Hayley Reese Chow: The IAN Interview

Hayley Reese Chow

Hayley Reese Chow is the author of Odriel's Heirs, the 2020 winner of the Florida Author Project, Wishing Shelf Book Award Finalist, and 5th place finalist in the 2021 Book Blogger Novel of the Year Awards. She is also the author of Into the Churn, a romantic YA sci-fi coming from Whimsical Publishing April 4^th, 2023. When not falling head over heels into fictional worlds, her hat collection includes mother, wife, engineer, USAF veteran, reservist, four-time All American fencer, 100-mile ultramarathoner, triathlete, world traveler, book inhaler, and super nerd. Hayley currently dodges hurricanes in Florida with two small wild boys, her long-suffering husband, and her miniature ragehound.

IAN: Please tell us about your latest book.

Hayley Reese Chow: My latest book is a dual-POV young adult science fiction adventure coming from Whimsical Publishing on April 4^th. Into the Churn tells the story of two young adults entering the Casolla system’s deadliest, and most lucrative, race in an attempt to save their stormy, backwater planet. As a string of mysterious accidents haunts the two racers and the bond between them grows, they’ll have to decide if their dreams are worth their lives. Walking in the footsteps of Hunger Games, Illuminae, and Skyward, Into the Churn features underdog heroes, slow burn romance, and high stakes sci-fi on a ruthless interplanetary stage where appearances are everything, speed means survival, and the only thing deadlier than the storms are the other racers.

IAN: Is your Into the Churn published in print, e-book or both?

Hayley Reese Chow: Into the Churn e-books are available on Amazon. Hardcovers are available on Amazon, B&N, and Whimsical Publishing. Paperbacks and special jacketed editions are also available on Whimsical Publishing’s website.

IAN: What inspired you to write Into the Churn?

Hayley Reese Chow: I spent my college years travelling nationally and internationally as a scholarship fencer and then my early twenties completing triathlons, ultramarathons, and adventure races, so I knew I wanted to write a book that centered on extreme sports and the culture that surrounds them. However, as a sci-fi junkie perpetually obsessed with Firefly, Star Trek Battlestar Galactica, and Star Wars, I also wanted to take that story to a new world full of exploration, gadgets, and new possibilities. Somewhere in that mix, Into the Churn was born.

IAN: Did you use an outline or do you just wing the first draft?

Hayley Reese Chow: With every book, I become more of a plotter. Now my outlines have grown to 10+ pages before I even start the first chapter. Even though… that doesn’t always mean I strictly follow them.

IAN: How long did it take to write Into the Churn?

Hayley Reese Chow: Writing Into the Churn took me roughly 3 months to write the first draft, and then roughly another 9 months to revise and edit.

IAN: Do you have a specific writing style?

Hayley Reese Chow: I love fast-paced action and dialogue, and those two things can definitely be found in spades in all of my books. In any kind of story, I might show up for the plot, but I stay for the interaction and growth between the characters, and it’s something I definitely pride myself on in my own writing.

IAN: How did you come up with the title?

Hayley Reese Chow: Okay, titles are tough for me. The working title for Into the Churn was actually The Belethea Race Royale… which was a bit of a mouthful. Into the Churn was a lot snappier and in this story it refers to the deadly storms that the teams of two have to survive in order to win the race, but it took me a few brainstorming sessions with my critique partners to come up with it. It’s always tough to come up with something both unique and descriptive!

IAN: What do you hope your readers come away with after reading your book?

Hayley Reese Chow: Into the Churn has big themes of spreading your wings, learning to trust and rely on your friends, chasing your dreams, and understanding that you are more capable of so much more than you ever thought possible. I hope my readers take all of this away with them, and I hope it gives them inspiration and strength in their own lives.

