_+ I am happy to welcome Andra Wakins
to Jorie Loves A Story! _+
As you might have noticed, I have garnished a deep appreciation for Ms. Wakins whilst I read her intriguing debut To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis!
I was taken by the inspiration she felt for her character Meriwether Lewis as much as I was struck by the breadth of the story which emerged out of her and found its way to the page! Her book transcends our reality and delves into the space between what we may or may not be willing to accept as plausible but is altogether possible!
I love the fact this novel is a genre-bender which is difficult to place on a bookshoppe’s shelf and is knitted together in such a way as to cause a rumbling of electric excitement for each reader who picks it up and feels the energy in which is was given to the world.
Let me step back for a moment and allow you to read the conversation which encompassed Ms. Wakins and I, on the verge of her final day on the Natchez Trace!
{: Author Biography :}
Hey. I’m Andra Watkins. I’m a native of Tennessee, but I’m lucky to call Charleston, South Carolina, home for 23 years. I’m the author of ‘To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis’, coming March 1, 2014. It’s a mishmash of historical fiction, paranormal fiction and suspense that follows Meriwether Lewis (of Lewis & Clark fame) after his mysterious death on the Natchez Trace in 1809.
I like:
- hiking
- eating (A lot; Italian food is my favorite.)
- traveling (I never met a destination I didn’t like.)
- reading (My favorite book is The Count of Monte Cristo.)
- coffee (the caffeinated version) and COFFEE (sex)
- performing (theater, singing, public speaking, playing piano)
- time with my friends
- Sirius XM Chill
- yoga (No, I can’t stand on my head.)
- writing in bed
- candlelight
I don’t like:
- getting up in the morning
- cilantro (It is the devil weed.)
- surprises (For me or for anyone else.)
- house cleaning
- cooking
When I first heard of the premise of “To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis” via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours (of whom is hosting this blog tour!) I must confess, it was such a startling theory for a book to explore that I remember I immediately wanted to read the story! Whilst you were creating the novel, what was your initial impetus to write about Meriwether Lewis in such an extraordinary different vein of existence?
Wakins responds: When a ghost speaks to you, you listen, right? Seriously, I’ve always been fascinated with the Lewis & Clark Expedition. Because Lewis died too young in an unsolved incident, I wondered what would happen if he were given more time, more life. Thinking about what he might do with that time got me started on this story.
I think when you get the impetus to create a story like this one, you cannot back away from the character whose voice is as strong as Meriwether Lewis! Because although, his personality comes across as a bit more sedate than ‘strong’, its his overall presence which for me felt strong rather than introvert. He has a quiet manner about him unless there is something happening which is placing someone he cares for in harm’s way. He is a quiet soul whose strength shines in the moments where his brute grit to overcome endears you to him in a way that is hard to explain. I found him quite unexpectedly lovely!
Did you initially want to pull back the veils of convention and write a historically enriched genre-bender!?
Wakins responds: Yes. Characters from history are rich with new stories, I think. I’ve always been a history geek, but I wanted to take people from history, put them in new situations, and see what might happen.
I oft-wondered if history and the historical past were re-envisioned in the manner in which you undertook Meriwether Lewis, then perhaps the younger generations who feel distant and disengaged from history might endeavour to think that perhaps it’s not as intangible as it feels? History can become daunting to soak into unless the voice behind the historical facts is giving history a light not yet seen as it reflects a different point of view than what is expected. A lot of history is hidden in the shadows, because I think a lot of the truths of how people lived and how they died gets cast away into an unknown file. When you dig and root around in the past, I think we might all be happily surprised by what we uncover! And, your quite right, his untimely and unknown exit in this world is fuel for fodder!
I consider the book to be pioneering the idea writers do not have to hedge themselves into pre-conditioned genres which may or may not speak to their muse. Afterall, inspiration arrives in different ways for different authors. Do you think writers like you are being bold enough to change the mind-set of both publishers and readers? What do you think it will take for writers to realise they have the freedom to tell their stories?
Wakins responds: I think ‘where do I slot this book?’ hampers creativity, and I assert that it is dumbing down both writing and reading. I think the only thing that will change the mind of bigger publishers is money and success, but I think readers crave the new-and-different. I’m a reader, and I know I do.
As to writers having the freedom to tell their stories, they just have to believe in themselves and their stories, invest in their passions, and make their books happen. Don’t expect anyone else to believe in your story more than you do. Your passion will inspire others to believe, too.
