Today on the blog, we have an interview with Laura DeNooyer, author of The Broken Weathervane, a dual timeline women’s fiction novel.
D. T.: It’s great to have you with us today, Laura. Let’s jump right in with the first question.
What would you consider to be a “brave” topic in fiction?
Laura: Besides tough topics like human trafficking and sexual assault, I would include mental illness, church abuse, and hypocrisy. Mental illness touches all of us in some way, yet nobody likes to talk about about it due to stigma. Church abuse often gets swept under the rug, not seen for what it is. It can be subtle because of the manipulation and control masquerading as Christian mandates. Identifying hypocrisy in the church might be misconstrued as church-bashing, when instead it should be seen as calling out sins to make people accountable, so that the church can genuinely reflect the truth, love, and grace of Christ.
D. T.: All of those topics are incredibly important to talk about in fiction. Christian fiction especially.
What’s a book that you feel addressed a “brave” subject well. How did this book inspire you?
Laura: T.I. Lowe in her novel Under the Magnolias did an excellent job portraying how a father’s mental illness impacted his family and community over a period of several years. It resonated with me because of my loved ones who struggle with mental illness.
D. T.: I’ve always found fiction that echoes what’s going on with me personally to be the most impactful. I’m glad we have fiction that isn’t afraid to deal with difficult things.
So who’s your latest book dedicated to and why?
Laura: The Broken Weathervane is dedicated to my dad.
Over the years, my dad shared a family story about his father and uncle who were in business together with a younger brother who struggled quite a bit. The two older brothers did everything in their power to help him succeed in his own businesses and later let him work at theirs. I loved the way they cared for him despite all the difficulties they encountered. I’d always wondered what the issues were.
This was the spark of the 1950s timeline in my novel. Then the characters took on lives of their own.
Last year, my dad was in hospice for five months. I was glad I had the chance to tell him
I’d dedicated the book to him. He was surprised and pleased. It was bittersweet launching a book (with a time frame out of my control) while watching him decline. He passed away nine days after the book was released.
D. T.: Wow. I’m so glad to hear you got to tell him that before he passed.
What do you hope readers will take away from The Broken Weathervane?
Laura: In the 1950s timeline, one of the characters deals with mental illness. My hope is that book club discussions about the characters’ situations will help increase understanding, transparency, and empathy for those who suffer. Open conversation about mental illness is that important first step toward reducing the stigma associated with it. A fictional story is the perfect catalyst for that.
When a family member is physically ill or in an accident, church folks will line up outside your door to bring comfort or casseroles. It’s an easily shared prayer request. But when a family member has an episode related to mental illness, it is shrouded in secrecy and shame. Thus, the people most needing prayers and support don’t get them.
I wrote Eddie’s character from the perspectives of his wife Klara and his brother Fritz. I think that helps in making Eddie a sympathetic character. Despite their aggravation and confusion about his antics, they love him dearly.
The Broken Weathervane is conducive to thought-provoking book club discussion. There are resources and nine questions at the back of the book and on my website. I’d be happy to visit any book club in person or via Zoom.
D. T.: That is so true. Mental illness is very often hidden and spoken of in whispers. And it definitely shouldn’t be.
On another topics, do you create your characters first or your plot?
Laura: It depends on the story. Characters in a unique situation (with me not knowing the plot yet) are often the starting point. For example, In the 2015 timeline of The Broken Weathervane, I needed two people at cross purposes with each other—both seeking the same information for different reasons.
So, Greg had no choice but to be an English professor who was writing a biography about a literary icon. I knew Leslie’s family tree but had to figure out her backstory and how her life would overlap Greg’s at the university. So, I gave her an education background (as a former high school teacher). I made her a grants officer at the college so she would have to work directly with Greg from time to time.
D. T.: As someone who also goes into writing without knowing the plot, I love hearing how others approach starting their stories.
Staying in the same vein, what’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?
Laura: Write the story of your heart. Many pros advise authors to find their lane and stay in it to brand themselves. But I find that staying in my lane sometimes runs counterpoint to writing the stories that really matter to me.
