We are pleased to have as our guest today, Carroll S.
Taylor, novelist and author of a new picture book for children.
Carroll, thanks for taking time to answer some
questions. First, let me say how much I
appreciate your being an active member of NCWN-West and for your assistance to
me over the past couple of years.
Chinaberry Summer began in the summer of 1978. I was
in grad school, and I enrolled in a fiction writing class with poet Bin Ramke as our instructor. We primarily wrote short stories, and I wrote a story
entitled “Chinaberry Summer.” It was basically what is now Chapters 22 and 23 in my book.
I
retired (the first time) from teaching in 2004, and I felt it was time for me
to stop grading essays and focus on my own writing. I thought about that lost
story, and I began to reconstruct and rewrite it. I had never written a book
before in my life. What was most important was to get my ideas on paper. Suddenly
the characters started taking on lives of their own, and the story morphed into
a book. Some may or may not understand this process, but I learned to get out
of the way and let my characters write their story.
When it was time to publish Chinaberry Summer, I
received many rejections. My novels are quirky Southern literature, and they
don’t fit into every publisher’s desired genre. The narrator is Sissie Stevenson, an outspoken fifth grader who
questions everything.
By happenstance, or maybe by divine guidance, I discovered
that a colleague at Columbus State University has a small publishing press in Auburn, AL, New Plains
Press, and he agreed to read my manuscript. From there, the long process of
publishing began.
When I finished my first book, I realized that my characters
Sissie and Spud had much more to say, so my second book, Chinaberry Summer:
On the Other Side, focuses on the other side of Sissie’s family and
Sissie’s grandmother who has “the gift.”
I remember my
first poem, written for my grandfather. I hadn’t started first grade yet and
there was no such thing as kindergarten where I lived in Harris County, Georgia
in the 1950s. First, second, and third grade at my school met in the same room
with one teacher. The character in my book, Mrs. Clara Sue Martin, is my tribute to the
remarkable teacher who taught me for three straight years.
For my
grandfather’s birthday, I wanted to
write a poem. I asked my mother, “How do you spell when? She
misunderstood what I said and spelled it w-i-n-d. So the first line of my poem
began “Wind you…” I still think back on that little poem over sixty-five years
later and laugh!
I wrote some
poetry and short stories when I was older. I remember my poor, patient ninth
grade choral teacher. I admired her so much, and she read my poetry, which was,
I remember, about loneliness, lost love, and teen angst. I would hand her my
poems and leave the room, too shy to stay while she read them.
My students paid
me back later when they asked me to read their poems. But the beauty of all
that is trust. Poetry is highly visceral. A poet lays bare a portion of his or
her soul for others to see. When a teenager hands a poem over to a teacher to
read, that is a highly vulnerable moment in that teen’s life and a great
compliment to the teacher.
Much of my
writing went into the years I taught high school journalism, newspaper, and
yearbook classes. I was busy teaching students how to write, and that work
extended into the eight years I taught freshman essay writing classes part-time
at Columbus State University.
3. I am a fan of character-driven stories and books. The
characters in your Chinaberry series remind me of people I have known as I grew
up in south Georgia. Do your fans relate to your books because of the
characters?
I believe my fans relate to the characters and the time in
which the books are set. Many of my older readers relate to a pleasant visit
back to 1959-1961. I include things that people their age will remember, such
as rotary phones, party lines, and TV programs like Sky King and Mighty
Mouse. But I have had a really great response to the characters. Most
readers figure I must be Sissie, but many of them have told me how much they
love Spud. They ask me who he was in my life. They are astonished when I
explain that Spud does not exist; he is fictional. He exists only in my book. Aunt
Pearl is also fictional. I created Aunt Pearl as a composite of every annoying
female relative or gossipy church lady I’ve known. I feel such joy when my
readers believe all my characters are real. One of my friends was going through
a terrible time with her husband’s illness. She grew up in South Alabama, and
she said reading Chinaberry Summer felt peaceful.
I love stories, books, and television programs with strong
ensemble characters. That’s the beauty of my novels. The kids form a tight
circle to protect and support each other, and as readers will discover in my
second novel, the circle begins to include kids that were socially marginalized
or kids who came to realize that their bullying was wrong.
4. In your books, Sissie likes reptiles, something that
likely surprises most readers because of the stereotypical girl who is scared
to death of snakes. How does this theme play throughout both books?
