Today it is my pleasure to introduce to you a new author, Doris Durbin. Doris and I live in the same town and go to the same church. A native of Florida, Doris and her husband, Ed, moved to my hometown in the 1980s. In the past two years, Doris has released two historical Christian fiction novels: The Captain Takes a Wife and The Captain Seeks the Lost. Both are excellent reads, and I’m thrilled to be interviewing Doris today.
Doris is a retired librarian who has a wonderful gift of writing. Her stories are believable and engaging. Her characters are true to life and relatable. Although I am typically not a huge reader of historical fiction, Doris’ books kept me interested and intrigued. It was a huge plus that she set her stories right here in the north Georgia mountains, using towns and areas that were as familiar to me as my own home. Each of her books points the reader to Jesus as the source of comfort, sustenance, and salvation. Doris is also an extremely talented painter.
I’m excited to introduce Doris to you. Once she has shared her heart and passion with you, be sure to hang out until the end of the interview where I am hosting a giveaway of signed copies of both of Doris’ books.
LEAH: I may have readers who have not had the pleasure of ‘meeting’ you online. What would you like for my readers to know about you? Please introduce yourself to them.
DORIS: I was born in Plant City, Florida and moved to Blairsville with my husband Ed and our three children in 1983. I went to work as a school librarian in 1985, working first at Woody Gap, then Union County Middle School, and finally Union County High School, where I retired in 2011. Ed enjoyed a career as a high school social studies teacherfor thirty-eight years, retiring in 2010.
I’ve been interested in writing and art for many years. While I was a librarian I sponsored a high school writer’s club, which produced a literary magazine that showcased student writing and artwork, and I also found time to paint watercolors, but I didn’t start writing novels until I retired.
Before I retired, I helped to edit and illustrate the local history book How Firm A Foundation; a History of the First Baptist Church of Blairsville, which was published in 2009, and that was one of the things that got me thinking about the ideas that led to “The Captain Chronicles.” I was very interested in the stories of the historic pastors of our church and thought it should be possible to write a fiction series with a circuit-riding preacher as the protagonist.
LEAH: What occupies your free time? Hobbies, interests?
DORIS: I’m never at a loss for something to do. I think that a verse I learned as a child has had a strong impact on me: “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might.”
I’ve had a variety of hobbies throughout my life. In the past, I sewed, quilted, and made pottery. Those hobbies have mostly gone by the wayside. Now, in addition to reading, writing, and painting, I knit and spin—with a spinning wheel, not a bicycle!
I became actively involved in watercolor painting after taking a class from Beryl Stokely in 1993. For four yearsI exhibited paintings at the Mountain Arts Association’s annual Festival of Arts at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, and I participated in other local shows. My artwork includes landscape, still life, and the occasional portrait, but I especially enjoy painting scenes of the local mountain area. I feel that there is so much beauty here in my own back yard that I’ll never run out of something to paint. Several paintings are currently on display at the Olive Tree Art Centre in Blairsville, and some others can be seen on my web site.
Since retiring, I’ve had the good fortune to take some classes at the John C. Campbell Folk School, studying the fiber arts of spinning and knitting as well as painting. I wanted to learn how to spin in order to understand the 19th century characters I was imagining, butdiscovered that I enjoy spinning for the fun of it.
LEAH: What are some items on your bucket list?
DORIS: Right now, I want to write some more books about the characters I’ve created in “The Captain Chronicles.” I’ve become very attached to them, and I want to see what happens next and give a more complete picture of events that happened before the current stories. Naturally, I want these to be wonderful, well-written books that will become wildly successful. And that means I need to conduct research, interview people to get the local history right,and do all those things that authors need to do to get their work done and out there. As a knitting instructor informed me recently, “You haven’t really retired, you’ve just changed professions.”
Back to the “bucket list.” In addition to writing novels, I’ve always wanted to write and illustrate a children’s picture book. One day maybe I’ll get around to that. A picture book about a spinner would combine many of my interests: watercolors, writing, and spinning—and I could read it to my grandchildren! Wouldn’t that be fun?
I’d like to live long enough to write all the books I’ve imagined, finish all the knitting projects I’ve started, spin all the fiber I’ve collected, and use up all the yarn I’ve bought.That sounds like a great fairy tale, doesn’t it? I’ll just tell the grim reaper that I can’t go until the yarn runs out! All those sales at our local yarn store will have added years to my life expectancy.
I also want to spend as much time as possible with my husband and our family. They are the most important priorities on my list.
LEAH: How did you develop an interest in writing and when did you begin writing seriously?
