Catherine Jonson: Shades of Darkness, Shades of Grace
Reading Group Guides
February 19, 2009. Queenie D discusses Shades of Darkness, Shades of Grace with author Catherine Johnson.
Reading Group Guides: Interview with Catherine Johnson
The
cover of this book reads "inspired by a true story…captivating & heart-stopping." Can you tell us anything about the truth behind what you've
written?
The
real life story went on far longer than in the book and those events were compressed into a five year period, at the suggestion of one of my editors.
Compressing time made for a more manageable narrative that wouldn't drag on endlessly and frustrate readers.
Unfortunately for my family, the story continues, and here area few examples of the truth behind the novel. The Robert James Carter character is
a convicted felon and sex offender who was recently released from Federal prison after serving six years. My family has been notified of his
release and to be very cautious. What's truly frightening is that he has now been involved in the deaths of eight people versus the six described
in the book, but his involvement has never been satisfactorily proven to file additional charges. With his release, law enforcement officials who
sent him to prison on weapons charges fear for their safety. I simply couldn't make up the felonies, bestiality, prostitution, etc. that Carter is
involved in and let the facts speak for themselves.
With that in mind, the newspaper articles that Kay reads are just as they appeared in newspapers, with names and locations changed, so Carter has
a lengthy history. The wiretapping trial also occurred as it did in real life. The first newspaper article that begins the novel is also true, although
nothing along those lines happened to our family. In that instance I felt it could easily happen in the story and it provided a strong hook into
the novel.
Another aspect of truth is the horrific history of alcoholism within the Pierson family. Unfortunately, the abuse detailed in the novel is true.
I included it because (1) it was a major part of the story, and (2) I wanted readers to understand that alcoholism or any kind of drug addiction
shows absolutely no prejudice and can happen to anyone. Many of the articles I've written and blog posts deal with chemical dependency because I
am a recovering addict who has a genetic history littered with four generations of abuse. That's another reasons for the numerous resources on
alcoholism on the book web site. If one person who reads the book sees themselves or a loved one and gets help, that alone is worth telling this
story.
Ultimately, 80-85% of the events portrayed in the novel are true. More than ever, this is a question readers and reviewers have a right to ask,
especially with the recent spate of fabricated memoirs. I've written a number of blog posts on this topic, and I would not claim the novel was "inspired
by a true story" if I couldn't back that up. With Shades of Darkness, Shades of Grace there are court documents, police reports, newspaper
accounts, correspondence, etc. that document the events told in the book. If I did anything as a writer that moved away from the real events it
was to tone them down. Certain instances were so bizarre I didn't feel the reader would find the truth believable.
Reading Group Guides: Interview with Catherine Johnson
Reading Group Guides: Interview with Catherine Johnson
I
feel like Paul and the rest of his family were too easily won over by Pamela. Were they naïve, not realizing that such malevolence exists in
human nature? Or were they so thrilled to have Paul "back from the dead" that they decided to overlook the warning signs?
Again,
I'm basing the reaction of the Pierson's to Pamela based on what really occurred and you are correct. Our family was too easily won over by Pamela,
as they have always believed to give people the benefit of the doubt. But, in many respects they were very naïve, for which we paid a steep price.
My family's reaction was one of the reasons I chose to write the book - people know that evil exists in the world but they never expect it to
happen to them. When people are actually confronted with evil, few know how to handle it. As Pamela filed an endless stream of lawsuits against
our family and slandered our name, everyone (with the exception of me who felt we should fight back) insisted we take the high road, arguing that
we would ultimately prevail. Unfortunately for us, taking the high road and not confronting Pamela in the court system backfired and the law suits
and harassment just kept coming. She was and is a master manipulator, who is relentless in her destruction and thirst for money.
Reading Group Guides: Interview with Catherine Johnson
Reading Group Guides: Interview with Catherine Johnson
Does
the mother, even an unfit one such as Pamela, really have more sway in a child custody battle than the father?
Yes,
and again I'm based this on what occurred and the personal stories from other people. Another reason I decided to write this book was due in part
to the many people who have lived through similar harrowing stories of divorce, brutal child custody battles, or a parent who viewed the child as
nothing more than a bargaining chip. Our attorney who practices family law, kept telling me there were universal themes here and to write about
what we were experiencing. Finally, I took him up on it.
Since the book has been published, I'm amazed at the number of people who have related similar, but no less heartbreaking stories. While things
are getting better in the court system for fathers, mothers still carry a lot of weight. With a person such as Pamela, you also have a master
manipulator and consummate liar who is extremely adapt at twisting facts in her favor and playing the victim.
Reading Group Guides: Interview with Catherine Johnson
Reading Group Guides: Interview with Catherine Johnson
I
am amazed that the Pierson family was able to stay so strongly united through the entire ordeal. Do you think this is because they run a family
business so they had no choice, or are their family ties unusually strong?
Again,
I based the Pierson family on my family so I am a bit biased. But our familial ties are that strong. We were raised with the idea that without
the love and support of family, you have nothing. Our parents believe nothing is more important than family connections.
Certainly, you have even more to protect when you own a successful business, and in some respects when you're working with relatives, it can be
difficult to separate the areas of family/personal life and business. You may not always like your family, but they are often the ones who offer
the most support when your life falls to pieces, as Paul's does in the novel.
The other aspect I wanted to explore is that anyone, no matter how morally grounded they might be, can be pushed to commit acts they would never
otherwise consider. This is particularly true when your family is threatened. Throughout the novel, almost everyone reaches that point, and that's
exactly what happened to us. The anger, frustration, and sense of betrayal only made us grow closer, just as it does the Pierson's.
Reading Group Guides: Interview with Catherine Johnson
Reading Group Guides: Interview with Catherine Johnson
Why
doesn't Kay have any children of her own? It's not mentioned in the story but I got the sense that she was unable.
There
are a couple reasons Kay and Tim do not have children. First, they are modeled on a couple within our family who do not have children, and I wanted
to stick to the real story as much as possible. Second, there are a lot of couples who don't have children. I think it's important to remind people
that many couples without children made a conscious decision not to be parents. In the novel Kay and Tim being childless has nothing to do with
her being physically unable, it was their decision. However, I also wanted to show that the roles of aunt and uncle are important to both of them.
Like many authors, I found it's somewhat easier to write about what I was familiar with.
Reading Group Guides: Interview with Catherine Johnson
Reading Group Guides: Interview with Catherine Johnson
Do
you plan to write another novel or was telling this story enough for you?
I
definitely want to write another novel, but currently my time is occupied by promoting Shades of Darkness, Shades of Grace and other writing
related endeavors. One of my short stories, A Snap Judgment, is being published in an anthology by Infinity, and a Canadian women's magazine,
Mompreneur published my article, "When Smart Authors Get Taken" last fall. Over the next few months, I'm assisting the Literacy Instruction For
Texas (LIFT) organization by donating signed copies of the novel and writing on the topic of literacy, something that is especially important to
me as an author. Eventually, I do plan to write another novel, and this one too evolves out of factual events.
Thank you very much for the opportunity to respond to the Book Club Queen interview questions. To read an excerpt of Shades of Darkness, Shades of Grace
visit www.catherinejohnsonnovels.com or www.catherinejohnsonnovels.info.
Reading Group Guides: Interview with Catherine Johnson
Return from Reading Group Guides: Interview with Catherine Johnson to Home
|
