Our interview today is with Kathryn Dionne, author of the Amazon #1 Best Seller, The Eleventh Hour Trilogy:
Her most recent work, At the End of the Line, coauthored with Abby L. Vandiver under their pen name, Kathryn Longino, is also an Amazon #1 Best Seller.
Before we get to the interview, here is a brief description of The Eleventh Hour Trilogy:
Book 1: The Enlightened Ones
"...and from these fibers shall emerge the next immaculate conceptions."
When archaeologist, Sophia Conrad, uncovers an ancient scroll hidden deep in the Judean hills, a force greater than her conscience compels her to steal it. As she begins to translate the writings she realizes three very important facts. This is a book of prophecy foretelling the end times; it is the personal diary of Jesus: And she has been chosen to save mankind from the next cataclysmic event. But when she discovers a small piece of fabric tucked inside the scroll, she and her husband, David, a geneticist, are propelled into a life of science, secrecy and government conspiracy.
Book 2: Day of Atonement
"...he who cometh next shall be the spirit and image of the Lamb of God."
The scroll forewarned David and Sophia about a cataclysmic event that would devastate mankind. So for thirty years they secretly prepared for what Jesus called The Day of Atonement. Now, as that day is upon them, they must do everything in their power to save the lives of seven very special men and get them to Old Beersheba before the Shift of the Ages can take place. But a weapon so evil, so insidious, yet so unassuming threatens their mission, their lives and the lives of all humanity. Who will get there first? The race is on!
Book 3: Resurrection
"...if one emerges whose soul is as pure as mine, let him step forth. The salvation of all mankind depends on it."
One look at the eerie green swirls of light slithering across the night sky, and Sophia Conrad knows the prophecies foretold in the scrolls are true. The Shift of the Ages has begun. And no matter how many times they perform the ancient ritual, nothing seems to work. The Earth is slowing down, the magnetic fields are dropping, and time is running out. One look at the guns pointed at her heart, and Sophia knows that no matter what happens, her life is about to end... unless God grants them a miracle.
And here is a description of At the End of the Line:
A wrong number, and a cry of desperation at the end of the line, sparks a long distance friendship between two women who’ve never met. Through fourteen years of trouble and heartache from a stagnant domestic life, the struggle for civil rights, and the stigma of interracial relationships, a bond forms between the two that changes both of their lives forever.
It’s 1958, a time when women and Negroes are deemed second-class and are being second-guessed. From there arises the perfect storm for change, and the perfect time for an unlikely friendship.
Beatrice “Beanie” Peterson, forced to marry at fifteen and live with two sister wives, six children, and an abusive husband twenty years her senior, is looking for a way out.
Adeline “Liddie” Garrison, friend of Jack Kennedy, wife of a prominent Boston business man, and resident of Beacon Hill has already found her way in.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH KATHRYN DIONNE
1. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I knew when I was 8 years old I wanted to write. I remember telling my father that I wanted to be a writer. He replied, “You don’t want to be a writer. Writers don’t make any money. You want to be a lawyer.” To his defense, he was just looking out for my wellbeing. I spent the next forty plus years trying NOT to be a writer. Every time I’d put my writing away, something would bring me back to it.
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. I started out writing poems as a child and evolved into writing stories. As an adult, my career took me into the advertising industry where I wrote mainly advertising copy. In 1997 I wrote a screenplay called The Eleventh Hour and shopped it around Hollywood. I found some producers who were interested in it, but nothing ever came of it. So I put it away for several years until an editor read it and said I should turn the script into a manuscript. So I did. And in 2013, I publish The Eleventh Hour trilogy on Amazon.
2. What inspired you to write The Eleventh Hour Trilogy?
Have you ever had a dream seem so real that when you woke up, you weren’t sure whether it was a horrible nightmare or a premonition of thing to come? The Eleventh Hour is based on a horrible end-of-the-world dream I had over fifteen years ago that still haunts me to this day. I’d had the basic story idea but nothing else, no protagonists or antagonists. After the dream, I knew that was the direction my story needed to go. Around that same time I was flipping through the television channels and landed on a documentary about the US government’s Remote Viewing program. This program, which was developed in the 1970’s, taught people how to psychically spy on other people. Right then I knew my antagonists needed to be remote viewers. I made my main character, Sophia Conrad, an archaeologist because of my love of archaeology, treasure hunting, and digging up the past.
