Interview with Debbie Macomber

Wishes. We all have them. Some are simple like hoping it doesn’t rain on a child’s first communion day. Others are more complex, like praying that the cancer doesn’t take a loved one away. No matter what you are wishing for, it’s always fun to imagine what if it actually could come true.

This month’s jewel takes wishing upon a star to an all new level in her latest release, TWENTY WISHES. I first had the pleasure of meeting Debbie Macomber at The Book Expo a few years back. She was charming, delightful, and full of energy which didn’t surprise me in the least. If you have ever read one of her books, then you know firsthand how her warm personality spills over into her writing. It’s as if she’s inviting you in for a cup of tea while sharing one of her signature stories that make us all want to come back time and time again.

Over the past few years, many of you have written in requesting that I interview Debbie, and I am so pleased to finally be able to bring her to you. As part of this interview, MIRA BOOKS has donated five copies of TWENTY WISHES to give away. Please look for the trivia question at the end so that you can enter to win! This book is definitely one of her best! So, go ahead and grab a cup of coffee and get to know New York Times Bestselling Author, Debbie Macomber.

Jen: Some of the most fascinating stories told by authors are the ways in which their careers were launched. Please tell us a little bit about your personal and professional background and what led you to pursue a career in publishing.

Debbie: Writing was an idea and a desire I’d entertained since I was in grade school. I always knew deep down that one day I would write books. And yet I was afraid, especially since I’m dyslexic and never did well academically. So it was easy to push this dream into the future with all kinds of justifications and excuses. It was only when a cousin I’d grown up with died of leukemia that I realized life holds no guarantees. David’s death spurred me on to pursue my goal. I started out with a rented typewriter that I set on the kitchen table and moved at mealtimes. In fact, I can remember bouncing a baby on my hip with one hand and typing with the other!

Jen: I think what appeals most to your fans about your writing style is your ability to create characters who are genuine, heartwarming, and quite simply believable. How do you create such blockbuster stories that consistently wind up on bestseller lists? Do you base your novels on people you know and events that happen in your life, or do you just come up with an idea and run with it?

Debbie: I come from a family of storytellers, so the plotting aspect of novel-writing comes naturally to me. Really, anything is grist for the writer’s mill, if you’ll pardon the cliché; anything can trigger a story. (I could make one up about a tube of toothpaste if I had to.) As for the ability to create believable characters—and thank you for saying so I feel that comes from being an observer of life and of people. I’m fascinated by people and always interested in what they do and why they do it. In particular, the dynamics of relationships intrigue me. Ultimately, of course, plot and character are intertwined. You can’t really separate one from the other.

Jen: From start to finish, about how long does it take you to complete your typical novel and how much research do you do? What does an ordinary work day (minus book tours and appearances) look like for you?

Debbie: I’m beginning to wonder if there is such a thing as an ordinary day! However, let me try to describe what comes closest to a regular working day for me. I’m the granddaughter of farmers, so I get up early (at around 4 a.m.). After reading my Bible and writing in my journals, I head to the swimming pool. By the time I finish and go into the office, it’s 7:30 or 8. The first thing I do is read all my mail, then I write a blog, if the spirit moves me, and finally I tackle my writing. When I’m in the middle of a project, I set a prescribed number of pages to write each day, and I work until I’m done for that day—usually at 4 or 5 in the afternoon.

Jen: Writing is not easy, as you well know. And, crafting a tight, well- written book can prove to be a Herculean task even for the most accomplished author (like you!) What is the most challenging part of a book for you to write and why? What part is the most enjoyable and why?

Debbie: The biggest challenge for me, as it is for every writer, is to write the right story. Because I have so many ideas, I’m constantly torn. Which book should I write next; which idea should I develop? In fact, I pay a great deal of attention to my readers’ reactions, and on a number of occasions their requests (or even suggestions) have influenced my direction. A case in point is A GOOD YARN, which I wrote because readers were telling me they wanted more Blossom Street stories. The truth is I love every aspect of my career, from working out the story, to writing it, to meeting readers. As far as the actual writing goes, the process is pure joy for me. I even like doing revisions, which are an opportunity to improve and refine the book. My editor and I are working toward the same goal, after all—the best book possible.

