Roxane Tepher Sanford is the author of The Girl in the Lighthouse and All That Is Beautiful. Her writing style has been compared to that of well known gothic fiction author, V.C. Andrews. Before we get to our interview, here is a description of her book The Girl in the Lighthouse: From the time Lillian Arrington was born in 1862, she lived an isolated life on a remote lighthouse station with her father Garrett and her young mother Amelia. But Lillian has wishes and dreams far beyond her years. When her father is transferred to a new station, Lillian is anxious to meet the assistant keepers and their two sons, Heath and Ayden. She had never met children her own age, had playmates, or made a friend. Heath, the handsome teenage boy who desires to become a doctor someday, welcomes Lillian. However, his younger brother, Ayden, doesn’t like her and she struggles to win him over. Before long, a secret bond between the three is forged and to Lillian’s delight, they become close friends. After so many years, Lillian’s childhood is beginning to resemble that of a normal girl. No longer is she lonely and isolated from the rest of the world by over-protective parents. Instead, she experiences new adventures, attends school, and falls in love for the first time. However, her glorious days on Jasper Island are short-lived as her beautiful young mother begins a tragic descent into insanity and passes away. Lillian is left in the care of her sinister grandmother Eugenia Arrington, who, since the end of the Civil War, continues to steadfastly hold onto the once glorious Georgia plantation known as Sutton Hall. It is there that the immoral secrets of Lillian’s parents are revealed, and she is left to pick up the pieces of her scandalous past, and somehow, find her long way home.
Interview with Roxane Tepher Sanford
1.What specific themes did the author emphasize throughout the novel?
The Girl in the Lighthouse is dark fiction with a Gothic twist. No light and fluffy storyline in this novel, or its sequel, All That is Beautiful. There are some very serious issues which are addressed in my books such as, child abuse, rape and substance abuse.
2. Do the characters seem real and believable? Can you relate to their predicaments? To what extent do they remind you of yourself or someone you know?
Lillian is a very naive girl and because the story takes place in the late 19th century, she seems believable, however, not very relatable. This is especially true since she lives on a lighthouse station.
3. How do characters change or evolve throughout the course of the story? What events trigger such changes?
After the deathof Lillian’s mother, she was taken from the lighthouse station and left in the care of her evil grandmother, who lived on a once glorified Georgia plantation. From that point on, Lillian had to learn to face incredible hardships, and unimaginable abuse. Her choice was to succumb to the anguish and accept her unfortunate fate, or learn to fight back and find ways just to survive. Lillian had to grow up fast throughout the course of her time in Savannah.
4. Did certain parts of the book make you uncomfortable? If so, why did you feel that way?
It wasn’t easy to write certain scenes… to say the least, especially since I write in first person point of view! Naturally, the most uncomfortable part of the storyline for me, and no doubt all readers, was the rape scene. Not only is the physical act horrifying but the tragic emotional aftermath. Personally, it is never easy for me to put my characters through such terrible events.
5. Was there a basis for your story? A previous experience? Something else?
First, my greatest inspiration to write this theme of a story came from the time I read V.C. Andrews’ Gothic novel, Flowers in the Attic. Ever since, I wanted to become an author and write similar types of stories.
The Girl in the Lighthouse came about while decorating my home back in Pennsylvania. I was using Warren Kimble lighthouse wallpaper, and my thoughts began to drift to a place where I imagined what it must have been like living on a lighthouse station. What personally drove such deep connection to the setting was my longing to be near the sea. I had lived in a small mountain town of Milford, PA for nearly sixteen years, after spending my entire childhood in Long Beach, New York. I missed living there, just blocks away from the ocean.
6. What research did you have to perform to back up your story? Any research which really opened your eyes or gave you new respect for a topic or profession?
I spent months researching the workings of a lighthouse and did extensive research on the history of light keepers and their families. I was fascinated to learn how isolated and demanding their lives were. They battled dangerous weather, loneliness, illness and fatigue. The keeper and his family rarely left the lighthouse station. I also learned through my research that there were several famous female light-keepers, such as Ida Lewis; who was the light keeper of Lime Rock Light Station in Rhod Island from 1857-1879.
7. What is your method for writing a book? A certain amount of hours every day? A certain routine? Are you character/story builder or an outliner or some other method?
I try and write a chapter a day, and don’t plot out too much of the storyline ahead of time. I’m definitely a character/story builder and don’t use outlines. It was not easy writing The Girl in the Lighthouse! I have always been a stay-at-home-mom, and at the time, had six very young children.
8.Did you try publishing it the traditional way with an agent or did you decide it would be an eBook and just self-publish it?
Like most writers before the invention of ereaders, I tried to obtain a literary agent. Typical of that process, rejection letters became an ordinary part of life. Instead of waiting to land an agent, in 2009, I decided to self publish. I researched all the print on demand companies and decided on Llumina Press. Then, in late summer of 2011, with the help of Yellowdog Publishing for my e-formatting, I released The Girl in the Lighthouse onto smashwords; which distributes epub books to Nook, Kindle, iBooks, ect. That’s when I started seeing my book Kindle’s best seller lists for YA historical fiction, realizing I did’t necessarily need a literary agent or publishing house after all.
9.How did you overcome the challenges that bring many self-published writers down? Did you hire an editor, or cover designer?
Llumina Press only accepts edited manuscripts. I had the option to hire one of their editors, or hire a freelance editor. Of course, if a writer has editing skills (which I am willing to admit I don’t have), and the manuscript passes their high standards, that is fine too. They offer full publishing packages from editing, to cover design and marketing. I only paid for basic packages for the first two novels in this series. Sacred Intentions, book #3, I’m publishing directly onto ebook without a publishing company and is due for release, Christmas 2011. I hired an editor and designed the cover myself.
10.Did you price your book at 99 cents right away and have you tried other prices?
I priced my book at 99 cents shortly after making it available in ebook form. However, the last week of September, I made it free on Nook and that’s when things really took off! Kindle price matched Nook and The Girl in the Lighthouse was made free as well, ranking the book #1 top free Kindle book. All That is Beautiful was priced at 99 cents and sold well over 300 copies between Nook and Kindle over the first few days alone.
Thank you Roxane for a very information interview for both the reader and fellow authors.
Visit The Girl in the Lighthouse website.
