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Author Spotlight: J.Q. Rose - Arranging a Dream

12/16/2020

With in-person author events still on hold indefinitely, I'm devoting one blog post each month to an author interview.

This month's interview is with Janet Glaser, who writes as J.Q. Rose. Her mysteries, Deadly Undertaking, Terror on Sunshine Boulevard and Dangerous Sanctuary, released by Books We Love Publishing, offer readers chills, giggles, and quirky characters.

After presenting workshops on Writing Your Life Story for several years, Janet decided to take her advice and pen her memoir, Arranging a Dream: A Memoir. The book is scheduled for release January 1, 2021, also from Books We Love Publishing.

Arranging a Dream tells the story of how Janet and husband Ted, budding entrepreneurs with more enthusiasm than experience, purchased a floral shop and greenhouses in 1975, where they planned to grow their dream. Leaving friends and family behind in Illinois and losing the security of two paychecks, they transplanted themselves, their one-year-old daughter, and all their belongings to Fremont, Michigan, where they knew no one.

Through trials and triumphs, Janet and Ted dug in to develop a blooming business while juggling parenting with work and keeping their marriage thriving.

To celebrate the Arranging a Dream: A Memoir Winter Virtual Book Tour, Janet is offering a free eBook to a lucky reader. Just leave a comment below to be entered in the drawing. Deadline for entries: Sunday, December 20, 9 pm Eastern Time.

Author J.Q. Rose, AKA Janet Glaser

How is writing about real people, places, and events different from writing fiction, where you can invent characters, situations, and settings? Are the two processes similar in any ways?

Arranging a Dream is Janet's first memoir

Deadly Undertaking, a novel, is also based on the author's true-life experiences.

The #1 rule for life storytellers is to tell the truth. When writing a scene that took place 40 years ago, the emotions and tone of the scene are true. But I doubt anyone can remember the exact words in the conversation. Writers usually put a disclaimer in the book explaining some of the scenes are not accurate, but the writer’s feelings are real.

I have penned two books based on my life story, but one is fiction, Deadly Undertaking. The setting of this romantic suspense is a funeral home. My dad was a funeral director, so many of the jobs I mentioned in the story are ones I did for my dad, such as dusting caskets, running errands and helping my mom set up flowers for visitations and church services (a foreshadowing of my future in the flower business??). But there was no murder or Henry the Shadow Man in my real life!

Arranging a Dream: A Memoir is my true story. I interacted with the real people in the story, but I did change their names to protect their privacy. Both books contain elements of fiction with interesting characters, colorful descriptions of the setting, structure and conflict.

In the acknowledgments, you mention that you and your husband Ted had fun recalling the times you write about in this memoir. Tell us more about how your memories meshed and how you reconciled differences when your memories of a specific event didn’t match.

When Ted and I discussed a certain time period, we recalled people we met. If he couldn’t think of a person’s name, I could, and vice versa. I remembered the cars, delivery vehicles we used but I wasn’t sure when we had the Dodge van (or even if it was a Dodge or a Ford).

During the big move to Fremont in December 1975, we had 4 vehicles in our caravan moving from Central Illinois to West Michigan. We became separated in the traffic going around Chicago. His version of where we met up again and mine are completely different. My brother and sister-in-law were driving the other vehicles, so when we asked them about it, they couldn’t remember! Since I am the author, I wrote my version of the story.

We were lucky to have photos from that first day of touring the flower shop in July 1975. I had written a long description of the flower shop outside and inside. He disagreed with me. Finally, we found the photos taken that day, and I hate to admit, I was wrong in several instances. So with that proof, I had to re-write that entire episode.

Ted and Janet in 1986, in their second flower shop

The original flower shop and greenhouses on Ted and Janet's first visit

Daughter Sara's first visit to the greenhouse

What other techniques did you use to access the memories that helped you tell this story?

The van, garage, and west greenhouse

Sara at Easter

We talked with friends who helped us scrub the apartment over the shop and wallpaper and paint before we moved, and I studied the photos we had. We couldn’t visit the shop to help jog our memories because the property is now an empty, grassy lot with a for-sale sign out front. Because of COVID restrictions, we could not access photos of Fremont in 1975-76 from the library or the history museum. So those techniques were of no use. Thank goodness, we had each other to bounce off the memories, but as you can see, our versions differed, though most of the time, we agreed.

What do you hope readers will take away from Arranging a Dream? What did you gain by writing the book?

I hope readers will be inspired to work toward their dreams. Use their passion to keep driving toward the future they envision.

Looking through the lens of time allowed me to put myself into the shoes of the previous owners of the flower shop, Hattie and Frank. After owning the business for so many years and deciding to sell it, I discovered I was like Hattie. We disagreed a lot with Hattie about how to run the shop and greenhouses because we wanted to use our new ideas and not listen to the tried-and-true methods she had developed during her years of experience. She was afraid we would fail by being so bold. I never thought I would admit I acted like Hattie when we sold our shop. I was also fearful the new owners would fail if they didn’t follow our ways of running things. Instead, they have been successful and are still in business.

In addition to your own writing, you’re committed to helping others tell stories from their lives, through your Facebook group, your interactive journal, Your Words, Your Life Story: A Journal for Sharing Memories, and your workshops. Why is this important to you, and what are the rewards?

Many years ago, I was in a writers group. A member, Mary, brought her great-great-grandfather's journal from the 1850s. She read several pages from it as he described his ordinary life as a minister in London, England. Fascinating. So many interesting tidbits on the pages. He wrote about gazing at books displayed in the shop window and wishing he could afford to buy one. At that time, only rich people could afford to buy a book. I was captivated by his story and realized how important it is to record our lives for future generations.

Our stories of overcoming obstacles, surviving through tough times, and celebrating our joys serve as guides to the readers who face the same problems and offer hope to them they can survive the uncertainty and move on to have an ordinary, satisfying life. We are living history now as we work our way through the COVID pandemic. We are eyewitnesses to this challenging time, and we must tell the truth of what life is like for us today.

As far as what are the rewards, one woman in my workshop came up to me and said quietly, “I never appreciated my life until I took this class.” I will never forget her. My hope is to touch every participant in that way as they examine their lives and tell the rich stories that make up their life story.

The cover of Janet's interactive journal

What’s next? Are there other periods of your life that might lend themselves to a memoir? Or will you write more fiction?

Next, I hope to turn the book, Your Words, Your Life Story, into a course so I can reach more people and encourage them to write their stories, because I am a life storytelling evangelist. I always have ideas for stories swirling through my brain, so I will be writing, but I have not chosen which idea to develop at this time. I am just savoring touring around cyberspace, meeting authors and readers.

Anything else you'd like to add?

Thank you, Nan, for hosting me during the Arranging a Dream: A Memoir Winter Virtual Book Tour!

Connect online with J.Q:
J.Q. Rose blog
Facebook
J. Q. Rose Amazon Author Page
Goodreads
Pinterest
BWL

Pre-order Arranging a Dream
Kobo
BN.com - Nook
SmashWords
Amazon - Kindle
Amazon - paperback

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My Most . . . Whatever . . . Books of 2020

12/2/2020

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It's book list time again. Every December I compile a list of memorable books I've read over the past twelve months.

Books make my list for a variety of reasons: the writing is exceptional, the story is engrossing, the tale is told in an unusual way, or the book just stayed with me for reasons I can't explain. The books I include here aren't the only good books I've read over the course of the year; several others always stand out in memory. My decision of which ones to list is arbitrary, but I try to pick ones I think HeartWood readers may also enjoy.

As usual, there are a number of memoirs on this list. My to-read list of memoirs expanded considerably this year after learning about and joining the We Love Memoirs group on Facebook. If you love memoirs, check it out!

And because the novel I'm working on is decidedly quirky, I've sought out offbeat novels and found some delightful ones.

I'm never really sure what to call this list. My Most Want-to-Tell-You-About-Them Books of 2020? Or simply A Bunch of Books I Read This Year and Actually Remember Something About?

Whatever you want to call it, here it is:

Ten Something-or-Other Books I Read in 2020
(in no particular order)

Arranging a Dream
J.Q. Rose

I had the privilege of reading an advance copy of this memoir, due to be published January 1, 2021. The author of three mysteries, Rose (AKA Janet Glaser) departs from fiction to tell how she and husband Ted struck out in their twenties to be their own bosses, purchasing a floral shop and greenhouses in Fremont, Michigan. Ted, a gardening enthusiast, had a knack for growing things, but neither of the Glasers knew a thing about running a business. Or arranging flowers! Readers will learn along with them and watch their marriage grow along with their business.

Read my full review on Goodreads, and come back to HeartWood December 16 for a Q&A with J.Q.

Elemental: A Collection of Michigan Creative Nonfiction
Anne-Marie Oomen, Editor

In these pages I found stunning, sometimes surprising work from some of my favorite Michigan authors--Fleda Brown, Jerry Dennis, Mardi Jo Link, Anne-Marie Oomen, Keith Taylor--and became acquainted with new-to-me others. (How have I not read Rhoda Janzen's books? Beats me, but now I will!)

There's much here about life in Michigan and much more about, well, life.

How to Survive Death and Other Inconveniences
Sue William Silverman

You can always count on Silverman for honest explorations of difficult topics. Here, in a collection of linked essays, she confronts mortality. But as the cover suggests, there are touches of humor and sprinkles of pop culture (Adam Lambert--woohoo!). And as always, luminous prose.

Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools
Victoria Twead

I learned about this book through the We Love Memoirs Facebook group. In this stressful pandemic/political year, it was exactly the escape I needed. Twead vividly--and often hilariously--recounts this true-life tale of moving from England to a tiny Andalusian village. Bonus: The book includes Spanish recipes contributed by village women.

Not Tonight, Josephine: A Road Trip Through Small-Town America
George Mahood

Another We Love Memoirs find, and another entertaining escape. Two young Brits on a road trip across America in a decrepit 1989 Dodge Caravan. What's not to love? Having traveled many of the same roads, I found it fascinating to see them through the eyes of a visitor from another country.

No Rules: A Memoir
Sharon Dukett

As I wrote in my Goodreads review, "The story would be engaging enough if it were simply a romp through hippiedom in the Age of Aquarius, but it’s a deeper exploration of the influences that transformed Dukett from defiant girl to the strong, capable—and happy—woman she is today."

Read my HeartWood interview with Sharon here.

Freckled: A Memoir of Growing Up Wild in Hawaii
T.W. Neal

I was drawn to this book because, like my memoir, it's a true story of a young American living on a South Pacific island decades ago. But there, the similarity ends. Neal's neglectful upbringing was in an anything-goes hippie community mostly isolated from the surrounding Hawaiian culture. Her fascinating story is one of resilience and, ultimately triumph.

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry
Gabrielle Zevin

And now, we come to quirky. Filled with offbeat characters and fun references to literature and commercial fiction, this entertaining novel kept me engaged with surprising plot twists. (I especially got a kick from the author event scene). Through it all, the main character, prickly bookstore owner A.J. Fikry, turns out to be more complex than he seems on first encounter.

Sorry I Missed You
Suzy Krause

A story of missed connections, misperceptions, mismatched housemates, and creepy happenings suggests that ghosts from our pasts can sometimes be more haunting than the other-worldly kind.

The Keeper of Lost Things
Ruth Hogan

Anthony Peardew rescues and meticulously catalogues lost objects--from a pair of lime-green, flower-shaped hair bobbles to a biscuit tin containing cremation remains--in hopes of eventually reuniting them with their owners. It's a pastime that began forty years earlier when he carelessly lost a keepsake from his fiancée, who died that very day.

This novel weaves together Anthony's story with those of his assistant Laura, gardener Freddy, young neighbor Sunshine, and complete stranger Eunice.

As the book description puts it, this novel "explores the promises we make and break, losing and finding ourselves, the objects that hold magic and meaning for our lives, and the surprising connections that bind us.

Check out my book lists from the past three years:
2019
2018
2017

Other books I read this year:
Nonfiction & Memoir
You Might Be A Crazy Cat Lady If . . . by Janet Vormittag
The Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson
In the Shadow of the Valley: A Memoir, by Bobi Conn
Poetic License: A Memoir, by Gretchen Cherington
Rainbow Diner: A Memoir, by Astrid Arlen
Furiously Happy, by Jenny Lawson
The Answer Is, by Alex Trebek
Wounds A Collaborative Memoir in Stories, by Razel Jones and Daniel Abbott
Zeitoun, by Dave Eggers

Fiction
Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owen
Rain Crow Killing, by Jeff Millen
The Underground Railroad, by Colson Whitehead
Homeland and Other Stories, by Barbara Kingsolver
The Lost Tiki Palaces of Detroit, by Michael Zadoorian
Coming to Be, by Rebecca Thaddeus
Olas Grandes, by Barbara Mahase Rodman
When We Were Orphans, by Kazuo Ishiguro
Maud's Line, by Margaret Verble
Moloka'i by Alan Brennart
Young Jane Young, by Gabrielle Zevin
Rodham, by Curtis Sittenfeld
Such a Fun Age, by Kiley Reid
Akua: A Novel of Samoa, by Daniel Pouesi

Poetry
And Then Snow, by Phillip Sterling
Far Out: Poems of the 60s, Wendy Barker and Dave Parsons, editors
One Less River, by Terry Blackhawk
Severance, by Robert Fanning
The Straits, by Kristin Palm
Trumbull Ave., by Michael Lauchlan

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HeartWood
A blog about cultivating
creativity, connection and contentment
wherever you are

Author Spotlight: J.Q. Rose - Arranging a Dream

My Most . . . Whatever . . . Books of 2020

Ten Something-or-Other Books I Read in 2020
(in no particular order)

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HeartWoodA blog about cultivatingcreativity, connection and contentmentwherever you are

Author Spotlight: J.Q. Rose - Arranging a Dream

My Most . . . Whatever . . . Books of 2020

Ten Something-or-Other Books I Read in 2020(in no particular order)

Subscribe to HeartWood

Available now!

Author

Archives

Categories

HeartWood
A blog about cultivating
creativity, connection and contentment
wherever you are

Ten Something-or-Other Books I Read in 2020
(in no particular order)