Author Interview with Sherri Fulmer Moorer

Author of Blurry
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Why did you start fiction writing and what genre(s) do you like to write? 
I’ve always enjoyed writing, and fiction is a great, entertaining outlet. It gives you flexibility and freedom to create characters and plots that drive themes that go from entertainment to real-life application. I love reading, and understand that a good novel that speaks to your soul is powerful. The genres’ I write in now are science fiction and mystery/suspense. Blurry, my Wings novel, is a young adult murder mystery reminiscent of the teen mysteries of the early to mid-90’s.

Why this/these genre(s)? What attracts you to them? 
Mystery/suspense delves into the mystique of the human soul, and science fiction looks forward to future issues that you see with potential to develop into larger concerns. Both engage the imagination to spin out the countless “what if” scenarios that life offers us all the time. Sure, things work out in mundane ways in the end, but you never know what seemingly ordinary thing will take a turn for the extraordinary, either now or in the future. Mystery/suspense and science fiction allow you to explore how small things can turn into big, life changing events that alter the character and the world forever.

Generally speaking, what is the driving force behind your characters? 
It depends on which novel we’re discussing. In Blurry, the driving force for Rachel, the protagonist, is preparing for the future. She’s a high school senior set up for a full ride to college, and doesn’t want anything to stand in her way. Her problem is that she’s so focused on the future that she isn’t fully aware of the present. I remember suffering from the “ignoring the present for the sake of the future” phenomenon myself in high school, and it came back to me when my husband and I were building our home in 2007. I found myself falling into the “it will all be ok once this house is done and we’re moved in!” I saw those same thinking patterns unfold, and even had flashback dreams of high school during that time! It was a lesson for me to enjoy the present while I prepare for the future. Yes, planning is important, but living happens through each present moment. Both the lesson and the flashback dreams were the spark that turned into Blurry.

Have any of your characters changed in dramatic way from what you imagined at the start during the writing process? 
They always do. I killed off one character in Blurry that I didn’t intend to, and it was a struggle for me. I had a three-day mental battle over how to save this character, but I realized there was no way for the plot to move forward unless the villain caught them. Ironically, that death changed things for the entire novel, as it affected events and relationships in ways I didn’t anticipate. For example, Rachel grew closer to two characters that I intended as secondary figures, and further away from another one I thought would remain a great friend through the novel. That death also forced her to come to terms with things faster than I projected in my initial outlines. It did propel the story forward in a wonderful way. It’s just a shame that character died.

What do you find the most difficult in finishing a story and approximately how long does it take for you to write a story? 
The most difficult part of the story is always the middle. I’ve published 12 full-length novels, and that “middle sag” is a constant problem. I know how to start the story and how I want it to end, but those unexpected character and plot developments that tend to pop up as I write always wreck the outline and cause me to have to replan the entire middle of the novel! In one way it’s frustrating, because the plan never works as I expect. In another way, it’s exciting to see the characters take control and steer the plot in ways that are usually better than I planned. I learned that you can’t get too attached with those early outlines, because better ideas usually develop along the way.

Are there other types of writing you do such as non-fiction, or short fiction?
I started as an inspirational writer, but moved away from that because it didn’t sell and opportunities are limited if you aren’t a pastor or a mental health professional. Right now, the only non-fiction writing I do is for The Roost, which is a blog for bird owners/lovers about my life with my two parrots. I also enjoy writing long stories, novellas, and short stories. Ironically, writing these shorter works is more difficult for me, because I gravitate toward more complex plots! I keep working at them because they’re fun, and I feel it’s important to develop my skills in writing shorter works. I’ve published eight short ebooks, and two short story ebooks.

Has your writing affected you in any way and what would you recommend to someone wanting to start writing fiction? 
Writing has affected me in every way, because it determines how I perceive the world. Being a writer tends to open your eyes wider so you see more of a “big picture” than the “here and now” that most people see in rushing through their day. The imagination can spin things into more complex webs than most others see. It’s also therapeutic, because writers tend to take their personal issues to their characters and plots, and let them work out alternate meanings through parallel realities. For example, I wrote the five novels in my recently published Earthside Box Set during a prolonged, difficult life season while I struggled with a lot of change and difficult circumstances. Writing the books in that set helped me work through many personal issues. It also brought me to peace with many discoveries that I might not have made yet if I hadn’t been forced to explore them through the different perspective of my characters and the situations they faced.

My recommendation to anybody who wants to write fiction is to realize that you aren’t just writing a novel; you’re re-writing your perspective on life. You will see things differently. You will experience things differently than the people around you. Sometimes this will be a gift, and other times it will be a frustration because you’ll feel isolated and alone. But you really aren’t, because people and real life are your inspiration. Your relationships and the circumstances of day to day life will feed your muse and come back out in your writing in creative and wonderful worlds that most people can’t imagine unless you write and publish it. So go for it. Be patient. Be kind to others. Love people, love life, and appreciate your experiences (good and bad). Most of all realize that writing, just like life, is special because it’s made of the good, the bad, the strange, the miracles, the victories, the defeats, the mysterious, and the unknown – and that’s what makes them so special.