SWAN LESSONS: A Bereaved Mother's Story of Courage and Discovery By Joyce A. Harvey

9/4/2021

Debut author, Joyce A. Harvey introduces us to her memoir about the loss of her daughter, “Swan Lessons”:
Swan Lessons: A Bereaved Mother’s Story of Courage and Discovery by Joyce A. Harvey is an account of military harassment, a series of poor decisions, and the desperate suicide of a young Lance Corporal. It describes the daunting challenge of a bereaved mother attempting to proceed with a public career in the midst of profound grief. It is also an amazing story of ongoing communication with the spirit of her daughter Jennifer, through dreams, signs, and spiritual mediums, including George Anderson. The author tackles tough subjects such as whether to pursue a wrongful death suit with the military. She also takes on clichés that are typically said to the grief-stricken and helps readers understand why they are better left unsaid. She shares dreams where she was “warned” that she might lose Jennifer and dreams in which Jennifer “visits” following her death. Ms. Harvey tells readers early in the book about her association of Jennifer’s death with the song “Vincent,” which refers to Vincent van Gogh’s suicide. Could the seemingly “coincidental” appearances of the song and references to Van Gogh be vehicles Jennifer uses to communicate with her mother from the afterlife? There are individual books on grief, suicide, dream work, after-death communication, spirituality, and abuse of power in the military. However, the author hasn’t found any examples written by a bereaved parent that combine all of these subjects into one book, as Swan Lessons does, helping readers to put it all together. As the book winds its way through the canyons of grief, it offers glimpses of hope, moments of utter astonishment, and examples of courage. The author skillfully weaves journal entries, as well as letters to and from Jennifer, to tell the story of a mother-daughter bond even death cannot sever.

A powerful and well-written book!
Though she describes it quite well, I find it very hard to imagine the grief that Joyce experienced. Isn’t that one of a parent’s worst nightmares? We, as parents, expect to pass on before our children. It seems the ordinary order of events. I have no reservation, in my mind, her pain was far worse than what she described.
What she discovered after her daughter’s death is very fascinating. The communications from across the divide were extraordinary!
I appreciate that she shared the good and the bad support she received from different people. Her extended family really stepped up to the plate.
I award 4.9 stars to “Swan Lessons”.

You can buy this book:
https://rdrpublishers.com/swan-lessons-a-bereaved-mothers-story-of-courage-and-discovery
https://www.amazon.com/SWAN-LESSONS-Bereaved-Mothers-Discovery-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-swan-lessons

You can follow the author:
https://joyceanneharvey.com
https://www.facebook.com/joyceanneharvey
grief, bereavement, death, heaven, Catholic church, suicide, dreams, signs, workplace abuse, military, marines
Copyright © 2021 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction

50 Comments

Joyce Harvey link

9/5/2021 09:02:33 am

Mark, thank you for your wonderful review. Writing "Swan Lessons" was a labor of love. I wrote it in the hopes that it would help others who have lost a loved one or who were going through a crisis. The majority of the book was written in the first three years after my daughter's death. As I wrote in the introduction, the trigger for the timing of the book's release was Covid and the hundreds of thousands of people who had lost loved ones. I felt the timing was right to release "Swan Lessons."

Mark

9/5/2021 12:50:06 pm

You are very welcome, Joyce. The timing seems good to me also. There has been a tremendous amount of loss endured by so many.
First question.
Please, tell us more about yourself. Perhaps something a little bit beyond your bio.

9/6/2021 10:11:30 am

I have been writing all of my life. I was either journaling or writing short stories. I've been published in three volumes of "Chicken Soup for the Soul." I submitted two short stories to the 2000 Writer's Digest Writing Contest under the memoir category and won 2nd and 4th place out of a total of 19,000 submissions overall.

9/6/2021 11:50:44 am

Congratulations on those accomplishments. I think some people are born writers and some are born readers. I fall into the latter category.
New questions.
Does your work have any influence on your writing?
Who designed the cover of your book? Feel free to drop a link if appropriate.
What do the elements on the cover represent?