I never truly understand why everyone has to fit into a pre-determined ‘box’ either! And, this goes well past books on a bookshelf, straight back to when in childhood there was this perception that everyone had to ‘fit’ somewhere and be placed in one category or another. I think we’ve become a compartmentalised society and have forsaken the free-spirit nature of our past! Writers never used to have to be hampered and pinned to a specific genre, they merely wrote where their inspiration led them to go and the books were accepted on the merit of what was inside by the audience eager to read them! I completely agree writers need to own and defend their stories. Come what may, a writer whose confidence doesn’t falter is the author who will curate an audience in the long run! Readers have a way of being attracted to the writers who remain bold and daring!
Congratulations are in order for you to be the first person (male or female) to walk the Natchez Trace! What inspired you to walk the Trace, aside from the natural curiosity of by-passers to want to read your book? It’s clever PR, but I felt there might be a second reason?
Wakins responds: I’m the first living person to walk the Trace as the pioneers did. Many people walked it before me, but that ceased with the rise of steam power in the 1820s. I wanted to walk the Trace to have a final adventure with my dad. He’s almost 80. While he was still able, I wanted to do something memorable with him, something amazing, that would wring the most out of the life he has left.
I find it commendable that you wanted to give such a beautiful memory to your Dad! The fact that you had your family with you whilst walking the Trace (as seen in your videos) is something that made me smile! I loved seeing the antidotes enter into your videos, and how your expedition became a family affair!
What is the one aspiration you had to learn about yourself as you walked? And, what is the one revelation you had not expected to receive whilst walking?
Wakins responds: Much like writing a book, I had to learn to think about the day I had to walk rather than the DAYS I had to walk. I didn’t know whether I could finish. I’m not an athlete. I’m writing this response on April 2, just nine miles from the finish line. I’m stunned that I’ve done it.
I was equally stunned that I would receive your reply to my Interview, as I was delayed in giving it to you, and somehow I had missed the fact you were walking the Natchez Trace! I wish I had realised it far sooner than I had, as I would have rallied with you on your blog and sent in a Reader Question or two to encourage you on your way! I think I was caught up in my own life and hadn’t thought to look and see what events you were doing ahead of my presence on the blog tour! I agree with you on focusing on one singular day rather than the long stretch of days — I can personally relate to this and I agree that it is the best way to live through any moment in our lives which becomes adverse and difficult to process if we envelope the whole experience in one swallow!
How would you summerise the impact of walking the Natchez Trace after you had spent time researching and writing about Meriwether Lewis? What do you think his observations might have been thus far forward from the time he was there himself!?
Wakins responds: I appreciate the Trace even more than I did. It is an ancient, precious thing we Americans have, and I hope people will take better care of it going forward. I think Lewis would be curious about the cars, trucks, motorcycles and bicycles that travel the Trace today. A few people ride horses on or near it, but nobody walks.
I find that most curious! Every transportation option we have, we’ve forgotten that most of us were bourne walkers at a time in our historical past where fossil fuels were not a part of our lives! I would have suspected you would have seen more horse-back riders, but the plethora of motorised transportation was a bit surprising! Two January’s ago, I started to walk in nature with my Mum, and I must confess when we first attempted to walk a mile and a half it felt as though our legs were not going to carry-on the will of our hearts! Then, the surprising bit is that with each day we attempted to ‘go a bit further’ we were building up our stamina! And, yes, we are far more sedentary now than we used to be, so for us to even broach past a few blocks in a regular neighbourhood is quite the decisive action to take! Whilst we walk, we notice that others would rather do anything but walk themselves! And, those that we do encounter are too blind to their surroundings as they are in nature for an agenda only they understand! Yet, not to stop and see where they are?! To forego the animals and birds and flowers?! Not to notice the changing colours of the trees and fauna!? I find that even more startling than humans have forgotten how to walk!
I thought it was quite a brilliant idea of vlogging your Reader Questions whilst walking the Natchez Trace! Was there a question you were hoping someone would have asked you and didn’t?!
I hoped more people would ask questions about the book, but people were really curious about my 444-mile walk….especially all the details of going to the bathroom in thin woods next to a road.
I was a bit taken back by how fastidious the questions were in-bounding on this one particular mundane area of our lives! I am sorry they didn’t ask more interesting questions about the characters and subtext!
I love your quirky sense of humour as evidenced in your videos. Especially conceiving the idea to hold up either the book itself or your calling card for it. Quite brilliant, indeed! You and your husband have a lot of light and joy as it comes across in the videos. What do you consider your secret for focusing on the light and joy in life?
Wakins responds: Thank you! We can let life live us, or we can live life. I prefer to live life, to proactively seek experiences that enhance the time I’ve been given, to focus on things that matter. I have my moments of doubt and disappointment like everyone else, but I don’t stay in those moments long.
You’re quite welcome! And, your response mirrors my own family’s mantra for living! You are as blessed as I am!
