In The Waiting Tree, author Lindsay Moynihan writes fearlessly about some of the most pressing issues facing young adults today: acceptance, sexuality, bullying and religion. Here, she discusses her influences, her passions and what she hopes readers will take away from her work.
The real me? I thought. What was I now, the fake me? Would I suddenly wake up and discover I’d dreamt up this entire year or had been in some sort of coma? Eighteen-year-old Simon Peters wants to stand up for the truth about who he is. His love for Stephen is unwavering, but does he have the courage to defend it when his entire church community, including his eldest brother Paul, have ostracized him? Will Stephen’s feelings change now that he’s been banished to the Waverly Christian Center to learn how to be “normal” again? Trapped in a cashier’s job he hates, struggling to maintain peace with his brothers after their parents have died, and determined to look after his mute twin and his friend Tina, Simon puts everyone else’s needs before his own. It takes a courageous act on the part of Jude, his devoted twin, to change both of their lives forever. Jude, who is wiser than anyone ever knew. Jude, who understands that the meaning of the fig tree blooming in their scrappy backyard can finally set them free.
YOUNG ADULT: What made you decide to start writing?
Lindsay Moynihan: I moved from Canada to the U.S. when I was 18 to go to college and I was really homesick. I didn’t know a lot of people, so I was also pretty bored! I started writing to get my mind off of all that. I loved telling stories as a kid and had wanted to be a writer when I was much younger, so starting a novel felt very natural.
YA: Tell us a little bit about your latest work. What is different about The Waiting Tree?
LM: The Waiting Tree is a story about a young man named Simon who is outed to his conservative, Christian community in Louisiana by his lover’s father. Trapped in a cashier’s job he hates, he struggles to maintain peace with his brothers after their parents’ death, as well as look after his mute twin, Jude. Despite all of these odds, Simon fights for his faith, his love for his boyfriend, and for who he is as a person with a little help from his town’s other outsiders. The Waiting Tree is different because it isn’t your typical YA high school drama/romance. I wanted to create a realistic portrayal of what it’s like to be driven away and ostracized by your entire community, not just your school, because you are different.
YA: Take us through a typical writing day for you.
LM: I wouldn’t say I have a typical day of writing because I have to squeeze it in between work, school, and volunteering. When I do sit down to write, I don’t have any specific routines or guidelines to follow; I just jump in where I left off. I have a little Moleskin book that I jot down notes in so that I won’t lose ideas, and I am loving the Notes App on my IPhone for the same reason. I find that for me, the less structured the process, the better my writing is.
YA: Can you describe the path to getting this work published? Was it difficult to sell a non-paranormal, non-dystopian piece of YA fiction?
LM: I began writing the book without the faintest idea of how I would get it published. I was very lucky and got connected with a terrific editor who helped me polish the manuscript and then send it out to agents. I actually met my agent at a conference in Florida and she decided to represent me. Interestingly, the fact that the novel isn’t paranormal or dystopian wasn’t a problem in selling it. It might be because those are such popular genres right now and there is a lot of it out in the market that some publishers are starting to look for books that are a bit different.
YA: The book seems to deal with a lot of hot button issues, like sexuality, acceptance and religious ostracism. What do you hope the YA audience takes away from reading your book?
LM: The Waiting Tree doesn’t shy away from hot button issues: sexuality, bullying, and religious tolerance to name a few. There are all sorts of reasons to read a book; one of which is to open your mind to new perspectives that might challenge the status quo. I think that is why readers of all types, YA and adult, should consider The Waiting Tree. Writing this novel inspired me to ask a lot of tough questions and I hope it will encourage readers to do the same.
YA: What were your specific influences for this book? Films, literature, other stories?
LM: I was definitely inspired by Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, because she addressed very mature themes, including racism and civil rights, from the perspective of a young person. Children, and young people in general, often have unique outlooks on situations. When given the opportunity, the viewpoints of children, teens, and young adults can enrich the discussion around important topics like how we treat people who are different from ourselves. The only other specific influences for the book were my own experiences attending a conservative church with very strict rules about sexuality and relationships.
YA: Aside from the classic ‘never give up’, what advice would you give aspiring young writers today?
LM: Never giving up is a must, but I would also suggest being open to feedback and constructive criticism. It can be hard sometimes, but it will only make you a better writer. I am so grateful for the honest opinions and suggestions that I received from the brilliant editors who worked on The Waiting Tree. I have much more confidence in my writing abilities because of everything they have taught me.