"5 Questions" with author Joy Ross Davis!

Who influenced you most in your life?

I think my mother influenced me the most. She was an avid reader of fiction. She most admired Jan Karon and Louis L’Amour. But she also read many different types of women’s fiction, including Amish and Christian fiction and in her last years loved mysteries, as well. She insisted on clean reading, though. One of the reasons that she was such an influence was that she would always say to me, “You can write better than any of these people, Sister. You should write something people want to read!”

What do you think makes a good story?

I think all good stories have certain elements in common.  A good story is one that offers unique and compelling characters. Sometimes these characters are extraordinary people in ordinary situations. At other times, they are ordinary people in extraordinary situations. But in the best stories, they are extraordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.  A good story draws the reader into the time, place, and life of the characters almost immediately. It is filled with tension and conflict that keeps the story moving along, and it offers a satisfactory ending that gives the characters either redemption or resolution of the conflict. To me, one of the most important elements of a good story is that of surprise: unexpected gems scattered throughout.  

Where does your inspiration come from?

I can’t really say where my inspiration comes from. Sometimes, it comes after prayer. Sometimes, it sneaks up on me when I’m doing laundry or watching TV. And sometimes, it slides into my mind when I am quiet during a walk outside. I can be inspired by a beautiful photo or a great song or a line I hear at church.

Do you use events from your own life?

My initial response to this question was no. I write paranormal romance and mystery, but as I think back over some of the things I’ve written, I can see that many of them contain glimpses of actual events from my life. I think we are all influenced by the things that have happened to us, so I’m certain that many writers incorporate much of themselves into their stories. In Countenance, for example, my fear and awe of lightning presents itself many times over. In Emalyn’s Treasure, there is a deeper connection with Ireland. While I visited there in 2010, I met a young woman who was blinded in a bombing. Her plight stuck with me, and I incorporated parts of that into the story.

How does someone get started on the writing journey???

Getting started on the writing journey requires one thing: writing. It can be keeping a journal, jotting down ideas in a notebook, or recording events in a diary. It can start with a short story of one page and advance to a novel-length manuscript. I often tell my students that it doesn’t matter what they write as long as they get into the habit of writing. For those who have trouble getting started, I tell them to talk into a tape recording device, then play it back and write what they hear. The point is to get the habit of writing into their daily routines. For anyone who wants to write to be published, I would recommend getting a subscription to Writers’ Digest magazine. It is filled with tips for beginning and advanced writers.