Leigh Cunningham - Author Interview: Story

Pick one of your favourites among your published fiction stories or a story which is an interesting example of published fiction. What makes this story one of your favourites or an interesting example from your fiction?

As is common in all my writing, Rain has a focus on family and relationships. I started writing Rain in 2005 and worked on it for six years until publication in April 2011. It was a difficult story to write as there is a lot of death and tragedy and this is based on my own experiences, in particular the death of my two older brothers. Each rewrite during those six years meant reliving times I did not wish to relive.

What genre(s) do you consider this story primarily to be, or how would you describe this story?

Rain is a multi-generational family saga. It follows three generations of the Wallin family whose ancestors immigrated to Australia from Sweden (as did my ancestors) in the early 1900s.

What is a published fiction story by another author you would compare this story to and why are they similar?

There are similarities with the storyline in Rain and The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough) including the Australian setting (outback and regional Australia), several decades following the families of immigrants (the Clearys from Ireland and the Wallins from Sweden) whose lives are filled with tragedy, forbidden love and changing fortunes.

To what extent did you use any pre-existing story formula, template, paradigm, plot design, archetype, or theory or principle of story/plot structure in planning, writing, editing or rewriting this story?

My writing style is the opposite of how I live my life. In life, I plan everything in great detail but when writing, I do not plan at all – the writing happens organically. I will usually have an idea of a beginning, the ending and a protagonist but not much else. Having an ending allows me to manoeuvre the story to get where I want to go, and also helps with focus.

How would you describe the first chapter, scene or section of this story in one paragraph?

In the first chapter, I wanted to give readers a sense of the town of Maine where the story is mainly set (at least for the first parts) because this then explains the attitudes of the characters. The opening sentence, “Maine was a town with immunity from outbreaks of new ways of thinking,” let’s the reader know the characters actions are governed by life in a small town where old-fashioned values reign and certain behaviours (including divorce) are frowned upon (it was the early sixties). Inspiration for Maine comes from my own childhood growing up in regional Australia but also from the movie The Truman Show where Truman Burbank lives in a perfect world albeit one that is artificial. I was also influenced by Utopia (Thomas More, 1516). Utopia is an island with one entrance and exit and only those who belong know how to navigate in and around the island safely. The second and third sentences in the first chapter of Rain are meant to convey this: “Bohemians had never penetrated its outer limits, nor had the beatniks, and the Hippies would go the same way—around the perimeter. The Aquarian age that blew through elsewhere releasing seeds that would sprout rebellion and enlightenment, passed over Maine at a great altitude.”

What makes this chapter, scene or section an effective opening for this story?

Helena Wallin, one of the main protagonists in Rain, is introduced in the first chapter. The intention was to offer an insight into what makes her tick so readers might understand the decisions she makes and her reactions during the story. We get a hint that she is not good-looking or glamorous (she compares herself to a Homy Ped: sensible and comfortable). We learn she has weight issues, she is comfortable with the insularity of her hometown, she is keen to please her father and to inherit the mill, and getting married and having children was a priority. We also learn that something had happened to her older brother, which is how she came to inherit the mill.

Major stages, twists or turns does the story conflict take in this story before the conflict is resolved (or not resolved)?

Being a multi-generational family saga, Rain progresses linearly with conflict in most chapters. The conflict arises from the various relationships or the actions of the antagonist. Much of the conflict does not resolve as the reader might like but ultimately the story is one of hope and renewal and there is a generational resolution in the final chapter.

How would you summarise the major sub-plot or sub-plots in this story? If this story has no sub-plots, how would you describe the main sub-plot or sub-plots from one of your favourite published fiction stories by another author?

A major sub-plot is the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Robert Wallin (Helena’s older brother) at the age of twelve. We are introduced to the mystery in the second paragraph of the first chapter but it is not resolved until Chapter 25. This storyline is based on the disappearance of Daniel Morcombe.

What does the story gain from the sub-plot or sub-plots?

The disappearance of Robert Wallin in 1947 explains the dynamics of the Wallin family including the overprotective patriarch, the older daughter who tries to compensate her parents for their loss, the younger daughter who feels trapped, and the fractured mind of Millie Wallin (the mother). All of these elements serve as catalysts for what happens throughout the story.

To what extent would you describe your story discussed here as typical or atypical of your fiction stories?

There are two consistent themes in all my writing whether it is for children or adults and that is the discussion on family relationships (and family structures), and death. My next title for the adult fiction market is in an entirely different genre and while it also has storylines based on family dynamics and death, it is a lighter read than Rain. I don’t feel compelled to stick to writing one particular genre – I write whatever idea germinates.

Author website: www.leighkcunningham.com



Leigh Cunningham - Author Interview: Characters

Pick one of your favourites among the characters from your published fiction stories or a character which is an interesting example from your published fiction. What makes this character one of your favourites or an interesting example of your fiction?

I enjoyed writing the character Michael Baden, the antagonist in Rain. Michael is a troubled man who carries the baggage of his childhood into his adult life. This affects his relationships with women and with his children. Michael’s viewpoint on women was particularly interesting to write—he believes they are responsible for everything bad that happens to him and is easily able to form such opinions because he is always able to justify his actions and allocate responsibility elsewhere. It is what Michael does in Rain that makes him interesting, rather than who he is.
I receive a lot of emails from readers who despise Michael with a passion, and there’s a sense of indignation that he is not adequately punished for his actions. The reality is though that not all deeds in life go punished and that is one of the key messages.
As a writer, even when readers are not happy with the characters I create, it is satisfying to know they have instilled passion and emotion, good or bad.

