INTERVIEW WITH DEBRA SHIVELEY WELCH

author of "A Very Special Child," and Scribe for Christopher Shiveley Welch's book, "Christopher Bullfrog Catcher."

Thank you Debra for doing this interview with me. I just completed your work, "A Very Special Child," and I have to say it truly touched my heart, please let's begin.

SPJ: I know this work was written about and for your son Christopher and it is a work from the heart. Please tell us a little about him and his reaction to your book.

Debra: Chris was born with cleft lip and palate and so his placement was difficult; that is until they called us. We couldn't wait for them to bring that sweet baby home. He was seven days old when they placed him in my arms and as beautiful and precious as any mother could hope for.

Chris has been a constant joy to us. He is warm and loving, kind, considerate, whimsical and full of fun. He is also a beautiful child inside and out. Chris' passion is animals. There is a strong desire within him to protect them. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he chooses animal care of some kind for his career. Chris is thrilled about the book and thinks it's "really cool” that Mama has a book out about him.

SPJ: I would love to meet him one day; he certainly is a special child. Please tell us, what, if any reaction did you receive after your decision to write your book from friends and family.

Debra: It was a mix. Most of my family and friends were thrilled and very proud of me. Others, well, if you're not a reader, I guess another book coming out is not a big deal.

SPJ: How long did it take you to complete your book?

Debra: The main story took about 20 minutes. I think it had been "growing” inside of me for a couple of years and so it just flew from my pen. The poems and essays are a collection over the years which include my mother's, who passed away in 1987, and various works I have completed from about age eleven to present.

SPJ: I have to say it is an excellent heartfelt story for only taking 20 minutes and I agree it certainly was your heart-felt words for a special child. Please tell us, what was the most difficult part in writing your work; I certainly feel it had to be quite emotional.

Debra: I would say the emotional involvement was the most "difficult” part. The main story came to me almost complete, but I have to admit that I cried some while writing it, mostly from the pure joy of being able to do so. Being a mother is the most important part of my life.

"My Blessings” was an emotional write as were a few of the other essays. "The Perfect Dish” used up a few Kleenexes simply because I was so proud of what Chris had done to inspire it. The entire book was a work of love to be sure.

SPJ: I am sure you did cry, thank you for sharing. Now please tell us what was the most enjoyable.

Debra: The most enjoyable was seeing my son's face when I read it to him. He literally glowed!

Chris knows that he is, indeed, a Very Special Child, and being able to reinforce that in print is a blessing. It thrills me to know that he can hold in his hands physical evidence of how special he is; evidence that he can pass on to his own children. I can say that the greatest source of my joy is the knowledge that my son will walk this earth until his last breath knowing that, not only did his mother love him completely, but her love of him and joy in him was so great that it had to spill over onto the pages of a book to be shared with others.

It just doesn't get any better than that.

SPJ: It sure doesn't Debra, the glow on your son's face was all the reward you needed. Please tell us, if you were starting over, what do you think you would do different? Anything or would you leave the story exactly as is?

Debra: I think I would probably leave it the way it is. It's simple and sweet and uncomplicated.

SPJ: That it is! Did you find it difficult to obtain a publisher?

Debra: Amazingly, no. Not because the story was so amazing but I got a good lead and my publisher and I hit it off from the very beginning.

SPJ: Debra, that was definitely a blessing and a big plus. What advice would you give to authors who are looking for a publisher?

Debra: Just don't stop trying. No matter who tells you it can't be done, don't listen to them. If you really want to be a writer and that is all you can think about, then write, put your work out there and look and look until you find someone who has as much faith in yourself as you do.

Also, join writing groups and practice. Writing is like anything else – if you don't practice, you'll get rusty. Join the groups, do the exercises and keep your work out there for people to see. Be open to criticism. Good, honest criticism is the most precious gift a friend or family member can give you. Listen to it, evaluate it and then make your decision as to whether it is to be taken or not.

Conversely, family and friends can also be prone to undeserved praise simply because they love you. Be sure to show your writings to people who you know will be honest. If you hone your craft, and never give up, you'll make it.

SPJ: Out of the accomplishments in your life where would you rate being a published author and why?

Debra: On my tombstone it will say "Mother, Wife, Author.” Becoming a mother fulfilled a dream and a vow I made at age 14. I couldn't wait to hold my baby and will never get over the joy I felt when he was placed in my arms. Becoming a wife fulfilled yet another dream and the life I lead now is truly amazing considering that I came from a childhood of poverty and neglect. Becoming an author fulfilled a dream that I have had since age nine. I still can't believe that I'm published and, like holding my son for the first time, the feeling of holding my own published book in my hands for the first time is a thrill that will never diminish or die.

