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The first thing I notice is the scent of pine from the sun-warmed trees hugging the dilapidated house. Beneath the small wooden bridge, the local spring bubbles and skips. It should be beautiful out here, but Preacher Eli’s glare is alive with menace. He doesn’t need to say a word before I’m back in my car and heading to town for my meeting with Eli’s creator – the talented and prolific Canadian author Michael Hiebert.

RH: Michael Hiebert, welcome to Writers Block. Thanks for meeting me at Vera’s Old West Grill. I’ve had a drive out to Preacher Eli’s place and frankly the woods and the old guy creeped me out. Besides, as an Aussie I’m really eager to experience a genuine American cheeseburger. Care to join me?

MH: Sure J Sounds great. Nobody makes steak and ribs like Vera’s.

RH: *Places order from petite waitress who gives Michael a sassy wink – apparently I’m invisible… *

RH: First of all, congratulations on your terrific novel! Close to the Broken Hearted was only released at the end of June and you’ve already had some brilliant five star reviews. It has been described as ‘captivating. . .a suspense page-turner’, ‘. . .will haunt you. . .’, and ‘evokes a strong picture of place and character’. Share with us how it feels to receive such great reviews so early in its release.

MH: It is scary, really. I am currently working on book three, and I know so much is riding on the success of book two. I am contracted to write four “Alvin” novels to date, so having the second one do as good or better as Dream with Little Angels would definitely be nice.

RH: It certainly looks set to do so *smile* Close to the Broken Hearted opens with the tragic death of three-year-old Caleb Carson when Preacher Eli bursts into the Carson’s home waving a gun and claiming title to land he believes should be his. That scene is shocking and very moving. Seventeen years later its repercussions are still rippling through the community when Preacher Eli is released from prison and someone begins to stalk Sylvie Carson who is home alone with a new baby. That opening scene plants the seed for what happens and how we, as readers, view the events that unfold. Tell us about the creation of that scene. For example, was it the first scene you wrote or did you come back to it once the rest of the story had begun to unfold?

MH: That scene was written months before I even knew there would be a sequel. I think, in a way, that scene is what got me the sequel. If you remember the beginning of Dream with Little Angels, it is written in the same “detached Point of View” as the prologue in Close to the Broken Hearted. I really wasn’t sure I wanted to write a sequel until that scene popped out of my fingers and onto the keyboard. All the “Alvin” novels start with a prologue dating back to sometime in the past that sets up the story.

RH: The past as a catalyst is often powerful, and your opening is certainly memorable. The death of a child is a very tragic event and I often wonder if, as writers, we have to consider reader sensibilities when creating such a storyline, or do you need to go where the story leads you? Why was Caleb’s death so necessary to the story?

MH: I am very conscious of symbolism and themes when I write and I knew right away that two of the major themes running through this book would be forgiveness and finding your roots. The entire affair with Caleb being killed is all about forgiveness, but Sylvie gets it wrong. It’s not about her forgiving Preacher Eli. It’s about Preacher Eli finding forgiveness from God.

RH: Let’s talk about Sylvie Carson. She is the catalyst for all that happens, partially because she has never overcome the shock of her brother’s death. In many ways she slipped through the cracks as her parents fell apart with grief. As a consequence she is somewhat lost and often overlooked. Even the police write off her claims that someone is messing with her house and trying to frighten her. Sylvie has not had a happy life and now she has been deserted by her no-good boyfriend and is at home with a six-week-old baby, whom she still has not named. Sylvie is an intriguing character and you can’t help but feel empathy for her. Where did the character of Sylvie come from? Did she arrive fully formed or did she solidify as you wrote her story? Tell us a little about how you go about character development.

MH: There are parts of Sylvie in me. I think we all have a bit of Sylvie inside us. She is suffering from PTSD, but as you say, she has fallen through the cracks. The system has failed her. But she is surviving. And I think it’s amazing what sort of skills a person will naturally adapt in order to survive. Sylvie’s a survivor. That’s why, to Leah’s amazement, she’s not a terrible mother.

RH: All of your characters are wonderfully vivid. I love Abe and his friend Dewey. For me their conversations add a freshness to the narrative that acted as a nice counterpoint to some of the darker elements of the story. When the narrative picks up seventeen years after Caleb Carson’s death, the first person we meet is twelve-year-old Abe Teal. He and his friend Dewey are trying to simulate a satellite dish by wrapping alfoil around Leah Teal’s lounge room. What experiences did you draw upon to create two such colourful boys and the realistic interactions between then?

