Stacy Claflin - Letting The Story Find Itself

Stacy Claflin - Letting The Story Find Itself
author of the day

Author Stacy Claflin writes in three different genres, and as the case with her Gone trilogy, often from multiple points of view. The result is stories that are filled with suspense, mystery and intrigue. Today we talk to her about how emotionally taxing it is to write about certain topics, how she finds balance in her busy life and what readers can expect from her next.

Please give our readers a short introduction to your Gone Trilogy.

Fifteen-year-old Macy Mercer has been the brunt of cruel jokes at school and feels misunderstood and sheltered at home. She thought losing weight would help, but it didn't. Wanting to prove to everyone that she's grownup and confident, she finds a boyfriend online. The day to meet him in person finally arrives. Excited and nervous, she arrives at the dark, secluded park a little early.

She receives a text from him saying that he's held up at school. He wants his dad to pick her up. Once inside the truck, the man sets the locks and admits to pretending to be a teenager to gain her trust.

The Gone Trilogy deals with serious issues, such as kidnapping and abuse, how hard is it to write about such difficult topics in an engaging manner, but without sensationalizing it.

It was taxing emotionally, and I stepped away from writing for some time until I was ready to get into the thick of it again.

Your books feature multiple point of views, some of them quite dark, do you have to be in a specific mindset to write certain characters or are you able to switch between them at will as needed?

Once I get to know a character, it's pretty easy to go from one viewpoint to the next. But with that said, it does help to have a good vision for the chapter before I write it, regardless of who the main character is or what happens. The good thing is that no matter how the first draft comes out, I have plenty of opportunities to improve upon the chapters!

Do you base elements of your stories on real events or where do you find your inspiration?

I was taken in by the Elizabeth Smart case, as were many people at the time. Her story always stuck with me, and a part of that was an inspiration for writing the Gone Trilogy. Her story, and others like her, are incredibly inspiring: young women facing the worst of circumstances, but somehow find the strength within themselves to keep fighting.

Child kidnapping is a fear that many parents have, do you think parents should be more involved in the online activities of their children?

Definitely. In this day and age, parents can't be too careful. It seems like every so often, the news reports real-life cases of teenagers being lured away by people who "befriended" them online. 

Which character did you find the most challenging to write?

That would have to be Chester. Getting into the head of someone so far at the end of his rope that he would stoop to kidnapping and imprisonment was a stretch, and also not the kind of mind I wanted to spend much time in!

You are a full-time author and educate your kids from home, both of which are challenging and time-consuming activities. How do you manage to find a balance?

I wake up early and get the bulk of my writing done before making the kids breakfast. Then we focus the mornings on schoolwork, ideally finishing by lunch. Then I focus on editing and marketing efforts in the afternoons. I used to run a home preschool, and quickly discovered that early morning was the only time I could fit in writing, and I've found that to remain true even after becoming a full time author.

Your book features many unexpected twists. Did you work out the entire plot of your book before you started to write or did these evolve naturally during the writing process?

There are certain twists that I plan and other ones that just come out as I'm writing, and surprise even me! I like to have enough of an outline to leave myself the freedom to let the story find itself. It's a wondrous thing to watch unfold. 

How do you manage to keep readers captivated through an entire trilogy?

A lot of readers have said they like the multiple points of view within the story. There are a lot of side issues with Macy's family and friends, and it draws interest in different areas of the story. Everyone has their own secrets and it adds to mystery, intrigue, and suspense. Also, the different viewpoints also add to the overall story, revealing different events that wouldn't have otherwise been known. 

Do you have any favorite authors? What kind of books do you enjoy reading yourself?

I enjoy reading a wide variety of books, just as I like writing in different genres. Depending on my mood, I enjoy just about everything from sweet romance to bloody horror. I love a good story that will keep me on the edge of my seat or that will scare me or leave me with the mushy feeling of a happy ending.

Are you busy writing anything new at the moment?

I usually have two or three books in the works, in various stages of drafting and editing. I write in three different genres, so that helps me to keep everything straight, since the series are so different. For the Gone Saga, I'm in the planning stages of a book starring Alex, Macy's brother, about ten years after the Gone saga.

Where can our readers interact with you or find more of your work?

I'm often on Facebook, but all of my social media links are at my website: stacyclaflin.com.

This deal has ended but you can read more about the book here.
Wendy L Owens - Romance Amidst Rival Mafia Families
FEATURED AUTHOR - Wendy Owens was born in the small college town of Oxford, Ohio. She loves to paint and travel in her free time. She writes both romance and psychological thrillers. When she's not writing, this dog lover can be found spending time with her tech geek husband, their three amazing kids, and three pups. As our Author of the Day, she tells us all about her book, Crimson Ties: A Dark Mafia Romance.