IAN: Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

Hayley Reese Chow: With each book, I think I put more and more of myself into these stories. In college, I was a scholarship athlete on the Notre Dame fencing team. My warm-ups were three sizes too big, the girl’s lockers were in the boiler room with a curtain of sheets hung around it, we had a string of student managers that took care of us like we were family, and my senior year, after three years of heartbreaking near misses, we managed to come together to win the national championship. All of those ups and downs, all the blood, sweat, and tears, definitely inspired Belethea’s Race Royale team, and it was so cool to really bring them to life with the touch of those personal experiences.

IAN: How is your book different from others in your genre?

Hayley Reese Chow: First of all, there isn’t a lot of young adult science fiction in the world, and that, in itself, is a travesty. Into the Churn is unique though because not only is it a sci-fi, but it’s also a sweet dual-POV romance, as well as an underdog sports hero story and even a pinch of a murder mystery. There’s a lot of elements layered in one epic, high-stakes adventure, so there’s a little something for everyone.

IAN: Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

Hayley Reese Chow: Big shout-out to Whimsical Publishing here! Honestly, I was really nervous about transitioning from self-publishing to a traditional small press, and entrusting my book-baby to someone else. But Whimsical Publishing has been so supportive and encouraging from day one. They took my vision for Into the Churn and made it indescribably beautiful—bringing it to life with character art, maps, book trailers, and more. The experience has totally blown me away, and I’m so grateful for all of their guidance and passion.

IAN: Did you learn anything from writing Into the Churn and what was it?

Hayley Reese Chow: I was really nervous when I started this book. It was an ambitious plotline, and I love sci-fi so much, I really wanted to do the genre justice. It was also my first dual-POV story, and honestly both of those elements were so much fun. I never realized how much more relationship depth I could dig into when we get the story from both love interests. And while I tend to genre hop at the moment, it definitely reminded me of how much I love sci-fi, and I can’t wait to write another!

IAN: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Hayley Reese Chow: I just want to say thank you so much for reading and giving my books a look. As a self-published/small press author, your support makes a huge difference to me! And please consider leaving a rating or review if you can—even just a sentence or two helps get indie books out into the world, and I love hearing your thoughts! I appreciate you all so much!

IAN: Tell us about your next book or a work in progress. Is it a sequel or a stand-alone?

Hayley Reese Chow: I juggle several works in progress at once. I’m currently working on a young adult paranormal horror and a young adult romance, both of which I’m hoping to query later this year. But although Into the Churn is a stand-alone, with preorders going really well so far, the chances are looking good I might get to write the sequel I’ve been waiting to start on!

Toni Cabell The IAN Interview

 Toni Cabell

Toni Cabell is a three-time B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree, and her latest novel, THE LIGHTNESS OF WATER, won a 2022 Global Book Awards Gold Medal. She writes “skillfully plotted books packed full of magic, mayhem, and a plethora of dark secrets…”(The Wishing Shelf) Her fantasy books feature strong female protagonists, page-turning plots, and relatable characters that spring off the page.

Toni makes her home in a small village along the shores of Lake Michigan with her handsome husband and grumpy miniature schnauzer. When she told her fifth-grade teacher she wanted to be a writer, neither of them expected Toni’s journey to include stints as a nurse’s aid, personal banker, instructional designer, real estate broker, systems analyst, and youth director. Toni is thrilled to be an indie author and does at least half her writing in the middle of the night, which may explain her wild plot twists and unforgettable characters.

IAN: Please tell us about your latest book.

Toni Cabell: “Highlighted by a breathtaking romance, THE LIGHTNESS OF WATER is an exquisitely refined fantasy adventure that will keep you reading well into the night.” (Indies Today)

The only thing more dangerous than divining for water is falling in love with the enemy…

Solace is beautiful, strong-willed, and called the water witch by her neighbors. She divines for water in the arid hills of her home—a dangerous pastime across the border, where the king controls access to all the water. Rhees is brooding, bitter, and hiding a deadly secret. But he’s determined to find a way to help the thirsty people of his land—even if it means kidnapping the last living water diviner.

