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Author Interview – L. L. H. Harms – The Aftertime, On The Table Read Magazine, “the best entertainment eBook magazine UK“, author L. L. H. Harms shares what inspired the story of her new book, The Aftertime, and her creative writing process.
Written by JJ Barnes
I interviewed L. L. H. Harms about her life and career, the story of her new book, The Aftertime, and what inspired her main characters.
Tell me a bit about who you are.
I have been writing for years and putting my stories, poems, essays, and even books on a shelf when I was finished. I had tried, half-heartedly, a few times, to have some things published but never put any real effort into it. It wasn’t until a conversation with my youngest son that I decided to publish The Aftertime.
I am a creative person. I love painting, making pottery, and even making stained glass projects. Writing, however, has always been very therapeutic for me. Painting, pottery and stained glass are things I do when I want to forget about the world. I just focus on the project in front of me. Writing is my way of dealing with the world.
When did you first WANT to write a book?
That’s a hard question because I have been writing since the 5th grade. There was something on the news the night before that upset me and I was unable to sleep because of it. The next day I began writing about my feelings regarding what had happened. I felt better after writing everything down on paper. This led to short stories and eventually the short stories became books. So, I guess you could say that I have wanted to write a book since I was a child.
When did you take a step to start writing?
As I mentioned earlier, I have written various stories and books and just placed them on a shelf when I was finished. I had been ‘growing’ this story of The Aftertime in my mind for several years. Right before the pandemic, I finally decided to just write it all down.
How long did it take you to complete your first book from the first idea to release?
YEARS! The idea for The Aftertime came after a conversation with my youngest son. He asked me, “What if you had a weapon that had the power to heal if it was never used in anger?” After I finally finished writing the book, my youngest son called me out about not attempting to get it published. I sent it off right around the start of the pandemic. Then, various people at the publisher got COVID and, shortly after submitting it, I was diagnosed with a brain tumor (all gone and good now!) Formulating the idea and putting it on paper took several years of working on it off and on. It has been around three to three and half years between sending the manuscript in and the release date of August 13, 2024.
What made you want to write The Aftertime?
It was the question my son asked all those years ago about a weapon that could heal. In the book, it is a knife that is handed down over generations in one family. The weapon also takes the form of words and bullying in the story. We all carry this knife inside of us, but which hand will we use to hold it? Is the hand that shows restraint and kindness or the hand that seeks to hurt and injure someone. Today we see people spewing vitriol and hate in a hundred forty characters or less in order to trend. I want children to understand that just because you can say something doesn’t mean you have too. Also, how you fight for something is just as important as what you are fighting for. Unfortunately, many adults need to be reminded of this as well.
Another reason I wanted to write this book is the plight of the eastern native tribes. Many in the United States still think that the only indigenous people here live out west. It is because of this many doubt the validity of the eastern tribal nations. Their languages, customs, and religions have been slowly eroding away for over four hundred years and yet they persist. In my research into the Monacan tribe, I was amazed at the resilience of these people. I want children and adults to reach out to the Monacans to learn firsthand about their culture. If they can, visit the Monacan Museum. If not the Monacan people, then my hope is that the reader will reach out to local tribes that may live near them.
What were your biggest challenges with writing The Aftertime?
The book takes place in both the present and in the mid 1700’s in Virginia. In the 1700’s, there are two main characters, one is Monacan, and the other is English. I do not belong to the Monacan tribe, so this was challenging making sure that I represented their struggles and history for the reader in a respectful manner.
Who or what inspired you when creating your Protagonist?
The protagonist was inspired by my own children when they were around twelve years old. They want to grow up but not to lose the safety or excuses of childhood. This is how Zack is in the book. He is the present-day protagonist. It is as if he is walking up a set of stairs. He is frozen mid-step not fully ready to take that needed step into becoming more mature. He is unable to admit to his mistakes. Zack’s lack of responsibility for his actions are what set off the events of The Aftertime.
