Kent District Library discussion

I am pleased and proud to welcome Michigan author Kristina Riggle to KDL's Goodreads group page. Kristina is the author of five novels, including "Real Life & Liars" and "The Whole Golden World." If you have any questions for Kristina, please post them here.

Kent District Library wrote: "One thing I loved most is the way you wrote convincingly as each character. How do you keep their voices in tact and separate?"

Thanks for having me! Great question. I love writing -- and reading -- from multiple points of view. I'm fascinated by how different people, even when they can agree on the basic facts, can tell such different narratives. It was something I noticed often in my newspaper reporting days.

To your question, though, I can say that the characters are so distinct and unique that it wasn't hard to shift between them for me. A Morgan reaction was going to be so far different than a Dinah reaction that it wasn't going to confuse me.

Kent District Library wrote: "Is it harder to write from the point of view of an "unlikeable" charracter?"

I'm glad you responded that way to TJ. It's fair to say his character shifts as the book goes on, but I wanted to make it clear it wasn't easy for the people in his life to see what was coming. In real life, villains aren't so easy to identify, especially if they happen to be charming, friendly, and in your own family.

TJ was definitely a difficult character to portray for all those reasons mentioned above.

Kent District Library wrote: "You are up to five novels now. Do you have a favorite?"

I get asked that all the time! It's like picking a favorite kid; I can't really do it.

I will say that I always have a soft spot for REAL LIFE & LIARS as my first. And I hope I get better every time, so I feel that my latest novel is my strongest, which is of course THE WHOLE GOLDEN WORLD.

Kent District Library wrote: "Another big question for librarians is what are your favorite books? The answer might also help those who loved all of yours and are looking for something else to read."

This shifts for me all the time! Here are some of my inspirations: BREATHING LESSONS by Ann Tyler, HOME SAFE by Elizabeth Berg and THE DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA-YA SISTERHOOD by Rebecca Wells. Fascinating character-driven fiction.

More recent books I've loved include THE PARIS WIFE, THE HUSBAND'S SECRET, ME BEFORE YOU and one I read recently I think my readers would love is called THE UNFINISHED WORK OF ELIZABETH D by Nichole Bernier. My friend Eliza Graham has a literary novel about identity called THE ONE I WAS which is also excellent.

Sorry for the all-caps titles. It's a publishing industry quirk to write titles like that, and I'm used to it by now.

Kent District Library wrote: "More about THE WHOLE GOLDEN WORLD (I am following your lead and using all caps.)It is fascinating to hear some of your motivation in developing TJ's character. Can you tell me more about Dinah? I ..."

I hope your feelings changed about Dinah! I like readers' feelings to change in general, because that means the book is holding interest.

Dinah is well-meaning, and well, aren't we all? Most people don't go around screwing up on purpose, especially with their kids. I was starting with the premise of this basically good girl, Morgan, who goes off the rails. So Dinah came from me imagining what kind of family situation would be ripe for something like that to happen. Dinah treats her mature, composed daughter a bit too much like a Deputy Mom. But that impulse is understandable, I think.

Kent District Library wrote: "I love all things Ann Tyler and of course DIVINE SECRETS. OK, just all your list really."

You could give me book recommendations, too, I'm sure.

Kent District Library wrote: "I see you are also a fiction co-editor on Literary Mama. Do you read submissions?"

Yes, I do. One of my favorite things is to find a gem in the "slush pile" (sorry, that's the jargon for it) and polish it up even brighter by suggesting tweaks here and there. So gratifying.

Kent District Library wrote: "You said the idea for WHOLE GOLDEN WORLD came from an actual news event. Have you gotten any other writing ideas this way?"

Not as directly, from such a specific event. But my fourth novel, about compulsive hoarding, came about in part because there seemed to be a pop culture fascination with the subject (re: the HOARDERS TV show and copycats.)

I'm also fascinated with the financial crisis and fallout, so I won't be surprised if I work that into a novel someday. Anything in the ether is fair game for inspiration.

Kent District Library wrote: "We have a big writing group at KDL. Would you recommend that some of our amateurs consider submitting to Literary Mama? If so, do you have any tips?"

First of all, and this goes for any submission anywhere, please read the submission guidelines. Here are ours: http://www.literarymama.com/submissions

The sub guidelines are meant to make life easier for you and the editors, both. It keeps writers from wasting their time submitting work that won't fit. And it helps us get through the submissions in a more timely fashion when they are submitted according to directions. We won't toss out a story that doesn't follow the guidelines, but we are very happy when the stories do. It shows professionalism.

