Ask the Author: Constance Sayers
Answered Questions (7)
Constance Sayers
Great question! If I have writer's block I try to figure out why. I have a pretty demanding day job (that I love), but sometimes it could be simple mental fatigue if we've got something going on at the media company that requires my energy. If it isn't that, then I try to figure out WHY I'm not returning to the page. Is there a problem that I haven't figured out yet, so I'm just avoiding writing. If that is the case, I'll actually start walking or getting on the elliptical machine--anything to get moving. I find that I solve those types of problems (usually plot issues) when I'm more physically active and NOT sitting in front of computer screen. Or, I'll start listening to audiobooks or reading something related. If I feel I'm not getting the right voice, I'll look for for a book with a strong character voice...plot...something wonderfully plotted like a JT Ellison or Simone St. James novel. There is a great article by writer Philipp Meyer that appeared in the NY Times Book Review that describes how he reads depending upon what he's writing. It was a great interview and I actually clipped it out and refer to it often!
Constance Sayers
Thanks for the question! Honestly, I set Helen's story in 2012 because I had actually worked the Presidential election cycles for both 2008 and 2012 in my day job. I just knew the 2012 election well and wanted to remain true to that. The math helped too! I recall one piece of scrap paper I found in my notes had me working out plausible 34-year (minimum) time scenarios.
Constance Sayers
Thanks for the question! While there are no plans right now to do a prequel, that is certainly an excellent suggestion. Luke was a fascinating character to write and I'm quite attached to him. Currently, I'm working on another historical fantasy about a circus with dark origins due out in 2021.
Constance Sayers
This is the number one question that readers ask me. When it comes to research, I'm a bit like a method actor. I'll start by doing an exhaustive read of everything related to the time period I'm writing about, including any current non-fiction books as well as fiction books actually written in the time frame so I get a sense of the culture and language. I also try go to any locations that I'm writing about because I always pick up details that you just don't get without being at a place. This process takes six months easily. While historical details are great, I do think as a writer this process can overwhelm you. The more research you do, it becomes a little like detective work with each detail can becoming a "find," At some point, I do stop researching and then focus on the writing. For example, in one of the Nora chapters of A WITCH IN TIME, I discovered a 1934 menu from The Brown Derby restaurant. While it was an accurate, historic detail that helped plant the characters in that time and space, it didn’t make the reader really care about them more. So, balancing those lovely historical details with a good narrative is key.
Constance Sayers
I have a second novel in the works.
Constance Sayers
Usually, I have an idea that I want to explore—typically it’s something historic that has caught my eye. Then, I'll do an outline, but I’m not tied to it. What I find is that as I start writing (and researching at the same time), there are surprises that arise and I let them happen and write them in. I don’t reign myself in at all during this processes. It could be interesting historical connections or characters that pop out of nowhere and seem to write themselves.
Constance Sayers
My sister brought home a print from a painting that she thought looked exactly like me. (The likeness was pretty unsettling.) This painting hung on her wall for years. At some point, I recall thinking. What if it was me? I like the idea of “what if” types of narratives and this book really just came to shape rather quickly after that.
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