Jen: We constantly hear in the publishing business that for a book to be successful, it must have sex and lots of it. Let’s be frank. You are one of the most successful authors in the business (over 60 million copies sold), you continually hit the top of the bestseller lists, and your books do not have explicit sex scenes (for which I applaud you). What’s your secret? And more importantly, why have you chosen not to give in to the sexual revolution, if you will?

Debbie: Why don’t I write a lot of sex scenes? First of all, I’m married, so I don’t know that much. (Just kidding.) I believe it’s more romantic to leave something to the imagination, and I know from reader responses that many people prefer it that way. Not only that, the role of sexual relationships in my books has to do with emotions, with feelings, not with titillating readers or providing sensational copy.

Jen: Your latest release, TWENTY WISHES, is the continuation of your highly popular Blossom Street Series. How did you arrive at the premise?

Debbie: I’m so glad you asked that. I was doing an autographing, and a reader, Arliene Zeigler, asked to have her picture taken with me. Meeting me, she said, was part of a list of twenty things she wanted to do before she died. I loved the concept, dropped the dying part and simply made it twenty wishes. Once I had that idea, I started thinking about which character would benefit most from a list of wishes, and I came up with Anne Marie. She was introduced in the previous Blossom Street book, BACK ON BLOSSOM STREET, although at that time I wasn’t sure what future part she’d play. As she came into clearer focus for me, I saw that she was the ideal character for this concept. Here was someone who needed the motivation and the sense of hope a list of wishes could provide—wishes she’s able to articulate and work toward.

Jen: A question I just have to ask…do you have your own list of twenty wishes? And if so, would you mind sharing with us a few of the things you have included on it?

Debbie:I do have a list, although it isn’t complete. After my recent trip to Paris I want to learn French. I want to fly kites with my grandchildren on the beach and take a cake decorating class. I’d love to rent a villa in Tuscany. I want to chase butterflies with my youngest grandson. I’d like to . . . don’t get me started!

Jen: As I said earlier, your characterizations are what separate you from the pack. In TWENTY WISHES, your lead character, Anne Marie, has many crosses to bear in various aspects of her life. What are her strengths and weaknesses? What makes her so appealing to your readers?

Debbie: Anne Marie is widowed at age 38, and with the death of her husband her dream of being a mother is taken away from her. Women can identify with her, because nearly every woman has faced a major disappointment in life. We understand her grief, her disappointment and her longing. We can cheer and find reasons for optimism and hope, as we see Anne Marie and the other widows go through a healing process. I think that Anne Marie’s willingness to take a risk—even a somewhat reluctant risk—is part of her appeal. This is true for the other widows, as well. Each of them is finally able to move past the constraints imposed by grief, by societal and family expectations, by anger, and to find at least the beginning of a genuine happiness. Anne Marie, for instance, learns that she can forgive her stepdaughter and actually create a new relationship with her that’s based on the present and the future, not the past. I think, too, that one thing all these characters discover is that life is about change, about accepting and sometimes initiating change.

Jen: I liked how you touched upon some sensitive topics in this book such as the country club set versus the working class as well as drug abuse and physical limitations. What relevance do they have in relation to the fluidity of the plot? What message, if any, are you sending to your readers by including these topics in the book?

Debbie: Actually I wasn’t trying to make any statements about class per se. With Lillie and Hector, I wanted to surprise her and the reader by allowing two people who seemed a most unlikely couple to fall in love. As for Barbie and Mark—I fell in love with Mark myself! I’ve always loved the classic “wounded hero,” and again I enjoyed taking two dissimilar people and bringing them together. Class is definitely a barrier between Lillie and Hector, just as Mark’s disability is in his relationship with Barbie. In both cases, they have to take risks and be willing to change their lives in order to overcome these barriers.

Jen: Your career, which includes many accolades, is quite impressive. To date, how many books have you written? Which one is your all-time favorite and why?

