Tulips & Trains...
A special interview with indie author Savannah Jane McCrary
Introduction:
Today I have a special post for you all as I will be interviewingSavannah Jane McCrary about her latest historical-fiction novel, Trains & Tulips. Savannah is currently running a Kickstarter for this book which you can find all about with this handy link! Without further ado, let’s jump into the interview because I am very excited to share it with you all!
Q: To kick things off (yes, that pun was intended), can you tell us a bit about yourself? Who you are, what you write, and what inspires your creative side!
A: I’m an author, artist, history enthusiast, homeschool graduate, and most importantly, a follower of Jesus. I’ve been writing seriously for about 12 years (I wrote my first novel when I was 141). I’ve experimented with a variety of genres, but presently my favorite things to write are true stories and accurate historical fiction that reminds readers of the goodness of God and that light is greater than darkness. I like to describe my historical fiction as “infused with a hearty dose of hope, truth, and beauty, plus a dash of humor.” I live with my family in western Montana and find inspiration everywhere–in the beauties of creation, in conversations with my family and friends, in reading good books and watching good movies…
Q: It sounds like you get some great inspiration just from daily life! Can you tell us a bit about your most recent project, Trains & Tulips? What is it about and how did you come up with the idea for the story?
A: Trains and Tulips is Young Adult historical fiction set in the Netherlands during World War II. It follows five young people who each become involved in the Resistance against the Nazis. While the main characters are fictional, they are inspired by real WWII heroes. I first came up with the idea for this story over four years ago after watching the movie Return to the Hiding Place, about Hans Poley, a real member of the WWII Dutch Resistance. (It’s an incredible movie, but I wouldn’t recommend it to young children, and you should be aware that there’s one part in particular that is heartbreaking and horrifying.) Over the next few years, I continued to research World War II, and the story kept growing. I’ve become deeply passionate about sharing the stories of World War II and the Holocaust as I believe we must remember and learn from our history.
Q: I couldn’t agree more. We treat “those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it” as a trite cliche, but it has a foundational truth. When you were writing this book, who was one of your favorite characters and why?
A: One of my favorites was Pieter Knies. He’s a theology student in his early twenties who likes his quiet, peaceful life, but eventually, motivated by Jesus’ command to “love your neighbor” becomes involved in the Dutch Resistance movement. One of the reasons I enjoyed writing about him was because I based him after two of my heroes from history: Dietrich Bonhoeffer (a German pastor, theologian, and writer who became involved in the Resistance against Hitler) and Hans Poley (a university student who joined the Dutch Resistance).
Q: I hear you’re starting a Kickstarter for your book! That’s so cool! Can you tell us about that? What are your goals for this project, and how can readers best support you in this?
A: Yes! Trains and Tulips (Lord willing) officially releases December 5th. But I’m running a Kickstarter campaign for the book August 21st through September 20th. My goal is to raise at least $500 to cover the initial costs of publishing and printing the book and give you the opportunity to pre-order special editions of the book that won’t always be available and get some exclusive behind-the-scenes peeks and fun goodies!2 Through Kickstarter, you can pre-order several different versions of the book: e-book, audiobook, black and white paperback, full color paperback, or a deluxe full color hardcover (the book has over fifty hand-drawn full-page scene illustrations by yours truly!). Whether you need a budget-friendly option, or you want to get a deluxe special edition, there’s an option for you! You can head over to the Kickstarter campaign page here to learn more and order your book!3
Q: Historical fiction is a genre I have absolutely fallen in love with (as my bookshelves bear witness to). One of the things I admire about his-fic writers is their ability to conduct extensive research on a specific topic or timeframe to make their story as accurate as possible. What are some of your biggest tips for researching for a historical novel like this?
A: Different research methods will work better for different writers, so what works for me may not be the best option for you! But here’s what I do: I read practically every book I can get my hands on about the time period and country I am writing about. I will literally spend years researching. As I research, I create a plot for my story, building it around the real historical facts. Those facts are like the anchors for the story that won’t change no matter what other changes I may decide to implement.
The kind of books I have found the most helpful, and what I would definitely recommend you focus on, are firsthand accounts–memoirs and autobiographies of people who actually lived through the time you are writing about. I’ll also read informational books, historical fiction, watch movies and documentaries, and search the internet for answers to specific questions I haven’t found elsewhere.
