Today, I am priviliged to have the wonderful Joanie C. Murray as my guest. She is an aspiring writer of children's books. Writing children's books, to me, is a daunting task. There are so many aspects to consider when writing in that genre. Are you on the correct level for the age group you chose? Is there a clear moral to the story? What about illustrations? Alot to think about. My guest, in my opinion, has captured the magic perfectly. Let's meet her.
Let's get to know you a little bit Joanie. You live in Wheeling, West Virginia. So tell us that story. Have you always lived in that area, on Bugle Hill Farm? Love that name by the way.
Joanie: I was born in Wheeling and lived here until I was twenty, when I moved to Tucson, AZ. After three years in Tucson, I moved to Las Vegas, but in 1993 decided to move home to be closer to my family. I knew I wanted a few acres in case I ever had the chance to have horses again, and I found the perfect property. I named it Bugle Hill Farm after my retired thoroughbred Bugsy, who often bugled at me when it was time to eat. I also had a beagle who loved to bugle.
You are an aspiring writer and have a book for middle grade children almost ready to go. I love your title, Molly McBean and the Secret Cave. Tell us a little about it.
Joanie: It's the story of a young girl, Molly, who discovers a cave in the woods near her home in West Virginia. That's when everything she never believed in steps up to say hello. Adventure ensues as Molly tries to figure out the mysteries of the cave, all while keeping it a secret from her family.
It's so hard to find really good children's books. What inspired you to write this one?
Joanie: Well, I really didn't set out to write a children's book. In the beginning, it was just an idea that popped into my head, and before I knew it, I was scribbling notes at all hours of the day and night and sometimes pulling over while driving to work out certain scenes. Molly would not let me off the hook until her story was told. She had given me lots of material to work with, so this is book one in a planned series.
Tell us about your writing experience. Do you engage a critique group, a writer's association? What kind of support do you find helps you the most?
Joanie: I am involved with Ohio Valley Writers Group in Wheeling and am a member of Pennwriters out of Pittsburgh. The feedback I get from those two very supportive groups is invaluable. With the Wheeling group, we have a chance to read excerpts of our work and get immediate feedback. I can take that feedback home with me and use it as fuel to keep going. Can't say enough about the two groups. Of course, my friends and family have been very encouraging too, and that's important.
Writing is such a personal journey. Everyone needs different surroundings for inspiration. Where do you write and in what type of environment? Do you write every day?
Joanie: I wish I wrote everyday. It is something I try to do - even if it's just two sentences but it doesn't always happen. I have a couple of places that really inspire me to write. One is a room in our house that has a corner full of twelve foot windows where I have a small desk. I look out at the woods and wildlife as I write and sometimes I listen to Beethoven or Bach. I pretty much need lots of quiet. This is going to sound weird, but I love to write in a local cemetary. It has some very old graves, and I just feel connected somehow. If I get stuck I can walk the quiet lanes and work things out.
Well, that is fitting for this time of year! Do you have a date in mind for your book to come out? We hope it's soon!
Joanie: The sooner the better! At present, I am still in revisions, but almost done. My goal is to be ready to submit to the publisher within the next month. I will keep you posted!
Thank you for being here today, Joanie. We loved having you and hope to see much more of you and your work.
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