Today’s guest is a new friend I met when I was an instructor at the Florida Christian Writers Conference this past March. We made an immediate connection and as soon as I heard her story, I knew I wanted her to share it with you.
Ellen’s award winning memoir, My Mother’s Song, details tragic events of her childhood that no child should have to experience. I read her book while we were on vacation and devoured it in just a couple of days. I couldn’t put it down!
Be sure to leave a comment for Ellen and you could win a free book!
Welcome to the Christian Writer’s Den, Ellen. Now, let’s get started. After reading your book, I have to ask, why did you write your memoir? What compelled you?
I always felt led to write my story. I grew up around a violent father who my mother eventually shot in self-defense. But there was always this hidden story I wanted others to see.
As a ten year old, I quickly came to grips with my father’s death, but I struggled for years with the negative effect his death had on my mother. I expected her to be the same afterwards, and she wasn’t.
My Mother’s Song is the story of how my mother’s sister, who was a missionary in South America, stepped in to help my mom raise her six kids. And how my Aunt Jeanne Marie helped me focus on the amazing woman my mother was before my father’s violence destroyed her.
What did you do to develop your writing style?
My father was a writer, and my mother an editor, so it’s kind of the family business. But other than their constant grammar correction growing up, I didn’t have any formal training. So I started by taking a creative writing course at a local community college.
What was your key take-away from that course?
The first assignment the professor gave us was to write about the most meaningful experience of our lives. He then quickly added, “But don’t write about your coming to faith experience. If you do, I won’t read it and I’ll give you an ‘F.’”
I thought he was a bit extreme, and probably an atheist. But then a few weeks later, while lecturing us on using poetry in our writing, he jumped up from his desk and said, “The Bible is the most poetic book ever written.”
Then in big letters, he wrote on the board, “By the sweat of thy brow, thou shalt eat thy bread.”
It got me thinking. Here’s this guy who loves the Bible, but doesn’t want to read another faith story. What’s the disconnect? I figured most writers told boring stories. So I decided when I wrote my book, I wanted to write in way that would impress this professor. Not sure if I succeeded, but I worked hard at it.
Well I can certainly confirm that it wasn’t boring! Now that it’s written, what do you hope people will
gain from reading your book?
Many of us were raised by emotionally wounded parents. Moms and dads, who sometimes by no fault of their own, wounded us. It’s my hope that My Mother’s Song will inspire children to love their parents, in spite of the damage done when their parent’s wounds disrupted their own childhood.
Writers are always interested in signing with an agent. How did you get agent representation?
Several years ago, my writers group gave me an all expense paid trip to the Greater Philadelphia Writers Conference. I’d never been to a writer’s conference so I read up on everything I needed to do. Then I did it. From my research, I decided Chip MacGregor was the agent I wanted to represent my book. I didn’t have enough done on My Mother’s Song to pitch it at that conference, but it motivated me to get some solid chapters done before my next conference.
A year later, I went to the Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference with more experience, and more words on the page. I pitched to Chip, and he showed interest. He then helped me guide me toward finishing my book. I feel honored to be represented by him.
What are you working on now?
My next book is the story of my 38-year marriage to my husband Tim. I got pregnant at 17, almost had an abortion, but got married instead. I never thought the marriage would last. But we stuck it out until his death in 2012. It’s the story of how one couple did just about everything wrong, except quit on each other.
Wow, that sounds like another great story, Ellen. I love how you’re using your own traumatic experiences of life to show that our pasts do not determine our futures. Thank you for sharing your journey with us today.
BIO: Ellen Gee’s ability to find beauty amongst brokenness is inspiring. Her talent is never more evident than in her award winning memoir, My Mother’s Song, where she details the tragic events of her childhood. After living in Northern Virginia for over fifty years, she and her husband Tim moved to Orlando Florida, where tragedy struck again. After a courageous two-year battle, Tim lost his fight with lung cancer. Now she spends her time writing her next book about her thirty-eight crazy years with Tim. She also randomly posts on her blog, Slipstream. You can contact Ellen at .
Readers, don’t forget to leave a comment for Ellen and you’ll be in the drawing for a free book. Don’t forget to come back next week to see if you’re the winner!
Happy writing!
Vonda