MH: I have three kids. Two of them are boys one is a girl. The boys are definitely my inspiration for Abe and Dewey, and my daughter is definitely my inspiration for Carry.

RH: *laughs* I hope your daughter is less of a handful than Carry!

*the waitress returns, all but wilting beneath the weight of two generously full plates, a wicker basket of biscuits and a jug of Coke. Hmm, maybe we should have split a meal…*

RH: Abe narrates much of the story and his observations of his family, the town and in particular Preacher Eli are wonderful. His naive persistence, the way he often cuts rights to the heart of the issue with a blunt question reminded me very much of Scout Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird. His interactions with Dewey about Preacher Eli are reminiscent of those between Scout and Dill about Boo Radley. So I guess an inevitable question is: Were you influenced at all by Harper Lee’s writing? How did you go about capturing Abe’s voice and making him so believable?

MH: Well, I’d be lying if I didn’t say I loved To Kill a Mocking Bird, but I never set out to copy it or anything like that. I can’t even really remember it at that this point, it’s been so long since I read it. It was more of an inspiration for Dream with Little Angels than for Close to the Broken Hearted, I think.

RH: Close to the Broken Hearted is related through the point of view of Abe and his mother Leah Teal, the local detective. In fact, it is only at Abe’s insistence that she begins to look more closely at Preacher Eli’s background and what happened after Caleb’s death. You’ve given Abe a first person narrative and Leah a third person point of view. How did you determine this was the best way to tell this story?

MH: Well, as you know, in Dream with Little Angels, the entire book is from Abe’s perspective. That first person narrative turned out to be really demanding, as it meant I had to have Abe in every single scene. It just seemed natural to me to simply put in scenes without Abe in third person and keep his scenes in first. There is also a scene in Close to the Broken Hearted in Chris Jackson’s POV.

RH: Chris is an interesting character too. Perhaps we’ll see more of him in the next novel? *leans forward hoping for a scoop* Not that I’m telling you what to do…*cheesy grin*

RH: The novel is set in the late 1980s and some of what Leah has to contend with on the job is the introduction of personal computers that she is still getting to grips with, and the lack of cohesive databases. To get information on Eli she has to ring several other departments in different counties and wait for them to fax her copies. It reminded me of just how far we’ve come with regard to communication technology. Why was it important for this to take place in the late 1980s rather than the present day? How did you go about researching the details of police procedure during that time?

MH: It made it easier to get that small town feel by setting it back in the 80s. I remember the 80s very well and things were much simpler. I didn’t want to give Carry a cell phone, for instance. I wanted her cut off from her mother in Dream with Little Angels. I didn’t want to write a huge police procedural novel (although I am working on one for a different series), so I put the late 80s instead. Back when life was easier.

RH: *can’t imagine life without wi-fi*

RH: Let’s talk a little about the setting of your novels. Both Close to the Broken Hearted and its prequel Dream with Little Angels are set in Alvin, a fictional small town in Alabama. Leah Teal, the local detective who narrates some of the story, describes Alvin as having “the distinct look and feel of a town that was originally built from the outside in…it wasn’t until you started getting past the perimeter that things became paved and houses stated looking newer.” Share with us a little of what influenced your creation of Alvin. Why was a southern setting in the USA important to the story rather than a small town in, say, British Columbia where you live? How did you go about capturing the feel of a small southern town?

MH: Well I had a girlfriend (these things always start with a girl) who lived in Alabama when I wrote Dream with Little Angels and I wound up living down there for six months and fell in love with Dixie. If I didn’t have kids and stuff up here, that’s where I’d be living. I love it down there. When it came time to actually create the town, I called on a lot of different resources, including my own experiences, books, reference materials, and the experiences of other writer friends. One friend, in particular, was very helpful. Writer John Alvin Pitts. So helpful, I named the town after his middle name.

RH: For me, Close to the Broken Hearted is a story of unresolved grief: Leah has locked away her grief over her husband’s death, so much so that she has hidden away every reminder of him; Sylvie has clung to her grief and let it diminish her and stunt her life. Was this a theme you were consciously aware of when writing? Did you deliberately set out to explore grief? How significant do you feel theme is to creating a novel that resonates – or it is all in the eye of the beholder?

