Ask the Author: Bethany Thompson
Answered Questions (9)
Bethany Thompson
Oh, there are so many intriguing choices! But ever since I was little, when I read Patricia St. John's Treasures of the Snow and Johanna Spyri's Heidi, with their descriptions of breathtaking sunsets over the Alps, myriads of wildflowers on the slopes, and the tinkle of cow bells, I have longed to visit Switzerland. To experience for myself the sound of the wind in the firs, to pick armloads of wildflowers, to gaze down the mountain at the picturesque villages, to see the fiery colors of the setting sun, and to taste fresh goat cheese. What joy we can find in the simple goodness of life!
Bethany Thompson
I'm currently re-reading the Mitford series by Jan Karon, but a few others that are on my to-read list are Delicious! by Ruth Reichl, To See The Moon Again, by Jamie Langston Turner, A Soldier's Secret, by Marissa Moss, Breaking Free, by Beth Moore, Girl in the Blue Coat, by Monica Hesse, Grace and the Preacher, by Kim Vogel Sawyer, and Paper Hearts, by Courtney Walsh. I love reading the stories of numerous fictional people and being in their different and fascinating worlds, if only for a short time.
Bethany Thompson
This is certainly not a fair question. How is one expected to choose? I’m going to be rebellious and pretend I’m allowed to pick two. I fell in love with L. M. Montgomery’s Barney and Valency Snaith in The Blue Castle the very first time I read it. Perhaps because they were as practical as I was raised to be. Their relationship started off with them just being friends – chums – and after a year of doing life together, they realized they didn’t want to live without the other person. Another story I enjoy re-reading is that of David and Ruth Langston, in Gene Stratton Porter’s The Harvester. I confess that I am fascinated by marriage of convenience stories in general, and although I skim over some of both L. M. Montgomery’s and Gene Stratton Porter’s woodland or other wordy descriptions, I love their clean and wholesome stories.
Bethany Thompson
Write about something that interests and excites you. Research it, read other books on the same subject or genre, and watch for inspiration and ideas in the world around you. Above all, write. Try to critique your own work and always ask yourself how to say a thing better or differently. Be willing to try something new.
Bethany Thompson
I am not currently working on a piece for publication. I have a couple of half-thought out ideas that I play around with when I have time and want to write.
Bethany Thompson
Take a break from writing. Go do something else to stretch or stir up my mind. And sometimes I simply go to another part of my story to write. I remember a time when I was in the middle of writing three different scenes at once. What fun that was! If I became the least bit stuck, I just started writing somewhere else. It kept me from getting bored and gave me a better, over-all perspective of the world I was creating.
Bethany Thompson
For me, there are several 'best things about being a writer'. I so enjoy the ability to create. Words, thoughts, pictures, emotions, dreams, lives, and more. And to be able to share those people and worlds with others is pretty exciting. For me, writing is therapeutic, as beneficial to my well-being as a brisk walk up the road. Although I haven't managed many decent poems, I journal, correspond with family and many friends, and keep a couple of half-finished stories on hand to work on when I feel the "creative juices" flowing.
Bethany Thompson
I'm often inspired to write after I've been around other people, oddly enough. I notice unique characteristics or actions that I want to put into some character in my story. Also, I usually mull over a scene or problem for awhile before trying to write it down. So when I figure it out, I'm excited to get it down. And since I write as a hobby, not a profession, when I do finally have time, it's always exhilarating to sit down and write.
Bethany Thompson
From the history book I went through while being home schooled. It actually gave me a whole bunch of ideas, and I had all kinds of story snippets. When I told my younger sister the scenes I'd created about a girl during the Civil War, she advised me to write a book about it. And so I did, loving the research and the writing, and biting my lip in some frustration during the editing.
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