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Interview with Michelle Stimpson
Interview with Michelle Stimpson
A Conversation with Michelle Stimpson, Author of Trouble in My Way
Q: Trouble in My Way is your first young adult novel. What were some of the challenges you faced in writing a novel with a teenager as a protagonist?
A: Actually, I found it pretty easy. I’m a big kid at heart, so falling into this character’s mindset was like second nature.
Q: To what extent did the process of writing Trouble in My Way take you back to your own hijinks as a teenager?
A: Writing this book took me way back! I have kept a journal since I was twelve, so I have a record of the dramas and antics I experienced as a teen. Writing this book almost made me feel as though I was writing in one of my old journals.
Q: How did you first come up with the idea for the story of Trouble in My Way?
A: I didn’t really come up with a story first. For this book, I came up with the main character first and then built the story around her. I knew I wanted to write about a girl who has a good heart but doesn’t always do the right thing. Once I had a feel for Karis, it was just a matter of putting her in several situations that tested her character and, ultimately, caused her to rethink what it means to be true to that good heart within.
Q: Karis’s mother still seems to be reeling from the experience of having been a teenage mother, but her father doesn’t seem to be as affected. Can you explain this phenomenon?
A: I think that there has always been a double standard when it comes to teens and pregnancy. More often than not, the girl suffers a greater degree of social stigma than the boy. While Karis’s father certainly wouldn’t want Karis to become pregnant as a teen, the sting of being a teenage parent was not as powerful for him as it was for Karis’s mother.
Q: As a mother yourself, to what extent could you relate to the experiences of Karis’s mother, as she struggles with her daughter’s adolescent rebellion?
A: The older my kids get, the more I can relate to Karis’s mother and the more I appreciate my own mother. My daughter, in particular, really makes me think and rethink what it means to rely on God’s guidance for parenting. More and more, I have to say to myself, “Okay—we taught her well. Now it’s time to let her put those lessons into action.” In releasing some of the control, I find myself relying all the more on God’s promises because I know that when I can’t be there to watch her every move and whisper direction into her ear, He can.
Q: How do you hope that readers of your work who are not religious will respond to the portions of the book that examine faith and belief?
A: I hope that those portions will cause them to reflect on their values and beliefs. I hope that readers will think about how developing a personal relationship with God can provide even greater direction in life.
Q: You’ve written both nonfiction and fiction; how do they differ, in terms of your writing process?
A: I find that writing nonfiction is easier for me because I already know what I’m going to write. However, I do not find it as enjoyable as writing fiction. Writing fiction is more difficult and even frustrating, at times, but I find it immensely enjoyable.
Q: To what extent do you see your own writing as a kind of ministry?
A: My writing is definitely a ministry. There are many people who won’t pick up a Bible, but they will pick up a novel. They relate to the characters and envision how God can do for them what He does for the characters. Jesus understood this—that’s why He told parables. I count it an honor to follow His example.
Q: Which contemporary fiction writers inspire you, and why?
A: I read a variety of fiction authors—Vanessa Miller, Sandra Cisneros, ReShonda Tate Billingsley, Khaled Hosseini, and Walter Dean Myers to name a few. I also read a lot of historical fiction and nonfiction.
Q: Trouble in My Way is your first young adult novel. What were some of the challenges you faced in writing a novel with a teenager as a protagonist?
A: Actually, I found it pretty easy. I’m a big kid at heart, so falling into this character’s mindset was like second nature.
Q: To what extent did the process of writing Trouble in My Way take you back to your own hijinks as a teenager?
A: Writing this book took me way back! I have kept a journal since I was twelve, so I have a record of the dramas and antics I experienced as a teen. Writing this book almost made me feel as though I was writing in one of my old journals.
Q: How did you first come up with the idea for the story of Trouble in My Way?
A: I didn’t really come up with a story first. For this book, I came up with the main character first and then built the story around her. I knew I wanted to write about a girl who has a good heart but doesn’t always do the right thing. Once I had a feel for Karis, it was just a matter of putting her in several situations that tested her character and, ultimately, caused her to rethink what it means to be true to that good heart within.
Q: Karis’s mother still seems to be reeling from the experience of having been a teenage mother, but her father doesn’t seem to be as affected. Can you explain this phenomenon?
A: I think that there has always been a double standard when it comes to teens and pregnancy. More often than not, the girl suffers a greater degree of social stigma than the boy. While Karis’s father certainly wouldn’t want Karis to become pregnant as a teen, the sting of being a teenage parent was not as powerful for him as it was for Karis’s mother.
Q: As a mother yourself, to what extent could you relate to the experiences of Karis’s mother, as she struggles with her daughter’s adolescent rebellion?
A: The older my kids get, the more I can relate to Karis’s mother and the more I appreciate my own mother. My daughter, in particular, really makes me think and rethink what it means to rely on God’s guidance for parenting. More and more, I have to say to myself, “Okay—we taught her well. Now it’s time to let her put those lessons into action.” In releasing some of the control, I find myself relying all the more on God’s promises because I know that when I can’t be there to watch her every move and whisper direction into her ear, He can.
Q: How do you hope that readers of your work who are not religious will respond to the portions of the book that examine faith and belief?
A: I hope that those portions will cause them to reflect on their values and beliefs. I hope that readers will think about how developing a personal relationship with God can provide even greater direction in life.
Q: You’ve written both nonfiction and fiction; how do they differ, in terms of your writing process?
A: I find that writing nonfiction is easier for me because I already know what I’m going to write. However, I do not find it as enjoyable as writing fiction. Writing fiction is more difficult and even frustrating, at times, but I find it immensely enjoyable.
Q: To what extent do you see your own writing as a kind of ministry?
A: My writing is definitely a ministry. There are many people who won’t pick up a Bible, but they will pick up a novel. They relate to the characters and envision how God can do for them what He does for the characters. Jesus understood this—that’s why He told parables. I count it an honor to follow His example.
Q: Which contemporary fiction writers inspire you, and why?
A: I read a variety of fiction authors—Vanessa Miller, Sandra Cisneros, ReShonda Tate Billingsley, Khaled Hosseini, and Walter Dean Myers to name a few. I also read a lot of historical fiction and nonfiction.
