INTERVIEW WITH DEBRA
SHIVELEY WELCH
author of "A Very Special Child," and Scribe for
Christopher Shiveley Welch's book, "Christopher
Bullfrog Catcher."
Thank you Debra for doing this interview with me.
I just completed your work, "A Very Special
Child," and I have to say it truly touched my
heart, please let's begin.
SPJ: I know this work was written about and for
your son Christopher and it is a work from the
heart. Please tell us a little about him and his
reaction to your book.
Debra: Chris was born with cleft lip and palate
and so his placement was difficult; that is until
they called us. We couldn't wait for them to bring
that sweet baby home. He was seven days old when
they placed him in my arms and as beautiful and
precious as any mother could hope for.
Chris has been a constant joy to us. He is warm
and loving, kind, considerate, whimsical and full
of fun. He is also a beautiful child inside and
out. Chris' passion is animals. There is a strong
desire within him to protect them. I wouldn't be
the least bit surprised if he chooses animal care
of some kind for his career. Chris is thrilled
about the book and thinks it's "really cool” that
Mama has a book out about him.
SPJ: I would love to meet him one day; he
certainly is a special child. Please tell us,
what, if any reaction did you receive after your
decision to write your book from friends and
family.
Debra: It was a mix. Most of my family and friends
were thrilled and very proud of me. Others, well,
if you're not a reader, I guess another book
coming out is not a big deal.
SPJ: How long did it take you to complete your
book?
Debra: The main story took about 20 minutes. I
think it had been "growing” inside of me for a
couple of years and so it just flew from my pen.
The poems and essays are a collection over the
years which include my mother's, who passed away
in 1987, and various works I have completed from
about age eleven to present.
SPJ: I have to say it is an excellent heartfelt
story for only taking 20 minutes and I agree it
certainly was your heart-felt words for a special
child. Please tell us, what was the most difficult
part in writing your work; I certainly feel it had
to be quite emotional.
Debra: I would say the emotional involvement was
the most "difficult” part. The main story came to
me almost complete, but I have to admit that I
cried some while writing it, mostly from the pure
joy of being able to do so. Being a mother is the
most important part of my life.
"My Blessings” was an emotional write as were a
few of the other essays. "The Perfect Dish” used
up a few Kleenexes simply because I was so proud
of what Chris had done to inspire it. The entire
book was a work of love to be sure.
SPJ: I am sure you did cry, thank you for sharing.
Now please tell us what was the most enjoyable.
Debra: The most enjoyable was seeing my son's face
when I read it to him. He literally glowed!
Chris knows that he is, indeed, a Very Special
Child, and being able to reinforce that in print
is a blessing. It thrills me to know that he can
hold in his hands physical evidence of how special
he is; evidence that he can pass on to his own
children. I can say that the greatest source of my
joy is the knowledge that my son will walk this
earth until his last breath knowing that, not only
did his mother love him completely, but her love
of him and joy in him was so great that it had to
spill over onto the pages of a book to be shared
with others.
It just doesn't get any better than that.
SPJ: It sure doesn't Debra, the glow on your son's
face was all the reward you needed. Please tell
us, if you were starting over, what do you think
you would do different? Anything or would you
leave the story exactly as is?
Debra: I think I would probably leave it the way
it is. It's simple and sweet and uncomplicated.
SPJ: That it is! Did you find it difficult to
obtain a publisher?
Debra: Amazingly, no. Not because the story was so
amazing but I got a good lead and my publisher and
I hit it off from the very beginning.
SPJ: Debra, that was definitely a blessing and a
big plus. What advice would you give to authors
who are looking for a publisher?
Debra: Just don't stop trying. No matter who tells
you it can't be done, don't listen to them. If you
really want to be a writer and that is all you can
think about, then write, put your work out there
and look and look until you find someone who has
as much faith in yourself as you do.
Also, join writing groups and practice. Writing is
like anything else – if you don't practice, you'll
get rusty. Join the groups, do the exercises and
keep your work out there for people to see. Be
open to criticism. Good, honest criticism is the
most precious gift a friend or family member can
give you. Listen to it, evaluate it and then make
your decision as to whether it is to be taken or
not.
Conversely, family and friends can also be prone
to undeserved praise simply because they love you.
Be sure to show your writings to people who you
know will be honest. If you hone your craft, and
never give up, you'll make it.
SPJ: Out of the accomplishments in your life where
would you rate being a published author and why?
Debra: On my tombstone it will say "Mother, Wife,
Author.” Becoming a mother fulfilled a dream and a
vow I made at age 14. I couldn't wait to hold my
baby and will never get over the joy I felt when
he was placed in my arms. Becoming a wife
fulfilled yet another dream and the life I lead
now is truly amazing considering that I came from
a childhood of poverty and neglect. Becoming an
author fulfilled a dream that I have had since age
nine. I still can't believe that I'm published
and, like holding my son for the first time, the
feeling of holding my own published book in my
hands for the first time is a thrill that will
never diminish or die.
