Winter
in Full Bloom is set in Texas as well as Australia. What made you
want to set the novel in these two places?
Well,
I live in Texas, and so I wanted to make use of my home state. After
living here for about thirty years I have a soft spot for Texas now.
Also, I’d visited Melbourne, Australia for about three weeks and
had taken notes, and since it was such an exotic place and I’d had
such an amazing time there, I wanted to share some of my experiences
with readers.
The
cover is beautiful. Did you have any input in this cover?
Yes,
actually, I did. The publisher sent me a few samples to look at, and
I chose this one. But the cover you see now was tweaked a number of
times. One of the changes was the addition of the red tulips all
along the snowy path. I’m so glad the publisher was open to
changes. I’m very happy with the final cover. It reflects the story
even better than before, and I think that bit of unexpected intrigue
along the road will be eye-catching to the bookstore browser.
That
title is unique. How did you come up with Winter in Full Bloom?
Sometimes
I brainstorm titles, and then sometimes I use a phrase I find within
the manuscript that works well as a title. Winter in Full Bloom
was created during one of my brainstorming sessions. As a side note,
there are a couple of meanings to this tile. The heroine’s name is
Lily Winter. Also, half of the book takes place in Houston at the
advent of winter, but when she flies to Melbourne at the same time of
the year, Australians are experiencing the beginning of spring. So,
even though Lily has begun getting ready for winter, she suddenly
enters into a season of springtime—literally and in her personal
life.
Are
the characters from your imagination, or do they come from real life?
My
characters are a mixture of both. I’ll be watching someone at the
airport or the mall or at church, and I’ll think, “Wow, that
gesture or laugh or walk is perfect for my character.” Then some of
my character’s traits will come straight from my imagination.
Usually, it’s a fun brew of all the above.
Do
you and your husband travel a lot?
We
travel much more now that we have empty nest. Last year we went to
Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada. This year we’ve been to Mexico,
California, and right now as I type this answer, my husband and I are
waiting at the airport to fly to Ireland. Can’t wait. I’m hoping
to set one of my future novels in Ireland.
Why
do you write?
I
have a real need to express myself creatively—guess I was born that
way—and writing and I fit well together.
Your
heroine, Lily Winter, is experiencing empty nest. Why did you add
that element to the story?
I
was going through this same rough phase of motherhood, and I thought
it would be good to add this to the story. I hope it added an element
of authenticity to the tale. And too, forcing myself to write about
the pain surely helped me deal with it better.
How
long have you been writing?
I’ve
been in this profession for about thirty years. It’s been a long,
stumbly kind of journey. I’ve had some dark hours—those moments
when I really didn’t know what I was doing or why I was doing it.
Moments when rejection swept me under like a scary undertow. Moments
when getting published seemed pretty much impossible. But I never
gave up, and I’m glad I didn’t. I’ve had thirty-four books
published in many genres, and even though it’s been a rough ride,
it’s also been deeply satisfying.
This
story is about twin sisters? Are you a twin and do you have a sister?
I’m
afraid I have to say no to both of those questions, but I’ve always
wanted to have a sister. And that desire I suppose fueled the
dialogue and some of this story.
Winter
in Full Bloom is a love story but also a story of family
reconciliation. Have you experienced that last part in your own life?
Yes,
I have known the miracle of family reconciliation, and it has brought
me great joy!
Any
final words for your readers?
If
you have ever taken the time to read one of my novels, I thank you
with all my heart. I sincerely hope that Winter in Full Bloom
inspires you and makes you laugh, and when you come to the last page
and close the book, I hope your heart and your step feels just a
little lighter.
Thank
you, Anita, for your interview today. I thoroughly enjoyed reading
Winter
in Full Bloom lanehillhouse.blogspot.com/2013/08/winter-in-full-bloom-by-anita-higman.html.
Visit
Anita's website anitahigman.com
and reader page facebook.com/#!/AuthorAnitaHigman.
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