Sarah Creech is the author of two novels, Season of the Dragonflies and The Whole Way Home.From her Q&A with Deborah Kalb:
Q: Why did you decide to set [The Whole Way Home] in the world of country music, and how did you come up with your character Jo?Visit Sarah Creech's website.
A: I chose Nashville for a few reasons: I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some great musicians like Margo Price, Chance McCoy of Old Crow Medicine Show, J.P. Harris and the Tough Choices, Dale Watson, Jack White (this list goes on and on), and at one point or another in their musical careers, they’ve made Nashville their home.
This musical city full of so much diverse talent captured my imagination and I knew I wanted to explore it. Also, I chose this world because it has such a rich narrative tradition and blends so many different styles that define America, from Appalachian folk songs to African American spirituals, yet the genre itself has been largely overlooked by scholars.
My female protagonist, Jo Lover, was born from deep reading about women’s roles in the history of country music. Her background and her present circumstances are curated from the history I encountered. Her transformation from a world of poverty to a world of fame is a familiar one. (Dolly, Loretta, and Elvis too).
I was drawn to the experience of women in male-dominated fields and what kind of persona a woman must present to navigate those power dynamics.
I’m fascinated too by...[read on]
My Book, The Movie: The Whole Way Home.
The Page 69 Test: The Whole Way Home.
Writers Read: Sarah Creech.
--Marshal Zeringue