Q&A Session

With 
TO AND FRO'S Author LT Ladino

By Dr. Jamie Hyman

Q.         WHY DID YOU WRITE TO AND FRO?

A. Since my teens several close friends have been encouraging me to put my love of creating writing into a completed body of work. Like most writers, I hesitated because of a fear of writing dialogue. This fear intimidated me for almost 20 years and  felt I had to finally conqueror it.

Q.         WHY WAS THE THOUGHT OF WRITING DIALOGUE SO INTIMIDATING?

A. There is nothing like reading a good book that keeps your attention. In my mind, because I had no formal training, having to set up a book’s plot while leaving clues throughout its text seemed extremely difficult. I use to think, ‘How can I hammer in this point or leave this clue in Chapter 5 and have it make sense in Chapter 23?’ However, one night I was encouraged to just sit down and try and once I conceived the concept, the dialogue just flowed. I wrote the entire book from my head and out of sequence. Since completing the book, I have met so many people who have great concepts and a desire to write but suffer from the same fear I had to overcome. I have tried to be as encouraging to them as possible hoping they will to move beyond their fears.

Q.         WHY DID YOU WRITE THE BOOK OUT OF ORDER?

A. I can’t explain it. I had written the Prologue, the synopsis and the book’s conclusion so I knew where I wanted the book to go. However, when I would get a concept or idea that I felt was relevant to Kelsey’s journey I would jotted it down as a Chapter Title on a flash card and tape it to my home office wall. Before getting my book deal, I had already written The Prologue, Chapters One, Kelsey’s Conclusion, Chapter’s Two -Three and Twenty-Three. The rest were filled in out of sequenced to meet my 30-day deadline.

Q.         THE BOOK POINTS TO SEVERAL AREAS THAT KELSEY HAD TO PREVAIL OVER: PARENTAL ABANDONMENT, INFIDELTY AND GENERATIONAL CURSES. WHY DID YOU SELECT THESE TOPICS FOR YOUR BOOK?

A. Actually, I believe these topics selected me. Though TO AND FRO’s character and their scenarios are fiction, I can personally identify with each topic.  Ironically, I began writing this book over two years before my book deal but it wasn’t until almost six months after the book’s completion that I had to walk through each scenario uncovering untapped feelings, pain and fears that I assumed I was previously delivered from, couldn’t believe would happen or just no longer cared about.

Q.         TELL THE TRUTH… ARE YOU KELSEY?

A.  If you would have asked me this question as I was writing the book I would have said NO.  I believe there is a little Kelsey in every woman when she is being challenged to grow. I believe that everyone can to be a little selfish and unrealistic when forced to mature. Kelsey’s journey challenged her to look directly into the mirror, admit her faults and making the decision to change. However, after having to live out some of the circumstances that were described in the book, I can honestly say that Kelsey can be seen as a type-shadow for who I was and what I had to personally grow through.

Q.         SO IF IT’S TRUE THAT FIRST-TIME WRITERS TEND TO WRITE ABOUT WHAT THEY KNOW WHAT IN THIS BOOK MIRRORS YOUR LIFE AND TO WHAT CAPACITY?

A. I can say that the grandfather character and his name, James C. Rollins, was my real grandfather whom I adored. There are many anecdotal scenarios from my and the lives of those closest to me which I believe made the character feel as real as she does. However, based on the advice of my attorneys, I must make the disclaimer that all names have been change to spare the innocent and any scenarios or situations that may seem similar to true events are purely coincidental.  LOL

Q.         YOU MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY THAT YOU BEGAN WRITING TO AND FRO OVER TWO YEARS BEFORE IT WAS PUBLISHED. HOW DID YOU GET YOUR PUBLISHING DEAL?

A. I wrote the title and prologue in 2002 and over the next two years I would play with writing chapters and tweaking them. However, it wasn’t until 2004 that I became more serious about completing the book. I told a colleague about the project who owned a literary agency. He submitted the book to my publishing company. Within weeks a deal was structured and when the papers were signed I had to finish 21 chapters in about 30 days. Things were moving extremely quickly right in the midst of serious life changing experiences and moving my children 3000 miles to the west coast.

Q.         WHY DID YOU RELEASE THE BOOK IN 2005 UNDER YOUR MARRIED NAME AND WHY ARE YOU CHANGING IT BACK TO YOUR FAMILY SURNAME?

A. It was hard for me to release the book under my married name but I chose to do so for the sake of my children. I wanted them to be able to look at the final body of work and the best way to do that I thought was sharing the accomplishment with them through our last names. It was important for me to make them feel connected to it since they sacrificed so much of their time with me so that I could complete the book. Not to mention, I thought it would be in poor taste with the divorce process in place at the time. Now that my children are older I am certain that it doesn’t matter as much as it once did. Taking on my family surname has proven to be a blessing and a source of inspiration one that reflects my heritage and who I truly am. Just like Kelsey having an opportunity to regain her identity, I believe taken on the surname of Ladino has in many ways allowed me to regain my identity too.

Q.         WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE THE READERS TO WALK AWAY WITH AFTER READING TO AND FRO?

A. Several things. First, I would like them to be entertained. Secondly, to be encouraged to evaluate the areas in their own life that may hinder their personal growth and not be afraid to tackle them.  It is challenging and can be painful but as it is said, “Pain is weakness simply leaving the body!”