So, although I rate becoming a published author
third, still, it has fulfilled a life-long desire
just as the other two have. Why? I'm not sure. We
may as well ask why I feel the need to be. It is
who I am.
SPJ: Do you have an agent? A publicist? How
important do you feel this is to an author?
Debra: No, I don't. I've been so busy writing I
haven't taken the time to look. I think it's very
important to have a publicist at this time and I
wish I had one.
SPJ: Now, would you please share with us how much
promoting you do? What works best for you? Any
tips for other authors?
Debra: I put together a press release and
submitted it through PRWeb. This in and of itself
did a lot to promote the book as some online book
stores picked it up. I also sent press releases to
every major newspaper in my state. I am getting
ready now to contact all of the local book stores
and local schools to see about doing fundraisers
for my community.
Another good idea is to google sites that are
related to your book. For instance, I contacted
adoption agencies, etc., and sent them the press
release as well. You just have to use your
imagination and try to figure out who would be
looking for your book if they knew it was out
there and where they would look.
SPJ: Good advise, thank you. Do you belong to a
writer's group?
Debra: I belong to Story Time Tapestry, published
through Zinester, a wonderful on-line e-zine, and
to "42 Days of Writing Passionately,” a Yahoo
group which promotes writing exercises and
improving your writing skills.
SPJ: Would you tell us how supportive your family
is in your writing experience and how important do
you think this is to a writer?
Debra: Support was pretty much what you would
expect it to be. I got a lot of support from my
husband and son and some of my friends but that
was about it. People have their own lives to live
and lose interest fairly quickly unless it affects
them personally.
Support from your family is extremely important
but if you don't have it and if this is absolutely
what you want to do, you have to go on in spite of
the nay-sayers. Maintain your focus and keep your
eyes on your dream. You have to believe in
yourself and, no matter what, give it your best
shot.
SPJ: Please tell us about any works you have in
progress and when you think they will be released.
Debra: I have co-authored a novel with my cousin
titled "Jesus Gandhi Oma Mae Adams” which is a
murder mystery. It is in editing now and should be
out by summer. "Christopher Bullfrog Catcher,”
scribed by me and including an introduction by me
but authored by my son, will be out some time this
summer. I am now working on "The Adoption of
Christopher” which will probably be out around
summer of next year and am also writing "Cedar
Woman,” a Native American based romance. I'm not
sure when "Cedar Woman” will be out but hope it
will be late next year.
SPJ: Thank you Debra, and again readers please
find my review of "Christopher Bullfrog Catcher,"
in this column. Now, would you tell us how many
hours a day do you write?
Debra: I write six to eight hours a day; often
more. I'm a "junkie.”
SPJ: Is there a special place that you write, one
that inspires you?
Debra: At my planning desk in my kitchen: my
favorite room!
SPJ: Has having a book published changed your life
in anyway and if so please share that with us.
Debra: Well, it certainly has been exciting! I
have a very real feeling of accomplishment and
know that I have given my son a great gift that
will last him a lifetime. Other than that my life
is pretty much the same. I am working hard to
prepare my son for life on his own. He is the joy
of my life and renews my soul each and every day.
SPJ: Where do you hope your writing career will be
in 3 years and what are you doing to achieve that
goal.
Debra: I hope to be fairly well known and a
successful writer. I would love to do a screen
play and have several ideas. I just keep on
writing! You can't succeed if you don't do the
work!
SPJ: Thank you Debra, now a question a little off
the beaten track, do you read and if so what genre
is your favorite?
Debra: Do I read! Books are mother's milk to me! I
like it all. My absolute favorite authors are
James Michener, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Colleen
McCullough, Father Andrew Greeley, Steven King and
a couple of oldies but goodies, Taylor Caldwell
(my roll-model) and Nora Lofts. I also very much
enjoy books on history – England from 700 to 1603
A.D., Early American history and the Civil War.
And cook books…I read them, I actually read them.
I also love to read the older books, from about
the late 1700s to 1910 or so. They're antiquated
in language and thought but I think that's what I
love about them. A good example, of course, is
Little Women, but I re-read Kings Row, Emma,
Vanity Fair and others every year simply because I
enjoy the language. I also go to used book stores
and buy old novels that no one now has ever heard
of like The College Girl and April Gold, both
written in the late 1800s.
SPJ: Would you tell us a little about yourself,
outside of being a published author?
