Donna Dawson/Fawcett
Donna Dawson's short story, "One True Friend," appears on page 235 of Hot Apple Cider. "One True Friend" is a poignant story about two people in pain who help each other: one a young boy who is battling cancer, the other a much older homeless man.
Donna Dawson, whose actual name is Donna Fawcett, teaches a course in writing at Fanshawe College in London. Born into a military family in Ontario, Canada, Donna's most popular suspense novels, Vengeance and The Adam & Eve Project, have a large amount of military history in them.
After her children moved into their adult lives, Donna enrolled in a subsidiary of the University of Connecticut, Long Ridge Writer’s Group, and completed courses in freelance writing and novel writing.
She has written for numerous magazines, including Guideposts’ Angels on Earth, Beyond Ordinary Living, 3.1.6. A Journal of Christian Thinking, APHA Journal, Canadian Homes & Cottages, Small Farms Canada, Inscribe Fellowscript, Housewife Mafia. She currently writes monthly columns for OFTP Home Rules, Homeschool Horizons and The St Marys Journal Argus newspaper.
Under the pen name Donna Dawson, she has written four novels: Redeemed (Word Alive Press), The Adam & Eve Project (Word Alive Press), Vengeance (Word Alive Press) and Fires of Fury (Awe-struck Books).
Vengeance, received the Best Contemporary Novel Award and the Best Independently Published Novel Award in The Word Guild 2009 Awards. Donna's current next manuscript, Rescued, recently won a finalist position in the Word Alive Press contest.
Donna is a professional member of The Word Guild, Canada’s leading Christian writer’s guild; a professional member of PWAC (professional writers association of Canada); and a member of Inscribe.
As a singer and songwriter, Donna has received a third place in the Ontario Chapter of the Canadian Nationals Vocal Competition, and is in the process of recording her first CD, entitled Donna: Songs of Salvation.
Find out more at www.authordonnadawson.com
1. Hot Apple Cider came together in a rather unusual way. What made you want to have your work in it?
There were a number of reasons I wanted to be involved. First, I saw the potential for being part of a collection of works written by all Canadian authors, published here, printed here—it was so—Canadian! And I wanted to support my country that way.
I also saw the promotional benefits. What better way to get one’s work recognized than to be part of a national—now international—compilation.
Probably the biggest reason for jumping in was the common ground. Each writer writes from his or her faith point of view. Many of the writers are people I’ve met at Write! Canada and they're wonderful Godly people. I wanted to have the privilege of working on a project with them.
2. This book is 100% Canadian. Canadian authors, publisher, printer—everything. Is that important to you?
Oh, very much so. While I have published work in the States, my dream is to see Canadians embracing Canadian writing by Canadian authors. We have much to be proud of in this country and our writers are part of that reason to be proud. Canadians can create fantastic work and it’s a joy to see that rewarded by support from fellow Canadians.
3. In her foreword for Hot Apple Cider, Janette Oke mentions that writers are often asked, “Why do you write?” How do you respond to that question?
It began with a teacher’s admonition that "if you do nothing else in life—write!" When I finally listened to her and began writing, I quickly discovered that—as other writers have said—I simply couldn’t not write.
4. You have a lot of interests, including music and horses, and I believe you’ve been involved in a number of things, including working with your husband in several businesses and homeschooling. How did you fit writing into your busy life?
Our lives go through transitions and mine is no different. My husband's and my lives together began with work and then children. Writing never really became a part of my life until my children hit their teens. At the time, I had a kilt making business because, by then, the kids were pretty independent. I had been making kilts for over 10 years but was growing tired of it. My teacher’s words came back to me and I thought, Why not? That was the beginning of my writing. It helps that I’m a wee bit ADHD. I do many things in short bursts, and having lots of different things to do allows me the freedom of jumping from one to the next until I accomplish them all. I sleep well at night!
5. Your first published book was a non-fiction book, Thriving in the Home School, under your “real” name, Donna Fawcett. How did that book come about and will there be more non-fiction?
