Please join me in welcoming first-time author Sara Stinson to the TPTW lounge. Sara is married with two wonderful children and is a retired teacher. She enjoys teaching and continues to substitute and tutor. She is also a laptop addict, loves to read, and enjoys animals. Her debut novel is entitled Finger Bones and is available today on Amazon.
Hey, Sara! Tell us more about you. Where are you from? When did you first get that desire—the calling—to write?
I am from Elba, Alabama. My degree is still active; however, I am a retired Speech-Language Pathologist. I continue to substitute. For Now, I have the pleasure of teaching some energetic Kindergarten students. They keep me young! I have taught language and reading classes through the years and writing was one of the many skills we worked on in the classes. Students enjoyed creating and using their imagination. Many homemade books were made. I started writing seriously after my retirement.
I see that you were inspired by the history of your hometown, particularly a lonely townsman, to write Finger Bones. Care to elaborate on that for us?
In my hometown there was a man named Charlie Porter. Some claim he lived to be 113 and others say he was 122 when he passed away. We called him “Uncle Charlie”. He is who gave me the idea to write about the book.
Yes, he lived alone, but I never have attached the word ‘lonely’ with him. He was always happy and talking to people in town. He was an African American. He was born a slave and took the name of his owner. There were several interviews about Charlie. He claimed he was treated well. He did have a wife. The paper did not write about how long he was married. There were no children.
“Uncle Charlie” is a big part of history in our town.
You went the self-publishing route—a publishing option that is becoming more embraced by the day—for this novel. How was the process? Any pros/cons you wish to share?
I did decide to self-publish. So far, this method of publishing has been a positive decision for me. There is a lot of work to be done when self-publishing. You have to prepare the book yourself to be edited and loaded for publication. I suggest researching and finding the best publisher who will meet what you want to gain from your book. Some offer online reading and others offer publishing your book in paperback.
As a retired teacher and current tutor, does your love for teaching children influence your writing and drive your art for writing young adult fiction?
Yes, I believe being a teacher and working primarily with the younger students has influenced me to write for this age group. I taught reading for several years. Middle grade to young adult was my area of expertise.
What is your favorite genre to read? Would you consider writing in that genre one day, if it’s different than the genre you currently write?
I am an eclectic reader. I do have an idea for an adult themed book about five children being raised in a foster home. I do hope to pursue this idea one day.
If you weren’t a writer, what could you picture yourself doing instead?
I would be strictly teaching. I do enjoy taking pictures and painting.
Do you have any current projects that you want to share with readers?
I am happy to say I am starting the second book on Finger Bones. This book will include a ghost dog named Max.
For those who may have questions or just want to follow your successes and progress, how can you be contacted?
I have a weebly account under The Finger Bones Series. I am also found on Facebook under Sara Stinson and The Finger Bones Series.
Do you have any final words for your dedicated fans and prospective readers? Anything I may have missed that you feel the reading world should know about Sara Stinson, the author?
Finger Bones has been on the market for a little over a month. Already the support which Finger Bones has received is remarkable! Finger Bones gains new family members each week. Thank you to all who have supported and read the book.
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Thank you, Sara, for doing this interview. It’s always a pleasure getting inside an author’s head and knowing what inspires their work. Congratulations on your new release, and I wish you GREAT success on it and your future projects.
Think Positive, Think Write 