Author Interview | Meet Lorrie Grosfield

Welcome, Lorrie. It has been such a pleasure to get to meet you in our online writers’ group and to watch the progress of The Nutshell Legacy

I am anxious to share your story with our Australasian Christian Fiction Writers followers. I’m sure many of them will find the story of Bridgett and her struggles and triumphs fascinating.

Donna: I believe this is your first published novel—how exciting! What writing had you done previously?

Lorrie: I took an interest in picture books when my children were little 43 years ago. I wrote 5 picture book stories. I illustrated 3 of them. With chalk pastels. In those years I wrote and published 3 magazine articles for Cobblestone publishing and a newspaper article. At a conference I took in the Midwest US, Mississippi Valley Writers I placed honorable mention in magazine writing. As a teacher for 25 years I wrote 7 plays. Finally I retired in 2019 and began to seriously take this journey to heart.

Donna: Why did you choose to write an historical novel?

Lorrie: In 2014 I was still teaching. I would get worn down and disgruntled when June rolled around. My brother suffering from mental illness mentioned how he thought about giving up. That very day I went to my gr gr grandfather’s homestead for the first time. My great grandpa and his daughter my grandma were born there, my Mom played there. During my tour of the homestead I took 39 pages of notes from an elderly uncle. I couldn’t believe how much these folks had been through, how they struggled and lived into their late 90’s. I must’ve said 100x I wish I could write this all down to inspire others who are struggling mentally, and or with rejection, abandonment, or a sense of not being enough. In 2019 I started to get cooking.

Donna: Tell us about the writing process. I’m thinking it took you about 4 years. Is that right?

Lorrie: It might be true that writing guides mention 4 revisions but for me it’s closer to 12. When I got to the 12^th revision I really started to put it together, metaphors, and finer details. I took all the conferences I could afford. I kept going because of my family and others who needed to know the message not to give up. I learned so much from so many good people. I had such a hard time with critiquing and criticism, and I grew a great deal learning to hear it. I still think that the critique becomes too much about the wrong things and it should be more of an Oreo cookie. There’s so many ways to edit something. I could give you several examples of what happened to you in my editing circles. I used to fill in all the hours when I was really working. I would think a miracle had hit the house if I went to 8 hours or over, I was a terrible task master, it had to be solid writing. No researching, or thinking, just writing, that was a tall order. Then I have to admit I overdid it. I have had to go to physical therapy for months, so I don’t recommend overdoing it, go at God’s pace.

Donna: How much of the story is historical?

Lorrie: The story is quite a bit more than half historical, I don’t know how to estimate it, the bad guy in the story is fictious, other than that it is all historical.

Donna: What was the hardest part of telling this intensely plotted story?

Lorrie: The hardest part was weeding out what advanced the plot and what wasn’t necessary but helped the reader to know and love the characters, the setting, and the legacy.

Donna: I was so interested in the fact of the walnut grove, as I didn’t know they were grown in Illinois. What made you choose walnuts as your central image?

Lorrie: I don’t think in today’s world the farmers in Illinois have walnut groves, about 30 miles away in Missouri they do. In the story’s day, there was even pecan orchards, and other nut trees in this part of Illinois, but over time it died out. They still harvest black walnut wood in the state of Illinois, and I think the Missouri buyers still pick up nuts in parts of Illinois.

Donna: I was also fascinated to learn that you did all your own illustrations for the book. Tell us about your art experience.

Lorrie: I did the illustrations in the children’s picture book. I was given a very good piece of advice for the novel don’t design your own cover, I sent in what I wanted to an illustrator, I said the 1880 era, a mom and daughter walking away from the camera, hand in hand, going into a grove of shade trees, and I wanted the mother carrying a pitcher. My art experience is more towards children’s picture book characters. I have a portfolio, a minor in art, and I have oodles of full sketchbooks, and about three complete books with chalk pastel drawings such as Hallie the Hero has.

Donna: What else would you like our readers to know about The Nutshell Legacy?

Lorrie: The Nutshell Legacy needs to be savored. The people that really read it, with the intent of finishing it, don’t want it to be over.

Donna: What’s next for you?

Lorrie: I’m praying everyday about at least 4 different projects: one is a chapter book for children 8-12, The Monkey’s Mercy, another couple are two different children’s books one has non living characters, and the other has buffalo, and I’m piecing together a memoir from working in one room schoolhouses.

Donna: Where can readers find you online?

Lorrie: My books are on Amazon : The Nutshell Legacy and Hallie the Hero.

Thank you again, Lorrie and all the best success for you and Bridgett!

My review:

If you are a fan of the Little House on the Prairie books you will love this warm, reassuring novel of the triumph of determination and endurance over hardship and calamity. The historical detail is educational, and the characters are compelling. An important–and inspiring–takeaway is “Don’t give up.” Whatever life may throw at you, hold on, do your best, and pray. With courage and faith, the right can triumph in the darkest situations.