Author Interview: Janet Fox

Today I'm very happy to have Janet Fox - the brilliant author of the equally brilliant novel Faithful - for an author interview! I asked her a few questions about her book, about writing and Forgiven, sequel to Faithful - and here's what she has to say.

1. Setting in Faithful is obviously a very important part of the book - was there any particular reason for setting the book at Yellowstone National Park?

Yes – setting is hugely important to me as a writer. I believe that we are defined by our surroundings in life and in fiction. That said, Yellowstone has a special significance for me. My husband and I fell in love when we came west together to Montana, and I experienced the Park for the first time. And I feel that Yellowstone is a magical place. Geysers, hot springs, magnificent animals all coexist in the same amazing landscape. I wanted to set a story there, and Maggie’s story seemed perfect – setting a story about life and death in a place where life and death stand in balance at every turn. And, selfishly, I could go there again and again and do research. I never get tired of Yellowstone.

2. Similarly, why did you choose to set the book at the turn of the century?

Once I decided on my character (my first priority in story) and setting, I decided that 1904 would be a wonderful year to write about because the Old Faithful Inn was opened in June of that year. Then I began my research, and discovered all of the nuances of the period – first flight, first motion pictures, women’s suffrage – especially the changes that were happening for young women, and I discovered that they fit Maggie’s growth. Young women of that period had little say in their lives and future and I wanted to explore a character who rebelled against the constraints of society.

3. How did the title come about?

This was one of the easiest titles I’ve invented! It was such a natural – Old Faithful, to begin with, is the most well known geyser in the Park. And then I thought about my character’s relationship with her mother and how she was faithful to trying to uncover the mystery of her mother’s disappearance. And how her mother may or may not have been faithful to her family. And finally how being true to oneself – being faithful to one’s dreams – is so important to teens today as it was for Maggie.

4. In writing Faithful, what form(s) of research(es) did you do beforehand?

I did quite a bit of research. I spent a lot of time in the Park. There’s a new Research Center just on the edge of the Park and they were extremely helpful. And there are a handful of smaller museums and historic buildings in the area and the people there were wonderful. I used to live near Newport so I knew that area; and I read countless books and articles about the period. One of my favorite research tools is reading books written in the time period I’m writing about – they provide me with voice and language and the poetry of the language, the cadence and syntax.

5. Was Maggie a resemblance of a particular character or person you know?

No, actually. None of my characters comes directly from life. I borrow bits and pieces from people I know, but my characters all have distinct voices and come from somewhere deep inside, once I know what they want.

6. Maggie's emotions and struggle against social restraints are hugely realistic in this book. How were you able to manage such a realistic portrayal of her feelings?

I thought about how I might feel or how a teen today might feel under similar circumstances. How it would feel to be told who you could love, whom you could marry. How it would feel to be dragged around from place to place with no ability to say “no.” How it would feel to have to suppress love in the face of obligation. Those emotions don’t change with time and place.

7. Who among the characters is the closest in personality to you?

I like to think I’m a combination of several of them. Maggie’s intellect and desire, Mrs. Gale’s patience and generosity, Kula’s fierce determination. Put together, I’d like to think I have at least some of those traits.

8. Who or what is your greatest inspiration?

My mother. She started me on this path and gave me the tools and the encouragement. And, since she is gone, my husband and son who inspire me every day with their faith in me.

9. Name one book you wish you wrote. Why so?

The Lord of the Rings. I love how Tolkien blends terrific characters with agonizingly riveting plot with gorgeous description. Epic, universal, and beloved. Sigh. How I wish I could write something even a fraction as wonderful!

The beautiful cover for Forgiven!
Don't you just love it? I looove
the splash of red!

10. Can you give us a brief hint of what we can expect from the sequel to Faithful?

I can’t say too much or I might spoil some of the mystery in Faithful…but I will say that Forgiven (which is out May 2011) follows Kula, a secondary character in Faithful, to San Francisco in 1906 during the time of the Great Earthquake and subsequent fires. So you can see that setting is once again paramount to my story. But there is also a romance – and more importantly to me, I tackle a serious issue in a subplot that still has relevance today – but I will leave that to the reader to discover!

Thank you, Janet!

For more information about Janet and/or her books, visit her website at http://www.janetsfox.com. 

You can also say hi and follow her on twitter @janetsfox and on her blog, http://kidswriterjfox.blogspot.com.