I found it interesting and ironic that Angel had worked for many years in mental health but had such trouble connecting with the therapists and mental health people in jail. I imagine I would feel the same way in her situation…I would want people to actually empathize with me rather than seeing me as someone to manage per their training, or would just not be ready for what they had to say. Can you speak to that aspect of her experience a bit? Did the work you did in that field influence your writing?
Andrea Carr AUTHOR REPLY
Well, she didn’t feel the psychologist there could help her get the answers she needed. Therapists guide toward one’s own resolve of issues, that wasn’t going to come from anyone around her then. Angel is a mother first, so her first concern was to take care of her son not herself. Angel connected with the jail staff whom she felt could help her get what she needed. To see him, make arrangements for her son’s visit. Jail is a place to be housed, not get therapy. It isn’t prison with a lengthy stay her sentence was only, 45 days. But, still too long to wait to see her son under the circumstances.
My work influenced my decision to write about it, because of my training I knew it could help process my own emotions. I based my story on my own life experience with my sister’s suicide. Also, it’s not so simple of a task to get through it, in jail. No one knows, including Angel, what are the circumstances are or any real particulars about it. Questions have to be asked and processed. A lot of questions about it were unanswered. Angel didn’t know what she needed yet, from anyone.
I chose to tell the story from the perspective of the character Angel, because I felt most comfortable from there. I felt she was the only person, I could think for in the story. Also, to tell from one point of view as in life. Whoever, one identifies with in the story perhaps, can see themselves through Angel’s eyes and be influenced to purge some emotional baggage or have a clearer understanding of family problems. To use as a tool to identify, relatable misunderstandings of the reader if possible. When is it okay, to hold back the truth from someone you love? With the best intentions it can be devastating.
I don’t think I know, enough about life yet to write from any other perspective. I have to like the character for now to be them in my writing. I need to understand them to convey the essence of who they are.
Thank you, for visiting my blog
On becoming a writer. 
WELL, I HAD TO COPY AND PASTE YOUR QUESTIONS BECAUSE, I HAD TO THINK ABOUT SOME OF THEM. ALSO, I NEEDED MORE TIME TO FOCUS. PLEASE, DON’T BE OFFENDED. NO ONE HAS ASKED, THIS MANY QUESTIONS AT ONCE BEFORE. I’M THRILLED; TO ANSWER THEM FOR YOU. AT FIRST, I THOUGHT YOU WERE ONE OF MY FRIENDS PLAYING A JOKE, TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST; SORRY FOR THE DELAY. LOL
THANK YOU, FOR YOUR INTEREST.
What do you think distinguishes your novel from other family sagas? What unique insights into the human condition do you see coming through Angel and Lady’s story?
I DON’T KNOW WHAT DISTINGUISHES MY NOVEL FROM OTHER FAMILY SAGAS. I FEEL THAT IS UP TO THE READER TO DECIDE. I DON’T LIKE COMPARING MYSELF TO OTHER AUTHOR’S OTHER THAN, GIVING A FLAVOR FOR MY WRITING. MY BOOK IS VERY REALISTIC, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT CAME ACROSS THAT WAY AFTER EDITING. MY BACKGROUND IS MENTAL HEALTH SO, I PURPOSELY ADDED SOME ISSUES TO EXPLORE AFTER, THE PURGE OF MY OWN EMOTIONS.
When and how did you know that you were going to write a sequel? Did the family’s story compel you to keep writing?
MY READERS COMPELLED ME TO WRITE A SEQUEL I NEVER REALLY PLANNED ON MAKING “FAMILY TREE” A BOOK FOR PUBLISHING. I HAD THOUGHT ABOUT IT, SURE. I DIDN’T THINK THE STORY PERHAPS, WOULD HAVE THE INTEREST OF MANY. I FELT IT WAS KIND OF LIKE, SAYING EVERYONE, IS A LITTLE CRAZY OR DYSFUNCTIONAL. AS I LET PEOPLE READ IT, I TRUST …WELL, THERE YOU GO THE IDEA WAS PLANTED. I STARTED WRITING POETRY FIRST AND EVERYONE THOUGHT, THEY SHOULD BE SONGS; LOL. I HAVE NO INTEREST IN THAT, REALLY. SOMEONE ELSE IS WELCOME TO USE THEM. I LOVE MUSIC BUT, DON’T LIKE THE PROCESS OF CREATING IT; TAKES TOO LONG. IN FACT MY BOOK WAS FULL OF POEMS BUT, I REMOVED THEM.
Please feel free to share more about your writing process. How do you do your best work? How do ideas come to you and how do you develop them?
A FEELING SPARKS MY VERSE. OR IF SOMETHING IS BOTHERING ME, I WRITE TO GET IT OFF MY CHEST. VERY RARELY DID I EVER SIT DOWN AND DECIDE TO WRITE. SINCE, I HAVE DISCIPLINED MYSELF, TO DO IT NOW; I’M STILL A BABY WHEN IT COMES TO WRITING. BECAUSE, IT IS NECESSARY NOW. SINCE OTHER PEOPLE WANT TO READ IT, PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT, YOU KNOW. I WANT TO DO WELL WITH IT. I DON’T THINK IT IS SO BAD TO DO ANYMORE; NOT NATURAL TO ME. I LEARNED I CAN CALL ON IT, I DIDN’T THINK I COULD BEFORE THOUGH, I DIDN’T TRY EITHER.
What would you like readers to take away from your book? How do you think the book speaks to happiness and self-love?
I HOPE FORGIVENESS, STICKS OUT MOST BECAUSE, NO ONE KNOWS HOW MUCH THEY HURT SOMEONE ELSE. REALIZING OUR FAMILY MEMBERS ARE PEOPLE LIKE ANYONE ELSE. WE DIDN’T CHOOSE THEM; A PRODUCT FROM A BIOLOGICAL FACT. YET THEY ARE UNIQUE AND SPECIAL WITH THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF “MEANING.” HOW THEY TREAT AND FEEL ABOUT US, MEANS MORE THAN ANYTHING. WHETHER REALIZED OR NOT, WANTED OR NOT, IT INFLUENCES THE SHAPE OF WHO WE BECOME; THE SAME OR OPPOSITE.
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