I recently sat down with Greg, the husband of my main character, Eve, in The Red Dress. Here’s what he had to say.
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Me: Greg, I’m so glad you could take a few minutes out of your busy schedule to talk to me.
Greg: It’s my pleasure. What would you like to know about me?
Me: Well, let’s start with your name. I know everybody calls you Greg or Dad, but what’s on your birth certificate?
Greg: My full name is Gregory Lee Sawyer. My paternal grandfather’s name was Lee. So, that’s where I got my middle name.
Me: Are you an only child?
Greg: No. I have a sister, Polly. She’s blind.
Me: Wait a minute. You have a son named Tom Sawyer. So, he has an Aunt Polly just like the character in the Mark Twain classic?
Greg: (chuckles) Yes. Polly was actually named after my maternal grandmother.
Me: So, Polly’s blind. Apparently, this wasn’t a hereditary thing because you don’t have a visual impairment. Yet, you teach at a school for the blind.
Greg: You’re right. I’m fully sighted. Polly is my older sister. She was born blind, but it’s not a hereditary condition. I think my parents were relieved when I was born with better eyes. Because Polly had some bad teachers at the school for the blind in California where my family lives, I decided I wanted to be a better teacher to children in such schools. When I graduated from college and became certified, there wasn’t an opening in California, but I found one at the school in Colorado Springs. So, I moved there.
Me: Polly’s still in California?
Greg: Yes. She programs computers, and before you ask, she doesn’t live in a house with a fence. So, she has never made her nephew Tom whitewash that fence. She lives in an apartment.
Me: That’s good to know. Did you like school when you were growing up?
Greg: Absolutely! My favorite subjects were English and literature. That’s what I teach at the Colorado State School for the Deaf & Blind.
Me: Do you like teaching there?
Greg: Oh yes! I teach at the junior and senior high level. Since classes are smaller than they are in public schools, I can give the kids more individual attention. I love engaging them in lively discussions of the books we’re reading, and they seem to enjoy doing the projects I assign.
Me: Projects? Like what?
Greg: Well, when we read Tom Sawyer, I had them research and write about what life was like back in those days, compared to now.
Me: How interesting. What’s your greatest fear?
Greg: I’m afraid I’ll lose Eve, the love of my life. I thought I would lose her that summer we got into an argument over a red dress. But when I saw her in it… Oh shoot, look at the time. I’ve got to run.
Me: Well, thank you Greg. Good luck to you.
***
So, how did Greg and Eve get into an argument over a red dress? You’ll just have to read the book and find out.
Thanks to D.E. Haggerty for inspiring this. You can read her character interview here.
By the way, for those of you who use the National Library Services for the Blind and Print Disabled, The Red Dress is available for download from their site here. No matter how you read it, please be sure to review it wherever you can. That goes for all my books. Thank you for stopping by. Stay safe, happy, and healthy, and may you always have positive experiences.
New! The Red Dress
Copyright July 2019 by DLD Books
When Eve went to her high school senior prom, she wore a red dress that her mother had made for her. That night, after dancing with the boy of her dreams, she caught him in the act with her best friend. Months later, Eve, a freshman in college, is bullied into giving the dress to her roommate. After her mother finds out, their relationship is never the same again.
Twenty-five years later, Eve, a bestselling author, is happily married with three children. Although her mother suffers from dementia, she still remembers, and Eve still harbors the guilt for giving the dress away. When she receives a Facebook friend request from her old college roommate and an invitation to her twenty-five-year high school class reunion, then meets her former best friend by chance, she must confront the past in order to face the future.
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My Corner 
Thanks for the mention. Aren’t character interviews fun??
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Yes, it was sun to read this today, Abbie.
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Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed the post. Have a great day!
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Absolutely! As a matter of fact, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to do a character interview before writing the novel. Thank you for your comment.
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Since I do not invent characters or write novels, I think it might be a great idea for me to INTERVIEW my ART WORKS. I could do an entire series such as “Interview with a Talisman” in the form of a poem or personal essay. You have given me something to think about – right now, I am at work reading all of the hand-written journals from my travels each summer – as I am revising my first book – Concerti: Psalms for the Pilgrimage,” for publication next year. But, I like the idea of allowing the art works to have a voice and to communicate – so this might be my challenge for 2021. Hmmmm.
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Very fun to read, Abbie. Cleverly done. Thanks! And it’s a good book, folks. I hope you’ll give it a try. / My husband and I edited the book, by the way. A fun fact about the lovely cover: Originally, the character Eve was blonde. But the very best online photo of a young woman in a red dress that looked like the one described in the book featured a model with black hair. Abbie and I pondered what to do. Should I keep looking for a good photo with a blonde model? I had looked for a while and was not having any luck. The dresses were all too different, or the models looked too modern. Then Abbie had the great idea of simply changing Eve’s hair from light to dark in the book. Presto, change-o, the main character was an attractive brunette, and the cover photo was perfect. Editing and cover preparation can be fun adventures at times! 🙂
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Thank you, Leonore. I’m glad you enjoyed the interview. I simply thought it would be easier to change Eve’s hair color than it would be to find a photograph of a woman with blond hair. I appreciate your comment.
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I think the darker hair color is better anyway, for blond carries many loaded presumptions with it – think, Marilyn Monroe – and all of the musicals and other movie stars that were blonde – hair color carries unspoken messages no matter what that color may be. I think the photo on your book is absolutely perfect, gives a strong message that fits and is a powerful visual.
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