Welcome, Amber!
Please tell us a bit
about the anthology.
This anthology was so much fun to be a part of! There is a
total of four authors, and each of us chose one signer of the Declaration to
feature in our stories. After doing some research, I picked Samuel Adams
because I related to him and his passion for God and independence. The other
signers featured in this series are John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson and Francis
Lewis.The anthology was done in three phases. The first phase covers the signers as they are waking up on the morning of the vote on independence. What was going through their minds? How did they feel about what was about to take place?
The second phase of stories shows us a little bit of background on each signer, and the events that led up to their involvement in Congress and the Declaration of Independence.
Phase three takes us inside Freedom Hall into the room with these amazing men and plops us right in the middle of the debate and the vote on the declaration.
So each phase has a story from the perspective of these four signers. It's so much fun to see the same world-changing event from these four points of view.
Sounds like a very interesting concept! Your other books and
stories are written in the Biblical or Medieval eras. What made you decide to
write about the Revolutionary War time period?
I love history, but especially American history, so when my
publisher asked me to be a part of this anthology, I just couldn't pass it up.
The time of the Revolutionary War and Civil War fascinate me.
How did the
opportunity to do the anthology come about?
At the beginning of last year, my publisher hatched out an
idea for an anthology on the signers of the Declaration of Independence that
was historically accurate, and yet gave you an up-close and personal feel to
the patriots that founded our country. They got Murray Pura on board, and then
asked me if I'd like to be a part of the team. I knew it would be a stretch for
me, but it was too much fun to pass up.
Do you have a
favorite historical era?
Yes, the Civil War and Revolutionary War eras are my
favorite. That's a big reason that I decided to take on this anthology. I also
love the Biblical era, specifically when Jesus walked the earth.
What are your
upcoming projects?
I'm currently working on the third book in my Days of
Messiah series (which I hope to release this fall), as well as a Christmas
story set during the Civil War.
Do you find the
process different writing short stories vs. novels?
Short stories have more simple plot lines, but other than
that they're pretty much the same. I do the same amount of character
development on all my main characters, regardless of how long the story is. I
like to have a really good handle on my characters before I start writing.
Where do your ideas
come from?
All over the place. LOL. Sometimes it's something I hear in
a sermon, or read in the scriptures. Or sometimes it just comes as I'm walking
down the street. Other times a story idea comes from something I read in history.
Each story is different. One of my books was even inspired from overhearing a
line on a Veggie Tales movie.
The age-old debate among writers is whether to start a story with an outline or do write "by the seat of your pants." How about your? Are you an outliner
or a “panster?”
A little of both, I think. I start out with a rough outline
of the story and where it is going, then I do a lot of character development
work. From there, I just let the dots connect themselves as I write. A whole
LOT of prayer goes into the outline, and a whole lot MORE into the space
between the plot points. I'm not a good writer on my own, but when I started
this journey the Lord promised to teach my fingers to write. I depend fully
upon that as I write.
You are one busy
woman! What do you do to relax and get away from the pressures of work and
writing deadlines?
Haha, you're not kidding. Besides work, family and church, I
travel a lot and volunteer almost half my time at a Christian Family Camp in
Missouri, so there's a lot of time management on my part. I play the piano,
though not very well, and that's one of the things I do to relax. I also enjoy
outdoor walks, or just hanging out with my friends and family.
Thanks for stopping
by, Amber. It has been a joy getting to know you.
Thank you again for hosting me today, Linda! I'm excited to
offer an autographed paperback copy of the complete Declaration of Independence
anthology to one commenter to celebrate Independence Day!
Don’t forget to add
your comment to be entered into Amber’s drawing for the complete Declaration of
Independence anthology.
A freelance writer for over ten years, Linda Shenton
Matchett also writes historical fiction. She is currently seeking a publisher
for her series about WWII war correspondent Ruth Brown. Visit her at www.LindaShentonMatchett.com
