Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with Nina DeGraff

What inspired you to write “Kiss Your Strawberries Goodbye”?

DeGraff: During my childhood, camping trips to Maine were so memorable that even to this day I can recall walking along shaded woodland trails, where my footfalls stirred the scent of balsam and pine trees into the air. Something in me yearned to be near the rocky coast, and I was lucky to marry a guy who was willing to tackle the challenge of buying a small farm in rural Maine that was a world apart from our upbringing in suburban New Jersey. The previous owner of the farm had a small you-pick strawberry business that people in town enjoyed, so it became an inspiration point when I developed the Sonny Littlefield mystery series.

In many ways, Sonny’s journey stems from my own experiences. My mindset as an artist and photographer seemed the perfect fit for Sonny as she navigates a sudden turn in life that she’d never envisioned for herself. She’s geared to see elements that others miss, and once she hones in on a puzzle, an enigmatic person, or a situation that catches her interest, she finds it impossible to turn away until she fully understands what she’s seeing.

In moving to Maine, I faced the same kind of “fish-out-of-water” challenges that Sonny faces. Artistic pursuits like sculpting, painting, and photography have helped instill an instinct-level partnership between my mind and my hands, but that’s not to say I’m coordinated at all times, especially if I’m trying to learn how to use an unfamiliar tool.

Things go wrong. A lot.

This is why the Sonny Littlefield novels are built around a core of funny moments, but thanks to a stubborn determination to “get things done,” I don’t let doubts or past humiliations get in the way for long. As I delved deeper into the first novel, I found that the characters and situations got more and more complex and full of nuance, which made the journey feel more and more real. I wanted to do justice to the subject matter. My most rewarding moments as an author are times when people say, “I laughed and I cried,” or “I feel as if I’m there.”

How did you come up with the names of your main characters?

DeGraff: I love this question, because I spend a lot of time “listening” to my characters, and letting their unique qualities and challenges inform my sense of them. As I’ve traveled, I’ve come to enjoy encountering pockets of the world where people have names that seem to go hand in hand with the location. Maine is one of those places, especially when it comes to rural communities where long-standing customs and names can remain. I never met anyone named “Stable,” but I heard about that name being used in Maine. Once it landed on one of my characters in the series, that was the guy’s name – no question about it.

I wanted Sonny to have a nickname that she prefers using, since it helps to express the difference between how she thinks and feels versus the woman she was “supposed to” become in her mother’s eyes in an upscale Boston suburb. “Alison” has a lovely, melodic cadence, but her childhood experience in hearing her name was not ideal.

Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process or your book?

DeGraff: I’m thrilled if people are transported by my stories. Writing is a way for me to process the world on a unique and very deep level, and I find that the problems my characters face stir my emotions in a way that often surprises me. When a character makes a mistake but learns from it, I learn from the mistake as well. Their pain becomes my pain.

My own fears and worries play a role as I’m writing certain scenes, and once chapters have had time to “breathe,” I find that I need to rewrite some passages in a way that reflects how another character is seeing the same situation. In “Night Shot,” my second novel in the series, the way the plot played out led to a scene where two of my main characters have a major conflict, and readers have come away understanding and sympathizing with both sides of the argument. Sonny is a strong-willed woman whose past can get in her way, so I’m always striving for a sense of balance where she isn’t the only one whose pain comes to the forefront.

I’ve read articles describing the benefits of reading fiction, how it helps readers come away with insights about how to cope with conflict or turmoil without having to go through the same situation in real life. In my main characters, I strive to reflect strength and perseverance, and the message that people need to stay true to themselves.

(Not the murderers and criminals. They need to be taken down hard.)

He had to retire, but his perseverance is a great lesson in life.

Fellow writers: imagine a world where there is a high-tech facility to take us in and tackle writer’s block and all other obstacles that can get in our way. We show up in the lobby, maybe in a bathrobe, wide-eyed and disillusioned, with gripping stories to tell, but without the inner spark that drove us onward a month or two ago. In an instant, we’re scooped up by an array of eager and helpful staff who know how to turn things around.

But no, we’re left to our best guess at how to forge on.

If you have writer’s block, you are not alone. I’ve had to get beyond this kind of debilitating fog multiple times. Inactivity can make it worse, so if I’m really stuck, I take a walk, preferably in a park or some other natural setting. I focus on how the ground feels underfoot and how the wind feels on my face. I’ve come to understand the importance of incorporating sensory details into a scene, so for me, taking a walk can be counted as writing work. Just about every gripping moment in my stories stems from what I’ve experienced myself.

Hobbies, sports, and having a wide range of interests can serve as lifelines during a bout of writer’s block. I’ve loved sewing since childhood, and in recent years, I began designing my own range of fabrics, which I use to create tote bags, scarves, and toys. When I sew, my mind is trained on the business of not getting injured during the process. It’s not uncommon for a story-related issue to pop into my mind – a plot twist or witty comment a character might say. This is a great way to have brief moments of emerging from writer’s block.

A funny take on this sort of trick of the mind is in “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” by Douglas Adams. When one of the characters describes how to fly, he says you need to “throw yourself at the ground, and miss.” Activity always helps me, especially if I engage myself in a task or craft that unites my mind with my hands. Also, I find it useful to read books and articles that describe how other authors tackle the issue. Anne Lamott’s book, “Bird by Bird,” is a wonderful, funny take on her own experiences as a writer that rang true for me.

Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?

DeGraff: My best tip for aspiring authors is to develop his or her own voice, and dig deep when it comes to crafting what they want to say. Writing from inspiration is only one piece of the puzzle. One way or another, authors need to know how to wrestle with the task of honing their own work. It’s tough. It’s painful. I’ve lost count of the number of times when I’ve had to make hard choices and rework scenes until they feel “right.” It’s important to give finished work a bit of breathing room. IF you can find trustworthy, kind, insightful people who are willing to provide feedback, this is an important means of honing your skill as a writer.

You need to sort solid, logic-based criticism from the kind of feedback that boils down to a reader’s personal preference. Sometimes, the right thing to do is to make edits. Other times, you’ll need to stick to your guns, because in these days of having artificial intelligence threatening to supplant us, your individual voice is more important than ever.

Be brave, but be ready to pivot. Dazzle us with your best stuff.

What is your favorite genre, book, and/or author?

DeGraff: I love giving my mind a range of writing styles and kinds of stories to digest, from nonfiction to short stories and novels. When I’m in the midst of writing and/or editing a novel, it’s an all-consuming process. During those times, I watch shows with solid storytelling, captivating settings, and interesting characters. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with watching Swedish, French, Norwegian, and other foreign series that can be streamed. I think it has to do with the job of watching the scenes while digesting subtitles. It engages my mind on a different level, and I like the added dynamic of “traveling” to an unfamiliar place. The only books I read more than once are nonfiction books on nature. I love “hearing” John Muir’s thoughts. Again, it’s a matter of what my mind craves at a given time.

What are you working on next?

DeGraff: Well, I’ve got the third novel in Sonny’s arc pushing me onward, and I’ve come up with a young adult book that’s roughed out to the point where I feel guilty for not attending to it. Hopefully, things will sort themselves out, and I’ll get the job done …

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