How many times have you picked up a book and couldn’t put it down.? You loved the book so much you had to read everything by that author. Meet Terri Lee. She just might be your next favorite author.
Terri Lee follows up her debut novel Back to Austen with a love story titled The Bootlegger’s Wife. This grew from the tales she heard as a small child. Terri lives in a small rural town in southwest Missouri where the only excitement resides in the stories she spins, and that is just the way she likes it. She and her husband of forty years share their home with a lovable golden Lab named Elizabeth Bennett and a terrorist cat with the implausible
moniker of Baby Kitty.
Welcome,
Terri. I have to ask, what kind of research did you have to do to write this
kind of story?
Terri. I have to ask, what kind of research did you have to do to write this
kind of story?
I did a good bit of research. Luckily for me, it’s
part of the process that I adore. Researching a period of history helps me to
immerse myself all the more in the era, until I start to feel very comfortable
walking around in those vintage shoes. Writing a true story that reads like
fiction required me to have my ducks in a row. Language (slang) was an
important factor to keep in the back of my mind. There are so many phrases that
are part of our daily conversations; I had to keep a close eye on every word.
The beauty of proper research is that those little
tidbits infuse your story with a sense of authenticity and lend a sense of
credibility without becoming too heavy-handed. Time and place are important
characters, if you will, in any story. They are the backdrop upon which the
protagonists will play out their lives, and if you do it right it feels natural
but never intrusive. I had to research quite a bit about the Crash of 1929 and
about Prohibition in general as you can probably imagine, as both of these
figure prominently in my novel.
tidbits infuse your story with a sense of authenticity and lend a sense of
credibility without becoming too heavy-handed. Time and place are important
characters, if you will, in any story. They are the backdrop upon which the
protagonists will play out their lives, and if you do it right it feels natural
but never intrusive. I had to research quite a bit about the Crash of 1929 and
about Prohibition in general as you can probably imagine, as both of these
figure prominently in my novel.
How
did the idea of this story come to you?
did the idea of this story come to you?
Even though this is my family’s story, oddly enough,
I was still caught off guard when the tale splashed down in my bubble bath and
I realized it was going to be a book. I certainly knew that I had the bones of
a great story. I also knew the challenge would be putting flesh on those bones.
The story itself grew from the tales I heard as a small child, words that
rolled off the kitchen table and fell on my young ears. A phrase here, a
snippet there. An unfinished sentence that piqued my curiosity. So the story
that traveled through the years took up residence in my fertile imagination and
I let it run free.
I was still caught off guard when the tale splashed down in my bubble bath and
I realized it was going to be a book. I certainly knew that I had the bones of
a great story. I also knew the challenge would be putting flesh on those bones.
The story itself grew from the tales I heard as a small child, words that
rolled off the kitchen table and fell on my young ears. A phrase here, a
snippet there. An unfinished sentence that piqued my curiosity. So the story
that traveled through the years took up residence in my fertile imagination and
I let it run free.
You
indie published this novel. Can you tell
us a little about why you chose this route instead of a traditional publisher?
indie published this novel. Can you tell
us a little about why you chose this route instead of a traditional publisher?
I’m a control freak. It really is as simple as that.
There has never been a better time in history to be a writer. Artists in other
mediums have always had outlets to get their product to the people. Garage
bands find an audience and then if they’re lucky they get booked in local clubs
and can amass a decent following. They can and have produced their own albums
and sold them to the public through various means. Painters can sell their
product at art shows, craft shows and local galleries.
There has never been a better time in history to be a writer. Artists in other
mediums have always had outlets to get their product to the people. Garage
bands find an audience and then if they’re lucky they get booked in local clubs
and can amass a decent following. They can and have produced their own albums
and sold them to the public through various means. Painters can sell their
product at art shows, craft shows and local galleries.
This has been the norm for years, for everyone
except writers. If your manuscript never made it into the hands of a
traditional publisher, there was no other reasonable outlet for you. But the
industry has changed. People’s buying habits have changed. And now the option
of being able to produce a quality product and market it to the masses is
within reach of any writer who so chooses. The idea of working with a graphic
artist to design my own cover, working with the editor of my choice and
deciding when my book would be available was a perfect fit for me. Of course, I
think it helps to be a person who is naturally very organized and determined,
because every little detail and decision is yours to make. And the marketing end
of the business can keep you extremely busy…when all you really want to do is
write.
except writers. If your manuscript never made it into the hands of a
traditional publisher, there was no other reasonable outlet for you. But the
industry has changed. People’s buying habits have changed. And now the option
of being able to produce a quality product and market it to the masses is
within reach of any writer who so chooses. The idea of working with a graphic
artist to design my own cover, working with the editor of my choice and
deciding when my book would be available was a perfect fit for me. Of course, I
think it helps to be a person who is naturally very organized and determined,
because every little detail and decision is yours to make. And the marketing end
of the business can keep you extremely busy…when all you really want to do is
write.
