Interview Jo Burman

By

Shelley Munro

Recently it was my pleasure to chat with author, Jo Burman about her upcoming historical release, Forget Me Not, her writing process and hobbies outside of writing.

1) Please tell us a little about Forget Me Not.

Forget Me Not takes place on a Wyoming Cattle ranch in the late 1880's. Karensa Mateland is left to run the troubled ranch and care for her very rascally little sister after the death of her step-father. Her step-father's son Joss, left the ranch years earlier after a feud with his father. Karensa had a girlhood crush on Joss, and even though she is now a woman, she has never stopped wishing for his return. Then a stranger shows up, Seth, and Karensa finds herself torn between the man of her memories and the love of this newcomer.

Of course, the story has many other threads: the struggle to keep the ranch afloat, Karensa's attempts to transform her little sister from a hoyden into a lady, and of course, Seth has a lot of baggage hidden in his past. The most interesting thread, to me, was Karensa's internal struggle to let go of certain things she had been clinging to and learn to take a huge risk in order to find love (although I'm not about to reveal what that risk is). This thread surprised me late in the first draft, but when I went back to work it into the beginning it was a perfect fit. I'm really proud of the fact that this heroine has to make some tough choices and that even though things don't turn out the way she wanted them to in the beginning, they do turn out in a way that is best for her.

2) Forget Me Not and your previous release, Passing Fancy are American set historicals. What is it that attracts you to this type of setting?

I'm so glad you asked me this question. These two stories, Passing Fancy and Forget Me Not, both happened to be American, but I'm not locked into the setting. My current work in progress takes place in England. I'm mostly attracted to the time period around the turn of the twentieth century, anywhere from about 1880-1920. All of my stories seem to fall into this frame, although I occasionally get a wild hair and kick around the idea of a medieval setting. I love this time frame because it is such an era of change. The light bulb, the telephone, the automobile, even the lowly zipper, all came out of this period. Social changes seemed to be occurring with equal speed. I try to use all of this to create conflict within my story. These kinds of enormous changes always have some people rushing forward while other people are trying to hang onto the old ways.

For instance, Wyoming was the first territory to give women the right to vote in 1869 (Wyoming became a state in 1990, making it the first state with women voters). Woman ranchers, while not typical, were also not uncommon. But women weren't allowed to belong to the Wyoming Stock Grower's Association. And in 1880's Wyoming, The WSGA was the most powerful entity in the state. Not belonging was a huge disadvantage.

3) Karensa is struggling to keep her ranch afloat. She sounds like a very strong character. What do you feel are the most important qualities for a heroine to possess?

What a great question. The first thing I think of is brains. She doesn't have to have a genius I.Q., but she'd better possess a large dose of common sense. I also like a heroine who is honest, determined, and responsible. That last trait might seem odd, but I don't want my heroine sitting around blaming others for her difficulties. Or worse yet, waiting for a man to solve her problems. I want her to grab the difficulty head on and try to fix it herself, although she shouldn't be too proud to accept help if it is offered. After all, she has common sense and I do expect my heroes to be heroic. The other quality I like to give my heroines is imagination.

4) Tell us a little about your writing schedule.

I'd rather tell you about my intended writing schedule, the one that has me writing at least seven thousand words a week. My real writing schedule consists of scribbling down bits of dialog on grocery store receipts and writing longhand on a notepad while I am in the bathtub (the only time I am ever alone, and even that is debatable since I usually have a least one child standing outside the door asking me something). Basically, I'm at the stage in my life when I have to let go of all my aspirations of being a disciplined writer and be grateful for whatever snippets of time I can carve out. I home school a teenager and a first grader, plus I have a thirteen month old mini-Tarzan that is usually climbing over protective child gates or swinging from the curtains.

5) What advice would you give to a writer who is taking the first steps on their journey to publication?

Assuming the writer has already worked hard on craft and has their writing to a place where it is approaching the level it needs to be in order to be published, I would say the next step needs to be joining some kind of writing organization where you can meet other writers, as well as editors and agents. Once there, ask a ton of questions. I've found writers to be an exceptionally helpful group of people.

6) What is your favorite part of the writing process? Your least favorite?

My favorite is the beginning. Not necessarily the first line or first chapter, but the start of a new project. I am usually just hit with an idea that overwhelms me and when I sit down to write, the words come faster than I can type. This is the feeling that made me fall in love with writing.

My least favorite part is when reality sets in and I realize that I don't have a plot, or that my plot doesn't make sense. It's all an uphill climb after that, as I stop the wondrous activity of putting down words and force myself to get serious about plotting. There are fun moments after that, especially when the plot clicks into place like it finally did on the first draft of Forget Me Not. But that incredible feeling of freedom I had at the beginning never fully returns until I start I new project.

7) If you could choose one writer’s help book what would it be and why?

Anne Lamont's Bird By Bird. It's not really a book about technique. It's mostly a book about overcoming all the obstacles that can block a writer's path. I keep it next to the bath tub and read it whenever I feel blocked or discourage.

8) What are your hobbies outside of writing?

Photography and digi-scrapping (digital scrapbooking). Even though I use a digital camera for my scrapbooks and most candid shots, I am in love with the medium of film. I am currently pestering my husband to help me build a darkroom in the basement, although I can't imagine where I would find the time to use it. I also spend a lot of time in the garden.

9) Tell us a little about your current work in progress.

Set in 1890’s England, Fenwick Hall is the story of Lydia Whitney, a lonely spinster who finds fulfillment by taking in an abandoned baby. When the child’s father appears several years later, Lydia is forced to travel to his ancient family home, Fenwick Hall. There she will seek to uncover the truth behind the tragic death of her daughter’s birth mother.

10). Do you have a website or a blog where readers can meet you and get to know you a little better?

Yes! www.joburman.com