I am a champion for writers owning their stories and having the daring belief in themselves that their story has merit to be a book. Why do you think writers sometimes struggle against their own intuition whilst on their route to publication verse the few who boldly seek an alternative path for a publisher who understands their vision?
Wakins responds: The publishing industry is a brutal beauty pageant of words. Think about that. Beauty pageants are some of the most grueling, mortifying things imaginable. It was hard to accept that I was never going to be crowned Queen, but once I did, I found a better, kinder path for myself, my characters and my story.
A kinder and more graceful entrance into publication which gave you literary freedom!
Do you think publishers short-change the industry by not believing in the reader’s choice to read a book such as “To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis”? On the level, that they might not realise the full scope of where our true interest might lie and are only basing their choices on bottom-line statistics? Which in an economical state at present might not be a true perception of the reality of reader’s choices. (especially if a lot of us are borrowing books through our local libraries)
Yes, and I think more publishers need to realise that there is this entire well of stories being undiscovered because they are approaching it a bit backwards. The bottom line is one thing, but to use that as a wand to measure against the possibility a book has to enhance a reader’s life is simply wrong. Or at least it is to me. Statistics are never a good measure of what is possible or what can be accomplished.
I recently found you on Twitter, and noticed that you adore sending postal mail! I was interested in writing letters by Post from a young age, as my grandfather collected stamps. I started letter-writing at the age of 11 and have continued to write to friends world-wide to this day. What is your most beloved memory of writing letters and/or exchanging correspondences in the Post? What excites you when you go to send a letter?
Wakins responds: One of my aunts made me love travel by sending me postcards from all over when I was growing up. I do that now. I send postcards to children all over on every trip I take. It excites me to think a postcard might make them curious about the world, that I might be making the same difference my aunt wielded in my life.
And, I find this to be heart-warming and fantastic! I am hopeful when I have children I can get them to be lit with the joy of postal mail, too! I am thinking that they will enjoy having “Aunties” surprise them with postal loveliness as I am able to do myself. There are some aspects of our lives which have to be kept alive by passing forward the tradition of why they are in our lives. A lot people want to believe postal mail is dying — I hate to tell them the opposite is true! Too many letter writers are uniting online and are willing to prove that in reality a heap of mail is being sent each year! I am thankful to be a part of the movement, even though truly, I joined it because I wanted to reach out and get to know someone who lived in a different country other than mine! The world is brought closer to us with each connection we make and if we can make those connections by using the Post? Priceless.
How did you convey Meriwether Lewis in such a startling familiar way as to reach through the portal of time itself and present him in a way where readers could recognise him as though he were real?
Wakins responds: I wasn’t joking when I said he talked to me. I heard his voice very clearly, but that may have come from reading everything he ever wrote. I tried to imagine what his voice would sound like if he lived for 200 years, and I distilled that into something that I hoped would appeal to the modern reader while still honoring his voice.
His voice is very apparent and honest in To Live Forever! You cannot mistake his voice for another nor his personality! You wrote him as true as though he were here to verify his presence! Your research merged into your words in a very eloquent way!
Did you find difficulty in writing the character of the Judge as he is such an evil spirit and nemesis for Lewis?
Wakins responds: Absolutely not! He’s one of history’s juiciest bad guys. I wanted to honor that history with my story.
I hadn’t realised that!? Truly!? Oy vie. Wells, I tip my hat, Ms. Wakins! You have succeeded in honouring him! He was of course, my least favourite character!
What staid with you the most on behalf of Lewis over Clark? How did you choose or elect to focus on Meriwether?
Wakins responds: I thought Lewis was harder to know, and that made him more interesting to me. That and his short life. He was 35 when he died.
When I read the hour of his death occurring in his thirty-fifth year that hit home for me, as I am to have turnt thirty-five myself this Summer.
Since I have staid in Bed & Breakfasts whilst travelling myself, what is your favourite reason for staying in a B&B verse staying in a hotel or roadside lodge? Personally, I find staying with the individual innkeepers is delightful due to the fact they are quite engaging about the surrounding area & townespeople. A more personal approach to travelling with the added benefit of home-cooked meals.
Wakins responds: On the Trace, the bed & breakfast model was most similar to the stands that populated the Trace in the early 1800s. Since my walk mimicked the route of the boatmen, I wanted to honor the stands in the places I chose to stay.
I am not sure what the differences are between the stands on the Trace and the B&Bs that I am familiar with!? Hmm,… I’ll have to do a bit of research!