3. What inspired you to write At the End of the Line?
This book was written somewhat on a whim. I was talking on the phone with my writing partner, Abby Vandiver. We were just about to hang up and I said, "Hey, I have a great idea for a book. How about if we write a story about two women who meet via a wrong telephone number. They end up developing a long distance friendship that spans many years but actually never meet until the end of the book." At first she didn't like the idea. But after talking about it for several minutes she said, "Yeah, and we could call it, At the End of the Line." So we ended up talking about it for sometime and decided that it needed to take place during a time when there was no internet. So we decided to have it take place from 1958-1972 and center around the civil rights movement.
I came up with this idea because, just like our characters in the book, my writing partner and I have never met face to face. But one day, we hope to.
4. What was it like to coauthor your book and would you do it again?
Writing a book with someone I've never met was a very interesting process. And like any project it had its ups and downs. Abby lives in Cleveland and I live in California. So we couldn't just meet for coffee to discuss the details. It either had to be through emails or phone calls. Some days, especially toward the end of writing the book, we would spend ten hours a day on the phone with each other. You really get to know someone when you are talking with them for ten hours straight.
What I liked about the process was that we could bounce ideas off of each other and brainstorm. Most of the time writers are in their own little bubble. But when you have a partner, there is more opportunity to add something extra to the story that you might not have thought of. In our case, we each took a main character and wrote from their perspective, giving each character a distinctively different voice. In fact, whenever there was a conversation between these two characters, Abby and I would actually have the dialogue over the phone in order to keep our characters true.
But of course, like with any relationship there is bound to be some bumps. And we had our share. We're both strong willed when it comes to our writing. So sometimes we each had to acquiesce for the sake of our "baby". But in the end we were both thrilled with the results and the positive feedback that we are receiving.
Would I do it again? Of course! The rewards far outweigh the costs. One of the best perks of coauthoring is you only have to write half of a book.
5. Tell us about the main characters from At the End of the Line.
Beatrice, "Beanie" Peterson is a fifteen year old Mormon girl who has been forced to marry a church elder twenty years her senior about become one of three sister wives. She's kind but very naive and knows nothing about the world outside her small Utah community of Hildale. She soon discovers that her husband is abusive, and she fears for her life. In an attempt to call her beloved piano teacher who moved away, she ends up dialing the wrong number.
The woman on the other end of the line is Adeline Garrison who lives in Boston and is friends with Jack Kennedy. Adeline "Liddie" Garrison has a more darker side filled with secrets and regrets. But she is strong and strong willed. Against her husband's wished, she decides to help this child. This evolves into an unlikely friendship that spans some of the most tumultuous times in American history.
6. What do you enjoy most about writing?
There are so many thins I love about writing: breathing life into the characters in my head, the solitude that writing provides, the chance to express my thoughts and ideas. But the thing I love the most about writing is when my stories touch or inspire another person. I received a review on The Eleventh Hour Trilogy that epitomizes this beautifully. She said; “. . .my soul felt better after reading these books.” For me that is the highest praise and the reason I write.
7. What is the hardest thing about writing?
For me the hardest part about being a writer is me. I am my own worst critic. As I am writing I can hear my own voice in my head saying, “This story is terrible. No one is going to want to read it.” but then I hear my mother’s angelic voice saying; just keep writing! Most days I listen to her words, and they inspire me. But some days my voice overpowers hers, and well, those are the days that I take a break from the computer and go play in my garden.
8. Where do you get the inspiration to write?
I'd have to say my biggest inspiration is my mother, Helen. She passed away in 2011 before I finished writing and publishing The Eleventh Hour Trilogy. But during the fifteen years of coming up with the idea, writing it as a screenplay and shopping it around Hollywood, and finally turning it into a trilogy, she was my number one cheerleader. Through all of my agonizing over it and rewriting it numerous times, she was the one who encouraged me to finish it. She still inspires me with little signs here and there to let me know that she is still with me, cheering me on.
9. What do you like to do when you are not writing? What is your ultimate luxury?
I love to go on archaeological digs and dig up treasures. I've been so fortunate to travel the globe digging up artifacts. I also love to get in my studio and make mosaics from discards objects. This may sound whacky to some, but my ultimate luxury would be to go to Easter Island on an archaeological dig, uncover some ancient important and significant relic and then celebrate its discovery with a bottle of Chateauneuf du pape.
10. Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Yes, the desire to be a writer has always been in me, struggling to get out. What kept me from succeeding sooner was my own self-doubt. If I could offer any advice to fellow authors it would be that those stories were placed in you for a reason. Maybe by writing them you will be touching someone in a profound way. One of my favorite authors, Richard Bach, said: the difference between a writer and an author is an author is a writer who never gave up. So never give up. Strive to become the author you were always meant to be.
