Each Thursday in 2018 we will be interviewing
one of the members of Christian Writers Downunder – to find out a little bit more about
them and their writing/editing goals.
Today's interview – Jeanette O’Hagan
Question 1: Tells us three things about who you are and where you come from.
I was born in Mt Isa and spent my childhood in
Mt Isa, Sydney, Kitwe (Africa), Melbourne and Hamilton (Victoria) – but mainly
in Mt Isa and Kitwe, before coming to Brisbane to start Uni.
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| With my dad (1928-2018) and two brothers |
My forbears were adventurers and immigrants; my
grandparents came from three continents (Europe, Africa, Australia) and four countries
(Ireland, South Africa, England, Australia). Nevertheless, after moving round
so often, I am now firmly planted in Brisbane with my husband and two children.
My brother used to joke that I’m getting better
by degrees (medicine, arts, theology, TESOL and now MA writing). I love to
learn facts, knowledge, all sorts of titbits across the arts and sciences, but
I’m abysmal at trivia about music and sports.
Question 2: Tell us about your writing. What do you write and why?
I mostly write fantasy
(with a dash of sci-fi), poetry and blog posts. I fell in love with books early
on and was a voracious reader as a child. About fourth or fifth grade I began
telling myself stories, and these extended daydreams grew into a world (Nardva),
with characters I loved having thrilling adventures. I write to bring that
world and the characters and adventures to life. It’s exhilarating, fun, a wild ride. I also
hope God’s love and grace shines through my world and words.
With the poetry, it’s more an expression of life as I experience it — moments, strong emotions, reflections, cameos, events. While blogging is a way of musing about stuff and passing on the things I’ve learned along the way.
With the poetry, it’s more an expression of life as I experience it — moments, strong emotions, reflections, cameos, events. While blogging is a way of musing about stuff and passing on the things I’ve learned along the way.
Question 3: Who has read your work? Who would you like to read it?
Who has read my work — my family, other writers
and reviewers, and some keen readers – in Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada,
UK, maybe even France and Germany — still a fairly small and select circle at
this stage, but I’m hopeful it will continue to expand. I was thrilled at Gold Coast Supernova earlier
this year when a couple of times, strangers stopped by to enthuse about reading
my books and wanting more stories. But
even more special was when my mum asked me to read to Dad a couple of poems I’d
written from experiences growing up – Thunderstorm & Floating (in Inner
Child, Poetica Christi).
As to who would I like to read my books – I write
for the general market, in the hope my books might seed the imagination with
divine possibilities, to inspire faith, hope and love in my readers.
Question 4: Tell us something about your process. What challenges do you face? What helps you the most?
Each story is different. My first novel started
from a lucid dream and was completely pantsed (Finding Elene – yet to be published). Some I’ve daydreamed for
months and years, allowing the characters a lot of freedom, before I’ve set out
to write their stories (Akrad’s Children).
Other stories have I written from a
theme, with the characters and plot emerging out of the setting or concept (eg Heart of the Mountain). I usually have
some idea where I’m going – with major incidents or turning points or the
ending in mind, but not always.
Challenges are getting time to write (not
getting distracted) and sorting out the structure, especially with books that
are part of a series.
What helps me most is writing
consistently. I’m much more creative and in the flow if I write every day (or
every other day). And second, getting feedback from critique partners,
beta-readers and editors.
Question 5: What is your favourite Writing Craft Book and why?
It’s hard to keep it to
one. I think two of the most helpful and freeing has been Stephen James’ Story Trumps Structure and Stephen King’s
On Writing. I do appreciate the more prescriptive books
and the insights they give, but I find it hard to be creative with strict
formulas, I am suspicious of ‘one size fits all’ approaches (especially when
touted as revolutionary) and I like to understand the why behind the rules so I
know when I can bend them 😊 .
Question 6: If you were to give a shout-out to a CWD author, writer, editor or illustrator – who would they be?
Without a doubt Nola
Passmore (our illustrious former CWD coordinator) who has been a huge encouragement and who has wrangled me along to
courses like Year of the Novel and Margie Lawson immersion, as well as been a
great beta reader and editor. Plus, she is an amazing writer and I love her
work. Though of course there are so many others, Paula Vince, Anusha Atukorala, Lynne Stringer, Adele Jones, Adam Collings, and many, many others.
Question 7: What are your writing goals for 2018? How will you achieve them?
My goals for 2018 is to
finish writing the last two novellas in the Under
the Mountain series, edit the first draft of Rasel’s Song (sequel of Akrad’s
Children), and start on a dragon novel (Dragonspite)
and/or my cyborg trilogy (The Chameleon
Protocols). I’ll achieve this by making time to write, keeping focus, and a
big dose of God’s grace.
Question 8: How does your faith impact and shape your writing?
My faith is the bedrock and source of my
writing. I believe God has given me the desire, the passion, the abilities, and
this time, this moment, to write. I trust that He will continue to provide
those opportunities, though He is sovereign, and I commit my plans and the
outcomes to Him. Because I write for the general market and because I write
fantasy, my stories aren’t usually ‘in your face’ Christian. But I believe they
are consciously written from a Christian worldview, informed by Christian
values, and threaded through with Christian themes and references, though perhaps
subtly at times as in many of the parables. I’m grateful to my Maker in whose
steps I attempt to follow.
Recent publications include Akrad's Children—a Young Adult kingdom
fantasy; Heart of the Mountain and Blood Crystal— the first two novellas
from the Under the Mountain series;
plus Ruhanna’s Flight and Other Stories.
She has
stories and poems in seventeen other anthologies, including The Quantum Soul, Tales From the Underground, Like
a Woman and Futurevision.
Jeanette has practised medicine, studied communication, history, theology and a Master of Arts (Writing). She loves reading, painting, travel, catching up for coffee with friends, pondering the meaning of life. She lives in Brisbane with her husband and children.
Links:
Sign up to my Newsletter http://eepurl.com/bbLJKT and receive a copy of Ruhanna’s Flight: a short story.
Sign up to my Newsletter http://eepurl.com/bbLJKT and receive a copy of Ruhanna’s Flight: a short story.