Joyce Harvey

9/6/2021 12:24:08 pm

Good question about the cover and the title of the book.
The title "Swan Lessons" comes from the following: there was a point in Jen's struggles with her Marine Corps supervisor where he was picking on her unfairly, I asked her if she remembered the story of the Ugly Duckling. She asked me to remind her., So I said something like, "Remember how one duck look different from the other ducks and just didn't fit in. One day he looked at his reflection in the water and saw he was a beautiful swan. That's what you are, Jennifer. You're a beautiful swan in a duck pond! Your light is just too bright for these guys. Always remember who you are."
So, the cover has her picture in her Marine Dress Blues, with the Washington Monument in the background, a swan is looking in the Reflecting Pool and Jennifer's face is reflected back. I think you can see the symbolism.
I described what I wanted to the artist and sketched it out for him. I think he did a good job capturing my vision. The artist's name is Cliff Upp from Toledo, Ohio.

The most impactful way my work has had on my writing is with my short stories. I have a finished manuscript (that I want to talk with Cleone about) of short stories about people I have met in my travels. I call the book "Mystical and Magical Travel Tales."
Two of those stories were in "Chicken Soup" and two of them were winners in the Writer's Digest Contest.

9/6/2021 01:20:49 pm

Thanks for sharing the background of the picture. Cliff did a great job of interpreting your vision.
Your short stories are quite good to win those awards. This next book sounds like it should be excellent.
New questions.
Is this your newest book?
What other books and genres have you written?

9/6/2021 08:10:14 pm

I wrote a children's book on dying, and grief and loss called "I'm Fine ... I'm With the Angels." The book talks about the survival of the soul or spirit, even though the physical body dies. It is a wonderful tool for parents, psychologists, clergy, etc. to use with children who have a terminal illness or who have lost a loved one.
The book focuses on a young boy (Johnny) with leukemia who meets angels in his dreams who begin to get him acclimated to heaven before his transition. He even picks out a pet for when he gets to heaven. As Johnny is prepared, he prepares his parents as well.

I also wrote a small gift book called "How Do You Grow a New Heart?" This is a book for those who have lost a loved one or even a pet. It uses the metaphors of a healing heart to talk about the healing after a loss.
My sister ordered a copy of "Swan Lessons" for a friend who lost a son. I included a copy of "How Do You Grow a New Heart?" as a gift from me and signed it to the bereaved mom. She wrote me a lovely email and said she found the book so comforting. She read it six times in the first two days that she had it. She then ordered six copies for members of her family.

I am strictly a non-fiction writer.

9/7/2021 08:45:33 am

Those books sound wonderful! What a comfort they provide.
When our dog died, I was surprised by how big of a hole was left in my heart. It has been quite awhile and I still miss him.
You say you are only a non-fiction writer, but the book with Johnny has a touch of fiction to it. You may have untapped talents.
New questions.
Do you do any public speaking? Will you be doing more in the future?
Have you ever gone through the query process, seeking an agent or submitting directly to publishers or did you go straight to indie publishing or self-publishing, and why?

9/7/2021 04:49:56 pm

I have done a ton of public speaking. I won a speech contest in High School and took second place in a large college speech contest so that was a clue that public speaking might be a large part of my life, and it has been. After Jennifer died, I did a lot of speaking at bereavement conferences, either as a workshop presenter or as a keynote speaker. The Compassionate Friends, the largest international bereavement support organization for parents, just had their national conference. They went with a virtual conference again this year because of COVID. I presented two workshops: "Dreams of the Bereaved" and "Now Childless: Where Do We Go From Here?"
I have done a lot of inspirational speaking as well.

Yes, I went through the query process of seeking an agent or editor. I queried Robert Reed Publishing for "Swan Lessons." I self-published "I'm Fine .. I'm With the Angels" when I couldn't find a publisher, so I have experience with both.

9/7/2021 06:34:54 pm

Congratulations on those awards! Many are afraid of public speaking. I certainly was during my teen years.
In my 20s, an employer paid for me to attend a Dale Carnegie class in public speaking. That class helped me to overcome my stammer and I won an award at the end.
New question.
How do you think your book compares to a book published by a major publisher?

