Thursday, October 19, 2017

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Hope Dougherty

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Hope Dougherty

Linda:  Thanks for joining me today. You recently published your third book, Rescued Hearts, which sounds very intriguing! Where did you get your inspiration for the story?

Hope: Thank you, Linda. I live out in the country and ride my bike on two-lane roads. One afternoon, I took a detour off my regular route onto a dirt path. The lane meanders by the location of where a farm house once stood. Trees, bushes, and a couple of shelters have been left behind.

As I passed the lonely-looking spot, a creepy sensation tickled the back of my neck. My imagination kicked into gear. What if a bike rider rode by an abandoned house? What if she saw a kitten entangled in a honeysuckle vine at the porch steps? What if, while she tried to free the kitten, someone grabbed her and dragged her inside?

Those questions continued popping up in my mind. I began seeing the characters, then hearing them speak. Those questions led to the first chapter of Rescued Hearts.

LM: How do you come up with your characters? Are they based on any real people in your life?

Hope: The characters for Rescued Hearts appeared as I began to answer some of the questions to the previous questions. The characters aren’t based on people I know, but they do have some characteristics of family members or friends. For example, two characters enjoy carving objects from wood. My father is a wood carver.

LM: Research is an important part of the writing process. Do you have an interesting research incident to share?

Hope: Because I didn’t know anything about guns or undercover police work, I attended the Writers’ Police Academy. What a great weekend of learning from knowledgeable people including FBI agents, EMT workers, and undercover policemen. I also interviewed my local sheriff and several undercover deputies. They were all helpful, generous, and patient especially since I hadn’t published anything in fiction at the time and didn’t have an agent either.

LM: Fun! I've always wanted to attend one of those weekends. What do you do to prepare yourself for writing? For example do you listen to music or set up in a specific place?

Hope: I like quiet when I write. I’ve tried writing in public places, but I’m too much of a people watcher to be productive in coffee shops. I write from my desk in the corner of our bonus room or on our back porch. I pray for God’s guidance and help, then I’m off to the story world!
LM: You’re from Eastern North Carolina, a beautiful area of the country. If money were no object, what is your idea of the ultimate vacation?

Hope: I’d love to take another home exchange to Ireland or visit Italy for the first time. I also want to do a bicycle tour in Vermont and paddle boat down the Mississippi River. The best vacation I’ve had in a long time, however, happened two summers ago. My husband and I splurged and rented a house for a week right on a North Carolina beach. We and our four adult children read books, played board games, played cards, put a puzzle together, swam in the ocean, and relaxed the whole time. I would choose that vacation again, for sure!

LM: The random facts about you on your website list include lots of intriguing things. What’s left on your bucket list to learn or do?

Hope: Oh, fun question. I’d love to learn to play the banjo. I already play the piano, clarinet, and dulcimer. I love blue grass music, so learning the banjo would be fun.

LM: Good luck with that. What is your next project?

Hope: I’m working on a sweet romance set in Charlotte. No guns in this story!

LM: LOL! Where can folks find you on the web?

Hope: Thanks so much for having me, Linda. I love connecting with people, so I hope your readers will look for me. Here are my social media links:

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