To connect with Kathryn Dionne, visit her at:
Kathryn Dionne
Twitter
FaceBook
To buy her books visit her Amazon pages:
Kathryn Dionne
Kathryn Longino
- The Eleventh Hour: The Enlightened Ones,
- The Eleventh Hour: Day of Atonement,
- The Eleventh Hour: Resurrection
Her most recent work, At the End of the Line, coauthored with Abby L. Vandiver under their pen name, Kathryn Longino, is also an Amazon #1 Best Seller.
Before we get to the interview, here is a brief description of The Eleventh Hour Trilogy:
Book 1: The Enlightened Ones
"...and from these fibers shall emerge the next immaculate conceptions."
When archaeologist, Sophia Conrad, uncovers an ancient scroll hidden deep in the Judean hills, a force greater than her conscience compels her to steal it. As she begins to translate the writings she realizes three very important facts. This is a book of prophecy foretelling the end times; it is the personal diary of Jesus: And she has been chosen to save mankind from the next cataclysmic event. But when she discovers a small piece of fabric tucked inside the scroll, she and her husband, David, a geneticist, are propelled into a life of science, secrecy and government conspiracy.
Book 2: Day of Atonement
"...he who cometh next shall be the spirit and image of the Lamb of God."
The scroll forewarned David and Sophia about a cataclysmic event that would devastate mankind. So for thirty years they secretly prepared for what Jesus called The Day of Atonement. Now, as that day is upon them, they must do everything in their power to save the lives of seven very special men and get them to Old Beersheba before the Shift of the Ages can take place. But a weapon so evil, so insidious, yet so unassuming threatens their mission, their lives and the lives of all humanity. Who will get there first? The race is on!
Book 3: Resurrection
"...if one emerges whose soul is as pure as mine, let him step forth. The salvation of all mankind depends on it."
One look at the eerie green swirls of light slithering across the night sky, and Sophia Conrad knows the prophecies foretold in the scrolls are true. The Shift of the Ages has begun. And no matter how many times they perform the ancient ritual, nothing seems to work. The Earth is slowing down, the magnetic fields are dropping, and time is running out. One look at the guns pointed at her heart, and Sophia knows that no matter what happens, her life is about to end... unless God grants them a miracle.
And here is a description of At the End of the Line:
A wrong number, and a cry of desperation at the end of the line, sparks a long distance friendship between two women who’ve never met. Through fourteen years of trouble and heartache from a stagnant domestic life, the struggle for civil rights, and the stigma of interracial relationships, a bond forms between the two that changes both of their lives forever.
It’s 1958, a time when women and Negroes are deemed second-class and are being second-guessed. From there arises the perfect storm for change, and the perfect time for an unlikely friendship.
Beatrice “Beanie” Peterson, forced to marry at fifteen and live with two sister wives, six children, and an abusive husband twenty years her senior, is looking for a way out.
Adeline “Liddie” Garrison, friend of Jack Kennedy, wife of a prominent Boston business man, and resident of Beacon Hill has already found her way in.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH KATHRYN DIONNE
1. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I knew when I was 8 years old I wanted to write. I remember telling my father that I wanted to be a writer. He replied, “You don’t want to be a writer. Writers don’t make any money. You want to be a lawyer.” To his defense, he was just looking out for my wellbeing. I spent the next forty plus years trying NOT to be a writer. Every time I’d put my writing away, something would bring me back to it.
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. I started out writing poems as a child and evolved into writing stories. As an adult, my career took me into the advertising industry where I wrote mainly advertising copy. In 1997 I wrote a screenplay called The Eleventh Hour and shopped it around Hollywood. I found some producers who were interested in it, but nothing ever came of it. So I put it away for several years until an editor read it and said I should turn the script into a manuscript. So I did. And in 2013, I publish The Eleventh Hour trilogy on Amazon.
2. What inspired you to write The Eleventh Hour Trilogy?
Have you ever had a dream seem so real that when you woke up, you weren’t sure whether it was a horrible nightmare or a premonition of thing to come? The Eleventh Hour is based on a horrible end-of-the-world dream I had over fifteen years ago that still haunts me to this day. I’d had the basic story idea but nothing else, no protagonists or antagonists. After the dream, I knew that was the direction my story needed to go. Around that same time I was flipping through the television channels and landed on a documentary about the US government’s Remote Viewing program. This program, which was developed in the 1970’s, taught people how to psychically spy on other people. Right then I knew my antagonists needed to be remote viewers. I made my main character, Sophia Conrad, an archaeologist because of my love of archaeology, treasure hunting, and digging up the past.
