Questions, questions, more questions-... and some partial answers!
Having a new book out—one that I am happy to say has been getting some buzz—means that I am being interviewed quite a bit. Journalists, podcasters, reviewers, fellow writers, in person and over the phone and via zoom, as well as Facebook live, Instagram streams and readers at bookstore events. All of which means in the past few weeks I have been asked a lot of questions. Some of them were provocative and really made me think about the deeper themes in the book, some of them (clearly from other writers) have been about the process of getting the book published or the nitty-gritty of writing or a dive into craft. I plan on periodically using this space to address them. But I thought I'd start with some of the general questions that seem to be almost universal.
With fellow author Tracy Clark, taking questions at Exile In Bookville. Program partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.
How long did it take you to write You Should Have Known?
It seems to be a pretty straightforward question, so you would think I would have a short, straightforward response—and I do. Sort of. The short version is “I have no idea.” But that sounds smart-ass (though it isn’t meant to be) and certainly isn’t very satisfactory. The answer more in line with the spirit of the question is: I began with a couple notions and one unresolved short story probably 8 or 9 years ago, which marinated in my brain and came together in a compelling way about five years ago. But during those 5 or 8 or 9 years, work on the manuscript that became “You Should Have Known” was intense but sporadic. Because I have always been an artist, (in addition to being a professor and a parent) I am used to the challenge of finding time for creative work. When it was possible I would concentrate on YSHK intensely. But inevitably other obligations, opportunities or responsibilities --teaching, art-making, other writing projects, family activities-- would demand my attention and I would have to pull back. Despite this, even as I had to spread my attention more thinly, Frannie’s story lived in my head.
And then, after I finally ‘finished’ the book, I ended up re-writing the last quarter of it three different times! So quantifying how long it took is sort of an impossible equation. I don’t think this is that uncommon.
Is Frannie based on a real person?
This time the short answer can be definitive: No! Frannie is not based on a real person, just as Ridgewood is not based on any particular place (more on that to come.) HOWEVER, Frannie does share certain life experiences with a number of people I’ve known. For example, my mother and several of her siblings grew up on a remote farm in North Dakota during the depression. Stories of my mother’s girlhood clearly informed my imagination, and as Frannie emerged, those experiences of place became embedded in Frannie’s story.
In newsletters to come I will discuss setting the book in an assisted living facility, which has generated a lot of interest, as well as some of the other questions that have come up over the past few weeks.
In the meantime, I leave you with a few sentences from YSHK which contain some of Frannie’s memories of her family farm.
My grandkids would never see that place, of course. It seemed impossible that something so solid could be wiped away in a generation—the winter-locked farm, stars frozen in nighttime skies so frigid no moisture could obscure their glow; the summertime shimmer of northern lights, the root cellar, the milk house, the emptiness, the cold. My God, the cold! The calf I raised, and then we sold it. The melty taste of baby potatoes newly dug, cooked within minutes of being in the ground. And the sweet corn!
EVENTS
READINGS: 6 writers, 10 minutes each, Wine bar, Prose and Poetry
Saturday May 13, 2pm Printer’s Row Wine, 719 S Dearborn Chicago
This program partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.
EXHIBITION: “All the Water There Ever Was, Now Is”
See it before it closes! Evanston Art Center 1717 Central Street, Evanston, IL
ARTICLES
Writer’s Digest
My article is out:“How to Keep Readers Connected When Your Protagonist Does Something Reprehensible” https://www.writersdigest.com/writing-characters/5-tips-to-keep-readers-connected-to-your-protagonist-even-when-she-does-something-awful
CrimeReads
I love the image they used for my article A READING LIST OF MULTI-GENERATIONAL MISCHIEF: 7 crime novels that use "different ages as a kind of framing device"(This is the sister publication of LitHub) https://crimereads.com/author/rebeccakeller/
UPCOMING: Women Writers/ Women’s Books
Look for it later in May: an article on multi generational dynamics in YSHK
FEATURES AND INTERVIEWS
Upcoming
Little Village, Des Moines
The Writer’s Forum, with Michael Tusa, WRBH New Orleans
Read:
The Wednesday Journal, Oak Park
https://www.oakpark.com/2023/04/11/artist-turned-scribe-depicts-a-morally-complex-life/
The Daily Iowan
https://dailyiowan.com/2023/04/26/ask-the-author-rebecca-keller/
PODCASTS and LIVESTREAMS
A Bookable Space with Yvonne Battle-Felton
A Bookable Space is your audio literary salon. Each episode features writers delivering three engaging readings and answering three interesting questions. Hosted by Yvonne Battle-Felton, author of Remembered. Here's the link for the show: https://shows.acast.com/bookable-space
Hey Boomer
You are ready to live your best life, but sometimes wonder where to begin or how to make it happen. You would really like some insight into what is getting in your way.
Turn the Page
The official podcast from the Syosset public library in Long Island! (I love librarians!)
Game of Books
This one has dropped already: https://gameofbookspodcast.com/crime-book-chat-april-2023/
Game of Books, a podcast where you can get valuable writing information and follow along on the journey to conquer the World of Publishing. Cathi in the North and Christie in the South start begin with novel ideas in the Land of Writing. They each become Queen of their Domain (just ask their kids) and have moved into the Land of Querying. Each time they think they are going to become the all elusive Author in the World of Publishing, a new land pops up … Land of Editing, Land of Contracts, Land of Promoting, Land of Readers, etc. Luckily they are recording their adventures and pitfalls for future generations in the Land of Writing.
Late Bloomer Living
Reimagine your future! Create a better life! https://www.latebloomerliving.com/podcast/
Carter Wilson's Making It Up
In this conversation series USA today best selling author talks with writers of all backgrounds in order to find out why they do what they do...childhood influences, roots of creativity, luck and loss, tools of the craft, and the highs and lows of publishing. At the end of the conversation, a random sentence from a random book is used it to create an impromptu short story. https://carterwilson.com/making-it-up/
Kris Clink's The Writing Table
A podcast for writers and book lovers. Whether you're a newbie-author or a reader, pull up a chair and learn from established authors, publicists, bloggers, and creatives. There is always room at the writing table.
Murder by the Book
In the past 15 months, Sara DiVello’s hosted nearly 100 mystery and thriller authors—ranging from celebrities including Dean Koontz, Jeffery Deaver, Patricia Cornwall, Ruth Ware, Lisa Unger, Dr. Ian K. Smith—to debut authors. Video of the livestram below
EXHIBITIONS
April 1- May 7, (Opening reception April 16 1-5 pm)
All the Water that Ever Was, Now Is
Evanston Art Center
Comprised of large paintings, a sculptural installation, research into agencies that care for our water, and demographic data of the communities that share Lake Michigan water accessible via QR codes, All The Water That Ever Was, Now Is engages the idea of water as a commons, a contended resource and a mutual responsibility. The dialogue touches on livelihoods, access, pollution, wealth, ownership, usage, climate change and fears and obligations for the future.
https://www.evanstonartcenter.org/exhibitions/rebecca-keller