Interview with Joni:

 

 

How did you come to write this novel?

 

It all began in April of 2007 at the age of 55.  I’d begun feeling that my career as an author was at a cross roads and beckoning me to a transition as a ‘cloud of unknowing’ hovered.    As you can imagine, this was perplexing.  I felt drawn to adventure, joy and freedom of the spirit, wanting to write unencumbered by restrictions, deadlines, formats or marketing guidelines. The desire to write a novel was enticing because I wanted to take an inner road trip and see where it took me.  I wanted to ‘get out of Dodge’ and see new things, places, people and try new things!

 

How did you start?

 

I wracked my brain for many weeks, trying to dream up a main character, various scenarios and outlines.  Absolutely nothing came to me and I was left empty handed.  What a disappointment!  I paged through my writer’s magazines for tips, cleaned my office and did everything but write.  Finally, one ordinary day with no revelations in mind, I sat down at the computer and typed the headline:  The Last Ordinary Day.  This was followed by a single sentence, “I must be out of my mind,” Father Simon Templegate muttered as sawdust rained down upon his bald head.”  And with that, as he remodeled a beat-up mansion in the middle of nowhere into a retreat house, my life’s work underwent a ‘remodeling’ as well, ushering in a new freedom of expression and creativity that set my keyboard clicking. 

 

In what ways did writing about Simon’s personal journey parallel your own?

 

For one thing, he also was at a crossroads.  He wondered a lot about many things, pondering the great questions in life as I did.  His openness to mystery and intrigue resonated with me.  I admired his genuine spirit and loyalty to his friends, parishioners and his calling---and like Polly, I worried about him because he was worn-out and getting tattered around the edges.  He was also on a quest and I loved that.  When he packed his dusty suitcase, I was cheering him on.  And of course, he had to have Marmalade---I have always had a cat!

 

Simon grew up on a farm and I also wanted to include that because it’s a life that I lived growing up and have cherished all my life (even though I never lived on a farm again after I left home for college.)  Connection to the land and its creatures remains very important to me.

 

What did you learn through Simon and his friends?

 

Their life lessons surprised me as I wrote them and sometimes it was as if I were taking dictation page by page as they directed me.  Where did this come from, I wondered---or how could that have happened?   I felt as if I were surrounded by the colorful characters who lent me their voices as they became like friends to me.  That is not to say that it wasn’t hard work to write this book.  It was.  I wrote about five hours a day, seven days a week for many months. 

 

Also, my Catholic spirituality has taught me to be at home with the communion of saints.  I asked my son who died to companion and enlighten me, as well as other dearly departed until I had what I called my own Heavenly Circle of Mentors.  I was mindful of this each day and when I got stuck, I asked God and all my spiritual helpers for insight. It was quite a moving experience.

 

What was the most difficult scene for you to write?

 

Definitely the scene where Simon’s eleven year old brother, Julian is killed when the tractor tips over on top of him.  We lost our son in l999 and Julian’s death scene was tough to write. I have studied grief for many years which is why it was important to me to include passages concerning life, death, doubt, sorrow and suffering in this book as it relates to the journey of faith.  I wanted to explore the evolution of hope.  I loved how Delle described hope as a chameleon that changes and adapts to our experiences.  That is how hope has been for me---always changing, deepening and redefining itself. 

 

What character was the most challenging to write about?

 

Nicholas.  He was illusive and in the shadows from the start and would not let me get too close to him, as a writer. The mysterious qualities of Nicholas remain compelling, magnetic--- and I feel he has much to teach and reveal to me yet as an author in further work.

 

Now that your novel has been published, what thoughts come to mind?

 

Most especially, I hope it will be a source of joy for readers, a chance to live out a spiritual adventure that will be life-changing and a respite from all the stress and strains of modern life. I especially love all the images in the work:  the dreams Simon had of being one with the ocean, the nostalgic landscape of the town, Time Stands Still, the sight of the Lunar Eclipse, the way the moon shown on the farm where Simon grew up, his memories of the Roller Skating Rink, the spider web Julian etched on Simon’s walking stick, the festive costumes at the masquerade ball and many more.  The mission statement of the Holy Order of Divine Wonder means a lot to me and I have it framed in my office as reminder of what a profound and delightful experience it was to write this novel.  I hope it will serve as a touchstone for others and that readers will find renewed encouragement and enthusiasm for living out their own call in the world.