How did you meet William Walters and how long did it take for him to tell you his entire story?
After the death of his wife of 65 years, William attended a hospice grief group also attended by a friend of mine who'd lost her husband. My friend was thunderstruck by the stories from his own life that William shared with the group, and she urged me to discuss with him the idea of recording his adventures. William and I met weekly over a period of four years while I typed out tales spanning his nine decades and he answered my many questions. It was the experience of a lifetime, being submerged in another person's life this deeply. So much of William's story was dramatic and fascinating. He was a compelling teacher as he provided background information about the times he lived through, so I learned far more than I'd previously known about the American Orphan Trains, Boys Town, hobos on the road and rails during the Great Depression, World War II special ops in the Pacific, and boom times in postwar America. And through it all emerged a delightful, unexpected love story.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
I love the feeling of being transported into another world. While writing I am so thoroughly focused that everything else disappears. An hour or two or three may have gone by when I look up from the screen to find that the clock has speeded ahead. Part of the pleasure comes from the satisfaction of putting together words so that they communicate well; this feels like solving a puzzle.
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