But divining for water is against the law, punishable by death. Should Solace risk everything—including her heart—in a daring race to find water, or flee across the hills at her first chance of escape?

Beauty and the Beast meets The Hunger Games in this thrilling romantic fantasy. Pick up THE LIGHTNESS OF WATER and be swept into a world of betrayal, mystery, and heart-stomping action.​​

**2022 B.R.A.G. Medallion Award**
**2022 Gold Medal, Best Fantasy Romance - Global Book Awards**

IAN: Is The Lightness of Water published in print, e-book or both?

Toni Cabell: My novel is available in print and e-book.

IAN: Where can we go to buy The Lightness of Water?

Toni Cabell: All my books are available on Amazon. Here’s the link for THE LIGHTNESS OF WATER: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09GJGRYZ7

IAN: Did you use an outline, or do you just wing the first draft?

Toni Cabell: I use a very high-level outline that contains some of the main beats or events of my story, and then I start writing.

I’m essentially a “pantser” – I write by the seat of my pants – which means I do a fair amount of rewriting and rework to ensure I’ve plugged any plot holes that might have developed when I was writing in the flow of the moment.

I’ve tried to write out detailed outlines for my books, but I never stick with them. My characters simply take over the story!

IAN: Do you have a specific writing style?

Toni Cabell: According to my readers and reviewers, I write well-constructed fantasy stories populated with engaging, diverse characters. My writing style has been described as “clear” and “clean” – I tend to use the fewest words possible to convey my meaning. When I was in college, if the assignment was to write a 10-20 page research paper, you can bet my papers came in at the low end of that scale! 

IAN: What do you hope your readers come away with after reading your book?

Toni Cabell: I think The Wishing Shelf summed it up best in their Five Star Review: “There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me turning the page, and the characters (the kind, the strange, and the mysterious) were interesting - even memorable…If you enjoy character-led novels with a strong element of suspense, THE LIGHTNESS OF WATER is for you. This is a stimulating and well-constructed fantasy. There’s not much not to like!”

IAN: How much of the book is realistic?

Toni Cabell: While THE LIGHTNESS OF WATER is a fantasy, the issues and conflicts faced by the characters are real enough: adversity, prejudice, greed, and tyranny. Solace and Rhees must overcome their mutual distrust—and their growing attraction—while their enemies are hot on their trail. Ultimately, this is a suspenseful coming-of-age tale populated with relatable characters.

IAN: What book are you reading now?

Toni Cabell: The Golden Enclaves (The Scholomance Series) by Naomi Novik. I’ve been thoroughly enjoying this dark YA fantasy series.

IAN: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

Toni Cabell: I started making up stories in my head when I was in elementary school and decided at an early age I wanted to be a writer. Storytelling has always held a special fascination for me—I loved listening to the stories of my immigrant grandparents, told around the kitchen table—and both my parents continued that tradition. Stories help us make connections, by seeing life through someone else’s eyes…and if we can do that, we develop empathy.

IAN: Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Toni Cabell: Everything! And yet I love it and wouldn’t have it any other way. The creative process is equal parts exhilarating and exhausting. The most difficult part for me is facing an entirely blank page and beginning a new story.

IAN: Who designed the cover?

Toni Cabell: Peter at Bespoke Book Covers has designed all my covers. He’s very talented and I think he’s done a remarkable job!

IAN: What was the hardest part of writing The Lightness of Water?

Toni Cabell: The battle scenes in THE LIGHTNESS OF WATER were especially challenging. They involved sword fighting on horseback and on foot, as well as slinging. I researched the ancient use of slingers in warfare because I wanted to portray Solace and her slingers as accurately as possible. I’m especially gratified by this reader’s Amazon review, “The building rebellion and battle are a joy to read and are realistic.”  

IAN: Do you have any advice for other writers?

