Your Questions Answered Part 1 |

Thank you to everyone who posted questions on Facebook! I’ve been looking forward to answering them here.

opened-book-and-mug

When is the 6th book coming out?

DV, the paperback book will arrive at Grace & Truth Books in early December from the printers. I’ll announce when the Kindle version releases.

How is the “Ey” pronounced in Eyjafjallajokull?

Wonderful question! I spent quite a bit of time practicing this, as it’s bound to come up in discussions of Iceland. 🙂 The ‘Ey’ is said like ‘hey’ without the ‘h.’ Phonetically, the volcano is pronounced something like this: hey-ya-fyah-tlah-yur-koo-tl.

What is the plot for Book 6? Is Jigson in it a lot?

The plot synopsis probably sums it up best (I’ll post that soon!).

Is Mr. Jigson in it a lot . . . (how can I answer this question without giving too much away?) No, the temptation is too hard to resist. Yes!

Which characters are your favorite/most fun to write?

I have to admit, I might have a few favourites, but I’d feel bad to mention them. 😉 The most fun to write . . . that’s a hard question! They’re all fun to write in their own way, especially once you get into the rhythm of the way they think. There are characters in the new book that were a pleasure to write; I can’t wait for you to meet them!

Phil, Abby, and Andy are the three main Point-of-View characters, so it’s easiest to get inside their heads. Abby is the only girl consistently in the series, and that’s special; Andy is fun for his slightly slap-dash, more straightforward way of thinking; Phil, as the oldest, can do a lot and has the older-brother perspective on situations.

Over the course of the series, I’ve particularly enjoyed writing scenes involving Jigson, Briosa, and, surprisingly, Rolf. Detective Mortimer is fun to write when I need a character with intelligence, mystery, and British-ness. 🙂

How old were you when you first began the Baker Family Series?

I was sixteen when I began writing Summer of Suspense. It started out as an English project!

Are you writing the series towards a goal, or do you treat each book individually (though built upon the last, obviously)? E.G., When you’re planning a book, do you have a goal for the Bakers that you see them reaching over the series, or do you merely ask yourself where you want them to be at the end of each book?

Each book is its own episode in the Bakers’ lives. While the stories can be read as stand-alones, I keep the characters’ personal development in mind (i.e. Andy learned about courage in #4, so he should demonstrate it in #6; Phil has always been the ideal role model, so he should come up against something that is a real blow to him). I try to end with at least one of the characters overcoming something, but there isn’t always time at the close of a story to really show what that looks like in their day-to-day lives. The books have more of an organic growth than a particular goal they move towards . . . although the stakes seem to be getting progressively higher as the characters get older! 🙂