasy they'd ever encountered! (But very exciting, too)
Beth M. Stephenson
What was Mrs. S's actual cause of death and who was the woman her husband travelled to visit two weeks later?
Beth M. Stephenson
Travel seems to be my most reliable spark. I see a little garret window and wonder who lives behind it. Then I start imagining, then researching. Once I have a story outlined, I lie in bed at night, imagining conversations, conflicts, backstories etc. If my writing feels flat, settling down for a few hours with a well-written book perks me back up. I start my day reading and studying scripture and praying. I need all the Divine help I can get!
Beth M. Stephenson
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Beth M. Stephenson
A little caffeine goes a long way with me. I have story outlines lined up to last me for years. If I can't get in the zone where I'm laughing at my characters' jokes and crying over their disappointments, (writers know what I mean) I take a break with a good book or get some exercise. I'm back on track before long.
Beth M. Stephenson
Learn your craft. Read the writers that are considered great through generations. Figure out why they are great. What do they have in common? Then create a story and characters and setting that resonate with you. Finally, find well-read readers with somewhat refined tastes and ask them to read it. If several people give you the same feedback, pay attention. Keep learning and growing.
Beth M. Stephenson
There is no deeper expression of myself than sharing the characters and storylines that come from my head and heart. When others love or hate the characters I have created, it's a form of close communication that I relish. It's my way of connecting to and making friends with others.
Beth M. Stephenson
Traveling in Southern Poland, I loved the landscape, the architecture, the history and the tragedy. I never write about a place I have not visited, and as an avid traveler, I'm gathering stories faster than I can write them! But in Poland, I learned that there was an active Resistance during WW2. Poland was not freed at the end of the war. There are a thousand stories waiting to be told.
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