Interview with Author B.J. Hoff!

Today on Pastimes we're talking with author B.J. Hoff, a writer with many memorable credits to her name. B.J.'s story characters stay with you long after the book is closed, and her love for all things Irish comes through in her stories in a believable, entertaining way. I only discovered B.J.'s writing a few years ago, but fell in love with her American Anthem trilogy and her latest Mountain Song Legacy series. I just received her latest book The Song Weaver, and it is begging to be read soon!

Tell us a bit about yourself and your writing.

I was a church music director and music teacher before I began to write historical fiction in CBA over fifteen years ago. (I worked in nonfiction for a few years before I tried my hand at novels.) I write almost entirely in the series format, including the five-book Emerald Ballad; the two-volume Song of Erin (Cloth of Heaven and Ashes and Lace); the American Anthem trilogy; and most recently the Mountain Song Legacy (A Distant Music, The Wind Harp, and The Song Weaver).


The Mountain Song Legacy marks a move for me from general historical fiction to a genre I think of as “Appalachian historical fiction.” The Mountain Song series (Harvest House Publishers) is set in Kentucky in 1904. My new series, also with Harvest House, has a post-Civil War setting on the border of Pennsylvania and the new (at that time) state of West Virginia, near the Canaan Valley and Blackwater region.

My present plans are to stay with the Appalachian settings. (I love the region, and what great research trips I get to make!) As is the case with all my historical novels, the new series (tentatively titled The Mt. Laurel Saga) will feature Irish immigrants and/or their Irish American descendants. That’s a part of my “brand” that won’t change.

What is the greatest historical novel you’ve ever read and why?

That is an incredibly difficult question for me to answer! I’ve read so many truly great historical novels over the years that pinning it down to “the greatest” is almost impossible. Probably my favorite is the late Thomas Flanagan’s Irish historical trilogy: The Year of the French, The Tenants of Time, and The End of the Hunt.

Then there’s Famine, by the Irish author, Liam O’Flaherty, the quintessential novel about the 1840s Potato Famine. And also William Safire’s Freedom. And Taylor Caldwell’s The Captains and the Kings. And Susan Howatch’s Cashelmara. And … somebody stop me!

Did you have any experiences that prompted your love of fiction and historical fiction in particular?

From the time I learned to read, I chose two kinds of books over others: stories and biographies. I could never get enough fiction, and I started making up my own stories not long after I learned to string words together. Then I progressed to books, complete with construction paper bindings. But at the same time I would search the library for books about real people—biographies and autobiographies. One day I discovered that there was a wonderful blend called “historical fiction” that actually included stories about real people and fictional characters set in the past—and I was hooked for life!

Even as a child, I could be deeply moved by fiction. When a novel’s characters suffered, I suffered. When they grieved, I grieved. And when they succeeded, I shared their victories. Now I realize that in the process I was actually learning what a powerful instrument the novel could be to show God at work in the world and among His people.

How much time does it take to research your stories – what balance would you say there is between research and actual writing?

It varies with every book. I couldn’t begin to come up with even a wild estimate for this, because I not only research in advance but also as I go. As for balance—most of the research is done for the author not for the reader. In other words, you need to know as much as you possibly can so that you can write with an authentic, confident voice. But any research in the story itself has to be kept to a minimum, subtly and carefully woven into the story.

My first historical novel manuscript was crammed with fascinating stuff—fascinating for me, but as my editor tactfully (but pointedly) explained, it was fascinating only for me. As I recall, she said something to the effect that while I found Irish and Irish American history absolutely riveting, the readers couldn’t care less … they wanted a story. I’ve tried to remember that caution. (But sometimes it still hurts to cut out all those fascinating facts!)


Describe for us, if you will, your writing style, as in plotter vs. seat of the pants, and do you put more time into developing characters or plot or are they equal?

I’m seat-of-the-pants all the way. I hate plotting, so I let my characters do it for me. As they emerge, so does the plot. Always, I concentrate on the characters. I don’t suppose I’ve ever written a novel that wasn’t altogether character-driven, and I’ve honestly never plotted a novel (though I used to try). Each story is simply a journey for me. I find out where I’m going when I get there.


That's great, B.J.! I wish I could write strictly SOP, but I'm not wired that way - when I try to write SOP, I always get stuck. I do a paragraph outline to refer back to, and then I can write SOP - but I have to have that summary guideline. I've always admired you pure SOP types though. :)

Stop by B.J.'s Grace Notes blog to get to know B.J. better. She's got some great advice for writers and some terrific words of wisdom about life as well. (And in today's Tuesday Trivia B.J. needs advice, so be sure to check it out!)

If you want to win a copy of B.J. Hoff's book A Distant Music, first in the Mountain Legacy series, don't forget to leave a comment. Drawing will be Saturday. And stop in for more with B.J. Hoff tomorrow!