As a side note, I think it’s also very important to include historical notes in the back of the book, telling readers which parts of a historical fiction novel are true and which parts spring from the author’s imagination.
Q: As a lighter follow-up to the previous question, what is one of the strangest things you’ve researched or Googled for writing? (It can be related to your current project or another project you’ve worked on)
A: Hmm. Probably how to survive getting shot in the stomach! 🙂4
Q: Okay, now this is definitely a lighter question! 😂 Do you have a writing routine to help you stay in the mood? (a certain place, time of day, a favorite snack, or musical soundtrack?)
A: I usually sit at my desk to write, but I can get in the mood to write pretty much anywhere or anytime! One thing I always try to remember to do is pray before I start writing. Another thing I did for this book that I’ve never done before but really enjoyed doing is watching a trailer for one of my favorite movies set in this time period. Watching the trailer before I start writing would transport me back to the World War II era and give me a huge burst of inspiration to write a story that would impact others in the same way that movie had impacted me.
Q: Honestly, immersing yourself in the world your characters live in is very helpful! You mentioned you are a Christian (as are some of your characters).What are some of the main ways your faith has shaped your writing?
A: My books have very strong Christian messages, yet I don’t actually try to come up with a way to put those messages in the story–they simply come of their own accord! Often, when I first come up with a story idea, I don’t know what the main theme is going to be. But as I research and brainstorm, eventually, it just comes to me. I guess what I’m trying to say is this: since I am a Christian, I view everything from the lens of a biblical Christian worldview. Therefore, my faith naturally comes through in my writing. I don’t have to strive to come up with messages to put in a book; the stories I create will naturally have those messages in them.
C. S. Lewis said, “Don’t try to ‘bring in’ specifically Christian bits: if God wants you to serve him in that way (He may not: there are different vocations) you will find it coming in of its own accord.” And that’s exactly what I have found.
Two of the themes that I am deeply passionate about and seem to find their way into all of my books are: hoping even when it’s dark, and the value of every life. I think the best way to write stories with powerful faith-filled themes is simply to have a vibrant relationship with Jesus yourself and pray and ask Him to lead you as you write. Write what He gives you a passion for. Spend time filling your mind with God’s word, and it will flow out into your writing. Some genres will have more explicit Christian themes than others, and that’s all right. I don’t believe a story has to explicitly mention God to bring Him glory (the book of Esther in the Bible doesn’t). But one of the main reasons I love writing about dark times in history is because it is in those settings that I’m able to most clearly communicate the truths I’m passionate about.
Another way my faith influences my writing is that it inspires me to make it the best it can be. Colossians 3:23 tells us, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord…” I believe when we are writing for God, we should seek to make our writing the best it can possibly be! I think Christian writers should be the best writers! We shouldn’t just say that if a book is “clean” and has some Christian themes, it’s good. We should seek excellence!
Q: Amen on to all those points! If you could go back in time and give your younger self some advice about writing, what would it be and why?
A: I would tell myself to take more time to research the best way to do something and put a bit more thought into it before doing it! I’m specifically thinking of the technical side of writing and publishing–which indie publishing company to use, what website builder to use and what to name the website, how to format a book, etc. Taking the time to figure all that out is not one of the most fun parts of writing, but putting in the research and thought and prayer beforehand pays off!
Q: This one is important – coffee, tea, or bubble tea? What’s your comfort drink? (I was trying to find a place to sneak this in 😊)
A: Tea! I especially love Irish Breakfast with a splash of milk!
Q: Finally, where can we find more of you?
A: The main way I keep in touch with readers is through my email newsletter and Substack publication, “Blue Flower Story Company.” You can also head over to my website, historyredeemed.com, where I have a blog specifically for history-related content. You can also connect with me on Goodreads. And you can pre-order Trains and Tulips, my new WWII historical fiction book, through Kickstarter here!
Conclusion…
To wrap up, I will say that I enjoyed that interview very much! Thank you for answering all my questions, Savannah <3
That’s all for now! Until next time, keep writing & remember God loves you! <3
That’s actually just one year before I started writing! XD
Say less…
Pause here so y’all can go check out her Kickstarter. I’ll still be here when you get back!
I said lighter LOL Well, I suppose we writers are in interesting sort
 | A guest post by
|
What a wonderful interview!! The books looks lovely and those illustrations are absolutely gorgeous!!!