Frequently asked questions of the author Selena Jane about her novel Search for the Holy Whale and her writing process.
Selena Jane
Where did you get the idea for Search for the Holy Whale?
The idea for Search for the Holy Whale came about because of events which have stayed with me.
The first being the media coverage of the rare sightings of Migaloo, the famous white humpback whale here on the Gold Coast in SE Queensland in the 1990s. I’m a fan and have followed his journey through various sightings ever since.
The second being the tsunami in Indonesia on Boxing Day in 2004.
I’d had several dreams about a tsunami hitting Australia and when this devastating phenomena occurred taking the lives of many beautiful people my research into tsunami’s and tidal waves began.
You can find out more in my blog about how Search for the Holy Whale was developed and my inspiration behind it.
How do you come up with the names of your characters?
All my character names have meaning. I research names and their meanings in a baby name book. It’s important to me that the meaning of their name matches their personality.
I confess I often like to put in a character’s name of someone dear to me. In Search for the Holy Whale, for example, Sari’s mother’s name is Lena, which was my Nanna’s name.
How long does it take you to write a novel?
It depends on the novel, sometimes years, but I’m getting quicker as my skills develop. Unfortunately, I’m an over- analyser so I take longer than I should.
How do you come up with the characters in your books?
Characters seem to find me. I start with a name, then I develop them further by finding a picture in a magazine of what I think they might look like. Once I know roughly what they look like I go through the process of developing character flaws, strengths, and weaknesses.
I think about how they might act and react in certain situations. I want to know what drives them and what problem are they trying to solve.
What’s your writing process?
I let a storyline idea float around in my head for a few days. I take notes about where the story might go. I choose my protagonist and my antagonist and think about what they are both trying to achieve.
I write my opening chapter and create a loose plot from there.
The story mostly unfolds as I go, but I have a rough idea of where I’m going, but I don’t always end up where I thought I might. Sometimes I write alternative endings to see what works best. It’s probably not the best process as I seem to have several unfinished manuscripts.
When do you write?
I like to go for a run in the morning and I write when I get home for a few hours every day.
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Read as much as you can from all different genres. And I have to say it, Stephen King’s book On Writing made me a better writer.
Check it out, but I warn you, you may spend quite some time on his site, he a prolific author.
What are you working on now?
Three books actually, Luna’s Gift; Whatever! This is the 90s; and Two Wrongs are the current working titles.
What authors influenced you growing up?
I was and still am a huge fan of CS Lewis, Enid Blyton, and of course J. R. R. Tolkien. Here’s me spending the day at Hobbiton, what an amazing experience.
What were your favourite books as a child?
So many, but probably the usual for my age group, The Hobbit; The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe; and Wind in the Willows.
What should I do if I find an error in one of your books?
Please send me the details under the contact page. Thank you.
Will you come to my school / local library / bookstore?
I would love to if my schedule allows. Checkout my contact page and send me an inquiry regarding the event.