Toni Cabell: Find a mantra that will help you through the rough patches, when your words seem to flee and nothing sits right on the page. I love Anne Lemott’s book, Bird by Bird, Instructions on Writing and Life. Whenever I’m stuck, I recall her father’s advice to her little brother, struggling to write a school paper on birds. Anne’s father told him, “Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.” Anne applies that same advice to her writing—and so do I—you’ve got to take it word by word, sentence by sentence, chapter by chapter. With persistence (and a great deal of editing, often done in the middle of the night), you will finish your book!

IAN: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Toni Cabell: Quite simply: thank you. I’ll say it again: thank you. While I love to write and take great pleasure in crafting a new story, writing is a very solitary pursuit. It can be isolating and even lonely. However, when my readers begin to react to my stories, when they actually engage by leaving reviews, or following me, or subscribing to my newsletter—wow, what a lift! I am deeply grateful to every one of my readers.

IAN: Tell us about your next book or a work in progress. Is it a sequel or a stand-alone?

Toni Cabell: I have two works in progress at the moment!

THE WAY OF WATER, to be published in Fall 2023, picks up Solace and Rhees’s story on the eve of his coronation. An unexpected visitor arrives with an old claim that the new king must fulfill—but if Rhees follows through, he will lose Solace forever.

LADY REAPER, the fifth and final book in my Serving Magic Series, will be published in April 2023. “This series has everything I love…a powerful protagonist, a strong plot, dry humor… and rich details that transported me right into the story.” (Reader’s Favorite Review) Mara’s magic is broken, her fay boyfriend can’t give her the time of day, and the underworld has stopped processing ghosts. With chaos spreading everywhere, Mara needs a cure fast. Should she seek help from the king of the elves? You won’t want to miss this award-winning series!

Alberto Vezendi: The IAN Interview

Alberto Vezendi  

Of Hungarian origin, author and photographer Alberto Vezendi grew up in Spain, has lived in five countries and has visited more than forty. He holds a master's degree in conference interpretation, speaks five languages, and has spent more than two decades working for international organizations as a conference interpreter. In 2018, after twenty years of being somebody else’s voice, he decided to be his own and embarked on a new journey as a writer and photographer.

IAN: Please tell us about your latest book.

Alberto Vezendi: Awake, Arise, or be Forever Fallen! is a memoir of my struggle with an eating disorder, anorexia, in my early twenties.

After twenty long years of keeping it secret, I’ve decided to share my personal experience as a young anorexic male in the hope that this will help readers avoid falling into a trap created by their own mind, and find their inner light without having to endure a long and painful rite of passage like the one I went through. That light within is called life, and it's the only light that can guide you to happiness – but it's a light that can only shine in the present, with no regrets about the past or anxiety about the future.

With this book, I seek to inspire readers to be themselves, take control of their lives, and live a purposeful existence, instead of living at the mercy of other people's wishes. However, none of that can ever be achieved until we learn to see our real self, and ultimately accept ourselves as we really are, and not as others expect us to be.

Finally, this book carries a message of hope for all: that a better life is possible, regardless of your situation, and that we already have everything we need to live it. It’s all inside our mind. I hope this book will help readers find their own way to live the life they desire and deserve.

IAN: Is Awake, Arise, or be Forever Fallen! published in print, e-book or both?

Alberto Vezendi: Both. I would recommend the paperback version because Awake, Arise, or be Forever Fallen! is full of illustrations by Alicia Varela, an exceptionally gifted artist.

IAN: Where can we go to buy Awake, Arise, or be Forever Fallen!?

Amazon.com  Kobo.com  Play.google.com

IAN: What inspired you to write Awake, Arise, or be Forever Fallen!?

Alberto Vezendi: From its very inception, the deeper meaning of Awake, Arise, or be Forever Fallen! was to help people choose life over death in all circumstances — and to choose life not merely as the preservation of our biological existence, but to deliberately and positively choose to live fully every single second of our lives.

