Colleen’s Comments (group member since Jun 13, 2011)

Colleen’s comments from the Q&A with Colleen Krantz group.

Before I started writing "Train to Nowhere; Inside an Immigrant Death Investigation," (Ice Cube Press) I had decided I couldn't tell the stories of all eleven Central Americans and Mexicans who died inside a sweltering railcar in 2002. Many people, I found, assumed I would. Instead, I focused on one young man from Guatemala, giving only brief introductions to the other ten victims. I was convinced that even though I was dealing with a true story, it was still important for readers to connect with the "characters," and really understand them. I needed the space to dedicate to one person's story. I also suspected that if I had gone through each victim's story, readers might start to drift or feel that the stories were repetitive. Was I right? Or would you prefer to hear in greater depth about all those involved?

Welcome to my Q&A session. I'm looking forward to hearing some great questions/discussion. A quick background about myself: I'm a former newspaper reporter who left that career five years ago to stay home with my children. It took only a few months with my newborn and toddler to realize I needed to have something to think about besides just nap schedules and diaper changes. I started researching a book, a little at a time during the evenings when I wasn't completely exhausted. The result, "Train to Nowhere; Inside an Immigrant Death Investigation," was released this month.
What about you? Are you writing? If so, what topic holds your attention? What are your biggest barriers to finding time?