9/7/2021 06:35:35 pm

As far as quality goes, I don't think a major publisher would have done any better. However, major publishers have a larger budget for promotion of the books.

9/7/2021 06:40:35 pm

The large publishers do have more money to promote books. But they seldom spend more than a pittance because their profit margins are so slim. If your last name isn't King or Patterson or another author whose books sell millions of copies little to no money will be spent to promote a book.
It is very true that an indie author is responsible for promoting their book but it's also true for most traditionally published authors also.
New questions.
Do you have a favorite book by another author or just favorite authors?
Did you have a favorite book as a child?

9/7/2021 07:49:43 pm

Some of my favorite authors are John Sanford, Lee Child, David Baldacci, and Brad Thor. The two books I kept from childhood/high school were "Diary of A Young Girl" by Anne Frank and "Wuthering Heights"
I am a true bibliophile! I am a voracious reader. I read a mix of non-fiction and fiction.

9/8/2021 06:51:34 am

We have the love of reading in common. I learned to read before starting first grade and never stopped. There were only 4 channels on TV and not much to watch. I read everything I could get my hands on and relatives sent me books for my birthday and Christmas.
New questions.
Does writing have a spiritual or healing component for you, does it energize you or make you feel tired?
Why is it important for writers to tap into the emotions of the characters?

9/8/2021 05:15:37 pm

I do a lot of spiritual and inspirational writing so it tends to energize me, if that's the right word. It doesn't tire me. When the muse is working well I am amazed sometimes when I read what I have written.
Writing does have a healing component for me. Whenever I needed to process something I write about it. When I experienced my first death as a nurse, I went home and wrote about it. I was working as a nursing aide and knew the older lady who died. So, I wrote about her and put a happy ending on the story.
Journaling has always been helpful during difficult times. I encourage the bereaved mothers I work with to journal.
And of course, whenever I am going through something--it could be positive or difficult, I read about it. Reading other's opinions or research or expertise can help so much.

It's important for writers to tap into the emotions of the characters to make them real, so the reader can relate to the character. So we know what drives that character.

9/8/2021 05:18:23 pm

Research has been improved in many ways with the internet. Still a lot of reading but finding the salient material is easier most of the time.
The emotional connection is imperative, just as you say. I think that's why most aliens in science fiction are humanoid much of the time. You did a good job of sharing the emotions of some of the people in your book. The people you didn't have access to were described by their actions and statements.
New questions.
Have you ever done NaNoWriMo?
If you have, what kind of preparation do you do before it starts?

9/8/2021 04:59:59 pm

No, I haven't.

9/8/2021 05:19:35 pm

Very good.
New questions.
Are you an under-writer or an over-writer? When the first draft is done, do you need to add more to it to flesh it out or do you have to cut material because there is too much?

9/9/2021 04:11:37 pm

I generally add more to flesh the story out. That was true with "Swan Lessons."
The only time I've had to cut words was with the children's book, "I'm Fine ... I'm With the Angels."

9/9/2021 04:24:43 pm

I think a lot of writers are like that. Some have to add and some have to cut.
For most genres, the readers want to get through the story faster. Too many long and luxurious rambles will cause quite a few to move to the next book. In the past, exquisite verbosity was appreciated and enjoyed more than it is now.
New questions.
Did you cut mostly descriptions, action, dialogue or whole chapters?
What is your writing routine when you sit down to write?
Do you write in a straight line or do you write whatever the muse provides for you at a given moment?

9/9/2021 05:54:57 pm

I am a very concise writer. "Say it with as few words as possible or you will lose the audience." Yet, put in enough description and dialogue so the reader feels like they are smack dab in the middle of your book.

With respect to "Swan Lessons" I didn't start writing the book at the beginning. It was too hard to "go there" since it is in the first chapter I tell of Jennifer's death and the events leading up to it. (Keep in mind I began writing the book about one year after Jen's death, so the pain was still raw.)
I wrote the sections of the book that were easier until I was ready to write chapter one. Writing Chapter 1 was a challenge in that I had to keep the momentum of the story going, as Jennifer was dealing with the struggles in the military, building toward the climax of Chapter 1 (her death), yet at the same time, fill in some of the back story of who the characters were, including me. Some of the back story had to be done with flashbacks in later chapters, but early in the book.