Debra: I am 53 years of age and have been working
since age eleven. I grew up very poor and am a
veteran of child abuse. I left my home at age 17,
three hours after graduation, and entered the work
force full-time to take care of myself and to take
control of my environment. At age 28 I finally
took my first college course and after four years
of night school graduated with a degree in
Business Management. Okay, so I'm also very
practical. My grandfather was a poet and wrote "My
Get Up and Go” and many other works, under the pen
name of Proxy, that were published in local
newspapers in Southern Ohio. My father also wrote
poetry as did my mother. I began to write at age
nine and have never gotten over the addiction!
When I'm on a roll, I can make you laugh until
your sides split, I'm a sucker for anyone who is
crying and there are times when watching a flock
of geese take off from the lake, or seeing the sun
play in the fountain sprays, I simply cannot
breathe. I am now married 19 years; I love to
cook; I cry when I hear bagpipes or hear a singer
hit a "glory note” and I think God made old
movies, tomatoes and snap dragons just for me!
SPJ: I know you have been the 'scribe' for your
son Christopher's work, Christopher Bullfrog
Catcher, would you care to tell us a little about
that? I believe our readers will be thrilled to
know the achievement that Christopher has
accomplished in completing this work.
Debra: Christopher has several learning
differences: he is ADD and Dysgraphic (trouble
with the skill of writing) and has Working Memory
(short term memory) and Executive Function (making
a plan, following a plan) Deficit. He is, however,
incredibly intelligent and is blossoming into a
very good writer and poet.
Dysgraphia is a neurological disorder which
interferes with the fine motor skills needed in
the physical act of writing. Therefore, when Chris
writes, that is, when he puts pen or pencil to
paper, he will drift off of the line, some letters
will "float”: be too high or too low, and his
penmanship will be too large and very difficult to
read. In addition, because it is so difficult for
him, he cannot write his thoughts with as much
fluidity as he can when speaking.
Allow me to give you an example. As a test, I once
asked Chris to write a sentence describing a fire
engine racing to an emergency. He wrote "The fire
engine goes fast,” which I could barely read. When
I asked him to describe it to me verbally he
replied "The fire engine tears down the street,
the tires screaming, the lights flashing, the
siren wailing 'Here I come! Here I come! Here I
come!'”
When I scribe for Chris, I act as his secretary.
He will dictate to me, just as in a business
setting, and I type what he says. Chris is a very
good reader, way above his grade level, and has an
extensive vocabulary, and I'm very careful not to
change any of his words. I will, obviously, make
sure that spelling and punctuation is correct,
although Chris is also an excellent speller.
Chris is an awesome child and is trudging on in
spite of several learning differences. The
important thing to remember is that he is not
Learning Disabled (I hate that phrase!): he is not
incapable of learning, he merely learns
Differently. He also has excellent social skills
and a charming and witty personality.
I see a bright future for Christopher and I often
say to him, in the words of Quincy Jones to Oprah,
"Your future is so bright, it burns my eyes!”
SPJ: Thank you Debra for sharing that information
with us. Christopher certainly is a special child
and one I believe has a great future ahead of him.
In closing, if there is anything you wish to add
or information you would like to tell our readers,
perhaps a questions I did not ask, please do so
here.
Debra: When my cousin and I had been working on
"Jesus Gandhi Oma Mae Adams” for about three
years, we got an offer from a published author.
"Let's meet for dinner and I'll tell you how to
get published.” Well, we couldn't believe it! Wow!
What a break!
You cannot begin to imagine the disillusionment
when we found that, yes, this author was willing
to share her secrets with us….for a price. On top
of it all we paid for the dinner!
If you are determined to write; if you are
determined to make it, you will. When you do, do
not be stingy. Don't be like the cook who has this
fantastic cake recipe that she will not share with
others: she loves to cook, she loves to eat, she
loves to see others enjoy her cake, but she will
not share the joy of making it with other cooks?
What is missing here?
Once you finally get published, share what you
know. Help others along. Give them a hand up on
the ladder. It's only right. If you love
literature and you love writing, how can you not
share the recipe for success? There's always room
for another book.
SPJ: I want to thank Debra Shiveley Welch for
allowing us to know her better. I believe she is
an author that writes with heart and soul and that
is a very special trait. I wish her the best in
the future with all she puts her hand to.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Saga Books
164 Erin Woods Drive SE, Calgary, AB, T2B 2S1,
Canada
Sagabooks@shaw.ca
CountremanPR@aol.com
Debra - Mitakuye oyasin - We are all related.
Author of "A Very Special Child" - An Adoption
Story
http://www.whodathunk.org
I firmly believe that I have received the same
child I was meant to receive whether I gave birth
or adopted. The same soul, the same entity was
meant to be mine from the beginning of time. Debra
Shiveley Welch "A Very Special Child"
We love our life on the lake where birds and
animals of every description abounds
www.merribuck.com
"Making the decision to have a child is momentous
-- it is to decide forever to have your heart go
walking around outside your body. Elizabeth
Stone."
Shirley Johnson
Senior Reviewer
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