An Interview with Jane Hollingsworth

by Roberta Major

Roberta asks:

Why do you write?

Jane replies:

I write to keep my life in balance. After years of working in the field of child maltreatment, I found that three things were necessary to prevent burn out - exercise, a spiritual framework, and ongoing creative projects, such as writing books. Like most writers, I've always made up elaborate stories in my head, and if you're going to do that, why not write them down?

Roberta asks:

What drew you to write this particular story? Were there specific events in your life that triggered the writing of it?

Jane replies:

In 1993, my husband and daughter and I moved into an old house. We hadn't been there long before we had each had some strange experiences. For example, during our first week there, my husband and I heard my daughter calling me - even though she wasn't in town at the time. Guests would hear their name called by loved ones who were far away. Doors opened and closed, seemingly by themselves, and we even had the traditional ghostly footsteps. At the same time, I was working with battered women and a lot of foster care children. Those two components of my life are blended in this book.

Roberta asks:

What parts of you are reflected in the characters in your book?

Jane replies:

I never give up and will not be intimidated once I set my mind on a goal, although that kind of persistence can be both good and bad. Both Bedie and June are as stubborn as I am. I also share Bedie's frustration at society's covert acceptance of violence toward women, and am sympathetic to June's anger at being pushed around in "the system."

Roberta asks:

If you were selected to join the cast of Survivor IV, what would you take along as your "comfort item"?

Jane replies:

An easy question! I am so addicted to reading, that I would take one of the e-book readers on the market, being careful to load it with dozens of books and some fresh batteries. As long as I have something to read, I'm fine.

Roberta asks:

If you had to sit through twenty-four hours of non-stop cable television, what channel would you want the set tuned to?

Jane replies:

I don't watch two hours of television a week, so this question is tough. Probably, I'd choose AMC because I like old movies. I'd hate to give up the HBO original series like Six Feet Under, though.

Roberta asks:

If People magazine called and asked you to pick the 2002 "Sexiest Man Alive", who would you choose?

Jane replies:

Roberta, are you trying to cause trouble? My husband is going to read this interview! Tom Skerritt, and that's all I'm saying!

Roberta asks:

What is the most thought-provoking thing you've read in the last six months?

Jane replies:

This is a jackpot question because I am working, with a coauthor, on a nonfiction book, America at Prayer. The research is both fun and thought-provoking. I also read a murder mystery that shifted my perspective and made me think in a way that mysteries seldom do. It is The Skull Mantra, by Eliot Pattison. I guarantee you've never read anything like it!

Roberta asks:

Are you working on another book, and, if so, what's it about?

Jane replies:

The Angel in the Steeple, the sequel to my current book, is still in progress. I am also working on a Young Adult novel called The Piskie. Recently, a friend and I sketched out a mystery novel that would be a lot of fun to write. I've never written a mystery, even though I love to read them, so that might be the next project.

And visit Jane's webpage at www.janehollingsworth.com....