What kind(s) of character do you consider this character primarily to be, or how would you describe this character?

Michael Baden is the antagonist in Rain (but has an accomplice n Grace who readers also love to hate). Michael creates the conflict for the story’s protagonists, in particular, conflict for his wife Helena and for his father-in-law, the story’s patriarch, James Wallin. The effects of Michael’s actions can be seen through the decades and for generations.

What is a character from a published fiction story by another author you would compare this character to and why are they similar?

Michael is in the same vein as Malachy McCourt, the alcoholic father in Angela’s Ashes. Like Malachy, Michael has issues with alcohol. He spends his time and wages at The Royal while his wife scrimps to provide for their four children. Michael sees no fault in his actions and believes gambling is an appropriate solution to the family’s monetary difficulties.
In Angela’s Ashes, Malachy goes to work in England leaving his family in Ireland without emotional or financial support. Likewise, when Michael and Helena go their separate ways, Michael feels no compunction to support his family in any way.

To what extent did you use any pre-existing character formula, template, paradigm, character design, archetype, or theory or principles of making or analysing character in planning, writing, and refining this character?

Michael Baden comes from several sources. As mentioned, Malachy McCourt was an inspiration. Then there was the father of a family who lived across the street from my father when he was a child. My father told me that the man used to beat his children violently and my grandfather, who was an invalid, would attempt to intervene even though a man with a walking stick was no match for a violent alcoholic. That story really saddened me and I have often thought about those children, where they are now and what effect those beatings had on them. I used these questions to create the children of Michael Baden. Lastly, I identified actions to attribute to Michael that would cast him into the worst possible light. For example, what could Michael do as a husband and as a father that would emote the required loathing?

How would you describe the first chapter, scene or section of this story in one paragraph?

In the first chapter, I wanted to give readers a sense of the town of Maine where the story is mainly set (at least for the first parts) because this then explains the attitudes of the characters. The opening sentence, “Maine was a town with immunity from outbreaks of new ways of thinking,” let’s the reader know the characters actions are governed by life in a small town where old-fashioned values reign and certain behaviours (including divorce) are frowned upon (it was the early sixties). Inspiration for Maine comes from my own childhood growing up in regional Australia but also from the movie The Truman Show where Truman Burbank lives in a perfect world albeit one that is artificial. I was also influenced by Utopia (Thomas More, 1516). Utopia is an island with one entrance and exit and only those who belong know how to navigate in and around the island safely. The second and third sentences in the first chapter of Rain are meant to convey this: “Bohemians had never penetrated its outer limits, nor had the beatniks, and the Hippies would go the same way—around the perimeter. The Aquarian age that blew through elsewhere releasing seeds that would sprout rebellion and enlightenment, passed over Maine at a great altitude.”

Pick one of your published stories. How would you describe the introduction of the main character, or one of the main characters, in this story?

Helena Wallin, one of the main protagonists in Rain, is introduced in the first chapter. The intention was to offer an insight into what makes her tick so readers might understand the decisions she makes and her reactions during the story. We get a hint that she is not good-looking or glamorous (she compares herself to a Homy Ped: sensible and comfortable). We learn she has weight issues, she is comfortable with the insularity of her hometown, she is keen to please her father and to inherit the mill, and getting married and having children was a priority. We also learn that something had happened to her older brother, which is how she came to inherit the mill.

What makes this an effective character introduction for this story?

Narrative fiction and family sagas in particular, tend to be character-driven and that is true of Rain however, I wanted to give readers a wrap-up of Helena in the first chapter so the story could focus thereafter on how she reacts in various situations and the reader could understand her reactions and empathise.

What major changes does this character go through, or what major challenges does the character encounter and how does the character respond to them?

Life does not go well for Helena and it becomes a matter of survival rather than living – a by-product of suffering immense loss and grief. Her life’s potential never realises (she was an educated, young businesswoman at the age of 21) but despite everything she has to deal with in Rain, she is not bitter although she has every right to be.

How would you describe the most important minor characters in this story and the changes in their character, or the challenges they encounter and how they respond to them?

There is a cast of minor characters but we don’t see them changing or being challenged throughout Rain. Instead, their roles are to draw attention to the strengths and weaknesses of the main characters.

What does the story gain from the minor characters?

The minor characters bring out the best or worst in the main characters. Their presence highlights the destructiveness of some relationships while showing the growth possible in positives relationships. For example, the character, Grace, brings out the worst in others, while Ethan brings out the best in Carla.

To what extent would you describe the characters in this story as typical or atypical of characters in your fiction stories?

Rain is my first title for the adult fiction market following two fantasy stories for the children’s fiction market. The characters though are typical as my writing, no matter what genre, is about families and relationships, even when there is a fantasy setting. The characters are real and recognisable as people we all know, and are in fact based on real people, or at least a composite of people I’ve encountered.

Author website: www.leighkcunningham.com