There’s nothing better than a book that touches you, opens your eyes to different perspectives, and makes you want to tell all your friends. THE COLORS OF THE RAIN is one of those books for me. I was thrilled to review it and just had to talk with the author.

R.L. Toalson, welcome to The Winged Pen!

Before we jump into questions, let’s give readers a quick synopsis of your novel. THE COLORS OF THE RAIN is a historical middle grade novel-in-verse set in 1972 Houston, Texas. It’s the story of Paulie, a boy coming to terms with the death of his father, changes in his family, and how the school’s desegregation battle personally affects his life. For a more detailed synopsis and my thoughts on the story, see my post here.

And now the questions!

TWP: In my opinion, Paulie’s story is timeless. It’s unfortunate, but true. Was there a particular event that inspired this story?

Rachel: The inspiration for THE COLORS OF THE RAIN was a collection of happenings. I was in a season of life when I didn’t have much time to write; I was the mother of five very young children–two of them newly born twins–and was feeling overwhelmed and terrified and exhausted and frustrated (with myself, mostly) for not making time to write. And in the middle of that sleep-deprived haze, I heard another child’s voice say, “I heard the gunshot from nine miles away.” I wrote it down in a notebook, and over the next several weeks and months, Paulie’s story unfolded. It was so compelling, and he was so much like I imagined my sons would be at that age, that I couldn’t help but finally (finally!) take the time to write his story down.

There is an event in my family’s past that resembles part of Paulie’s fictional life; I have a great-uncle who died the same way Paulie’s dad did. So personal history, too, played a large part in the story.

TWP: So often adults forget what it was like to be a kid. One of the things I loved about this book is how well you allowed us to see the world through Paulie’s eyes. I’ve read that you have kids. How much do they influence your writing?

Rachel: I have six sons (ages of 3 – 11), and I don’t know if I can fully and accurately express what an inspiration they are to me. Sometimes they say weird and quirky things that become the title of a book. Sometimes they are struggling with things that inspire me to compose some piece of writing–a poem, an essay, an entire novel. Sometimes I sit and listen to them talk, and I can hear the voices of children through the ages (I’ve been known to record entire conversations). They generously offer me a window through which I can see the insecurities, fears, joys, and victories of children today. Simply observing my sons at rest or at play gives me plenty of material for my imagination.

One of the keys to writing literature for children is connecting with the inner child that lives in us all, and my sons help me maintain that connection to who I was as a child–they are pieces of me, walking around in this world, interacting, playing, wondering. They have different backgrounds and different hopes and dreams, but their pieces are my pieces, too. They think, they act, they create–and it’s all a reminder of the ways I used to think and act and create when I was a kid. Channeling that into stories has been a thrilling and pleasant aspect of motherhood.

 I write for them, about them, and sometimes even with them. One of my sons wants to be a picture book illustrator; what can I do but create stories so he can practice illustrating?

TWP: As a mother of two, I completely agree! I believe all adults need to connect with their inner child more often. Now this novel is written in verse. Can you tell us about your background in poetry?

Rachel: I have always had a deep love for poetry. As a child I loved the poetry of Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky, and when I was eight or nine, I read an entire anthology (it was more than 400 pages!) of Emily Dickinson’s poetry (I was an interesting child). My mom was a school librarian while I was growing up, and she kept me supplied with writing paper, books, and poetry, probably so I wouldn’t ask her any more questions (I was also a very curious child with lots and lots of questions). 

One of my college professors once told me that he wouldn’t call my poetry “publishable” because it was melodramatic and mediocre. It probably was, but still I vowed to prove him wrong. I practiced the craft, honed my skills, and read volumes and volumes of poetry. I’ve been published in some children’s magazines and some literary journals, both online and print. I won a small poetry contest a few years back. And now I have an entire novel in poetry to send to my old professor–with goodwill, of course.

TWP: Can you give us hint about what you are working on now?

Rachel: Well, I’ve just been able to announce a new middle grade book called THE WOODS, which is scheduled to publish in the fall of 2019. It’s a dark fantasy that begins with the historically-true Texas City Disaster in 1947 and moves to the piney woods of Nacogdoches. And at this very moment, I’m working on draft 4 billion (not really, but it feels like it) of a YA novel in verse that examines some very heavy topics like suicide and depression. Hopefully this will be the try that gets it submission ready.

TWP: The new middle grade sounds interesting, and the young adult focuses on tough topics, but ones that definitely need to be written about. You will have to come back to The Winged Pen and tell us all about them. Can you tell us about your writing process? And are you a plotter or a panster?

Rachel: I call myself a plantser. I do both; it really depends on the story. Sometimes I start a story without knowing where in the world it’s going (and it’s always a more difficult and time-consuming revision process), but when I get to the middle I plot out the rest of it. Sometimes I start a story knowing the beginning and the end and just have to fill in the details, so I write “beats” for scenes. Sometimes I start a novel with 10,000+ words of brainstorm, like a skeletal frame for the story. THE COLORS OF THE RAIN was a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants story, which is likely why it took several revisions (and years) and significant cuts to get it right. When I plot (with the understanding that I can always deviate from the plot), the time it takes me to write a story is cut in half, at least. So I prefer those plotted stories–they don’t give me as much trouble. But sometimes I like to shake things up and keep my writing fresh, so I’ll take a year to write a meandering story that will need hours of editing. It’s a good way to shake things up if things get too stagnant. 

I think the most important thing in a writer’s process is that they are having fun and are engaging in play. Play is what opens us to the full expression of creativity. Whether I’m plotting or pantsing, I always feel like I’m playing.

TWP: What is the best writing advice you’ve received?

Rachel: Gosh, there’s so much great writing advice out there. So I’m going to share my favorite writing book, which is Donald Maass’s The Emotional Craft of Fiction. My favorite thing he says in that book is this: “Craft tools, process, story ideas, and support are important, no question, but your essential humanity and goodness matters more…the emotional craft of fiction is a set of tools, yes, but more than anything it’s an instrument beyond the range of any book: the gracious gift of your own loving heart.”

It’s something I remember every time I begin a new piece of writing: that the greatest gift I give my readers is myself.

Thank you so much for spending time at The Winged Pen and sharing your story. THE COLORS OF THE RAIN was published yesterday. You can get your copy at Indiebound, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon.

R.L. Toalson is an author, essayist, and poet who regularly contributes to adult and children’s print and online publications around the world. She lives in San Antonio with her husband and six boys. THE COLORS OF THE RAIN is her first novel. To learn more about her, visit her website here.