"A cabin hidden behind a padlocked gate, no power, no phone, just Revelation and a .38…a true story of abuse, loss, redemption and hope."

AS THE SYCAMORE GROWS, by Jennie Helderman, is a true story of domestic violence, told from the perspective of both the victim and the abuser. It's a unique take and provides an entirely new perspective on a very important, but often overlooked, subject. Unlike many books of this genre, SYCAMORE uses real names and places. The details were not changed, and the book includes photographs and copies of court documents from the participants. It was released by Summers Bridgewater Press, Inc. on October 11, 2010. To celebrate SYCAMORE's release in paperback and Kindle format, we invited author Jennie Helderman to tell us a little more about herself and the book. First, a little about Jennie and her approach to writing:

JH: I like to find out the how and why of things, whether it's reading mysteries, playing word games or working at Pompeii as I did one summer. I like to travel, but not with groups. I don't stay in line very well. I need to walk, let my feet touch the earth, and meet the people along the way. Back in 2000 I walked 125 miles of the Camino across northern Spain and I cherish that experience.

TED: Tell us a little bit about the genesis of the book idea and/or how you came to decide to write it.

JH: That’s the Prologue, which is posted on the website and on Facebook. Basically, I was working on a project with Rick Bragg. My assignment was a 1500 word magazine article due in two weeks. I stumbled on this story instead; 1500 words turned into 90,000 and the two weeks into five years.

TED: Are there any books or authors who factored into your inspiration to write the book?

JH: Rick Bragg sent me in search of a story. I read a lot of books during the writing--my husband declared that anyone who saw all the domestic violence books on my shelves would report him to the police--but I wouldn’t call this reading inspirational.

TED: Tell us a little about your target audience and what kinds of readers are most likely to enjoy the book.

JH: I expected women readers and book clubs to be the primary target, with those in the helping professions next. To my amazement, men are reading it and speaking up about it. One who is a district attorney and church elder wrote that now he knows what his sister and mother experienced.

TED: Any advice for other writers who are making their way toward publication?

JH: Start early. Keep at it. And come to The Editorial Department. I threw a lot of money at other teachers and editors. It would have been better spent with TED.

TED: Please share some insights into TED’s role in the editing and development of your book?

JH: Renni Browne and I were classmates in English 101. I was afraid of her then and still am. I did just what she said do--and she was right. She made excellent suggestions. And we had fun working together. Shannon Roberts also worked with me, which was good as she had a younger perspective which I needed to hear.

TED: Were there any unexpected developments in bringing the book to fruition?

JH: LET ME COUNT THE WAYS--I set up my own publishing company and self-published. That means one learning curve after another and surprises with every step. Mostly tedious and/or frustrating. What has been more fun are the surprises in promoting the book, like being on a Kansas radio show on Oil Wrestling Night. Or doing an hour live TV show on what, I promise, is the reincarnation of the PTL club. The other guest wore purple and silver, had shellacked hair and called himself an international healer. That evening will be a story somewhere one day.

TED: What did you enjoy most in the process of writing the book or find most satisfying about the experience of publishing it?

JH: I enjoyed the writing. I like digging out the details so they can give life to the story. And, despite all the lost sleep and headaches, I feel good about publishing the book. From what people tell me, it touches them. Apparently it has weight and meaning and that makes me proud.

TED: What did you enjoy least about the process?

JH: I didn’t like being at the mercy of agents and publishers. Nor do I like some aspects of the publishing/distribution game. My blood pressure could rise just thinking about it!

TED: Has the process of writing the book changed your perspective on writing, publishing, or the creative process in general?

JH: Not on the creative process in general but--how much time do you have? Once everything settles down, I plan to organize my thoughts about how all this came to be. Will offer workshops about writing other people’s stories. Maybe do something humorous as a presentation about self-publishing.

TED: What’s next for you as a writer?

JH: I have several magazine article assignments right now---that’s how I came to write Sycamore. One is about a about an illiterate visionary painter who lives in a doublewide on a red clay road in Alabama. I’ve become friends with her over the past year. Really exciting story. Plus I left a historical novel on the back burner. Maybe something about living in Alabama during the civil rights era. I just phoned a former Ku Klux Klansman to see if he’ll talk with me. And then there’re the funerals, the family reunion in the cow pasture and the coconut cake. If I don’t learn to write faster, I won’t live long enough to tell all the stories in my head.

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For more about Jennie and her book, please visit http://asthesycamoregrows.com/ and follow the Virtual Book Tour at http://www.pumpupyourbook.com.

Author photo copyright Shannon Wells. Used with permission of the author