In the 1700’s the protagonist is Zack’s ancestor, Nathan. He is struggling with growing up in the wilderness of Virginia. He also has to deal with the internal conflict he has regarding his father’s hatred of indigenous tribes. Nathan’s conflict arises after he befriends one of the three remaining Monacan people secretly living in the area. Nathan was inspired by my own childhood experiences of people saying racist things towards minorities. Being a child, I did not have “authority” to speak out against what I heard adults saying. This caused internal conflict for myself before I grew into my voice.
Who or what inspired you when creating your Antagonist?
The antagonist, in the present-day chapters, is a bully with wonderful loving parents. He comes from a “good” family and seems like a great kid on paper, so to speak. However, he is mean and cruel, but his greatest strength is just the ability to live in someone’s head. This is something that I have experienced in my life. The person who I feared or worried most about did most of their damage to me from inside my own head. This is brought out in the story.
The antagonist in the 1700’s is inspired by the deep-seated hate that seemingly good people have about those who do not belong in their own “tribe.” It is this “we’re good and they’re bad” mentality that leads people to irrational words and actions. I have seen this mentality on the rise over the past several years.
What is the inciting incident of The Aftertime?
The inciting incident of The Aftertime would have to be when Zack Mason sees a golden almost glowing deer in the woods. He is unaware at the time that when anyone in his family’s history sees this deer, the use of the knife will be tested. His grandfather, who is aware of the significance of this sighting due to personal experience, begins to panic due to Zack’s young age.
What is the main conflict of The Aftertime?
The main conflict would have to be the characters having to take responsibility for their actions. It starts by Zack saying something about another character that isn’t true. He acts impulsively because he is jealous. Throughout the book he doesn’t want to take responsibility for his actions or for the way he has treated his older brother. Again, it’s that struggle with taking that step forward as a child and moving closer into the adult world.
It’s also about standing up for what is right and knowing that you must fight for it. However, how you fight for something is just as important as what you are fighting for.
Did you plot The Aftertime in advance, or fly by the seat of your pants and write freely?
I had most of the book already laid out in my head. Some of the characters seemed to take on a life of their own when I was writing about them.
Did you get support with editing, and how much editing did The Aftertime need?
Absolutely. Sometimes I get ‘book blind’ as I like to call it. This is because I had replayed the story so many times in my head that I assumed that I had gotten the reader to the emotion or point I was trying to make. I had already worked and reworked a manuscript before sending it to someone else. The editing process gives you the constructive views you need because you have already read your book a hundred times by that point.
What is the first piece of writing advice you would give to anyone inspired to write a story?
I would tell them to ask themselves who are they writing for and what are they trying to say to them. When I write something, I am not writing for an audience but for one person, you. I imagine that we are sitting in the woods, it’s dark and there is only a campfire for light. I am telling you this story because it is answering a question you have, it is offering you comfort, or it is just to entertain you for just a small moment of time in the darkness.
Can you give me a hint about any further books you’re planning to write?
I am currently in the editing and illustration phase of an early reader chapter book. It deals with a child’s first experience with a loss. In this case, a family member that must leave. The child in the story doesn’t understand that love stays even after the loved one leaves. There are magical elements that represent love in the story.
And, finally, are your proud of your accomplishment? Was it worth the effort?
Yes, I am proud of this book, and it most definitely was worth the effort. I hope that parents will also read it and enjoy it with their children. I have had adults that have said they have enjoyed reading The Aftertime. That was a big bonus!
I hope it opens discussions between adults and children about the ‘weapons’ that each of us have internally. It could be our words, our physical stature, or even our sense of humor. Again, I also want readers to walk away from this book knowing that how you fight for something is just as important as what you are fighting for.
Pop all your book, website and social media links here so the readers can find you:
Website: http://llhharms.com/
Social media links:
https://www.instagram.com/llhharms/
https://www.facebook.com/llhharms
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3MyWISf
Kindle: https://amzn.to/4gd46Af
Paperback: https://amzn.to/3TneZpo
Hardcover: https://amzn.to/3XfV1hl
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