Debbie: I’ve lost count of the number of books I’ve written but I know it’s well over a hundred. (Remember, I sold my first book 26 years ago, and during the time I was writing exclusively series romance—typically shorter books. I published as many as six to eight a year.) There’ve been any number of books that have touched me in a special way. Early in my career a Silhouette Special Edition, REFLECTIONS OF YESTERDAY, was one. My “Orchard Valley” trilogy for Harlequin Romance was another. More recently there was BETWEEN FRIENDS, a story that was so strong in me I could barely sleep nights while writing it. And it goes without saying that THE SHOP ON BLOSSOM STREET is special to me, as well.

Jen: It’s not too often that work can be combined with pleasure, yet you have managed to do just that! Please share with us how you were able to combine your passion for knitting and reading into one heartfelt pursuit.

Debbie: Combining my love of knitting with writing just seemed a natural progression. Actually I’m surprised it took me so long! It means a lot to me that the Blossom Street stories have resonated with readers and moved my career to a new level.

Jen: What has surprised you most about the publishing business and why? If you could go back and do one thing over, what would it be and why?

Debbie: That’s a difficult question. I’ve certainly made mistakes along the way, but it’s been a learning and growing process. In retrospect, I think perhaps I should have made the transition from category books (series romance) to mass market a bit sooner.

Another factor any writer should keep in mind is that the industry always seems to be in a state of flux, with changes on the publisher side and on the retailer and distributor sides.

Jen: Are you currently at work on your next novel? And if so, what can you tell us about it?

Debbie: I’m currently writing SUMMER ON BLOSSOM STREET, in which Lydia is teaching another class. The germ of this idea came from my trip to Australia, where I saw a sign-up sheet for a class designed to help people quit smoking. I’ve expanded on that in Lydia’s “Knit to Quit” class. Each member of the class (including, for the first time, a man) is trying to break free from something, whether it’s smoking, an unhealthy relationship or the effects of stress. The story will introduce some new characters, although Alix—one of my most popular Blossom Street women—will be back. And Lydia’s life is going to change in a very interesting way….

Jen: Please tell us about your website. Do you have e-mail notification of upcoming releases? Do you participate in author phone chats? And if so, how would my readers go about scheduling one? Do you participate in a blog?

Debbie: My website, www.debbiemacomber.com, is a source of all kinds of information about me and my books, upcoming reader events, contests and so on. My readers also hear from me once a month via an email newsletter. Also, once a year they receive an actual package from me that’s full of goodies. My most recent mailing, which just went out, included my annual newsletter, a bookmark, calendar stickers, and a coupon from my publisher for $2 off TWENTY WISHES and a few other things. If readers log onto my website and fill out the guestbook form, they are automatically placed on a mailing list to receive my annual mailing. My reader list also receives notification of signings via postcard if I am appearing within a 50-mile radius of their zip code location.

Yes, I blog, and yes, I often do phone calls with reading groups. In fact, last year I had a reading group contest, and the group that won (in Fort Wayne, Indiana) is being taken out to dinner by my editor, Paula Eykelhof, and me next month.

Jen: What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received in relation to your writing career?

Debbie: Best piece of advice? Probably this: If your dream, your passion, is to be a published writer, then never, ever give up. Be flexible and practical, keep on learning about your craft, celebrate the small successes along the way—and don’t give up.

Jen: Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with my readers. It was an absolute treat being able to meet you in person. Thank you for making this world a much better place not only through the kindness in your heart, but also in the beautiful stories that you share with all of us. Best of luck in 2008!

Debbie: Thank you. It was a real pleasure.

I hope you have enjoyed this interview. Would you like to win a copy of TWENTY WISHES? Be one of five winners to answer the following trivia question correctly and you‘ll win! Good luck!

Debbie’s latest release, TWENTY WISHES, is part of what series?

Next month, I’ll be interviewing Tyndale author Laura Hayden. Her latest release entitled AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL is the perfect read for this exciting election year. You won’t want to miss it.

Until next time…Jen