I never intended to write books, but I was surprised by how many homeschooling families were facing some of the same struggles I had faced and I wondered why that was. It didn’t take long to realize that most homeschoolers, upon finishing their teaching, don’t remain involved with the homeschooling community. They move on to other careers. So the mentoring to younger families wasn’t happening. My husband and I talked about it and I decided to write the homeschooling manual. It has been gratifying to hear from young families who have read the book, and to learn that it has helped prepare them for the challenges of home teaching. I love writing fiction, but I also enjoy writing non-fiction for the magazine market.
6. Why did you choose to use a pseudonym for your novels?
This was a decision I came to regret very quickly. It began with a comment from a magazine editor who told me I couldn’t write both fiction and non-fiction. At the time, my main market was non-fiction for magazines. The editor was wrong, but I wasn’t going to argue. I adopted a pseudonym and published the fiction anyway.
7. I believe you’ve mentioned that having a military upbringing and a number of brothers were two of the influences on your life—and particularly on your reading and writing. How have those influences impacted you?
I grew up to be a bit tougher than most girls. I also found myself competing with my brothers to be as good as them in everything they did. That meant woodworking, baseball, model building. They were my playmates, too, so Barbies weren’t really on the agenda. I grew up in a masculine home with that being my major influence. My father was a career soldier and discussion between him and my oldest brother—also a career soldier—revolved around the military. All of this molded me into who I am—not exactly the most feminine female out there. That impacted my reading and writing. I was inclined to watch war movies and read books filled with suspense. It was no surprise that my best writing went in those directions.
8. All of your fiction has a strong faith element. Do you have a specific overall purpose in your writing? And if so, why have you chosen fiction as your primary vehicle?
I have a purpose statement that is posted on the wall above my desk. It reads: My purpose: to make a difference in the lives of many who would not see Christ but for the words I write; to show his love and sacrifice in the pages of each book.
I also have a picture taken by my son-in-law of an eagle at the edge of her nest with an eaglet settled in the nest. With that picture is Isaiah 40:30-31: “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (NIV)
Both of these postings remind me that we have a purpose on earth. That purpose is to glorify God in all we do. My writing is no different. I came to realize, a number of years ago, that we all face eternity—either in Heaven or in Hell. I didn’t want someone to miss out on Heaven because I was too afraid to share God’s love. What better way to do that than through books? Didn't God use words in a book to tell us about his love?
I chose fiction as my method for sharing the Gospel because it mirrors what Christ did. He told parables because he knew that most people would rather hear a good story with a message than hear a bunch of facts listed. I remember being pulled in with books like The Cross and the Switchblade, because of the exciting story. Of course, that story was true, but Frank Perretti's novel, This Present Darkness, also grabbed my attention. I will never forget how books like that impacted my growing faith. And they made me want to tell exciting, faith-encouraging stories too.
9. You have four published novels: Redeemed, The Adam & Eve Project, Vengeance, and Fires of Fury. They’re all standalones, but what are the differences and similarities?
The differences are more in the genres than anything. Redeemed is a young adult book and has more of a thriller flavour to it. The Adam & Eve Project, while considered a thriller, is more like a conspiracy theory book and it actually has a sequel in the works called The Second Cain. Vengeance is FBI intrigue and addresses some of the wrongs of Vietnam. Fires of Fury is a romance mystery. I told you I was ADHD!
They are different in that they target different audiences, which means that they address different needs. Their similarities are the similarities that we see in scripture. A loving God. An offering of redemption. Struggles that man can’t overcome himself. And the freedom that comes through salvation.
10. You’ve chosen to self-publish most of your books. Why does that work for you? Can you see yourself looking for a royalty publisher in the future?
I sing publicly and I speak at conferences all over the place (I’ll be speaking in Nashville, TN in January!). Having that platform makes self-publishing such a blessing. There is no end to the print runs so I can take my books wherever I want for as long as I want. I have final say over the editing, which is not to say that editing isn’t important. I can’t say enough about how important a good editor is when one self-publishes.
Fires of Fury actually was published through a royalty publisher in e-book format. Whether I will continue in that trend or not, I don’t know yet. It has been a learning experience which has allowed me to see the pro’s and con’s of both kinds of publishing.