I
loved this story. Give readers an idea what to expect.
loved this story. Give readers an idea what to expect.
Thanks for the love. Those are the words that every
author longs to hear. We hold our breath waiting for those first bits of
feedback from our readers. As for what the readers can expect…a love story. My
tag line is ‘writing at the crossroads of romance and women’s fiction.’ What
the heck does that mean for the average reader? It means I dig deeper. Where
Love Stories live.
author longs to hear. We hold our breath waiting for those first bits of
feedback from our readers. As for what the readers can expect…a love story. My
tag line is ‘writing at the crossroads of romance and women’s fiction.’ What
the heck does that mean for the average reader? It means I dig deeper. Where
Love Stories live.
You’ve
told me you have a special time and place to get your ideas down. Share with
the readers about your process.
told me you have a special time and place to get your ideas down. Share with
the readers about your process.
I have a long daily commute, about forty-five
minutes each way. I use this quiet time to think about my book. I record my
thoughts, my musings, my ramblings and transcribe them later. Sometimes I’m
recording whole conversations between my characters. This is a perfect example
of time management. Then when I have the time to write, I’ve got dozens of
notes and ideas just ready to go.
minutes each way. I use this quiet time to think about my book. I record my
thoughts, my musings, my ramblings and transcribe them later. Sometimes I’m
recording whole conversations between my characters. This is a perfect example
of time management. Then when I have the time to write, I’ve got dozens of
notes and ideas just ready to go.
What
future projects can we expect from you?
future projects can we expect from you?
I have several books lined up in the pipeline, as I
like to call it. Ideas present themselves to me and it usually takes at least a
year or more of letting the idea simmer in the back of my mind while I’m
working on the current project. As those early fuzzy images become sharper I
record my thoughts and put them into the corresponding files. Each story
decides when it’s ready to be written. I know, because it will push its way to
the front of the line. My next project is set in the south in 1963, another
great time in history for me to dive into.
like to call it. Ideas present themselves to me and it usually takes at least a
year or more of letting the idea simmer in the back of my mind while I’m
working on the current project. As those early fuzzy images become sharper I
record my thoughts and put them into the corresponding files. Each story
decides when it’s ready to be written. I know, because it will push its way to
the front of the line. My next project is set in the south in 1963, another
great time in history for me to dive into.
What
authors influence you?
authors influence you?
My taste is so electric. I adore Pat Conroy, the man
can sweep me away on a sentence or two. Of course the classic faves like Jane Austen
and Mark Twain. I love to laugh. Jan Karon is a favorite; her gentle novels are
like a visit to Mayberry. And sometimes a person just needs to go to Mayberry.
Garth Stein is a relatively new find for me. My new favorite author is another
Indie Author, Suanne Laqueur. This goes to show you there fabulous writing out
there from Indie authors finding its way into the public consciousness. Any
great piece of writing ends up influencing you, because it has touched you in
some way.
can sweep me away on a sentence or two. Of course the classic faves like Jane Austen
and Mark Twain. I love to laugh. Jan Karon is a favorite; her gentle novels are
like a visit to Mayberry. And sometimes a person just needs to go to Mayberry.
Garth Stein is a relatively new find for me. My new favorite author is another
Indie Author, Suanne Laqueur. This goes to show you there fabulous writing out
there from Indie authors finding its way into the public consciousness. Any
great piece of writing ends up influencing you, because it has touched you in
some way.
What
interesting fact about you would surprise your readers?
interesting fact about you would surprise your readers?
I think it’s interesting and hopefully inspiring to
others that I wrote my first novel, not counting the one I wrote at thirteen,
in my mid-fifties. It just goes to prove that it’s never too late for your
dream to find you.
others that I wrote my first novel, not counting the one I wrote at thirteen,
in my mid-fifties. It just goes to prove that it’s never too late for your
dream to find you.
Here
is the way you can order The Bootlegger’s Wife. Then contact her on your
favorite social media choice.
is the way you can order The Bootlegger’s Wife. Then contact her on your
favorite social media choice.
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Bootleggers-Wife-Love-Story-ebook/dp/B00OOA0J3A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415025308&sr=8-1&keywords=the+bootlegger%27s+wife
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I read Historical Romances every now and then. While I'm not as into the romance part as most women readers, I love the historical component. Impeccable accuracy is important to me.