A Blue Million Books

July 19, 2019
Interviewer:  Amy Metz
A Blue Million Books

June 25, 2019
Interviewer:  Ellwyn a]Autumn
Lemon Drop Literary

Interview with Christina Francine

Tell us a little about your background

Christina Francine is an enthusiastic author and educator for all ages. Picture book, Special Memory (2021), and leveled reader series, Mr. Inker (2020), reflects her positive thinking and belief that individual learning style can solve world problems. Journal of Literary Innovation published her analysis on students’ writing across the nation Spring 2016. Forthcoming is a fantasy novel about a special forces dreamkeeper and her investigation on whether true love really exists.

Christina holds a B.A cum laude in Children’s Literature and in Education from University at Castleton, Vermont, and a M.A in English Studies with a concentration in writing from SUNY Fredonia, New York. She continues to share her love of writing by teaching college students and with elementary students part-time. She is a member of BNCWI – Buffalo, Niagara Children’s Writers and Illustrators, and of Elk Grove Writer’s Guild. Learn more about Christina by visiting https://ChristinaFrancine.org

I’ve always had a big imagination and I thought most people did as well. And I still think people do, they may choose not to pursue it though.

Well in fifth grade my teacher asked the class to write a story. I created one about a talking pen and had a blast. That is when I wanted to be a writer. To me, creating a story is like playing.

Do you have any unique or quirky writing habits?

My imagination works best when first getting the story down on paper the old-fashioned way instead of with a key-board and a computer. My writing is really messy when I’m creating and then with the first few edits. O have scribbles here and there, arrows to areas so I know where certain things fit better.

Who is your favorite hero of fiction?

Chealsea Quinn Yarbro’s writing fascinates and impresses me. It’s easy to see through her style, plots, and characters how intelligent she is. https://chelseaquinnyarbro.net/

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Give us an interesting fun fact about your book.

When I was a girl, some of my best friends and teachers were horses. The Pegasus, Hrimfaxi in Dream-Guardian, is based on a compilation of those horses.

How long does it take you to write a book?

It depends on the book. I written a few genres and for a few different ages. Special Memory, Mr. Inker Finds a Home, and Mr. Inker Goes to School took me a few days each. They’re picture books that I had circulating in my head for years though. The Mr. Inker books came from the story I wrote in fifth grade.

My debut novel, Dream-Guardian, circulated in my mind and I compiled authors for years. When I finally became serious it took about one and a half to two years. This involved getting the story down, editing it a number of times, sending it off to beta readers, and then getting a professional edit.

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What do you think about the role of readers?

Reading fiction should be entertaining and fun. The role of readers is to be entertained and to enjoy the ride a story offers.

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Have you experienced writer’s block? How did you get through it?

When I experience writer’s block its usually because I’m not clear on where I want a story or work of non-fiction to go. It’s like the worker in me is ready but the artist in me is not. The artist is the fun and imaginative side of me. So, I have to stop the worker side and let out the artist, the child, the fun side. When I allow for the fun side, writer’s block often clears up.

What do you plan to write next?

I’ve considered writing a part two to Dream-Guardian so maybe that. There is another story I’ve been working on thought that I began a few years ago. That is fantasy like Dream-Guardian is. I may work on that next and then go back to writing Book # 2 of Dream-Guardian.

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What is your most treasured possession?

Common sense, and/or intuition. This sense guides my decisions and gives clarity.

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What is your favorite journey?

Motherhood, although it was the hardest, scariest, and worrisome, I wouldn’t have changed it or given it up for anything else.

What do you do as a hobby?

Besides writing, I enjoy getting my hands in the dirt. I enjoy herbal, flower, and vegetable gardening. Oh, I also like tending to house plants.

Give us an interesting fun fact about your book.

Although a work of fiction, many of the information about Buffalo, NY, its weather, and the Outer Harbor are based on truth.

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Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Finding long periods of time to write. I teach academic and technical communications writing at the college level and they keep me very busy. I enjoy teaching them and working with young people, but long periods for my own writing is difficult to find.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

As I mentioned, I like gardening. Besides that, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, walking in nature (nature fixes my heart and head), and reading other’s novels.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

We tend to believe we are born knowing how to write, that it comes naturally. Writing good fiction is a skill just like being able to make baskets in basketball, or practicing in order to roller-skate. We have to earn how to write and to practice. We then need feedback form other writers. So, if we don’t write well when we first begin trying, or shortly after, we get frustrated and top; we give up. It’s not tht you don’t have talent or can’t do it. It’s that writing well takes time to do well just as other skills do. Stop being mean to yourself and do what you need to do to learn. Begin allowing yourself to have fun writing and not be perfect. Writing is hard but should be fun or why do it? Get in touch with the child in you and remember pretending. Do you remember using your imagination and fun? This is my advice to aspiring writers.

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