I grew up fascinated by reptiles and amphibians. We lived in
the country, and those critters were everywhere and were often a part of my
life. My family always sat together around the table after supper and talked.
My father and I loved snakes, so I would go get an encyclopedia and we would
look for pictures and information about snakes all over the world. Consequently,
I don’t have much patience with females (and males) who squeal when they see a
snake or a lizard.
For Chinaberry Summer, I decided to create a strong female
character who would narrate my story, and at the same time, advocate for
animals who have no voice. Of course, in Sissie’s youth, not much was taught in
school about our ecosystem, our environment, and the preservation of wild
animals who literally stand in the gap between humans and disaster. For
example, without snakes, we would be overrun by vermin. In both books, Sissie
comes to realize that most people need to be educated about reptiles and
amphibians and their importance. She does not always say that someone killed a
snake; she says they murdered the snake.
5. Besides entertaining the reader, your books also touch
on values we hope children learn such as protecting a friend from a bully. What
other things do you want children to glean from reading your books?
My books emphasize anti-bullying, respect for the creatures
many people despise (snakes, spiders), and kindness to all creatures, both
humans and critters. I want children to understand that, sadly, bullying will
always be present in our society, whether it’s at the work place, in the
military, on social media, in the family, sports teams, or any other social
interactions in which one person decides he or she is superior to others and
engages in any form of abuse. In effect, bullying is a malignancy. The key is
for students to recognize bullying and respond to it appropriately.
No child
should be emotionally damaged or ever commit suicide because of a bully. In all
three of my books, including my children’s book, I stress the importance of having
a diverse group of friends. I want students to be aware if classmates are being
bullied. It is important for Sissie to ask questions and speak up. When I was
growing up, nice little Southern girls often faded into the wallpaper. After
all, what will people think?
I also emphasize generational storytelling. My grandfather often
sat with me in the porch swing and passed down family stories. My other
grandfather died when I was five, but I remember many things he taught my
sister and me in that brief time. Both of my grandmothers lived to be older and
passed down a huge amount of stories from their lifetimes.
My maternal aunt was
one of our family historians. I often called her to help me with farm
questions. She grew up on my grandparents’ farm which they had received as part
of FDR’s “New Deal,” so she helped me verify those facts in my book. Sadly, she
died as the result of a car accident at age 68. I dedicated my book to her. She
never knew I finished it. I will forever be grateful for the time all of them
spent telling me family stories. I hope my Chinaberry Summer books will not
only encourage older readers to pass down their stories to their families but
will also encourage young readers to learn about their family history.
6. In what way do you think your years of teaching
children influence your writing life?
I taught a variety of courses during my teaching career.
Much of the time, besides teaching French, I taught English and Journalism. I
also taught English as a Second Language. One of my favorite courses was
Creative Writing. My students were excited to learn about different forms of
poetry. They learned to write short stories. Some of them found refuge in
writing. Throughout my teaching career, I learned along with my students. I
taught them a lot, but they taught me as well.
Over the years, whether teaching in high school or college,
I witnessed a lot of students who had emotional scars. I tried to provide them
essay topics for them to express issues they were trying to deal with at home.
In my Chinaberry Summer books, I dealt with bullying; but parents and
students need to realize that bullies are not just playground ruffians.
Sometimes family members and teachers bully students. In Feannag
the Crow I stressed socialization skills. Simon the lizard teaches Feannag
that he should always have friends. That idea also goes back to the idea of an
ensemble of characters in my novels and the support friends give each other.
7. You have a grown son and a grandchild now. Does that
influence what you write and publish?
When my son was growing up, we always had books in the house.
He enjoys reading and writing, which comes in handy for his sermons. I love it when he reads my poems and gives me
feedback. We discuss our writing ideas. I hope someday my three-year-old
granddaughter will read my Chinaberry Summer series, but Feannag the
Crow is a book she can enjoy now when her parents read it to her. I
dedicated the book to her. It is a living legacy of myself given to her. The
message in Feannag’s story is for every child who reads it, but I hope she will
hear my voice when she reads the words. Because of the pandemic, I had to mail
her copy to Washington State instead of delivering it in person. On FaceTime, I
watched her open the envelope and find the book. The first thing she saw was my
picture. She was so excited. Then she turned the book over and began pointing
to the birds and telling me what color they are. I plan to write at least two
other Feannag books for her to enjoy.
