Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with Delaney Parker

What inspired you to write “Grace”?

Parker: Looking back before and during writing GRACE, I see there were a few reasons. First, when I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, I clocked a lot of time reading. I cleared over a thousand pages a week. Yet in none of the books I devoured could I find a disabled protagonist in a story not all about their disability. I had to change that. I did with Margaret Hall. Yes, her disability is written about but that is not the meat of her story. She is more. Her life is more. That is what GRACE is about.

In the book GRACE, Margaret’s mother Catherine was written for my own mother to celebrate and make her immortal and the most positive way to get my mom’s unsolicited attention. Being one of six kids, a girl has to get creative.

And I was desperate. That is the third biggest reason. I was desperate, scared for my future because emotionally, cognitively, physically Multiple Sclerosis is a vampire. It sucked the life out of me, my relationships, my hope; my ability to maintain a steady anything.

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

Parker:  For the most part I used the middle names of people in my family. Or, in some cases when a character needs a certain kind of name to convey the personality. For instance, one of the characters is named Eric. Now for me, Eric is a pardon me, a prickish name. The character was a total cactus. Also, I will use lists of names that were popular during the time, find one that fits the person I have created and away we go.

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

Parker: I write with my eyes closed sometimes to only see the scene in my head. To be able to focus on what I see in my mind’s eye.
The best advice I ever got was from Stephen King. In his book “On Writing,” he said, “Write how you talk.” I often go back to that simple sentence when I am thinking too much or making word salad. I used it while answering these questions.

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

Parker: For this, I go back to Stephen King. Write as you talk. Also, allow yourself to watch the scene in which you are working in your mind. Write what you see without worrying about grammar or smoothness. Get the bones out of the scene then, you can go back to shape and polish.

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

Parker: My favorite author is Stephen King. His pages are a home to me. I started reading him at the age of thirteen. As nail biting as his work can be, reading him I felt less lonely. Comfort in a fellow outlier.

My favorite book is A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. It is the story of a magical underdog. Owen Meany who has been treated and thought of as not much. just a granite mouse, knows he is built for something more. He grows up not losing sight of it. When the moment presents itself, Owen comes through better than a caped superhero in my opinion.

What are you working on next?

Parker: I am just starting to see movement in book three of the series. I am having a bit of a time with the bones because this third book is a goodbye to a favorite character. It will probably break my heart, and I hope to heal it as well.

Interested in submitting your book for review? Visit my review page for guidelines and submission requirements.

review