Q. What was your favorite part of writing The View from the Lighthouse?
A. I enjoy getting to know a new cast of characters. It’s hard to learn everything about them in the opening book and some characters, like Beverly, are a bit elusive. I also enjoy creating the setting, deciding what colors to paint a house or what kinds of shrubbery will grow there. Most of all I love seeing the characters interacting with each other, building friendships and helping each other.
Q. How did the story take shape? How long did it take you to write the book?
A. I’m not usually one to outline books, but in a series like this, outlines are a must. So that’s really where the story begins. After that, I feel a bit like Diane (one of the characters in the book) because I’m exploring a new neighborhood, setting up housekeeping, getting acquainted with my new “friends.”
Writing, for me, is like a journey—I know I’m going from point A to point B, but I don’t know everything that’s along the way. Also, I’m a very fast writer and usually complete a novel within a month. For some reason that’s just the way my brain likes to work.
Q. What kind of research did you do for this story?
A. First I read up a bit on Maine, things like wildlife, weather, geography, and even about the way people talk and think. I had no idea that Mainers were so independent or that they sometimes consider themselves a separate country.
As far as understanding the beach and lighthouse elements, I live on the other coast and have a beach cabin (strangely similar to Diane’s) as well as a beautiful lighthouse on our beach—so that part of the “research” was easy.
Q. How did you first become a writer?
A. I think I’ve always been a writer, but I didn’t figure out it was possible to get published, beyond school newspapers, until I was in my early thirties. For some reason I suddenly felt like I needed to write or explode. I was pumping out stories, then books, and a few years later my books began to sell. That was more than two hundred books ago.
Q. Tell us about your writing process. Where and when do you write? Do you listen to a certain type of music? Do you work from outlines?
A. I have a writing studio at my home in Central Oregon that’s separate from our house. I sometimes listen to music though not usually. I also write at the beach and sometimes in our motor-home when we’re on the road.
I try to write during “normal” workday hours and consider writing my job—thankfully it’s a fun job. And, as I said before, I don’t usually work from outlines—mostly because I like the adventure of discovery and being surprised.
Q. What’s your favorite part of writing fiction?
A. I love that fiction can be fairly true-to-life—and yet the writer has control of the outcome. I can put characters through some tough times, and I often do, and yet they emerge stronger and wiser in the end.
Q. What was your favorite book growing up?
A. I loved a lot of stories, including The Diary of Anne Frank, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Pearl.
Q. What are you currently reading?
A. Right now I’m reading a Christmas novella that I’m considering for an endorsement—I can’t say the title because I haven’t decided if I’m endorsing it or not—but so but so far I’m liking it.