8. The picture book, Feannag the Crow
is a delightful story with fabulous illustrations. Tell us about that book and
how it came to be written.
I can honestly say that Feannag the Crow was a
result of serendipity. I didn’t set out to
write a children’s book. In fact, this is my first one. I think Feannag, who is
a pushy little bird, wormed his way onto my list of writing ideas. He wanted to
be born; and once he hatched, he bypassed the usual route of fledglings and
their preparation for flight. Feannag was born ready.
Two factors influenced writing my book. First, I have always
loved crows. They are social, loud, and comical at times, but they are also
highly intelligent. Every morning at my house, I feed roasted peanuts to a few crows,
whoever decides to fly in for breakfast. I call them with my human Caw!
and they show up from the trees. The second factor was our trip to Scotland
last year. My husband and I loved the Highlands and the Scottish people.
One evening I was trying to decide what to write about next.
Feannag and Scotland suddenly came together. The book also gave me the
opportunity to spotlight some of my favorites—a lizard, a turtle, and a snake.
Feannag is Scottish-Gaelic for crow. I have a picture of a thistle in
the book, which is a nod to Scotland.
Amy Ammons Garza, who did the book’s layout and editing,
suggested that I do a series preparing children for the process of
socialization. I liked her suggestion, and I already have ideas for two more
Feannag books I hope to write. I cannot say enough about Amy’s patience and
skill. Doreyl Ammons Cain, her sister, is an incredible illustrator with a
tireless work ethic. I was blessed to find them.
9. You have a diverse talent for writing and you have
written stage plays. Tell us about that part of your writing life and do you
plan to pursue that genre.
Sometimes my writing is for publication, and sometimes
writing is for the pure pleasure of writing to see if I can actually do that
genre. My screenplay was recently professionally edited. All I need to do is
make myself sit down, sort through the corrections and suggestions, and make
those changes. A screenplay needs to be
character driven with less description. It must fit a specific format. Then
finding a market is difficult.
I attended a screenplay writing seminar years ago. The
instructor told us that he could not guarantee that our screenplays would be
successful. But, he added, he could give us a 100% guarantee of failure if we
don’t write the screenplay. That advice, of course, could apply to any of our
writing.
10. Feannag came out just as the pandemic exploded all
over the country. At this time you can’t hold book signings or give readings to
the public in book stores or public places. How are you finding ways to promote
your new book while staying home?
Sales are slow at the moment. I have mailed out quite a few
copies between here and the West Coast. I am so thankful for social media and
for my publisher’s website for sales. Amy designed business cards with
Feannag’s picture. She also designed mail order pamphlets that I can
distribute. In addition, she designed Feannag labels for my mailing envelopes
so every time I mail a book, I am also advertising it. I am contacting area
bookstores for consignment sales. School contacts are dicey at the moment. I
anticipate an uptick in sales when I am at last able to hold an official book
launching party and do readings for area bookstores and festivals. The book
really is lovely. It’s a First Edition, and all artwork is original pastels
created by Doreyl Ammons Cain, who founded the Appalachian Mural Trail with her
husband Jerry.
11. As you know I teach aspiring writers. What advice can
you give fiction writers who want to become published writers one day?
Writing is one of the hardest things you will ever do, not
because of the process or writer’s block, but because it’s often difficult to
make yourself sit down and write. It takes discipline. So many distractions
pull us in different directions. I write on my computer, so it’s easy to do a
quick research on a word or idea and suddenly find myself scrolling on
Facebook.
Writing is a solitary occupation. That’s a good and a bad
thing. Sometimes you will feel all alone and wonder why you’re writing. You may
become filled with self-doubt. But you have to push through those moments. The
good thing is that I need to have some solitary time to write. Even that can be
challenging. Often the TV is going and my cat feels compelled to startle me by
jumping up on my desk and striding across the keyboard wreaking havoc on the
words I just typed. So writers need a designated writing area where they can
work with as little distraction as possible.
You also need to discover your best time for writing. For
some writers, it’s early morning or after everyone has left the house or gone
to bed. For me, it’s very late at night. I’m often writing between 2:00-3:00
a.m. I also know a few writer friends who are up that late, too. I wrote a
major portion of a screenplay during lunch break every day.