In less than one year, three people I knew well had put an end to their lives. And although each one of them had a different personality, lived in a different country, and had their own particular set of circumstances, they had nevertheless several things in common. They were all great people, intelligent, full of life, and none of them lacked any of the essentials for living a happy life. They had wonderful families, a good job, good health, and had all the freedom in the world to change their circumstances, instead of taking an irreversible step. And yet, that’s what they did.

Since people who seem to have everything in life choose to die, while other people who have nothing choose to survive against all odds and live, the purpose of life cannot reside in a person’s circumstances, possessions, or relations, but somewhere else. And that “somewhere else” can only be inside. The purpose of life, therefore, must be inherent in every human being.

Having had suicidal tendencies myself, I know that the choice is not always easy. But life is worth living; and having chosen life each time, I’ve never regretted my choice. On the contrary. Looking back, I would have missed so many wonderful days of sheer happiness, so many blissful hours, so many enriching experiences… in short, I would have missed all the beauty and magic of this magnificent thing that we call life.

IAN: What do you hope your readers come away with after reading Awake, Arise, or be Forever Fallen!?

Alberto Vezendi: We’re all here for a reason. Every single manifestation of life on earth has a deeper meaning which makes it worth living in spite of all adversity. But we have to find that meaning!

And that’s the very aim of Awake, Arise, or be Forever Fallen!: to help readers find their own purpose in life, which will, in turn, enable them to live a fuller, happier, and more meaningful existence.

Indeed, the reason which prompted me to write this book in the first place was a desire to share a lust for life that has always kept me going in spite of all hardship. But that lust did not come easy: I, too, had to find my purpose before I started to live fully.

For protracted periods of my life, I thought I was living in hell until I found happiness precisely at a time when all traces of happiness seemed to be absent from my existence. Just as heat can be drawn even from matter which is well below zero degrees, I found light in my inner darkness, a light that, although hidden under a bushel, had always been there to illuminate my life, but I had been too blind to notice it.

We are all living in heaven, but we fail to realize it because we look for happiness in the wrong places. We try desperately to find happiness without, but true happiness only exists within. The good news is that this happiness is inside each one of us, it is ours, and nobody in the world can take it away from us.

IAN: Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

Alberto Vezendi: Awake, Arise, or be Forever Fallen! is a memoir of my own experience with anorexia, suicide and survival. However, in the book I take that very personal experience and expand it into something much wider, something readers can relate to.

IAN: What books have most influenced your life most?

Alberto Vezendi: Too many! So many that they would not fit in this interview, however, if I was forced to choose only a few — as I believe I am — I would pick The New Testament (especially Matthew's); Giacomo Casanova's Memoirs; Sándor Márai's Napló (which means: Diary. I don't think it's been translated into English); George Orwell's Nineteen-eighty-four; Michael Ende's Momo; John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath; Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching; and many, many more.

IAN: Do you see writing as a career?

Alberto Vezendi: Yes.

IAN: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

Alberto Vezendi: I probably would, but I don't want to... I could go on forever changing things in my books which would improve or ruin them. When it comes to writing a book, instead of seeking perfection in vain, I believe every writer has to come to a point when they say "That's it!". Then, as Ovid put it, books have their own destiny. I guess it's like giving birth to a child: once it's out there it's no longer yours. It comes from you — or through you, as Kahlil Gibran wrote — but it does not belong to you.

IAN: Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

Alberto Vezendi: Of all the wonderful flowers that adorn endless meadows, of all the stars that brighten the Universe, how could I choose only one? And yet, if I have to choose only one writer that I admire more than the rest, that's Sándor Márai. Márai is, and has always been, my main source of inspiration; not so much as to the subject matter of his books, but as a role model of a person who devoted his entire life to writing "because that was his mission", "because that was the measure of his worth". A person who stood firm by his principles at all times, in spite of never knowing real success, and in spite of his books being banned for 40 years in the only place where they could truly be understood — his own country.