But while I was in the middle of writing "Swan Lessons" my muse was urging me to write the children's book. So, I had a discussion with the muse who insisted that I stop and write the children's book. So I did and "I'm Fine" just flowed out of me. It was ready to be born.

9/9/2021 06:16:50 pm

That makes a lot of sense. The first chapter was well written.
In fact, I have advised many writers to write the easy parts first, then work through the harder parts as needed. I have heard it said that writing the last chapter first gives a clear target for everything leading up to it.
You are wise to listen to your muse. I can easily imagine that children's book was healing for you also.
For our visitors, there is a wonderful guest blog on my website called non-linear writing. Use the search box.
New questions.
Which is more important to a story pace or flow? How do you control it?
Now that your book is published, is there anything about it you would like to change?
How do you think your book relates to the world we live in today?

9/10/2021 09:22:29 am

I'll take your last question first.
I think my book was very timely in so many ways. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US, taking the lives of 48,500 people each year. There is 1 death every 11 minutes from suicide. The number of suicide deaths among active military averages 25 PER DAY!! Among veterans, there are on average 22 suicides a day. Obviously, something is very wrong. The military needs to take a look at how they train their leaders and managers. I know they have implemented suicide awareness training since Jennifer's death--but 25 per day?! The hostilities of men toward women in the military is still rampant. It may not be as overt as it used to be but covert ways include rape and other abusive, angry gestures toward women.
I think it is sad. So many women just want to serve their country and they go into the service with the purest of intentions, only to be met with a wall of angry resistance.
My book is also timely in that with COVID there are hundreds of thousands of people who have lost loved ones and are left to grieve a complicated grief. ("I didn't get to see or talk to them before they died") If they learn from my book that their loved ones are still with them in spirit it takes some of the bite out of the sting. Plus, it's always helpful to read about someone who has gone through what you are going through. How did they survive the pain? What did they do?
In my dark night of the soul I turned to Viktor Frankl and his book, "Man's Search for Meaning." Frankl was a psychiatrist who ended up in Auschwitz and other concentration camps. I wanted to know how he survived the atrocities. The book was very helpful to me.
Plus, "Swan Lessons" is a veritable bibliography list. LOL. One can tell by reading my book that I am a voracious reader. For example, when I am talking about near-death experiences, I quote Raymond Moody's book. I mention Viktor Frankl when I talk about my dark night of the soul. I quote a paragraph from a Dr. Dean Ornish book in the Introduction of "Swan Lessons."

I can't think of anything I would change in "Swan Lessons." Keep in mind, I had years to wordsmith and work with it before I released it.
The proposal I wrote when I was trying to get an agent or editor was 70 pages long. That was much harder to write than the book.

Robert Reed Publishing responded in 24 hours to my query! Something you don't hear of too often.

As far a Pace or Flow, they are both important. A writer has to keep her eye on both. Going back to the discussion we were having about the first chapter of "Swan Lessons." The pace needed to be rapid as it was building toward the climax of Jen's suicide. All of the events that lead to that fateful day were described in a quick, concise, fast-paced way. At the same time, enough of the backstory had to be filled in so the reader understood who the characters were. In the following chapters the pace slowed to meet my mood, my days, feelings of death, the mortuary, etc.

9/10/2021 09:33:01 am

Thank you for the stats about suicide. I didn't know that nearly 133 people killed themselves everyday in the USA. Nearly 1/3 of those are active or retired military.
The timeliness of your book is unquestionable. The lockdowns and social distancing have caused much harm worldwide to the survivors.
A 70-page query letter might be a record, I don't know. The publisher obviously thought your book was perfect for their company.
Pace and flow are a delicate balance. The pace needs to vary so the reader can catch their breath and the flow needs to be smooth for ease of reading.
New questions.
What software do you use to write and publish your books, and why do you use those?
How do you keep track of all the characters and events in your books?
Are you a plotter, a pantster, or a hybrid?