MH: Yes, it was definitely intentional, although I thought of it more as forgiveness. Sylvie hadn’t forgiven Preacher Eli, Leah hadn’t forgiven Billy for dying and leaving her with two children to raise. There was also the symbol of the swords that Abe and Dewey had. Abe’s sword represented his warrior heart. When he breaks it over his knee, it’s a semi-climax in the book.

RH: Close to the Broken Hearted is a gripping mystery with as many twists as an Alabama river. Yet there is also a wonderful subplot about Abe’s curiosity for the father who died when he was only two. You create another nice mystery around this with the arrival of a woman who may or may not be his aunt. These storylines make for a rich and immensely enjoyable tale, but I wonder how you keep track of all the elements of each. Do you plot or plan out the overarching storylines or are you more of a seat-of-the-pants writer? Share with us a little about your writing process.

MH: I outline everything to a huge degree. I also have a story bible with all my characters, places, maps, and everything in it. The third book that will be out next June is called A Thorn Among the Lilies and I didn’t outline it and boy am I regretting it. It’s been the hardest of the three books to write.

RH: A writer once told me, “never mess with your process”. It has turned out to be very good advice, but I guess it never hurts to play. You’ve talked on your blog about the journey to find your narrative voice. You’d written several different types of books before writing the Alvin novels, hadn’t you? Share with us a little of your writing journey and how you found your voice. Do you have any words of advice for writers who are still searching for their own voice?

MH:  My advice: write a LOT. I used to keep track of my word counts. I wrote a million words a year in two consecutive years. The more words you write, the better writer you will be. I don’t know why, but for most people writing is one of the few crafts nobody practices. They write and if it sucks they just go wallow in sorrow. Could you imagine Michael Jordon going and practicing shooting hoops and coming back from a bad day of practice saying, “I guess I’m not really a basketball player after all…” The whole thing is ridiculous.

RH: Well said! You’ve told us another Alvin book will be out in June 2015 – can’t wait for that – but without putting you under undue pressure, what else may be in the offing from Michael Hiebert?

MH: I am contracted to write two more Alvin novels at the moment so there will definitely be at least four. I am also writing a few other things and have plans for a big historical fiction novel. I would like to have another series running parallel to this one, a police procedural that takes place today, perhaps in somewhere like Seattle (a little closer to home).

RH: Thank you so much for indulging me with all these questions, Michael. I hope you ready for your…

RH: What is your all-time favourite book/movie?

MH: Book: Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger.

Movie: Happiness, Todd Solonz

RH: What are you reading now?

MH: The Narrrows, Michael Connolly

RH: What is your favourite word?

MH: penumbra*

RH: What is your worst writing habit?

MH: losing track of antecedents

RH: What is the best bit of advice you ever got (about writing or life in general)?

MH: don’t take critiquing personally

RH: Thanks for joining us today Michael and for letting us get to know you a little better. Where can we find all your wonderful novels?

MH: Everywhere. But Amazon’s probably the best place to look. I have other books besides the Alvin books available.

To find and view all of Michael’s fabulous books, the following links will take you to his various author pages which display all of his available books.

Michael’s amazon author page

Michael’s books on Kobo 

Michael’s books on iTunes 

Author Bio

I live up in Canada (not in the really cold parts–but it can definitely get cold enough. My dog froze one day. We just kept him outside until he thawed in the spring. If you believe that, you really need to read some of my stories (Or get out more :)).

I am a very prolific author because I have to be. You know the 80/20 rule? Well, eighty percent of everything I write is crap, so I have to write a lot to make the twenty percent pile of brilliant stuff satisfy my publisher into thinking I know what I’m doing.

For as long as I can remember I’ve enjoyed writing, but it was only twelve years ago (holy cow! Has it really been TWELVE years?) that I quit my day job and became “unemployed,” which is another word for writer.

I’m an award-winning author of novels and short stories. I’m also very lucky. To get published these days or to sell any books you self-publish, you really need four things: the first one is the biggest—a whole whack of luck, next comes a lot of talent. It’s convenient to already be a self-made millionaire (oh, if only that were true of me), and lastly, you should have cousins with last names like Swift or Bieber.

See? The lying is compulsive.

 

See Michael’s full biography http://www.michaelhiebert.com/about-me/

Connect with Michael through his website: www.michaelhiebert.com or on Twitter or Facebook 

 

*Want to know what Penumbra means? So did I.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penumbra