When and how did you get the idea for this story?
The Kiss that exists today is the sixth or seventh generation of the idea Ted and I started with. I came up with a concept for a story about a woman who can relieve people of their most painful memories, a mercy “angel” whose good intentions go all wrong. Maybe this story will find its footing one day in a sequel about Shauna. Who knows? Ted loved the idea of memory stealing and transplanted that device into a story concept that had bigger political and relational stakes, and Kiss grew from there.
What process did you use to develop such a creative plot?
Ted and I have worked together for several years as an author-editor team, and we have similar ways of thinking about what makes a strong story. The majority of the process involved us talking on the phone for hours while he filled the story with great ideas and I tried to keep my cordless adequately charged.
What approach did you take to co-writing this book? Each person writes a chapter? Did you edit each other's work?
We verbally beat story questions and scenes and options nearly to death long before a word was ever typed. Then I laid down the first rough draft and a new process began with both of us, writing, tearing apart, rewriting, more rewriting, editing, etc. Yes, we definitely edit each other's work. We edit each other's ideas too!
How do your surroundings have to be when you're writing? Does it vary?
I do most of my writing in my garden-level home office, which has a view of garden mulch and a tree trunk. The walls are an unfortunate shade of baby-poop mustard (I think the prior home owners were going for gold) that I have not had time to repaint. So I’ve covered this up for the most part with bookcases and my favorite book-lover’s framed prints, illustrated by Nishan Akgulian. But I can write almost anywhere that I can escape distractions: no TV, no music, no background chatter, no baby crying.
In one sentence, what would you like readers to take away after reading your book?
I hope they can discover grace in pain and see difficult memories as formative events that God can redeem and transform into meaningful parts of their history.
What do you think is the most important thing to do to succeed as an author?
Learn, learn, learn. Learn the craft. Learn how to respect it before you attempt to do anything subversive. Learn what moves your audience. Learn how to expose yourself and your work to the honest opinion of others, especially people who don’t like what you’ve written. “Your job,” write the authors of Art and Fear, “is to learn to work on your work.”
What is one thing that you would like to tell unpublished authors?
Hang in there! Getting published is a long road, but if you're on the journey God has for you, he'll get you to the destination in one piece.
The Kiss that exists today is the sixth or seventh generation of the idea Ted and I started with. I came up with a concept for a story about a woman who can relieve people of their most painful memories, a mercy “angel” whose good intentions go all wrong. Maybe this story will find its footing one day in a sequel about Shauna. Who knows? Ted loved the idea of memory stealing and transplanted that device into a story concept that had bigger political and relational stakes, and Kiss grew from there.
What process did you use to develop such a creative plot?
Ted and I have worked together for several years as an author-editor team, and we have similar ways of thinking about what makes a strong story. The majority of the process involved us talking on the phone for hours while he filled the story with great ideas and I tried to keep my cordless adequately charged.
What approach did you take to co-writing this book? Each person writes a chapter? Did you edit each other's work?
We verbally beat story questions and scenes and options nearly to death long before a word was ever typed. Then I laid down the first rough draft and a new process began with both of us, writing, tearing apart, rewriting, more rewriting, editing, etc. Yes, we definitely edit each other's work. We edit each other's ideas too!
How do your surroundings have to be when you're writing? Does it vary?
I do most of my writing in my garden-level home office, which has a view of garden mulch and a tree trunk. The walls are an unfortunate shade of baby-poop mustard (I think the prior home owners were going for gold) that I have not had time to repaint. So I’ve covered this up for the most part with bookcases and my favorite book-lover’s framed prints, illustrated by Nishan Akgulian. But I can write almost anywhere that I can escape distractions: no TV, no music, no background chatter, no baby crying.
In one sentence, what would you like readers to take away after reading your book?
I hope they can discover grace in pain and see difficult memories as formative events that God can redeem and transform into meaningful parts of their history.
What do you think is the most important thing to do to succeed as an author?
Learn, learn, learn. Learn the craft. Learn how to respect it before you attempt to do anything subversive. Learn what moves your audience. Learn how to expose yourself and your work to the honest opinion of others, especially people who don’t like what you’ve written. “Your job,” write the authors of Art and Fear, “is to learn to work on your work.”
What is one thing that you would like to tell unpublished authors?
Hang in there! Getting published is a long road, but if you're on the journey God has for you, he'll get you to the destination in one piece.
KISS by Ted Dekker & Erin Healy
Be sure to check out Erin's web-site! It's one of the coolest that I've seen!!!