So, although I rate becoming a published author third, still, it has fulfilled a life-long desire just as the other two have. Why? I'm not sure. We may as well ask why I feel the need to be. It is who I am.

SPJ: Do you have an agent? A publicist? How important do you feel this is to an author?

Debra: No, I don't. I've been so busy writing I haven't taken the time to look. I think it's very important to have a publicist at this time and I wish I had one.

SPJ: Now, would you please share with us how much promoting you do? What works best for you? Any tips for other authors?

Debra: I put together a press release and submitted it through PRWeb. This in and of itself did a lot to promote the book as some online book stores picked it up. I also sent press releases to every major newspaper in my state. I am getting ready now to contact all of the local book stores and local schools to see about doing fundraisers for my community.

Another good idea is to google sites that are related to your book. For instance, I contacted adoption agencies, etc., and sent them the press release as well. You just have to use your imagination and try to figure out who would be looking for your book if they knew it was out there and where they would look.

SPJ: Good advise, thank you. Do you belong to a writer's group?

Debra: I belong to Story Time Tapestry, published through Zinester, a wonderful on-line e-zine, and to "42 Days of Writing Passionately,” a Yahoo group which promotes writing exercises and improving your writing skills.

SPJ: Would you tell us how supportive your family is in your writing experience and how important do you think this is to a writer?

Debra: Support was pretty much what you would expect it to be. I got a lot of support from my husband and son and some of my friends but that was about it. People have their own lives to live and lose interest fairly quickly unless it affects them personally.

Support from your family is extremely important but if you don't have it and if this is absolutely what you want to do, you have to go on in spite of the nay-sayers. Maintain your focus and keep your eyes on your dream. You have to believe in yourself and, no matter what, give it your best shot.

SPJ: Please tell us about any works you have in progress and when you think they will be released.

Debra: I have co-authored a novel with my cousin titled "Jesus Gandhi Oma Mae Adams” which is a murder mystery. It is in editing now and should be out by summer. "Christopher Bullfrog Catcher,” scribed by me and including an introduction by me but authored by my son, will be out some time this summer. I am now working on "The Adoption of Christopher” which will probably be out around summer of next year and am also writing "Cedar Woman,” a Native American based romance. I'm not sure when "Cedar Woman” will be out but hope it will be late next year.

SPJ: Thank you Debra, and again readers please find my review of "Christopher Bullfrog Catcher," in this column. Now, would you tell us how many hours a day do you write?

Debra: I write six to eight hours a day; often more. I'm a "junkie.”

SPJ: Is there a special place that you write, one that inspires you?

Debra: At my planning desk in my kitchen: my favorite room!

SPJ: Has having a book published changed your life in anyway and if so please share that with us.

Debra: Well, it certainly has been exciting! I have a very real feeling of accomplishment and know that I have given my son a great gift that will last him a lifetime. Other than that my life is pretty much the same. I am working hard to prepare my son for life on his own. He is the joy of my life and renews my soul each and every day.

SPJ: Where do you hope your writing career will be in 3 years and what are you doing to achieve that goal.

Debra: I hope to be fairly well known and a successful writer. I would love to do a screen play and have several ideas. I just keep on writing! You can't succeed if you don't do the work!

SPJ: Thank you Debra, now a question a little off the beaten track, do you read and if so what genre is your favorite?

Debra: Do I read! Books are mother's milk to me! I like it all. My absolute favorite authors are James Michener, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Colleen McCullough, Father Andrew Greeley, Steven King and a couple of oldies but goodies, Taylor Caldwell (my roll-model) and Nora Lofts. I also very much enjoy books on history – England from 700 to 1603 A.D., Early American history and the Civil War. And cook books…I read them, I actually read them.

I also love to read the older books, from about the late 1700s to 1910 or so. They're antiquated in language and thought but I think that's what I love about them. A good example, of course, is Little Women, but I re-read Kings Row, Emma, Vanity Fair and others every year simply because I enjoy the language. I also go to used book stores and buy old novels that no one now has ever heard of like The College Girl and April Gold, both written in the late 1800s.

SPJ: Would you tell us a little about yourself, outside of being a published author?