Keep one
special folder. Name it whatever you like. One of the things I do when I’m
writing a book, and I know there will be a sequel, is to keep notes in a
computer folder for future books. I never destroy unused lines or ideas. I cut
and paste them to that ONE folder so that I may be working on two manuscripts
at the same time. I do the same when I’m writing short stories or poems. Cut,
paste, and save. That snippet you save may not be needed now, but it may be
quite useful later.
Try not to edit
as you write. First, write down the details. You don’t want to lose those! When
ideas come to you through the day or night, jot them down and keep them
together. Trust me, you won’t remember them later. They will evaporate. When I
write my Chinaberry Summer series (now on book 3), I prefer to work from
an outline. I design my chapters and go from there. There is plenty of time for
smooth editing later in the process. If you do heavy editing at the beginning,
not only will you stifle your flow of ideas, but you will also cause yourself
to become discouraged. Premature editing, in my opinion, is when a lot of writers
give up.
My other piece of advice is this: Unless you’re writing
historical fiction and you have to leave this century and do scads of research,
set your story where you feel comfortable. A fiction piece does not have to be
in L.A. or New York. There’s nothing wrong with Georgia or North Carolina. If
you know those places well, set your story there if it fits. Don’t feel
compelled to pick an exotic location for your setting unless you plan to visit
there or do lots of research.
Please feel free to
tell us anything about yourself, or your books that I have not asked.
As I stated
earlier, I grew up in a rural area of west Georgia in the 50s and 60s. Girls
weren’t steered toward science and math. We were required to take Home Ec.
There was no art class. There was no avenue to share poetry. Preconceived
notions dominated any artistic endeavors. Football was king. I managed to buck
the system a bit by taking Latin and French. I didn’t want to be pigeon-holed
by someone else’s expectations.
Math was not my
forte in high school. I know now that I was afraid of it. Afraid of failure. I was expected to be an A
student. So for a big bucket list item, as soon as I completed my last semester
teaching at CSU in 2014, I enrolled as a student in the CSU Study Abroad
program held in Oxford, UK, each summer. My course was “The History of
Mathematics.” I hired a tutor, worked
extremely hard on my assignments, and enjoyed the experience of a lifetime. I
proved to myself that I could be a successful math student. At 65 years of age,
I was one of the college kids and much older than my professor.
And so it is
with writing. What often holds many aspiring writers back is their fear of
failure. The idea that their writing, a piece of their souls, is laid bare for
readers to see and critique. What if nobody likes my work? What if I’m
criticized? So what!
On the day of my
Chinaberry Summer book launch at CSU’s Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning
Center, I needed to run by the bank and get some change for book purchases. I was
filled with self-doubt. Who am I to think I am an author? Who will be
interested in what I have to say? The signing was a planned affair, guests
were coming, and I had reserved the facility for much of the day.
I was at that
proverbial moment when I was ready for God to send me a sign. The bank was in
the middle of a busy shopping area and apartments. I looked out across a manicured
lawn, and there was a huge turtle strolling across the grass near a small
stream. That was my sign. That was when I realized the truth. Through my
writing, I was speaking for all the reptiles and amphibians that don’t have a
voice. They are critters who have no way to protect themselves from encroaching
development and thoughtless cruelty. I had my answer.
Writing a book
was also one of my bucket list items. I loved launching my book at Oxbow
Meadows. I had a fantastic day reading excerpts of my book for the audience and
signing books while surrounded by live snakes, turtles, and baby alligators in
their glass-enclosed habitat displays.
I felt I was
surrounded by friends, not just the two-legged kind. I held numerous signing events. One that I
will always remember was the reading I held in the childhood home of CarsonMcCullers in Columbus, Georgia.
But all that
was not enough. I knew there was much more to the story of Sissie and Spud. I
had caught the writing bug.
Thank you so much, Carroll. We appreciate your taking
time to be with us today. And thanks for your inspiring words about writing.
Thank you, Glenda, for interviewing me. I appreciate all the
work you do for North Carolina Writers’ Network-West and your faithful online presence
as well. You continue to be a mentor and
role model for me. I moved here from an area that does not provide the level of
camaraderie and encouragement I have found here, where writers and poets
support one another. I’m so happy I found NCWN-West at the Festival on the
Square in Hayesville one hot and humid Sunday afternoon. Serendipity!
