AUTHOR BARBARA FOSTER April 3rd, 2006
Cassie's Clearing
A Time for Change
The Lewis House Saga
Publisher: Publish America
Her Website: http://home.earthlink.net/~writer43/
Barbara Foster is retired along with her husband of 45 years and living in Oklahoma. Together they have two daughters, Melanie and Michele and four grandchildren. They are Zach, Brianna, Hailey, and Matthew. "I've always loved to write, writing short stories for my daughters as they grew up, about their pets, or just telling them stories about what I did as a child. I think my story telling comes natural from my mother and her mother, as both would tell stories. I was born in southwest Iowa, and have lived my whole life in the midwest. My familily has given me a lot of suport, and encouraged me to publish my first book. Which opened up a new world for me. I will continue writing, as I still have a lot of stories to tell."
Papamoka: Barbara, first off I really want to thank you for doing this interview. You have several books published and I understand that you are working on another book. Can you tell us a little about it?
Barbara: "Yes. Actually, I have a couple that I'm working on but the one that I'm actively seeking to publish is a mystery. It is fiction, although, I was inspired by an actual event. It is called Suicide or Murder. The story is about a woman whose death was declared a suicide, primarily because she and her husband were both well known in their community, so there was no investigation. I do have copies of police reports, and in reading them I can not understand why there wasn't an investigation as there are too many unanswered questions. I also knew this family. I know there are a lot of family and friends who still ask the question, was it suicide or murder? I hope that I have written it in such a way that even the readers will ask or draw their own conclusions. The other book that I just finished is also fiction. Called "The Scoop". It is a story of two reporters and how they follow a scandal with each one trying to make it to the top of their proffession by getting the scoop."
Papamoka: Your main characters, tell us how you go about creating them?
Barbara: "My imagination. Really, I don't have anyone in mind but when I start writing the characters emerge and then I can mold them to make them fit into the story. With the exception of Cassies's Clearing and the new one Suicide or Murder, all my characters come from my imagination. Cassies Clearing of course was the culmination of all the cats I had. The new one has the main characters like the ones in real life."
Papamoka: Tell us the ideal scenario for you to be writing at home? How do you gear yourself up to create your storyline?
Barbara: "I get an idea, maybe while driving to the grocery store or working around the house and roll the idea around in my head for a while. But once I sit down to actually write the story I start with the idea and the story just flows as I type. I may not have the actual story, the beggining or the ending but and idea of which I start to tell the story and it comes together. I had the idea for the cat story before I actually wrote it. I think that I wrote A Time for Change the fastest. I got the idea, sat down and the story flowed. I didn't use any real people but all my imagination. The idea for The Lewis House Saga stemmed from my rememberance of an old house that was across the street from where I grew up. I thought it would be fun to write a story about it, as that old house was in disrepair but unlike the one in my story there was no one to bring it back to its glory."
Papamoka: Many of the writers that I've talked to tell me about the late nights writing when it's quiet. Any late nights at the computer for you where you loose all track of time?
Barbara: "Definitely! At that time of night it is quiet with no interuptions so it makes it easier. Although, I do have my own room for writing and often I will work all day as well as late into the night. When I really get into my story or my characters I find it hard to stop until I've been able to finish that part of the story."
Papamoka: When I'm reading a book and I really like the characters sometimes I hate to finish it because I enjoy the characters so much. Do you as an author go through character withdrawals when the books are completed?
Barbara: "Oh yes! I love each of my characters, even the villains such as in the newest one. Even though they are from my imagination they come to life in my story and I feel very close to them. The nice thing about being a writer is that I can always go back to my "new friends" and write about them again."
Papamoka: Do you have any plans or thoughts about doing a sequel to any of your books?
Barbara: "Yes, I've thought about a sequel to The Lewis House Saga. Or maybe even Cassie's Clearing."
Papamoka: Writers block? Ever hit it and how did you get past it?
Barbara: "Yes, I think all writers get a block. I will walk away from the computer maybe for a day or two, then I am able to go back to it and start again. Sometimes it might go a little slower but if I can put myself back into the story itself then it seems like I can easily get over the block."
Papamoka: What kind of helpful advice do you have for new writers?
Barbara: "I believe that a good writer, who loves to write, to tell a story, whether it be fiction , non-fiction, mystery, sci-fi, romance, whatever, can write anything. If you write with feeling and enjoy it yourself then the reader will also enjoy it. You must believe in yourself and the story you are telling."