Crucial questions for me are: Do I have a passion for telling this story? Why does this story matter to me and why should it matter to potential readers? What unique slant or perspective can I offer?The story must sustain my interest for the long haul—through all the ups and downs of feedback, criticism, multiple revisions, obstacles, rejection, and fears.
Other crucial advice I’ve followed through the years is this: surround yourself with knowledgeable people on the same road. Join a quality writers group that will give you honest feedback with tact, people who challenge and push with both encouragement and kindness.
D. T.: That is all excellent advice.
Speaking of passion, what subject are you most passionate about? When did that passion start, and how has it grown or changed?
Laura: I’m passionate about encouraging creativity in others. As a high school/middle school teacher of art and creative writing for decades, I had the privilege of drawing out the imagination of students, helping them grow in confidence and self-expression through art projects and/or writing. That was very satisfying.
Since people are created in the image of the Creator, we are creative. Sometimes that spark of imagination or the confidence to use it has been squashed or buried by unfortunate circumstances, but it’s still there and can be expressed in a variety of ways, not just through the arts.
I don’t teach school anymore, but I enjoy encouraging fellow authors through various writers groups and by participating in book launches.
D. T.: The Christian writer and author community is such a great place to be.
What is your favorite part of being a writer?
Laura: I love the creative process. Sometimes that means putting stories together like a puzzle. Other times it means writing without a clear plan in order to discover a story. I love writing the kind of stories I like to read—complex and character-driven with complicated relationships and messy family dynamics. I like delving into the gray, murky areas of life, into false appearances and misjudgments. My stories serve food for thought as well as hope and second chances—tales that “redeem the years the locusts ate.”
The joy is in the journey, but it’s also in the positive feedback from readers. Nothing compares to knowing my story touched a reader. It’s also thrilling to be in a book club discussion about my novel and hear readers who were so immersed in my story discuss my characters as if they’re real people.
D. T.: While we’re talking about responses to your work, what’s the best feedback you’ve received from a reader?
Laura: I’m very grateful when readers tell me my story moved them, made them think differently about a situation, or gave them cause for reflection. One particular reader wrote this about The Broken Weathervane: “You’ve written a deeply compassionate novel that treats mental illness, family loyalty, and love with rare nuance, allowing truth to emerge without spectacle, and healing to feel earned rather than convenient.”
D. T.: Changing how people think about a topic or person is one of the most underrated privileges of writing.
Now that The Broken Weathervane is published, what are you working on next?
Laura: My next novel is about the wife of a narcissist pastor. This topic will be controversial for many reasons, so it’s definitely a brave step for me to go forward with it. But I’ve known too many women who have suffered from emotional abuse in their marriages, as victims of their husbands—even those in church ministry. This cannot be ignored. Spiritual and emotional abuse are much more subtle than physical or sexual abuse, so they’re not as easily identified. Wives who live with this often don’t realize it themselves until after it’s gone on far too long. It’s time for people to sit up and take note so they can support victims in these situations.
D. T.: That sounds like it’s going to be a hard-hitting, very necessary story. Thank you for taking a brave step and writing it.
It’s been great to have you with us today, Laura. Thank you for allowing us to interview you.
About Laura:
Laura DeNooyer thrives on creativity and encouraging it in others. A Calvin College graduate, she is a teacher, wife, parent of four adult children, and an award-winning author of heart-warming historical and contemporary fiction. Her novels are perfect for fans of Patti Callahan Henry, Erin Bartels, or Amanda Cox. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her reading, walking, drinking tea with friends, or taking a road trip.
Laura’s website: lauradenooyer-author.com
Laura’s newsletter—Sign up for monthly updates and receive a prequel and 7 free recipes: StandoutStoriesNewsletter.com
The Broken Weathervane Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/SiBs_VrLmPs
Purchase The Broken Weathervane here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FHDTSPH6
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/238864888-the-broken-weathervane
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-broken-weathervane-by-laura-denooyer
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-denooyer-366469162/
