Those three words had us rolling on the buttered covered floor of the movie theater. The Help, the recently released #1 box-office movie, originally a book written by Kathryn Stockett, centers around the plight of two African-American women and an aspiring young writer in Mississippi. This book appeals to those interested in the gritty reality of African-Americans in the south, prior to the Civil Rights movement. The book establishes an emotional connection to the characters and evokes disdain towards the antagonists. Conversely, the movie does not provide the viewer the emotional backdrop of the characters in the story. This story is about the ability to create change in the context of challenging racial boundaries. We recommend reading the book before seeing the movie.
NBHE: What prompted you to tell the story in Color Struck?
PT: I was working on a picture book story about my father. I called my grandmother to interview her about a certain part. Somehow she began retelling me some of the struggles she faced within the family and accounts of her life as the despised, dark-skinned daughter-in-law. I took notes and remained quiet, asking questions only to fill certain gaps. My notes piqued my husband’s interest and one of his first responses was: “Let’s write about Grandma.” In doing so, we ended up with Color Struck. We were touched by my grandmother’s faith and forgiveness, and how she held her integrity, despite her oppositions. We were inspired by her story and hoped others would be enlightened and inspired by it as well.
NBHE: What was the hardest part to write?
PT/JT: We think the hardest part to write was the contemporary part. The notes gave us a start for a lot of the scenes we created for the “past” parts of the novel. We knew each chapter had to support each other, so trying to create contemporary scenes that would pick up from the past scenes and still move the story forward, was challenging. Our goal was to keep the warm, family-time tone of the book by seamlessly weaving the two stories into one.
NBHE: What tips would you offer to others who would like to publish family stories?
PT/JT: Decide what theme/message you want to convey to your readers. Are you writing to enlighten, entertain, inspire, etc. Then concentrate on the events that would work with your theme. A lifetime of stories can’t be told in a single book, however, if you want to write a picture book, focus on one aspect and build around that. If you want to write a longer work, organize your events and write each chapter as if it was a story within itself, making sure each chapter builds toward your theme. Once you have your story/idea..just write! If you don’t’ think you’re a good writer, then record your story on tape (there are people who can put it on paper for you). We would suggest joining a writer’s group, such as the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), or a local writing group. This will help you polish your writing, along with learning the rules of manuscript formatting and submitting to publishers. There are several reference materials on writing found in your local library and online. Surround yourselves with positive influences and learn to sift criticism: take what will help you become a better writer and let the rest go.
NBHE: Tell us about your family. (Who are you/ how long have you been homeschooling/etc)
PT/JT: We are a Christian homeschooling family of 12, and live in Boyertown, PA. Our family consists of dad, mom, 6 boys and 4 girls, including a set of twins. Our oldest child is thirteen and our youngest is nine months. We’ve been homeschooling ever since our first child was born: reading, instructing, loving and nurturing. Our children have never attended public school; however we did Cyber Schooling for about three years. It was wonderful, but because of the growing family and needing more flexibility, we reverted back to traditional homeschooling.
NBHE: How long have you been writing?
PT: I would say my writing career started in elementary school, after winning my first poetry contest. I grew up as an only child in Greenville, NC, surrounded by a healthy array of cousins. I loved books even before I learned to read them. As a family member read to me, I would hold the words in my mind, and afterward “read” the book back to them. As I became older, I continued writing poetry, but ventured into short stories and plays. I used my writing as personal gifts or comfort for others or myself.
JT: I am a native of Philadelphia, PA, and unlike Pam, I grew up the youngest of seven. I did writing assignments in school, but didn’t consider becoming a writer. After seeing my wife’s love for writing, I encouraged her to do more with it. Once she became more serious about her writing, and learned more about the world of writing for children, I developed an interest as well.
NBHE: As homeschooling parents, how did you manage your time to write?
PT/JT: When we decided to write the novel Color Struck, we used the project as our “quiet time”. After dinner, we allowed the children to have free time. They entertained themselves for a few hours by reading, playing, listening to music, etc. while we wrote. Since the story is told as a frame story (a story within a story), switching from the contemporary to the past, one of us would work on the contemporary part, while the other worked on the past. We’d bring our ideas together and edit each other’s work. While we didn’t have a lot of time during the day to write, we covered at least two chapters at a time with this process. We continued off and on with this pattern until the novel was complete.