9/10/2021 02:34:38 pm

I use Microsoft Word to write my books, short stories and articles.
I was reading a John Sanford book the other day and I was wondering about his system of keeping track of his characters. Does he paper his walls with those large, white 3M Post-It sheets? And then have a sheet for each character? That's probably what I would do if I were writing a fiction book with several characters.
With "Swan Lessons" since it was a memoir, it was easier to keep track of characters and events.

As to Plotter vs Panster, I would say I am a hybrid. I start with an outline, but leave room for the muse.

9/10/2021 02:46:56 pm

MS Word is very popular and has a huge installed user base around the world. It lists 40 some versions of English because it's the official language in many countries and taught as a second language in many more. Except America, that is.
A lot of writers use character or style sheets to keep track of important details. Some use stick notes or have a notebook to preserve continuity.
Some pansters will outline each chapter after the book is written to make it easy to locate important information when needed.
Have you heard of Scrivener? it is MS Word-compatible software that lets a writer do all of that and more inside the program. I have heard it has a steep learning curve, but those that persevere love it.
I think a lot of writers are hybrid like you. An outline can help keep things going in the right direction, but there must be room for the muse also. Making multiple drafts makes it easier also. No one has ever written a perfect first draft. Those that try wind up losing touch with their muse.
New questions.
Have you ever had the experience of the story swerving in a different direction than planned, as if a character was driving it?
I know there are many ways to build the outline. Do you do it all on the computer or do you get analog at some point with post-its or note cards?

9/10/2021 04:50:35 pm

I had that happen in "I'm Fine ... I'm With the Angels." It was like the story was writing itself--like it wasn't coming from me. In the story, a social worker is talking to Johnny about what will happen when he dies and that there are people who will help his spirit cross over into heaven. She tells him about Mark whose job was to help young children cross over. Johnny replies, "Like the crossing guard at our school? She watches the signal lights and walks with us across the street when it's safe." After I wrote that I thought, "Wow! Where did that come from? That is really good!" So, yes. Sometimes the character swerves off in a direction you didn't see coming.

With regard to the outline, I usually keep adding to the computer outline. That's the beauty of word processing and computers. When we just had typewriters, there was a lot of writing in the margins.

9/10/2021 05:15:18 pm

A lot of writers report a similar experience. he also report that the story is improved because of that unexpected addition.
That is one of the beauties in benefits of computers and wordprocessors.
New questions.
If we weren’t stuck in this Covid mess would you be a coffee shop writer or would you be reading from an office at home?
Do you like to have the TV on or the radio playing or listen to music while you right or do you need silence?

9/10/2021 05:22:34 pm

That's an easy one to answer. I need silence. Nothing in the background and I need to be in my own office with all my "stuff" around me in case I need it: "Strunk and White", "Chicago Manual of Style" etc.

9/10/2021 06:39:28 pm

We are a lot alike in that way. I can listen to worship and praise music in the background, but nothing else. My Chicago Manual of Style is back and center of my desk, right behind my laptop; easy to reach.
New questions.
Action, dialogue, or narration; which is easiest to write?
Of the five senses which is the easiest to write and which is the hardest?

9/10/2021 08:18:27 pm

Narration is easier for me and of the senses, I would say feeling is the easiest to write about.

Mark, I'd like to hear from your readers.
If you are following our conversation, I'd like to know if you have read "Swan Lessons" or if you might read it as a result of Mark's review and our discussions. Don't be shy.

Thanks.

9/11/2021 08:51:17 am

Narration is very important. There has to be a way for the reader to understand why characters do what they do. Some kind of narration provides that whether first person, second person or third person.
That would be very nice to have others join our conversation. Thanks for inviting them.
New questions.
Do you think your experience in theater helps you as a writer?
What kind of marketing are you doing for your book?
What kind of marketing has worked the best and the least for you for this book?

