[Author Interview] Barbara Phinney – Souvenirs

Barbara Phinney is the author of Souvenirs is a romantic suspense book where the murder takes place on the beach. When Barbara stared to write Souvenirs, she was at the beach. Just sitting there, watching people and wondering what their lives were like. Before we get to our interview, here is a description of her book Sovenirs. When Anna LaBonte’s estranged husband is found murdered, she becomes the main suspect. Only one person is willing to help her, her mysterious neighbor, Brent Stirling. Brent knows the only reason he’s helping Anna is to ease the festering guilt inside of him. But when the events turn personal, and he finds himself falling for Anna, Brent knows he can’t walk away. But he may be risking their lives.

Interview with Barbara Phinney

Today, Barbara Phinney talks about her new ebook, SOUVENIRS, a romantic suspense story set on the east coast of Canada.

 1.  What was unique about the setting of your book and how did it enhance or take away from the story?

 Souvenirsis set on the beaches of the Northumberland Strait, between New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. When an author says her book is a beach read, most readers will assume you take it to the beach. But since Souvenirs is set on the beach, complete with a murder, perhaps the beach isn’t the best place!  Unless you’re with good close friends. Family doesn’t count, at least not with Souvenirs.

 2.  What specific themes did you emphasize throughout the novel? What are you trying to get across to the reader?

 I wanted to show forgiveness. Since there is a very mild inspirational theme, there must certainly be God’s forgiveness, but the story really wants to show forgiving yourself. And moving on from that.

 3.  Do your characters seem real and believable? Can a reader relate to their predicaments? To what extent do they remind you of yourself or someone you know?

 Well, I certainly hope my readers are never in the same predicaments as my characters!  My heroine is accused of killing her abusive husband, whom she was preparing to leave, but if she tells anyone she was ready to divorce him, it will add to her motive. The hero is a wounded soldier who believes his own cold-heartedness killed his men. So, no, I hope they don’t face the same problems, but I do want the reader to see that Anna and Brent, my characters, are realistic people facing troubles in a realistic way. My heroine reminds me of me, because she makes a number of mistakes and simply doesn’t know what to do. She must learn the right way of doing things, and also to trust herself, both as the story progresses. And who hasn’t blamed themselves for something, as my hero, Brent,  is doing?

 4.  How do the characters change or evolve throughout the course of the story? What events trigger such changes?

 An important question any author must ask of their story and characters, is what can the character do at the end of the story that they can’t do in the beginning? From there, you as a writer must grow the character. My heroine, Anna, refuses to stand up for herself at the beginning of the story. She’s feeling guilty and has a low self-esteem. Even in this day and age of boldness, I think it’s still an underlying issue. We are still creatures of insecurities. Will she be able to stand up for herself? My hero certainly hopes so. And getting shoved into situations where Anna needs to think of her feet, well, they make her realize she’s much stronger than she thinks she is.

Brent, my hero, needs to forgive himself and more forward. The only problem is that there is a killer who wants to stop them both dead in their tracks, and a cop who insists he’s got his killer – Anna.

 5.  In what ways do the events in the books reveal evidence of your world view?

 My hero has returned from combat with physical and emotional scars. They can lead others to have preconceived notions about that person. We need to look beyond the scars – those ‘souvenirs’ of our past – and look at the person within. I need to learn it just as much as anyone. And I know firsthand how awful trauma is. We all need to remember that old Indian adage: Walk a mile in his moccasins.

 6.  Did certain parts of the book make you uncomfortable? If so, why did you feel that way? Did this lead to a new understanding or awareness of some aspect of your life you might not have thought about before?

 Souvenirs opens with evidence of emotional abuse. That made me uncomfortable as a writer. No one wants any form of abuse to thrive. I want women to stand up to that, but it’s a tough subject to broach. I’ve actually learned to be more gentle with people, simply by exploring my heroine’s life.

 7.  Was there a basis for your story? A previous experience? Something else?

 There really wasn’t any strong basis for this story. I was at the very beach featured in the story and wanted so much to write about it. To me, the beach is symbolic of washing away life’s troubles. Then I began to ask questions. And just before that time, soldiers were coming back from Bosnia, and later, Afghanistan with serious PTSD. My heart went out to them. I’d written a book earlier that featured PTSD, (it was titled, Necessary Secrets) and the idea returned to me.

8.  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 have to admit something. Research scares me. Asking others to help me scares me. But in Souvenirs, there is one scene where they approach the Confederation Bridge’s controller for help. I didn’t have to ask him for help, because shortly after I started the story, a news segment featured him and his work. The Confederation Bridge is an engineering marvel, the longest bridge over water that freezes solid every winter. Because of what I learned from that news clip, clues are woven throughout the story. I invite readers to have fun tying them all together.

9.  What is your method for writing a book? A certain amount of hours every day? A certain routine? Are you a character/story builder or an outliner with some other method?

I’d love to have a routine, but it often centers around my volunteer schedule, my semi-retired husband’s schedule, (which I must add right now my thanks to the Bowflex company. We have one, and he loves to go downstairs for hours to work out!)

I do my best writing early in the morning. Too bad I don’t like to get up that early. I write a story straight through, then edit sitting at the dining room table. A change is as good as a rest. That’s something my characters could use to learn, too, especially in Souvenirs, as they meet at a tourist site.

Thank you for having me. I hope I have piqued your interest in Souvenirs. Remember, though, that if you go to the beach, make sure it’s with loved ones.

Barbara, thank you for a wonderful interview and a chance for our readers to get to know you better.

Connect with Barbara Phinney at her

Blog: http://barbphinney.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100000497524066

Twitter: @BarbaraPhinney

Website: www.barbaraphinney.com

Barbara also writes sci-fi and fantasy romances under the name of Georgina Lee.  Connect with her via twitter at @GeorginaLee1

Tags: Romance, Suspense