IAN: What was the hardest part of writing Awake, Arise, or be Forever Fallen!?

Alberto Vezendi: The hardest part of writing Awake, Arise, or be Forever Fallen! was having to face again the darkest years of my life, reviving ghosts from a past that, although I believed dead and gone for good, were still alive in the deepest layer of my mind, out of my conscious reach. I had to pull them out and confront them one by one. That's when I came to realize that they would never go, that they are part of me, that I am one with them.

IAN: Did you learn anything from writing Awake, Arise, or be Forever Fallen! and what was it?

Alberto Vezendi: I realized that overcoming trauma is not a finite event that ends with the complete healing of the body and the mind — which for most of us will never happen —, but a never-ending process that we must endure. Healing is no longer the goal. It's like amputated limbs that still hurt, scars that still itch, and will never stop hurting and itching — and we should never shun our scars because they act as a permanent reminder of the hardship we endured, and the process itself makes us stronger day by day.

IAN: Do you have any advice for other writers?

Alberto Vezendi: Yes: write! Sounds obvious, I know, but how much time are you actually devoting to writing books? Not promoting, not editing, not posting on social media, not telling people about your books, not signing books... but writing. And I don't pretend to lecture anyone but myself, because I recently came to realize that after I published my second book I've been spending more time doing all those "other things" than writing. Now I'm going back to what I love: writing, and it feels great!

IAN: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Alberto Vezendi: Yes, just a few days ago I wrote the dedication of my last book. It goes like this:

"Dear reader, I am deeply indebted to you for the silent support and motivation you have given me while I was writing this book. During the long, lonesome hours that I spent turning my thoughts into words, you were always there, by my side, eagerly listening to me, and it is you I have been talking to all along. Only you could make this book happen. And you did."

IAN: Tell us about your next book or a work in progress. Is it a sequel or a stand-alone?

Alberto Vezendi: I'm currently busy with two books. One is already finished, I'm going through the last readings to delete any superfluous text and then I'll send it to a professional editor. It's a self-help book in the style of Marcus Aurelius' Meditations, i.e.: thoughts on how our mind interprets reality and how we can influence that interpretation to shape our fate. In essence, it's about learning to be at the helm of our life's ship, instead of living at the mercy of people and events, drifting purposelessly until we're washed upon the last shore, from where there's no way back.

The other book is a dystopic novel set in the (near) future. It deals with all my social and personal obsessions: dehumanization, tyranny, social control, communism, freedom at large (of thought, belief, speech...). It's about the need to teach people, especially children, to think freely, to analyze what they're told, to question authority, instead of swallowing like a sinkhole all the information they — we — are bombarded with relentlessly every day.

D.L. Norris: The IAN Interview

 D.L. Norris

D.L. Norris is a notable author and motivational speaker who has written numerous short stories and articles on health, emotional wellness, family, and cultural history. Norris’s novel, The Long Way Home, captures in colorful, humorous style the actual events and cultural mindsets surrounding her Scandinavian family and personal life experiences. Norris’s expressive writing style quickly engages her readers and encourages them to sit back and enjoy a nostalgic, magical journey. She and her husband are happily retired in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, where she continues a passion for writing.

IAN: Please tell us about your latest book.

D.L. Norris: The Long Way Home is a compelling work of fiction set in 1950s Madison County, Nebraska. At the heart of the story is Maggie Davis, a middle-aged widow and recent heiress to a grand Victorian manor. The stately home, which Maggie shares with her spirited nine-year-old daughter Jenna, also serves as a bed and breakfast to a once regular, but now transitory, clientele.

The kitchen table is the epicenter of lively, often contentious, dialogue where no topics are off-limits. An outspoken neighbor and routine visitor delights in keeping everyone on guard with her opinionated tirades but is frequently reigned in by an elderly, equally forthright family member who has recently become a permanent dweller at the manor.

