INTERVIEW BY LESLIE S. LOWE
From a very young age, Sarah Heximer was fascinated with story-telling. Whether it was listening, reading, or creating, she had a natural affinity for strong narratives. Fast forward through life and she is harkening back to her original passion, leveraging all she has learned in her professional life to create something wholly new and aligned with her original calling.
How would you describe this book and its themes in a couple of sentences?
What if your past life helped you discover your future, in the present? Journey through the past and present as they collide in this dual timeline tale of past lives, present challenges, and future potential. The Harbinger: A Triquetra Chronicle is a historical mystery, the first installment in a series focused on learning about mysticism while exploring female friendships and chosen families.
It has always been my favorite genre to read. Coupled with the fact that writing a novel has been a bucket list item for quite some time, it was a natural fit once inspiration struck on a story I could write. The most rewarding part has been being able to contribute to a genre I love and admire, while also accomplishing a life goal I set for myself.
This is the first in a series, but your first fiction novel. Why the switch to writing historical timeslip fiction?
I’ve always been fascinated with stories that engage in different perspectives, as well as the thought that there could be a tether between the past and present. Writing has been a passion and I thought once I had a nugget of an idea, it was worth a shot. I’ve started and stopped a few things in the past, but this was the one that stuck.
Why the focus on this topic of mysticism now? Is there a key historical event you found in researching that inspired you to write this story to portray a message for now?
I loved Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness, and many other books like that by Susanna Kearsley, Kate Morton, Irina Shapiro, and more. These writers bend reality just enough to make you stop and say “huh.” Why not entertain other realities and possibilities? The world is constantly changing and learning new truths about itself, so it was fun to add to the contemplation of those thoughts and ideas.
There wasn’t one historical event I found researching that inspired me, but more the thought of parallel timelines or at the very least, the concept of past lives and how they can influence the present.
How do Sophia and Ann transform within the story and how do their stories intertwine between the present day and 16th-century England? What did that journey mean to you as you wrote it?
They come to learn significant truths about themselves and why they operate the way they do in their own times. They intertwine because of that learning, as well as how they come to accept themselves and their friends (as chosen family).
The journey is everything as you uncover nuggets of truth about yourself and your abilities as well as uncovering your “raison d’etre.” It’s only through that self-discovery that you can truly see the awe and wonder in life and learn to live it the best way you can for yourself.
How do you think the reader will connect with Sophia and Ann in this book?
Hopefully they will see a bit of themselves through all of the characters in one way or another.
How did you balance the research with writing the story? Did you find any interesting historical facts while researching?
Honestly, it all just flowed. I would sit down to write, and research as I went. I’ve always been drawn to the Elizabethan period and so I didn’t necessarily find anything “new” to me, but enjoyed diving deeper on some of the nuances of the time period.
Are you working on the next book in the series? Will the next book be a standalone story or connected to this one?
Yes! There are more Triquetra Chronicles planned. There will be the same characters, but different experiences.
How have your life and work experiences been incorporated or assisted you in your writing?
I relied heavily on my personal experiences and stories I’ve been told by others to bring the characters and narrative to life. It felt more authentic that way so there is a little piece of me written on every page.
Every author has their own publishing journey. Tell me about yours.
I intended to go the traditional route with this book and series. However, I spoke to many authors, information gathering on their process. I realized I could go the self-publishing route and rely on my 20+ years of marketing expertise to help. As an entrepreneur and one who grew up performing, rejection has never bothered me. It was more about getting the story out into the universe and accomplishing a personal bucket list item.
What advice would you give to other aspiring historical writers?
If you haven’t started, start. If you’ve started and haven’t finished, keep going. If you’ve finished and aren’t getting bites, do your due diligence on the sales cycle. There are a number of books in this world and a finite number of readers, yes, but your book is meant for a reader and you have to have faith it will find them.
What is the last great book you read? Why?
One that had me going until the very end and I didn’t want it to end was The Fortune Teller by Gwendolyn Womack. It was a unique perspective and incredibly engaging in how it was written. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Otherwise, you will find my head down in Deborah Harkness and the Discovery of Witches series as she releases more!
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