9/11/2021 04:54:10 pm

As an actress, one has to delve deep into a character's personality and motivation to give the right delivery to one's lines and to know why that character is making a certain move. So, yes, I do believe my theater experience has helped me in my writing. In addition, my study of psychology also contributes to character development.
I took psychology classes in college and continued to read and study after graduation, Most of my study centered around the work of Carl Jung. I think having a knowledge of psychology helps with character development.

As far as marketing, I've done the usual things--website, Facebook. When I do public speaking, my books are listed in my bio. For example, in August I presented two workshops (virtually) for the Compassionate Friends National Conference and my books were mentioned in my introduction and well as listed in my bio. If the conference had been in-person, I would have been there autographing and selling my books in the "book store" that is always present at the national conferences. I would have sold many more books that way.
I've had 4 book signings locally since the book came out in April.
It's been a challenge to market a book during a pandemic, I have to admit.

9/11/2021 04:55:55 pm

Those are excellent insights you have gleaned from psychology. When writing, if the readers don't engage with and care about the characters, especially the antagonist and protagonist, then they will likely close the book without finishing it.
The pandemic cut into income from in-person sales of their books for so many people. A lot of writers work conventions, fairs or farmers markets to sell more books and some like you leverage speaking events to do the same.
Here is a good blog that has some tips for marketing:
How to be a marketing star right where you live.
https://annerallen.com/2019/08/hometown-book-marketing/ via @annerallen It is copy and paste time.
New questions.
How do you know when a book is finished?
Did anything in this book come as a surprise while you were writing?
How much time passed from when you got the idea to write your book then actually starting to write the book?

9/11/2021 05:34:45 pm

I am going to give you a totally unconventional answer for how I knew my book was finished. Normally, when using MS Word, a footnote will appear at the bottom of the page where the word or name is referenced. I thought I was finished with "Swan Lessons" but when I printed my manuscript I could not get the footnotes to line up. (Later I changed them to End notes, but I digress.) Then it occurred to me how special it would be to have a chapter with Jen's letters coming to me and mine responding to her. When I completed that chapter, all the footnotes lined up!! I kid you not. It was if the muse was telling me I wasn't finished with the story. And "Letters from Boot Camp" was such a great add! It gives the reader a chance to hear Jen's voice directly--to read her own words. And since my lovely daughter was going to be an English teacher when she got out of the Marine Corps, I didn't have to correct any spelling or punctuation in her letters.
How do I know when a book or story is finished? It's more of a feeling I have. It's when I take a deep breath, nod to myself and smile.

I guess the biggest surprise was the footnotes!

When I started getting inklings that I wanted to write the book, I knew I was going to have to take some time off of work to write it. I went to the Maui Writer's Convention in 1999 and also attended the two-week writer's workshop that is held adjacent to the weekend of the convention. Jack Canfield was one of the writing coaches. We worked in small groups. At one time we were reading the overview to our proposals. He said he was quite impressed with my writing and he said, "Your book picks up where the movie 'A Few Good Men' leaves off ... with the family holding the pieces."
I had a story included in the forthcoming volume of "Chicken Soup for the Unsinkable Soul." It was rather surreal sitting there talking with him about my story in his next CS book.
Anyway, to answer your question, I started writing the book about a year after Jennifer died, so I started writing soon after I decided to.
Once I start getting ideas, I get them down on paper fairly quickly.

9/11/2021 06:04:28 pm

That worked out quite well. Your muse is one sharp cookie.
Those letters were a wonderful part of the book for exactly the reasons you described.
A nice comment from Canfield. He is right. My wife and I love that movie.
New questions.
How long did it take you to write the first draft?
How many drafts did you go through to have a ready-to-publish manuscript?

9/11/2021 06:28:49 pm

I really don't remember how long it took me to write the first draft because I was working (at another job) and I wrote it in chunks. I didn't start from Chapter 1.
Regarding the number of drafts-- there were several. After I had what I thought was a reasonable draft, I paid a professional author/editor to take a look at it and she gave me some valuable feedback. So, there were a number of drafts. You know how every time you read through something you write you can always find a typo. So, I had several years of of looking it over. Then I put it away for a number of years. I pulled it out, so to speak, when COVID began to take its toll, did some re-writing, sent a query to 3 publishers and Robert Reed picked me up. There was very little polishing that needed to be done once Reed picked me up.