Debra: I am 53 years of age and have been working since age eleven. I grew up very poor and am a veteran of child abuse. I left my home at age 17, three hours after graduation, and entered the work force full-time to take care of myself and to take control of my environment. At age 28 I finally took my first college course and after four years of night school graduated with a degree in Business Management. Okay, so I'm also very practical. My grandfather was a poet and wrote "My Get Up and Go” and many other works, under the pen name of Proxy, that were published in local newspapers in Southern Ohio. My father also wrote poetry as did my mother. I began to write at age nine and have never gotten over the addiction! When I'm on a roll, I can make you laugh until your sides split, I'm a sucker for anyone who is crying and there are times when watching a flock of geese take off from the lake, or seeing the sun play in the fountain sprays, I simply cannot breathe. I am now married 19 years; I love to cook; I cry when I hear bagpipes or hear a singer hit a "glory note” and I think God made old movies, tomatoes and snap dragons just for me!

SPJ: I know you have been the 'scribe' for your son Christopher's work, Christopher Bullfrog Catcher, would you care to tell us a little about that? I believe our readers will be thrilled to know the achievement that Christopher has accomplished in completing this work.

Debra: Christopher has several learning differences: he is ADD and Dysgraphic (trouble with the skill of writing) and has Working Memory (short term memory) and Executive Function (making a plan, following a plan) Deficit. He is, however, incredibly intelligent and is blossoming into a very good writer and poet.
Dysgraphia is a neurological disorder which interferes with the fine motor skills needed in the physical act of writing. Therefore, when Chris writes, that is, when he puts pen or pencil to paper, he will drift off of the line, some letters will "float”: be too high or too low, and his penmanship will be too large and very difficult to read. In addition, because it is so difficult for him, he cannot write his thoughts with as much fluidity as he can when speaking.

Allow me to give you an example. As a test, I once asked Chris to write a sentence describing a fire engine racing to an emergency. He wrote "The fire engine goes fast,” which I could barely read. When I asked him to describe it to me verbally he replied "The fire engine tears down the street, the tires screaming, the lights flashing, the siren wailing 'Here I come! Here I come! Here I come!'”

When I scribe for Chris, I act as his secretary. He will dictate to me, just as in a business setting, and I type what he says. Chris is a very good reader, way above his grade level, and has an extensive vocabulary, and I'm very careful not to change any of his words. I will, obviously, make sure that spelling and punctuation is correct, although Chris is also an excellent speller.

Chris is an awesome child and is trudging on in spite of several learning differences. The important thing to remember is that he is not Learning Disabled (I hate that phrase!): he is not incapable of learning, he merely learns Differently. He also has excellent social skills and a charming and witty personality.

I see a bright future for Christopher and I often say to him, in the words of Quincy Jones to Oprah, "Your future is so bright, it burns my eyes!”

SPJ: Thank you Debra for sharing that information with us. Christopher certainly is a special child and one I believe has a great future ahead of him. In closing, if there is anything you wish to add or information you would like to tell our readers, perhaps a questions I did not ask, please do so here.

Debra: When my cousin and I had been working on "Jesus Gandhi Oma Mae Adams” for about three years, we got an offer from a published author. "Let's meet for dinner and I'll tell you how to get published.” Well, we couldn't believe it! Wow! What a break!

You cannot begin to imagine the disillusionment when we found that, yes, this author was willing to share her secrets with us….for a price. On top of it all we paid for the dinner!

If you are determined to write; if you are determined to make it, you will. When you do, do not be stingy. Don't be like the cook who has this fantastic cake recipe that she will not share with others: she loves to cook, she loves to eat, she loves to see others enjoy her cake, but she will not share the joy of making it with other cooks? What is missing here?

Once you finally get published, share what you know. Help others along. Give them a hand up on the ladder. It's only right. If you love literature and you love writing, how can you not share the recipe for success? There's always room for another book.

SPJ: I want to thank Debra Shiveley Welch for allowing us to know her better. I believe she is an author that writes with heart and soul and that is a very special trait. I wish her the best in the future with all she puts her hand to.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Saga Books
164 Erin Woods Drive SE, Calgary, AB, T2B 2S1, Canada
Sagabooks@shaw.ca
CountremanPR@aol.com

Debra - Mitakuye oyasin - We are all related.
Author of "A Very Special Child" - An Adoption Story
http://www.whodathunk.org

I firmly believe that I have received the same child I was meant to receive whether I gave birth or adopted. The same soul, the same entity was meant to be mine from the beginning of time. Debra Shiveley Welch "A Very Special Child"

We love our life on the lake where birds and animals of every description abounds www.merribuck.com

"Making the decision to have a child is momentous -- it is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. Elizabeth Stone."

Shirley Johnson
Senior Reviewer
 

 

Background Picture "Misty Lake" ©Debra Shiveley Welch

All books are also available at http://www.amazon.com

Original Oil "Eternity" for Stands With Wings

logo used with the generous permission of

Jonathan Earl Bowser

http://www.jonathonart.com/lotu.html