Talkshow Thursday: Meet author Johnnie Alexander
Linda: Thanks for stopping by. I love your books and
Where Treasure Hides is my favorite. What
was your inspiration for the story?
Johnnie: Thanks for having me, Linda. You’ve warmed my heart by loving
Where Treasure Hides!
The inspiration came in a round-about way, so I’ll share the
condensed version. While working on my first WWII novel (affectionately known
as Sparrow and still unpublished), I
watched two documentaries that “called” to me.
The first, The Rape of
Europa, discussed the Nazi looting of art; the other, The Hidden Child, was about the plight of children during the war. I
was astounded and saddened by both these videos.
When friends who had read Sparrow asked for a sequel, I decided to join these motifs—the
hiding of the art and hiding children—into a story. Where Treasure Hides isn’t a sequel, but a secondary character from
Sparrow is the hero of Where Treasure Hides.
LM: Research is
necessary to any book, but more so in a historical. What sort of research did
you do for your story, and did you find any unusual?
Johnnie: I read a
great many books and watched several documentaries on topics ranging from
Vermeer, art forgeries, the Monuments Men, Holland, Colditz Castle (a POW camp)
to the stories of hiding, rescues, and captures. I also watched videos on the battle
at Dunkirk and the amazing rescue. I made a timeline of important WWII events
and built my story around which ones I wanted to include.
LM: You’ve
written historical and contemporary fiction. Do you prefer one genre over the
other?
Johnnie: Historicals,
whether I’m writing them or reading them, touch a deep place in my spirit. But my
contemporary Misty Willow series is deeply rooted in family history and legacy.
It’s inspired by a mid-19th century brick house I lived in when I
was teen. The past influences the present—we can’t escape that but we don’t
have to let it define us.
LM: What writers
influence you the most?
Johnnie: Um, I’ve
had to think about this one. (Back again from tending to dogs and laundry!) I’m
LM: What’s the
quirkiest thing you’ve ever done?
Johnnie: This may
not be quirky, but here goes: when my apartment lease ended in mid-December, I
put my belongings in storage, loaded my car with the essentials, and embarked
on a three-month road trip from Tampa to Memphis to Tulsa to Arizona to Tulsa
to Missouri and back to Memphis.
I stayed with different family members and traveled with my
daughter and her family as they moved from Arizona to Missouri. (That’s the
reason behind that leg of the trip.)
Now I’m settled in the Tulsa area and an official Oklahoma
resident. Though, as I’m writing this, I’m back in Memphis!
LM: Here are some
quickies:
Johnnie:
Favorite Color: almost all shades of green
Favorite Author: This is so hard! I can never choose just one. Ann
Tatlock is one of my favorite inspirational authors. I recently read two of
Jolina Petersheim’s novels, The Alliance
and The Divide, and she’s a fantastic
writer. I couldn’t put those books down.
Favorite Food: My sister’s pizza and her roasted chicken.
LM: You’ve
traveled extensively. What was your favorite trip?
Johnnie: I do
seem to be on the road quite a bit. That’s what happens when your family
settles hundreds of miles from each other.
Last fall, my sister and I flew to Europe and spent our
first week taking the Eurail from one place to another. We didn’t really have a
plan, and it was so fun to pop into these major cities. Then we spent a week in
a Lisbon apartment (thank you, HomeAway!) just a few blocks from the
Mediterranean Sea. It was a fantastic vacation. I’d love to do it all over
again!
LM: Can you tell
us what writing projects are on your plate right now?
Johnnie: I’m so
excited about the projects I have lined up. This year, I’m working with an
editor on Sparrow, that unpublished
WWII story I mentioned earlier, writing a novella for the Barbour Erie Canal
Brides Collection, and imagining my first indie project—a novella in the Resort
to Romance Series which will be released early next year.
Linda: Where can
folks connect with you?
Johnnie: My
website has a fun new header—it shows my Instagram feed! So please stop by and
see my latest photos at http://www.johnnie-alexander.com. Remember to sign up for my newsletter so we can stay in touch!
More connections:
You’re also invited to Novelists Unwind (http://novelistsunwind.com) where I
feature video interviews with inspirational authors.
Book Blurb:
Artist Alison Schuyler spends her time working in her family's renowned art gallery, determined to avoid the curse that has followed the Schuyler clan from the Netherlands to America and back again. She's certain that true love will only lead to tragedy-that is, until a chance meeting a Waterloo station brings Ian Devlin into her life. Drawn to the bold and compassionate British Army captain, Alison starts to question her fear of love as WWII breaks out, separating the two and drawing each into their own battles. While Ian fights for freedom on the battlefield, Alison works with the Dutch underground to find a safe haven for Jewish children and priceless pieces of art alike. But safety is a luxury war does not allow. As time, war, and human will struggle to keep them apart, will Alison and Ian have the faith to fight for their love, or is it their fate to be separated forever?
Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AEB3CMS
Johnnie is a great writer. Fun to read her interview!
ReplyDeleteI love all of Johnnie's books! She has a unique style.
ReplyDeleteJohnnie, I loved that story. We will be a long time mining all the heroic acts, sung and unsung, from the Second World War. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete