Meet The Authors Showcase Edition #3 (3 of 3)

A showcase with @Pinestripe37 author of: Kindness behind bars

1 what inspired the idea of your story?

For this particular novel, I was inspired by a picture- the same picture displayed on the cover, in fact. Taken inside a factory-farm by brave undercover activists, the photograph touchingly captures the plight of two hens as they lean against each other in desperate search of comfort. Their sweet, sad eyes hold such emotion, such kindness and pain, that I felt their story must be written. And so I wrote them a story of love and shared suffering, hoping to not only portray the emotion stirred in me upon seeing them, but also to touch more hearts.

2 what is something you struggled constructing with your story?

My biggest struggles have been with some of the more major events (appearing in future chapters) as I often find it hard to decide on the best sequence of happenings while still fitting in all the details I've planned.

3 what did you enjoy writing most of your story?

Definitely the many scenes in which the sisters comfort one another. I've always loved the hurt/comfort style in general, and these two hens are so tender, so warmhearted, that they can almost soothe even a suffering as harsh as the pain they endure daily.

4 what's the overall response of your story from your readers?

 I've had a lot of readers sympathize deeply with the characters and express how terribly they feel for the poor hens' suffering. Stirring such emotion was the intended purpose of my book, and I hope many of these people proceed to be a voice for abused hens everywhere.

5 is your story a stand alone novel or a piece of a series ?

Kindness Behind Bars is a standalone novel; however, the two characters may make continue to make appearances in separate works of mine.

6 what would you like your readers to take away from your story?

 What I would like my readers to take away from my story is just how deep, significant, and real this abuse is- the abuse of the millions of hens who suffer every day in intensive egg farms. Factory-farming is a terrible, terrible act of evil, hidden from the general public, and I can only pray this story opens the eyes of many so that we may begin to take action and end this practice for good.

There really are lots of things we can do to help hens just like the two sisters, and I hope after reading this more people will start doing things such as:

-Speaking out about the abuse

-Buying exclusively from trustworthy egg brands such as Vital Farms, who treat their hens with kindness

-Inquiring about the source of the eggs whenever you order at restaurants (if it's an inhumane source this should be followed by a firm 'no' to any meal containing eggs, along with an explanation that you will only support Pasture-Raised brands)

I also hope people will take with them a general message of compassion, as the importance of kindness is the main theme of the book.

7 what advice would you provide to fellow writers, when it comes to focusing on their own story?

Don't worry about what other people will think of your work! If you feel this is a story you want to write, go for it, and see where it takes you. Somebody will love it, and in the end a story is not judged upon popularity, but rather the heart put into it.

Get attached to your characters- it's not a bad thing and it helps make it easier to put all your emotion into their story.

Finally, spread a positive message. Love, kindness, innocence, positivity, faith, comfort, friendship, respect, and compassion are all wonderful traits that the world of literature needs more of.

8 does your main character share any similarities to yourself?

The main character is very passionate about justice as well as mercy, which are important values to me as well. The gentle, protective way in which she looks after her beloved sister also reminds me of the care and devotion I feel towards my friends.Very importantly, the character eventually comes to know and seek her Creator, and finds much-needed comfort in Him as do I on a daily basis. God is without a doubt the greatest part of my life, and I felt it was significant for this hen to discover the faith and love which she needs so much.

9 what is something about your story you believe would draw in new readers?

 I think the heavy emotion portrayed in it, as well as the unique premise, could hopefully draw in a wider audience. And the cover alone would surely attract animal lovers.

10 do you have any future projects?

 Very many- both future and current! I'm a big multitasker, and some of my most significant future works will include Standard of Perfection- a novel about a rejected show hen finding the beauty in her differences; From Darkness to Light- another novel on factory-farming which I hope to write someday but haven't started on; as well as numerous short stories, which I plan to write dozens more of.