I feel your pain in regards to the conditions of your feet whilst you walk. I had a similar misfortune whilst hiking in the deep woods of the Appalachian Trail. Where to begin? I wasn’t prepared for the aftermath of hiking, did you go in knowing you could end up with blood blisters and deep callouses or were you as surprised as I was? For me personally, it was a revelation and caution about how to be better prepared next time I make a monumental decision to walk a great distance!
Wakins responds: I never knew how much my feet could hurt until I did this. If I had trained enough to cause blisters and extreme pain, I might not have done the walk in the first place. (Much like your experience with the Appalachian Trail.)
Yes, that is quite true. Except for one exception for me, I learnt later that I had attempted to break in new hiking shoes whilst walking the Appalachian Trail and that is ultimately what led to my blood blisters & foot surgery! In that regard, I would have befitted a bit of knowledge in foot care & the proper way to hike, which is why I felt for you when I saw your videos on the conditions of your feet! The hours I spent dealing with those toes of my own, can back to mind as I saw you facing the same conditions I had! I do hope yours do not lead to surgery,… that is a bird of quite a different feather!
You revealed in a vlog you found a Lewis & Clark nickel around the area of where Lewis made his fatal entrance onto the Trace. I find this especially interesting on two fronts: my grandfather (the one who inspired me to write letters) collected coins, and secondly, it felt as though Lewis was sending you a signal that he appreciates your work. Do you ever feel that you make discoveries and arrive in places where your meant to traverse?
Wakins responds: I always view things like that nickel as a sign. I hope it was Lewis telling me he’s happy with the book. I know I was meant to write this book, and I’m grateful for everywhere it’s taken me.
When you were asked about what you were eating on the Natchez Trace, you thankfully confirmed your diet differs from Lewis & Clark, but I was curious what did you eat exactly? I would imagine it would be energy givers like trail mix, coconut water (natural electrolytes), granola bars, and peanut butter?
Wakins responds: Lots of peanut butter sandwiches, fruit and energy bars, plus big country breakfasts. On hot days, I downed two or three bottles of Gatorade in addition to water.
In lieu of coconut water, Gatorade works wonders! I had a feeling you’d have one of them or the other! Your hat I know came in handy on the hot days, but oh! I bet you were hungry too! I was happy to see you packed wisely! Even though I know in one of your videos you mentioned you would run out!
Aside from videoing your Reader Questions, did you take photographs along the way? Or, did you opt instead to write in a journal the reflections of your days?
Wakins responds: I kept a photo blog at tumblr.com/blog/andrawatkins. I liked the way Tumblr displayed my photos, and that’s why I chose that platform.
What was your most perfect day on the trail and what if any birds or wildlife did you appreciate seeing?
My most unique wildlife sighting was of a bobcat. I appreciated that it didn’t come after me.
Converse via: #ToLiveForeverTour | #ToLiveForeverBook
#MeriwetherLewis | #NatchezTraceWalk444miles
A Special Extra:
In one of the vlogs Ms. Wakins
shared a story about a certain bird which I smiled at hearing about!
I want to express my gratitude to Ms. Wakins who has inspired all of us by her courage to walk the Natchez Trace, but moreso, to find her path inside publishing that allowed us to become endeared to her vision of “To Live Forever”! She took the route most might flinch aside, and I applaud her for having the gumpshun in this age to do what was right for ‘her story!’ rather than what worked for the publishers. She gave us a hearty breadth of a story to absorb, and I am thankful that as this Interview posts she will be exiting the Trace as 3rd April, 2014 is her scheduled day to complete her 444 mile walk in memory of Meriwether Lewis and in reflection of her choice to listen to his voice whilst writing down the bones of his story!
May each of us remember Andra Wakins the day we arrive at the cross-roads of following our hearts and listening to what other people attempt to convince us of otherwise. We each have to dig deep and always follow our heart’s lead and do what is singularly right for ourselves. Nothing else matters if we’ve compromised our souls on the route to our dreams. Do what is right for you and own your story. Your audience will find you. Trust in that.
Previously I reviewed
To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis by Andra Wakins
Virtual Road Map for “To Live Forever Tour”
Be sure to scope out upcoming tours I will be hosting with:
on my Bookish Events page!
{NOTE: Similar to blog tours, when I feature a showcase for an author via a Guest Post, Q&A, Interview, etc., I do not receive compensation for featuring supplemental content on my blog.}
{SOURCES: Cover art of “To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis”, author photograph of Andra Wakins, author biography, and the tour host badge were all provided by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours and used with permission. Post dividers provided by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com. Blog Tour badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs.}
Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2014.
Comments via Twitter:
A fabulous interview with @andrawatkins on @JLovesAStory! #ToLiveForeverBook #HisFic #Paranormal #MustRead http://t.co/mYmtXHa4xU
— Rowe Copeland (@RoweCopeland) April 3, 2014