Since posting my last blog entry, I've had the opportunity to promote my book through a book signing venue as well as participation in two interviews with local media sources. While book clubs have remained for me a wonderful way to connect with readers to discuss the novel, these latest examples of exposure have provided me with the chance to really discuss the writing process that ultimately produced the characters of Piper, Nate, and Bo, as well as the other inhabitants of the fictitious setting of the book, Shorham, Maine.
Writing is in intensely personal experience. As I recently shared with a good friend, by the time I had completed the novel, I felt I had intimately come to know the characters that made up the story of the book. At a recent book club meeting, a reader asked me a random question about where one of the minor characters grew-up. Without a moment's hesitation, I was able to pull from memory that locale. When she inquired how I was able to recollect such an obscure detail so quickly, I shared that a writer doesn't spend days, months, and years constructing characters and their stories without knowing every facet of what went into their creation. And yet, there are things about the creative writing process that I could never put into words -- either because those aspects are too personal or because to explain it away would take away a bit of the mystique and magic that is a part of writing.
I have greatly appreciated the kind words readers have shared with me -- whether it was at the book signing, book clubs, or via e-mails and notes. While I have gratitude for all those kindnesses, without a doubt, my greatest pleasure has been hearing from countless older readers -- those who have lived through the time period in which the book is set. I haven't met these individuals and most likely never will, but the fact that they took the time to sit down and write a letter or note sharing with me how much they felt the book transported them back to a time in which they could still recall means more to me than mere words could ever express. I have felt honored reading about their memories of the war as they shared their own personal histories with me. When an older reader writes to me that I've written a more than fair interpretation of the WWII era, I come away from reading their words more than gratified. I'll keep those letters as a reminder of a simpler time -- a time before Facebook and Twitter -- when people really took the time to communicate thoughtfully and with care. If nothing else, The Sanctity Of Love And War is a commentary on that time.
For anyone interested in reading the article about the book from Happenings Magazine, I've included the link below:
www.happeningsmagazinepa.com/2013/07/02/dunmores-amy-m-ferguson-debuts-novel/
I want to inform readers that The Sanctity Of Love And War is available on Kindle for $2.99. For readers who still enjoy a paperback copy, one can be found by going to Amazon's website.
Thanks again to all those who showed up for the book signing, Happenings Magazine and The Scranton Times for the wonderfully thought-provoking interviews, as well as all the readers who continue to read and share their thoughts with me about The Sanctity Of Love And War. Readers can e-mail me at:
amy.ferguson02@aol.com
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