Readers Have Been Sending Me Their Questions
Fans of the Loving Husband Trilogy have had a number of questions about Down Salem Way, the long-awaited prequel to the trilogy.
Here are my answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.
Was it hard to write in James’ voice?
No, it really wasn’t. Remember, the Loving Husband Trilogy was written from both James and Sarah/Elizabeth’s perspectives so I’ve been using James’ voice all along.
The Loving Husband Trilogy was written in third-person narration, but each chapter was told from either James or Sarah/Elizabeth’s point of view, which made it easy to step into James’ shoes for Down Salem Way.
Granted, Down Salem Way is James’ diary, so it’s all James all the time, and he’s a much younger man here (he’s 30 instead of 300+ pretending to be 30). I enjoyed the opportunity to delve more deeply into his thoughts and feelings during the Salem Witch Trials.
Should Women Write From a Male Point of View?
About the whole woman writing from a man’s point of view debate, between friends, I couldn’t care less. For me, being a writer and being creative means that I can let my imagination run wild. If I want to write from a male point of view, I will.
The reason I write fiction is that it allows me to let my imagination run wild. That whole “write what you know” advice is hooey. Or, to paraphrase Natalie Goldberg, I know James because I say I know James.
Of all the characters I’ve written, he’s the one I most closely identify with, so why not write from his point of view? Any writing advice that tells you to stifle your imagination and creativity needs to go back down the narrow-minded hole it came from. You’re never going to please everyone, so you might as well write your story the way you feel it needs to be written.
Why the delay between Her Loving Husband’s Return and Down Salem Way?
After Her Loving Husband’s Return was finished, I thought that was the end of the Wentworths’ story. I hadn’t planned on writing anything else in the James and Sarah/Elizabeth world.
Then I wrote When It Rained at Hembry Castle, set in a completely different Victorian-era world inspired by Downton Abbey and Charles Dickens. I was also doing this little thing called a Ph.D. Completing my Ph.D. in four years took just about everything I had (including most of my brain cells) out of me, but I did come up with the final idea for Down Salem Way during that time.
A couple of months after I finished my dissertation, after some of those brain cells regenerated, I turned my focus onto Down Salem Way. At that point, it took about a year to complete. I’ve never been what you’d call a fast writer. I need to live with an idea and kick it around a bit before I can do any story justice.
Down Salem Way was hard to read because I knew what was coming. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to push through.
I know this isn’t a question, but I’ve been getting this a lot from fans of the Loving Husband Trilogy so I thought I’d share it here. I know. Trust me, I know.
I shed a lot of tears writing Down Salem Way. Fans of the Loving Husband Trilogy shouldn’t be surprised by the ending. Still, it’s much more difficult reading what happened to Elizabeth in exacting detail, especially since it’s so heartbreaking the way it played out.
It’s not an exaggeration to say I was shattered writing this book. But as I said in the notes at the end of Down Salem Way, the bitterness is alleviated by the sweetness of what we know is coming in Her Dear and Loving Husband.
I’d say Down Salem Way is even more difficult for me to write than Her Loving Husband’s Curse, and that was a tough one. Remember, this is a novel about the Wentworths’ experiences during the Salem Witch Trials. It couldn’t end any other way, especially since Elizabeth’s story was established in Her Dear and Loving Husband.
But I agree…Down Salem Way is a heartbreaker. Get your box of tissues ready!
That is Geoffrey in Down Salem Way, right?
Yes, that is Geoffrey lurking in the shadows in Down Salem Way. Poor James didn’t know what he was in for when he went off alone with Geoffrey that night, but he’ll come to know Geoffrey much better throughout the trilogy.
Miriam also makes an appearance–several appearances, in fact, along with her sisters. If you haven’t read Her Loving Husband’s Curse yet, you’ll meet Miriam more closely and see how she stays connected to James throughout the stories–and the generations.
Will there be more Loving Husband Trilogy books?
Yes, there will more James and Sarah books. I have an idea to take my original plot for Down Salem Way and turn it into another Loving Husband story.
I also have an idea for a magical realism story revolving around Grace, James and Sarah’s daughter. How long will it take for me to write these books? I can never answer that question with any accuracy, so it’s always better for me to say stay tuned. Follow me here on my blog for the latest news on my books.
When is Hembry Castle continuing?
I know this isn’t a Down Salem Way question, but I’ve been getting this one a lot lately too.
Never fear, Edward and Daphne fans. A new Hembry Castle story is next on my agenda. It’s a Christmas story, Christmas at Hembry Castle, that will be released Christmas 2020.
Send Me Your Questions, Please!
I love hearing from readers and answering their questions. If you have a question for me, contact me at meredithallardauthor@gmail.com or via my Contact page.
I look forward to hearing from you.