And read the magazine's archives to get a sense of what fits. We get some stories at Literary Mama which are just far too sentimental. Motherhood does lend itself to that treatment, of course, but our particular take on motherhood looks for more complex portrayals. Again that goes for anywhere you'd like to publish. Read up before you submit to see if your work even belongs. Plus you should be reading anyway. You want people to read YOUR short stories when published, so you should return the favor.

Kent District Library wrote: "I read an article recently about John Irving. He claims to write his last sentence first. Do you have any hard and fast writing rules? Do you write an outline first. Do you always know what is goin..."

I couldn't possibly write my last sentence first because I don't know what's going to happen. Good for him, though.

My process is evolving all the time. For my first book, I gave it very little thought before I plunged in. The more experienced I get, the more easily I can see problems before they occur and can head them off by planning. That's not to say I outline (I don't, I'd find it stifling and would probably veer off almost immediately) but I do a lot more thinking through of my stories before I dive right in.

Even with planning, I don't always know what's going to happen, which is half the fun in writing.

Kent District Library wrote: "I keep editing my posts. It is slightly intimidating to write questions to an author. :)"

Don't be intimidated. I just misspelled intimidated myself. Luckily the red squiggly line showed up so I could fix it.

Kent District Library wrote: "It is very nice of us to give other writers advice. Are you asked often to help new writers?"

I get asked, and I always try to help when I can. Other writers helped me (and still do).

Kent District Library wrote: "You have written many short stories. Any chance you will be publishing a compilation any time soon?"

I don't plan to at the moment, but never say never.

Kent District Library wrote: "As someone who doesn't write, I like to think that the author is getting to know the character as she writes. Though I'm not sure if that makes sense."

Sure. I always get to know the character as I write, which is why I write so many drafts of each book. By the time I get to the end, I understand the character well enough I have to change so much about them at the beginning. I think I had nine versions of THE WHOLE GOLDEN WORLD on my hard drive and that didn't count minor changes that did not require "save as" and a new file.

Kent District Library wrote: "Back to Dinah. Her character was so interesting to me as a mother. I have also been a mother of a sick child, so she resonated with me. Do you have any personal connection with sick or special need..."

Without giving away anyone's private details, yes, I have experience with kids with challenges. Parents of any kid always walk a knife-edge between pushing them to do their best, without setting them up to fail. You don't want to coddle them and make them feel helpless, either. Add challenges to this mix and the stakes are so much higher.

Kent District Library wrote: "I appreciate how much you love and support the library. You have done several appearances at KDL, and I know you make other appearances as well.

Is there a question you dread, one that is asked to..."


I guess some writers hate the "Where do you get your ideas" question, but it doesn't bother me. What's hard is that there's no one answer, and what answers we do have sometimes don't make any sense.

Once in a great while someone really wants to pin me down on exact numbers of book sales or financial details about earnings. Of the former, I don't walk around with that information in my head, and of the latter, it's my private business. I try to gracefully dodge.

Kent District Library wrote: "Kristina wrote: "Kent District Library wrote: "Back to Dinah. Her character was so interesting to me as a mother. I have also been a mother of a sick child, so she resonated with me. Do you have an..."

Oh, good. I'm glad.

Kent District Library wrote: "Do you prefer to write about something you have little experience with rather than something that cuts too close to home?"

I don't like to write autobiographical work, partly because my life is happily relatively boring compared to the conflicts in my novel. Also, I don't think I could see clearly enough to write an honest book about something too close to the bone.

But I always have a connection to the work even if it's not directly out of my life. I've never been a compulsive hoarder, but I relate to the characters in KEEPSAKE and their complicated relationship to objects.

Kent District Library wrote: "Did you visit the library regularly as a child?"

YES! All the time. The former Kentwood branch on Kalamazoo Ave. We didn't have much money growing up, so I didn't own that many books. Because of the library, though, I could read voraciously, and I'm so grateful. I was just at the library this morning with kids before coming home for this chat.

Kent District Library wrote: "Are you working on a new book. If so, what can you tell us about it?"

Yes (I'll be getting to work on it shortly) but I'm being cagey about it because my agent hasn't even read it yet. I hate talking about works in progress. I don't mind being asked, I just don't answer. :-)

Kent District Library wrote: "Thank you so very much, Kristina. It was delightful to be able to chat with you today. I look forward to many more wonderful books from you!"

Thank you! It was fun. For those who don't know, you can find me on Twitter at @krisriggle , or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RiggleNovels . And you can always email me kris (at) kristinariggle.net .

Have a great day and happy reading.