DORIS: I’ve always loved books, from my earliest memories of The Three Little Kittens Who Lost Their Mittens. I’ve always loved the smell and feel of books and have been fascinated by their illustrations. I think it is a natural step when you love something to want to get further into the process. It’s not enough toread the books; you want to make them yourself. When our children were young, before I went to work fulltime as a school librarian, I tried my hand at writing picture books and one or two YA novels. I didn’t have an agent, but in those days it was still okay to send unsolicited manuscripts to publishers. Writing was fun, but trying to find a publisher was very discouraging and time-consuming, and I got a lot of rejection slips! Just before I went to work fulltime I got a nice personal note from an editor. She couldn’t use the book I had sent, but she liked my style, and she wanted to see other books. That should have been an opening for me, but the timing was wrong. I didn’t have any other books to send. Just then a job opened up, and I walked through the door that opened, and I put my dream of writing on hold. I didn’t entirely forget it, though, and through the years that followed, I had opportunities to study writing, think about ideas for stories, attend writer’s conferences, and help a few students who were interested in writing. Finally, when I retired, I had time to try again.
LEAH: Every book has a backstory. What is the backstory behind your book? What was the impetus for you to write this book?
DORIS: Several things had an impact on my imagination. First is the mountain setting, both the landscape and the culture. Many of the people in the Georgia mountain area where we live have a strong connection with their history. When Ed and I first moved here, we got to know a wonderful storyteller named C.R. Collins. He had grown up in the Choestoe area, and he told us stories that had been handed down for generations. Those stories gave us a sense of connection to the mountain community and to the people of days gone by. Reading our church history gave me some ideas, too. I found the stories of the preachers particularly interesting. In addition, I’m a reader of mysteries. One series I have enjoyed in the past is the Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters. In that series, the protagonist is a monk in a monastery in 12th century England. I wondered, If a monk in 12th century England can be the protagonist of a mystery series, why not a 19th century circuit riding preacher in North Georgia? Ideas followed! And I’m very fortunate to have my history-teacher husband on hand to help me get the history right and to brainstorm with me about what could happen.
LEAH: Share with us a bit about your books.
DORIS: I started writing my novels after I retired in 2011. The first was The Captain Takes a Wife, published in 2013, and the second is The Captain Seeks the Lost, which was published in 2015. This series of action/adventure/inspirational/mystery/historical novels takes place in the 1870’s in northern Georgia and features a veteran of the Civil War who becomes a circuit-riding preacher in the Appalachian Mountain community of Choestoe. A third book is in the planning stages, and I have ideas for more stories in the series, both prequels and sequels to the current books.
LEAH: Why should someone read your books? What do they offer them personally?
DORIS: I hope that people will read my books because they’re good stories. I know I’ve done my job when someone tells me, “I couldn’t put it down!” The characters have come alive for me, and I hope they will do the same for readers. I care about my characters and want them to succeed in spite of hardships, obstacles and past mistakes.Besides a rollicking good story, I hope that my books offer a believable look at the way people lived in the 1870’s in the mountains, and perhaps some modern inspiration, too—some idea that it’s possible to make good choices and be good people—even now, in a very different age.
LEAH: How can my readers find you? Blog? Social media?
DORIS: My website and blog are here: www.dorisdurbin.com
You can email me through my website, and please let me know if you want to be added to my mailing list. I can also be found on Facebook.
I’m still learning my way around on social media, and I plan to make improvements to my website and Facebook pages as time goes by.
LEAH: Where can my readers buy your books?
DORIS: Any independent bookstore can order my books. (I would love it if demand for my books caused them to stock them!) They are also available from www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, and other online retailers, as well as from the publisher: www.westbowpress.com.
In the North Georgia area, books are available at these places:
In Blairsville, at the Historic Courthouse on the square, The Flower Garden, Ingles, the Book Cellar, The Olive Tree Art Centre, and Shirley and Ronnie’s Hair Design.
In Gainesville, at the NE Georgia History Center and at Frames You Nique, on the square.
In Hayesville, NC., at Chinquapins, on the square.
In Murphy, NC, at Living Waters Christian Book Store
In Franklin, NC, at Daltons Christian Bookstore
In Blue Ridge, at The Arts Center.
LEAH: What final thoughts would you like to share with my readers?
DORIS: I hope you enjoy my books and that they are a blessing to you. If you like them, I hope you’ll help me get the word out that they are available. Tell your friends, read them in your book clubs, request that your local libraries and bookstores stock them, write reviews for me on Amazon.com and other sites. It’s still true for me that writing is easier than marketing, and I can use all the help I can get!
Doris, thank you for taking the time to visit with my readers today.
Now, for the GIVEAWAY!
GIVEAWAY
Today I am hosting a giveaway of signed copies of both of Doris’ books to a single winner. The giveaway will be open for 2 days, and I will choose a winner on Wednesday, October 28th.
