I remember studying the adults around me from a very young age, trying to understand why they did the things that they did. I was acutely aware of everything and everyone around me, like relatives and neighbors who were closet alcoholics, or had a mental disorder that was kept a secret. As a child, it struck me how very much our lives depend on things over which we have no control-the situation into which we are born, and to a great extent, our physical health.

S. Rose – 28 March 2013

The Back Flap

The year is 1970. In a blue-collar suburb of Boston, two eleven year-old Catholic girls struggle to come of age in a culture still very much dominated by men. They watch in dismay as their fathers and priests determine the lives of the women around them. Loyalty to family and church is paramount; women and children suffer in silence rather than expose the men who do them harm. Frances Orillio is an adopted, only child; she is self-critical, anxious, and vulnerable. Maddy Malone is one of six children, and grew up in a rough housing project scrapping with the boys. Although they are strikingly different in temperament, they forge an enduring friendship on the path to becoming strong, independent women. Together they battle the tangled jungle of ignorance, racism, and homophobia that goes hand in hand with the culturally entrenched discrimination against women. Like the treacherous roads in a New England winter, the way is fraught with hidden dangers. Family secrets and lies are like the invisible black ice on a bridge: if you don’t watch out for the signs, it can be deadly.

About the book

What is the book about?

At the surface, the novel is simply about two eleven year old girls who meet, become fast friends and come of age over a period of five years, plus an epilogue twenty-two years later. They are naturally embedded within families, and we get to know each character deeply. It’s about life: everything that happens in the space between being born and dying, the way we’re influenced by events great and small, and the role played by inborn temperament in directing our lives. I explore the intersection of socio-economic and educational level, race, gender, and sexuality in the context of a culture within the greater American culture, in this case working-class Irish/Italian Catholic. Bridge Ices Before Road portrays a slice of American life, contained within the boundaries of time and place, from the perspective of a young girl. At the same time it addresses universal themes. For example, there are many women throughout the world who struggle today with gender discrimination and oppression similar to, or even far worse than what we experienced in the U.S. back in the 1970’s.

When did you start writing the book?

In a sense, this book has been cogitating for fifty years, but it’s fair to say that I made a serious attempt to write it in late 2010.

How long did it take you to write it?

It took about two years, including reading the almost finished copy over more than twelve times to edit it myself. I stopped counting after that. There were many days where I would sit in the chair with my laptop for six or so hours, only getting up to walk the dog or eat something.

Where did you get the idea from?

I think I was born a psychologist. I remember studying the adults around me from a very young age, trying to understand why they did the things that they did. I was acutely aware of everything and everyone around me, like relatives and neighbors who were closet alcoholics, or had a mental disorder that was kept a secret. As a child, it struck me how very much our lives depend on things over which we have no control-the situation into which we are born, and to a great extent, our physical health. I was fascinated with how some people transcended their difficult, even brutal circumstances, while so many just get mired in the life they were dealt.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

I really wanted to span a significant developmental period, from age 11 to age 16. Of course, all the adults surrounding the main characters grew and developed too, or didn’t, as the case may be. But in real life, some years are chock full of life-changing experiences while others are rather humdrum. Some of the chapters had to cover a lot of temporal ground with not much to talk about, just to move us forward to the next critical event.

What came easily?

It was easy to remember what it was like growing up, and use much of that as a platform for fiction.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

In a sense, people we know are constructions of our own perceptions. We each have a subjective experience of everyone we encounter. However, it’s fair to say that the few static characters are very similar to some people I encountered. The dynamic characters are a work of alchemy: I took bits and pieces of people I knew and cooked them up.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

When I was eighteen, I went off to college and discovered the great Russian novelists; I read War and Peace three times, and Anna Karenina no less than five, although at different points in my life, many years apart. I read many short stories I scarcely remember, although I do recall The Death of Ivan Illyich. I loved Flaubert’s Madam Bovary, and only recently learned that it was his first publication, which is very inspiring. I enjoyed Heinrich Boll’s Group Portrait with Lady. I loved D. H. Lawrence’s Sons and Lovers. I read Pearl S. Buck, and it’s no wonder The Good Earth won the Nobel Prize! I read the major works of Jane Austin.

I’d have to say my greatest inspiration is Harper Lee. I lost track of how many times I read To Kill A Mockingbird; I taught it while an English teacher too, and it never failed to make me cry in some places. The characters are so real we know them as people. The story makes us think and learn; it changes our outlook on life.

Do you have a target reader?

I didn’t have a target at all; I had something to say that was about to burst out of me. After the fact, I can see it would appeal to middle aged women, but I hope the universal themes will be of interest to a wider audience.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

I need a huge block of time with no interruptions. The creative part of writing (as opposed to copy editing) is like a wave in the ocean. I ride it like a surfer when it swells. (I’ve never surfed in my life, but it feels like an apt description!)

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

No, I didn’t outline at all.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I most definitely edited all throughout, as well as when I was finished.

Did you hire a professional editor?

No, I edited it all by myself, for better or worse.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

I can’t bear any sounds at all when I write or concentrate.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

No, it seemed quite hopeless for a first time author.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

The word is that getting a traditional publisher is like winning the lottery. I looked into Amazon Create Space self-publishing, and thought it seemed like a great opportunity. If I can just get my novel into the hands of readers, they can decide whether or not they find it a worthy effort.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

I did it myself. It is definitely not slick and professional looking, but the homey quality appeals to the people who have got the paperback. It evokes curiosity.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I am definitely winging it.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

Believe in yourself, and be wary of editors. Some of greatest writers just wrote. Don’t let anyone polish the stars from your “Starry Night”! They didn’t appreciate Van Gogh in his lifetime. Be authentic. Let your writing be a genuine expression from within, and then it will be a worthy effort, regardless of whether anyone likes it or not. Dive in head first, and don’t be afraid to belly-flop. Just do it!

About You

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in the Boston area, and took the book’s setting straight from my life.

Where do you live now?

I live in warm, sunny North Central Florida.

What would you like readers to know about you?

I am an educational consultant and advocate for children with disabilities. I worship the natural world, and enjoy kayaking. I love my dog and parrot, and write in the quiet company of my saltwater fish.

What are you working on now?

I’m very excited that my novel is in production as an audiobook, by the very talented Jeanne Whitehouse. Actually, she is doing the work, and I just listen and comment. Her voice is amazing! There are over 163,000 words in the book, and Jeanne is producing it on a royalty share basis. She is an author and avid reader, and she loved Bridge enough to take a chance, even though I am a first time author and self-published too. I am so grateful for her faith in my work.

When I’m not busy helping a client, I am lately trying to figure out how to make people aware of my book without spending much money. But I do have an idea for a science fiction story with time travel and an alternate evolution. I’ve written several drafts of chapters, but so far it’s not cohesive. For me, writing is an art form that either flows from something genuine inside, or doesn’t. I haven’t been able to “catch a wave” quite yet, but I haven’t given up.

End of Interview:

Get your copy of Bridge Ices Before Road from Amazon US (paper or ebook) or Amazon UK (paper or ebook).

Note: Ms Rose is making the Kindle edition of her book free for one day only the day of this interview. Grab it while you can.