9/12/2021 11:35:46 am

I have heard from many authors who have written a book in a similar start-and-stop fashion. I think the influencing factors are different for each author.
Most authors do go through multiple drafts. The first draft is a solitary effort. After that different drafts can result from self-editing, beta readers, critique partners, professional editing and last proofreading to polish the manuscript.
New questions.
Have you thought about offering a large-print edition of your books?

Have you thought about using Kickstarter or other crowd-funding platforms to pay for publishing or production of books or special editions? Here is one example, granted, it is extreme because the author has a large number of fans: https://kriswrites.com/2020/07/22/business-musings-the-kickstarted-game-changer-part-two/

9/12/2021 01:19:29 pm

My book has been out such a short time that I haven't gone beyond it's current print form and Kindle.
I had not considered crowd-funding for other editions of the book. That doesn't seem right for me.

9/12/2021 03:10:15 pm

The more formats that are used the more people will find and buy a book.
English audiobooks are very popular in many different countries around the world. So many countries have English as the official language and many others teach English in all levels of school as a second language. In many of these countries most of the population has only a smart phone to access the internet, so an audiobook is the perfect format.
I think your book could do well as an audiobook. There are a lot of blogs written about audiobooks on my website and on the internet. I even had the opportunity to interview an audiobook narrator during an author interview. Search for Green in the search box below, the first choice is that interview.
New questions.
Going back in time, did you do any kind of creative writing, even back in grade school?
How early was it that you realized how powerful words can be?

9/12/2021 07:16:51 pm

I have planned to have an audio book which I plan to narrate. I am a member of SAG & AFTRA and have done a number of voice-overs for videos, as well as radio and TV commercials.
I did a lot of creative writing starting at a young age. I've kept all the stories I've written. My English teachers recognized my talent for writing and encouraged me to continue. I've always loved to write (and read!).

9/12/2021 08:55:57 pm

That is great. I bet you will do well narrating your audiobook. One of my favorite bloggers, Joanna Penn, did a blog about how to setup a simple at-home studio for DIY recording. Maybe it will be helpful for you, though I realize that you might have a space defined for that already. https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2019/08/07/build-your-own-audio-sound-booth
Nice that teachers recognized your talent early and encouraged you to write.
New questions.
A lot of new authors struggle with finding beta readers. Because, after the first draft is done, fresh eyes and feedback become very important.
Do you have alpha-readers and/or beta-readers to help you smooth out a lot of wrinkles before publishing? If you don’t, why?
If you do, how did you find them?

9/13/2021 04:24:25 pm

I found my alpha readers through the Maui Writer's Convention--fellow writers who were not friends per se.

9/13/2021 05:01:55 pm

Beta readers are so important, aren't they? Getting fresh eyes on a raw or nearly raw manuscript goes a long ways toward the polishing process.
Last questions.
At what stage in your writing process do you bring in the readers?
Do you give them an e-version like a PDF or a hard copy you printed off?
What kind of questions did you ask them to get the feedback you wanted?

9/13/2021 05:10:26 pm

I have generally given them a hard copy that I printed so they could write in the margins or on the back of a page.

9/13/2021 05:44:38 pm

I know some authors like to deal with a hard copy. It is pretty easy to do that. You can lay the same page out for all of the betas at the same time to look for patterns and similar comments.
I have another promotion that starts tomorrow. Joyce, you have been a wonderful guest in this interview. Your book has been a source of comfort for many, I am sure.
I hope you keep writing and I look forward to continuing our conversation in the future.

9/13/2021 05:50:29 pm

Mark, this has been a wonderful opportunity, and I enjoyed immensely talking with you about "Swan Lessons" and my writing in general.
I hope our paths will cross again in the future. Thanks so much.

SWAN LESSONS: A Bereaved Mother's Story of Courage and Discovery By Joyce A. Harvey

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