Maggie finds herself struggling with the painful memories of her husband’s tragic death, as well as the stirrings in her heart associated with a new house guest. A scandalous scheme to swindle her out of her property rides on the heels of a sudden, unexpected death, pointing to a member of the family as a suspect. Set against an intriguing backdrop of family secrets, scandal, love, and humor, the story culminates with an emotional twist. 

IAN: Is The Long Way Home published in print, e-book or both?

D.L. Norris: The Long Way Home is available for purchase in hardcover, paperback, and e-book formats.

IAN: Where can we go to buy The Long Way Home?

D.L. Norris: At Amazon.com and at the Publisher Outskirtspress.com

IAN: What inspired you to write The Long Way Home?

D.L. Norris: I consider myself most fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend so much time with my Scandinavian family throughout the years – especially the older generation. I would listen for hours to their beautifully told tales of life in Norway and then how they slowly transitioned to life in America once they emigrated. By the time I was twelve, I knew that I would someday write a book about their colorful and spirited lives. They were my true inspiration. Before writing The Long Way Home, I traveled to Tilden, Nebraska—which is the setting of the novel, as well as the actual homeplace of my family—to gain a clearer understanding of the area and the townspeople. It was a touching experience, to say the least. I sat in the old café and visited with other patrons, and even met several cousins for the first time. It became the springboard for completing the work that I had been contemplating for many years.

IAN: Did you use an outline, or do you just wing the first draft?

D.L. Norris: Along with an outline, I pre-determine chapter titles and the ending before commencing with the actual content writing. A brief biography is composed for each character because they have to be “real” for me to determine how they will consistently react, respond, and fit into the storyline.

IAN: How long did it take to write The Long Way Home?

D.L.Norris: About two years, which included travel to Tilden, Nebraska, and finally to Norway to connect with family and conduct the research necessary for the project.

IAN: How did you come up with the title?

D.L. Norris: Travel from Norway to America was a three-month journey for most of my family members. Those that emigrated began their long trek from Sogndal, Flesberg, and Vinje, respectively, on the great sailing vessels Mercator and Tamworth. Literally, they took the long way home to settle in the quaint community of Tilden, Nebraska.

IAN: What do you hope your readers come away with after reading The Long Way Home?

D.L. Norris: Regardless of persuasions, perspectives, and prejudices, there is always room for diversity of thought and expression. It worked so well in my own family that I set out to show the world how it is thoughtfully accomplished. The Long Way Home illustrates the point beautifully.

IAN: How much of The Long Way Home is realistic?

D.L. Norris: The events which occurred in The Long Way Home are primarily factual, derived from the written and oral recollections of family members. Names were changed, but the general account is a fairly accurate compilation of their own stories. They loved, laughed, and grieved together—at the end of the day, they all lived well together.

IAN: If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

D.L. Norris: I love the simplistic, direct writing style of Ernest Hemingway—known for the way he mirrored his lifestyle and interests in his characters.  

IAN: Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

D.L. Norris: Dialogue—and good dialogue is the cornerstone of The Long Way Home. It takes time and plenty of thought to write a realistic conversation that continually compliments the uniqueness of each character. You have to understand how the character “thinks” in every scenario. The most challenging aspect of The Long Way Home was the number of characters and the fact that they all had their strong opinions.

IAN: Do you have any advice for other writers?

D.L. Norris: “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” This is a favorite quote of mine composed by admired author Maya Angelou.  Write and keep writing. The great story within you beckons to be told.

IAN: Tell us about your next book or work in progress. Is it a sequel or a stand-alone?

D.L. Norris: The anticipated sequel Home is Where the Heart Is: Return to Tilden is soon to be released and artfully follows the return of Jenna Davis-Wilson to her nostalgic childhood home in Madison County, Nebraska. A spontaneous decision to remain indefinitely at the old Victorian manor ushers in a mix of joy, sorrow, humor, and an unforeseen twist—a charming, heartwarming must-read conclusion.