11. Your piece in Hot Apple Cider is a poignant short story about a homeless man and a young boy with cancer. Why this story?
Our world is full of suffering. There isn’t one person out there who hasn’t faced some kind of struggle. I wanted readers to understand what the scriptures try to teach us about our own suffering and the suffering of others. We are to trust God with our pain while we reach out to others who don’t see the hope he offers.
I had Danny cast as a youth because Jesus talks about the simplicity of faith through a child’s eyes. Danny had to face pain, and there is nothing more terrifying to North Americans right now than cancer. And I wanted Danny to reach someone who saw life as hopeless—someone we rarely think about as having had a life before the streets. It was a story that I hoped would say it all—faith in Christ in spite of pain, compassion and love to one another, hope in Christ.
12. I’m assuming you get feedback from a lot of people because of the nature of your books, and feedback is great for the author—you know someone is actually reading your words! But I’m wondering if you’ve learned anything from your readers that you could share with us?
Most of the feedback is very positive, but on occasion I get a comment that will cause me to flip through the book and re-read what I’ve written. I had one reader accuse me of being racist, which is funny since I have Aboriginal, Acadian, Scottish and English in me and I grew up in a family with an adopted son who was a Jew from Poland and an adopted daughter who was from Hong Kong. I married a Scottish/Irish husband and have a Portuguese son-in-law and a Burmese son-in-law. But I didn’t wish to offend, so I went back and re-read the portions mentioned. And I asked others who read the book. None of them felt I was racist nor did I see it so I took the comment in stride. I do recommend that writers choose their words carefully and get others to proof their work. The goal isn’t to offend, it is to point the way to a loving God.
13. Aside from your own pieces, is there a particular piece or thought in Hot Apple Cider that stood out for you?
That’s a tough one because each piece struck a chord somewhere in my life. I would have to say that what stood out most was "The Diamond Ring" by N. J. Lindquist—especially the comment about not fitting in at school—about feeling different. That so hit the mark with me!
14. A lot of people want to share their stories in order to help others. What advice do you have for someone who wants to write but doesn’t know how to begin?
Take a writing course! I can’t stress that enough. Too often, beginners jump in without knowing anything about the mechanics of writing. That’s like trying to oil paint without learn how to do so. Those beginner writers then make all manner of writing mistakes, submission mistakes, promotion mistakes and then wonder why no one is reading their work. Definitely learn from people like those in The Word Guild or through college courses, like the one I teach. We can share the shortcuts and save new writers so much heartache.
15. Are you working on something else now? And if so, can you tell us a little about it?
I am working on a number of projects right now. Since Fires of Fury was only published in e-book, I have decided to have it printed through a company in Toronto. I don’t really have plans for pushing the print book, but I do have people ask for it in print instead of e-book, so it’ll be nice to be able to accommodate them.
I have just finished a final edit on a western/mystery/romance called Chinook Winds. I plan on making this one a series and am excited about it.
I have begun the final edit on Rescued. This suspense novel is set in Canada and I’m hoping it will change the face of the abortion debate. There is a procedure that could be used which would end abortion and keep pro-life and pro-choice content. I have discussed it with many medical professionals—including an abortion specialist—and keep hearing the same thing—why didn’t we think of that? I put it into fiction form because more people will be willing to check it out that way. And yet, all those medical professionals have helped me map out the actual procedure so that it could be incorporated into the medical field. This manuscript was a finalist in Word Alive Press’ contest this past year, but I had to pass on publication because more data came in after the deadline. That sent me back to the drawing board, and so it will be entered again this year with all the new information. I’m pretty nervous about this one because it is such a controversial subject.
16. What is your prayer for the readers of Hot Apple Cider?
My prayer is that they truly will see Christ’s love and sacrifice for them and that they will be blessed and drawn closer to him through the book. And might I add that I hope to see a second Hot Apple Cider in store book shelves soon. I think Canada is eager to embrace, not only Canadian Christian writers, but the love of Christ.
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