Write2Ignite

Today on our blog, I interview Joyce Moyer Hostetter, who will be leading our Master Class in April.

Interview

PAM: Hi, Joyce! Thanks for being here with us on the Write2Ignite blog.

JOYCE: It’s great to be here!

PAM: I read about you on your website and how you got your love for history by looking at family photo albums. There’s something special about gazing into the faces of relatives you’ve never met. What was the first picture that really caught your attention?

JOYCE: Hmmm, Maybe the photos of an older generation gathered around a long dinner table loaded with dishes of meat, vegetables, and mashed potatoes! They were my grandparents, aunts and uncles and even members of a generation before them. I’d see some of these folks at most, once a year and when I did, I picked up on their Pennsylvania Dutch accents or heard them speaking the language to each other. All of this was both strange and comforting. So, my first connection to history was a connection to family history with a hint of something broader and even foreign. Those people who came before me had originated in far-away places and lived through things like the great depression. Also, my mother’s maiden name had been Rush and her family wanted to believe we were descendants of Dr. Benjamin Rush, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. That intrigued me! Eventually, I think research proved we weren’t connected. But hey, we tried!

PAM: That would have been super cool! In school, you said you discovered books that showed a broader world where life was more painful. Will you expand a little on that?

JOYCE: One of the earliest chapter books I read was the story of Squanto, a member of the Pawtuxet tribe who helped the Pilgrims. His story was inspiring but it also reduced me to tears. By reading Elsie Dinsmore books from my mother’s book case I learned about slavery in America. From a small book in my church library, I read about a child being kidnapped. Of course, some of these stories were fiction but the characters were people I cared about, and I began to understand that they represented the hurts of the world in general. Up until I began reading, my world was fairly sheltered. These books informed me about hardship and I believe they helped me develop empathy.

PAM: Sometimes, fictional characters create more emotions than reading non-fiction for me.  What about those books/stories made you want to write?

JOYCE: I think it was just a natural progression. Reading taught me to love stories. Because I read so much, words became my strong suit. By the time I was asked to write book reports I knew my way around a sentence and recognized the power of words to express ideas and emotions. Teachers affirmed my writing and one, in particular, predicted I’d be a writer someday. I held that prediction in my heart until mid-life when I suddenly felt the need to regroup. At that point, I made a conscious decision to move from teaching to writing. By then, I’d figured out how complicated life can be and I was ready to write some of my questions into my stories instead of delivering pat answers to life’s difficulties.

PAM: That is so wonderful you got encouraged by your teachers. So many teachers don’t recognize when a student is good at writing. My teachers didn’t. And now, the question all authors get asked; Where do you get your ideas?

JOYCE: I don’t have the sort of mind that is brimming with plotlines or even basic story ideas. My stories come from history – usually something relatively hidden (or at least new to me!) I’ve found that often the research for one story, uncovers a fascinating bit of history that I want to write about next.

PAM: I’ll never live long enough to write all the ideas I have.  Haha! I love talking to kids about writing. They’re so honest and creative. Do you talk to kids about your book ideas? Have they given you ideas you hadn’t thought about? 

JOYCE: When I visit schools, students usually want to know what I’m working on.  They often suggest titles for a sixth book in the Bakers Mountain Series. And yes, they have ideas for what that book could be about. But truthfully, lots of people have ideas for me to write. Ultimately, I have to write what I care most about because writing for publication is hard and often discouraging. To stay with it, I need my own passion for the topic. A good idea alone is just not strong enough. (Even when it’s my own good idea!) But that doesn’t mean I’m not inspired by kids. Their honesty and creativity do remind me to keep my characters real. I want my characters to respond to any given situation, just as the children who I know might react in similar circumstances.

PAM: Which is why kids love your books! They’re real. Give us a quick look at your research and writing process.

JOYCE: Once I’ve decided what topic or piece of history, I’m going to write about, I peruse everything I can about the topic – just to get an overview. This gives me ideas for what might happen to my character based on what really happened in history. It also helps me sort out who my character might be – what gender, age, and what characteristics he or she will need for these circumstances, etc. Then I usually start writing a scene, just to meet my own character and find his or her voice. As I write, I keep reading, talking to experts, watching YouTube videos, visiting the locale of my story, and digging into archives related to the history I’m writing about. The research informs my story and helps me find my plot. And honestly, I just have to live with the story for a while to think through the story line and find each next scene.

PAM: I love that – you have to live with the story. We really shouldn’t rush through writing any story! You said you write books about tough topics because you’re trying to understand the world’s sorrows. What is one thing you’ve learned so far?

JOYCE: I think I’ve learned that sorrow is universal. That people are resilient. And that, throughout history, others have endured hard times and come out stronger. I can do the same. Also, that I can respond compassionately to the sorrows of others rather than simply live for myself and my family.

A Sneak Peak

PAM: Compassion and strength. Two attributes we all need, but they’re often painful to develop. We’re excited to have you teach the Masterclass in April! Will you give us a sneak peek at what we can expect?

JOYCE: We’ll go on a Story Safari! In the first session, I expect to share some of my own writing journey and use that for indicating steps that writers can take to begin or to broaden their own writing adventure! In Session Two, we’ll explore ways to zoom in on the heart of the story so that the reader can experience an emotional ride. Then, in the last hour, we’ll look at how line editing and fine tuning can intensify the reader’s experience! And, of course there will be writing exercises and small group experiences along the way!

PAM: Oooooooooooh! A Story Safari! Sounds so fun! Thank you for helping us get to know you, Joyce!

JOYCE: Thanks for having me!

PAM: You can learn more about Joyce on her website. I especially encourage you to read her “Where I’m From” poem!

Don’t Wait!

To get updates on our Master Classes, be sure to go to the Write2Ignite’s website and sign up on the email list! You can also follow us on Facebook for more information on the upcoming Master Class. Registration begins on March 12.

Pam Halter is a former home-schooling mom, has been a children’s book author since 1995, a freelance children’s book editor since 2006, and was the children’s book editor for Fruitbearer Publishing until January 2023. She’s the author of Fairyeater, a YA fantasy, and the Willoughby and Friends picture book series (available on her website.) Pam has also published short stories in Ye Olde Dragon Books , the Whitstead Anthologies and Renewed Christmas Blessings. Her first short story won Readers Choice in Realmscapes.  

Pam lives in Southern New Jersey with her husband, Daryl, special needs adult daughter, Anna, and four cats. When she’s not writing, Pam enjoys spending time with her grands, reading, quilting, gardening, cooking, playing the piano, Bible study, and walking long country roads where she discovers fairy homes, emerging dragons, and trees eating wood gnomes.