3. What inspired you to write At the End of the Line?
This book was written somewhat on a whim. I was talking on the phone with my writing partner, Abby Vandiver. We were just about to hang up and I said, "Hey, I have a great idea for a book. How about if we write a story about two women who meet via a wrong telephone number. They end up developing a long distance friendship that spans many years but actually never meet until the end of the book." At first she didn't like the idea. But after talking about it for several minutes she said, "Yeah, and we could call it, At the End of the Line." So we ended up talking about it for sometime and decided that it needed to take place during a time when there was no internet. So we decided to have it take place from 1958-1972 and center around the civil rights movement.
I came up with this idea because, just like our characters in the book, my writing partner and I have never met face to face. But one day, we hope to.
4. What was it like to coauthor your book and would you do it again?
Writing a book with someone I've never met was a very interesting process. And like any project it had its ups and downs. Abby lives in Cleveland and I live in California. So we couldn't just meet for coffee to discuss the details. It either had to be through emails or phone calls. Some days, especially toward the end of writing the book, we would spend ten hours a day on the phone with each other. You really get to know someone when you are talking with them for ten hours straight.
What I liked about the process was that we could bounce ideas off of each other and brainstorm. Most of the time writers are in their own little bubble. But when you have a partner, there is more opportunity to add something extra to the story that you might not have thought of. In our case, we each took a main character and wrote from their perspective, giving each character a distinctively different voice. In fact, whenever there was a conversation between these two characters, Abby and I would actually have the dialogue over the phone in order to keep our characters true.
But of course, like with any relationship there is bound to be some bumps. And we had our share. We're both strong willed when it comes to our writing. So sometimes we each had to acquiesce for the sake of our "baby". But in the end we were both thrilled with the results and the positive feedback that we are receiving.
Would I do it again? Of course! The rewards far outweigh the costs. One of the best perks of coauthoring is you only have to write half of a book.
5. Tell us about the main characters from At the End of the Line.
Beatrice, "Beanie" Peterson is a fifteen year old Mormon girl who has been forced to marry a church elder twenty years her senior about become one of three sister wives. She's kind but very naive and knows nothing about the world outside her small Utah community of Hildale. She soon discovers that her husband is abusive, and she fears for her life. In an attempt to call her beloved piano teacher who moved away, she ends up dialing the wrong number.
The woman on the other end of the line is Adeline Garrison who lives in Boston and is friends with Jack Kennedy. Adeline "Liddie" Garrison has a more darker side filled with secrets and regrets. But she is strong and strong willed. Against her husband's wished, she decides to help this child. This evolves into an unlikely friendship that spans some of the most tumultuous times in American history.
6. What do you enjoy most about writing?
There are so many thins I love about writing: breathing life into the characters in my head, the solitude that writing provides, the chance to express my thoughts and ideas. But the thing I love the most about writing is when my stories touch or inspire another person. I received a review on The Eleventh Hour Trilogy that epitomizes this beautifully. She said; “. . .my soul felt better after reading these books.” For me that is the highest praise and the reason I write.
7. What is the hardest thing about writing?
For me the hardest part about being a writer is me. I am my own worst critic. As I am writing I can hear my own voice in my head saying, “This story is terrible. No one is going to want to read it.” but then I hear my mother’s angelic voice saying; just keep writing! Most days I listen to her words, and they inspire me. But some days my voice overpowers hers, and well, those are the days that I take a break from the computer and go play in my garden.
8. Where do you get the inspiration to write?
I'd have to say my biggest inspiration is my mother, Helen. She passed away in 2011 before I finished writing and publishing The Eleventh Hour Trilogy. But during the fifteen years of coming up with the idea, writing it as a screenplay and shopping it around Hollywood, and finally turning it into a trilogy, she was my number one cheerleader. Through all of my agonizing over it and rewriting it numerous times, she was the one who encouraged me to finish it. She still inspires me with little signs here and there to let me know that she is still with me, cheering me on.
9. What do you like to do when you are not writing? What is your ultimate luxury?
I love to go on archaeological digs and dig up treasures. I've been so fortunate to travel the globe digging up artifacts. I also love to get in my studio and make mosaics from discards objects. This may sound whacky to some, but my ultimate luxury would be to go to Easter Island on an archaeological dig, uncover some ancient important and significant relic and then celebrate its discovery with a bottle of Chateauneuf du pape.
10. Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Yes, the desire to be a writer has always been in me, struggling to get out. What kept me from succeeding sooner was my own self-doubt. If I could offer any advice to fellow authors it would be that those stories were placed in you for a reason. Maybe by writing them you will be touching someone in a profound way. One of my favorite authors, Richard Bach, said: the difference between a writer and an author is an author is a writer who never gave up. So never give up. Strive to become the author you were always meant to be.
To connect with Kathryn Dionne, visit her at:
Kathryn Dionne
To buy her books visit her Amazon pages:
Kathryn Dionne
Kathryn Longino