Author Interview: Heather Gudenkauf

Today we have Heather Gudenkauf, author of  These Things Hidden and The Weight of Silence here to answer a few questions.  I've read, and I reviewed (posted today), These Things Hidden and was completely blown away.  The story really sucked me in and I couldn't hardly put the book down.  You can check out my review HERE.  

Thanks so much for joining us Heather!

Can you tell us a bit about yourself? (I saw you’re from or live in Wagner, SD; I'm from Sturgis, SD)

I’ve been to Sturgis! I was born in Wagner, South Dakota, the youngest of six children and lived on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota where my father was a guidance counselor and my mom was a school nurse. We moved to Iowa when I was three and I grew up in Mason City, Iowa. In addition to being an author, I’m a literacy coach, a teacher who assists schools and teachers with curriculum and professional development. I live in the beautiful Mississippi River town of Dubuque, Iowa with my husband, three children, and an exceptionally spoiled German shorthaired pointer named Maxine.

“These Things Hidden” deals with some difficult topics, what was your inspiration?  How did this story line come to you? (without giving spoilers, of course)     

 The idea for the novel came about after I heard an NPR news story describing how in the twelfth century, a deeply concerned Pope Innocent III created the Medieval foundling wheel. The Roman Pope ordered the construction of foundling wheels, rotating platforms built into the walls of churches, after becoming aware that many unwanted newborns were being tossed into the Tiber River by their mothers. This allowed desperate women to anonymously and safely leave their newborns with the nuns inside the church walls. From this I decided to write the story of one little boy left at an Iowa safe haven site, the mystery surrounding his birth and the four women who pass in and out of his life.

Did you have to do much research for this book? 

To research These Things Hidden I needed to learn about safe haven laws, which are laws that allow parents to safely surrender a child without fear of arrest for abandonment. I was surprised to learn that safe haven laws vary from state to state and that currently Nebraska and the District of Columbia do not have safe haven laws in place. I also needed to learn about the criminal justice system in Iowa and was fortunate enough to have a defense attorney help me out with the intricacies of Iowa law.

What was the most challenging part of writing this book?

I think one of the main challenges of writing These Things Hidden, without not giving away too much , was penning the scene in the book store near the end of the novel when all the characters face each other for the first time. Very tense!

Did you have the book planned before you started writing it?  Or did it come to you as you wrote?

I thought I had the novel planned out, at least in my own mind, but ended up making many revisions. I added and deleted characters, dramatically modified the personality of certain characters, and changed the storyline many times. In the end the hard work paid off and I told the story that I wanted to tell.

You did a fabulous job in keeping us guessing, and even when I thought it was all figured out there were more twists to the story.  You were able to convince us one thing for us only to find out something different.  Was that something you planned out?  Was it difficult to write it like that?

Thank you! I really enjoy reading books that slowly toss clues like bread crumbs for the reader to find and I attempt to do that in my own writing. I try to plan out the twists and turns, but once in while I end up writing myself into a corner and have to get the story back on track.

 Do you have any advice for wanna-be authors?

My advice to those who have the dream to write – is to do just that – write. It’s so important to set aside time each day to get your thoughts and ideas down on paper. It can be an hour or ten minutes, you’ll be surprised at how quickly the pages start accumulating. I also think it is crucial for writers to be readers. Read far, wide and deeply.

Do you have a favorite book or author that you’re always recommending to people? 

I have so many favorites and I’m always recommending books to friends and family. A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley is the first novel I remember reading that was set in Iowa. Smiley captured the beauty of farm country as only someone who has lived here can. Her description of the Iowa landscape and the human condition is powerful and haunting.

Just for fun: If you could have one super power what would it be?  

My super power would be telekinesis - the ability to move things by just thinking about it. To be able to just snap my fingers or wiggle my nose and have the laundry folded, the dishes put away, the bed made. I would be much more efficient at household chores and have more time to do those things I love, like spending time with my family, writing and reading.

Thanks so much Heather!  I love the answers and I love the super power you want!  I always thought I'd want to fly so I could see all my family and friends more often, but yours might be more useful for everyday.